Chapter 4: China and East Asia to the Ming Dynasty
Chapter 4: China and East Asia to the Ming Dynasty
George L. Israel
4.1 CHRONOLOGY
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Chronology |
China |
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8000–2000 BCE |
Neolithic Cultures in China |
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5000–3000 BCE |
Yangshao Culture |
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3000–1900 BCE |
Longshan Culture |
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c. 1900–1600 BCE |
Xia Dynasty |
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c. 1600–1046 BCE |
Shang Dynasty |
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1045–256 BCE |
Zhou Dynasty |
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1045–771 BCE |
Western Zhou |
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770–256 BCE |
Eastern Zhou |
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551–479 BCE |
Confucius |
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475–221 BCE |
Warring States Period |
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221–210 BCE |
Qin Dynasty |
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221–210 BCE |
First Emperor of Qin |
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202 BCE–220 CE |
Han Dynasty |
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141–87 BCE |
Emperor Wu |
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220–589 CE |
Period of Division |
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220–280 CE |
Three Kingdoms Period |
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155–220 CE |
Cao Cao |
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265–317 CE |
Western Jin |
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317–589 CE |
Northern and Southern Dynasties |
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581–618 CE |
Sui Dynasty |
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618–907 CE |
Tang Dynasty |
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960–1279 CE |
Song Dynasty |
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1271–1368 CE |
Yuan Dynasty |
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1215–1294 CE |
Kublai Khan |
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1368–1644 CE |
Ming Dynasty |
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Korea |
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c. 400 BCE–313 CE |
Early Historical Period |
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313–668 CE |
Three Kingdoms |
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c. 37 BCE–668 CE |
Goguryeo Dynasty |
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668–892 CE |
Silla Dynasty |
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Japan |
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11,000–500 BCE |
Jōmon Period |
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500 BCE–250 CE |
Yayoi Period |
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250–600 CE |
Mounded Tomb Period |
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600–800 CE |
Asuka-Nara Period |
4.2 INTRODUCTION
In 1974, farmers digging a well in a field located in northwest China uncovered fragments of a clay figurine. Little did they know, they had chanced upon what turned out to be one of the most fascinating archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century. Subsequent excavation revealed that beneath the fragment lay a massive underground pit filled with over seven thousand terracotta figurines modeling archers, infantrymen, and charioteers. Another pit contained terracotta cavalry and infantry units that composed a military guard, while a third one contained high-ranking officers and war chariots in what was perhaps a command post. These three pits are part of a much larger complex of underground vaults spread across twenty-two square miles. Most importantly, a large, forested burial mound towers over the neighboring fields containing these underground armies. This is where the First Emperor of Qin [cheen] was buried after he died in 210 BCE. Although it hasn’t yet been excavated, experts believe the tomb is a microcosm of the emperor’s palace, capital city, and empire. The pits, then, contained the army protecting his realm in the afterlife. With this discovery, our understanding of how China was unified under one empire after a long period of warfare was advanced immeasurably.
East Asia can be defined in two different ways. Geographically speaking, it can be defined as the eastern region of the Asian continent and the countries located there, principally China, North and South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. But historians also define East Asia as a broader cultural realm and include countries that both shared close historical relations with China and were impacted by China’s political a