LESSON 7.4 What were life and death like in ancient China?
LEARNING INTENTION By the end of this lesson you should be able to: • describe how ancient China’s society was organised • explain how class and power were linked • describe how people from different classes lived and were treated after they died.
Tune in People’s everyday lives varied between different social classes in ancient China.
SOURCE1 Modern day in the Chinese capital, Beijing
Examine SOURCE1 . 1. What can you see in this image that suggests that it is in China? 2. Is this how you would have expected Chinese citizens to appear? 3. Consider how differently ordinary Chinese people might have looked in ancient times.
7.4.1 The ruling classes Chinese society was led by rulers who were helped by lords, wealthy landowners and bureaucrats . These groups had power over many peasants, workers without land, artisans and some slaves. • Ancient Chinese rulers had a lot of power. This is shown by Shang dynasty tombs, which had war chariots and the bodies of many followers. These people were likely sacriýced to serve the rulers in the afterlife. • Below the supreme ruler were the powerful lords. They governed the states, such as Zhao, Qin and Wei, within the kingdom. • Next were the landowning gentry. The warrior gentry led the lords’ armies. Bureaucrats also came from the gentry, but they needed to be scholars to work in the government. The lords of ancient China often fought with nomadic tribes to the north and west, as well as with each other. Warriors ýrst fought in chariots and later on horseback. The lords and warriors saw war as a kind of sport. When not ýghting, they spent time hunting, feasting or attending ceremonies. Upper-class women had servants and luxuries, but they were considered less important than men. When they married, they were treated as the property of their rich husbands, who could have more than onewife.
TOPIC7 Ancient China 193
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