comparisons between east and west(China,Greecs and Romans)

Let’s see now,

2000 BC – 1600 BC

China – Xia dynasty, Chinese already knew how to carve jade at this early age, and clay silkworms and spindles exist as evidence that they knew how to make silk as well.
Aegean/Greece – Middle Minoan Period to Late Minoan period.
Etruscans – tribals
How do you decide which was more advanced?

1600 BC – 1000 BC

China – Shang dynasty
Aegean/Greece – late Minoan period to Mycenaean period
Etruscans – tribals

1200BC – 800BC

Aegean/Greece – Greek Dark Ages

China – Western Zhou Dynasty, spread of “civilisation” to the extremes of the Central Plains.

Etruscans – tribals

776 BC

Aegean/Greece – The traditional year of the first Olympic games in Greece.

China – Reign of the useless King You of Zhou who cried wolf.

Etruscans – start of Orientalizing Period (700-600 B.C.), Rome founded 753BC.

800BC – 300BC

Aegean/Greece – Ancient Greece, rise of city-states, defeating the Persian Empire, Athenian Empire, Peloponnesian War, culminating with the Macedonian Empire under Alexander the Great. Golden Age of classical Greece with Aristotle, Socrates and Plato.

China – Eastern Zhou dynasty, the rise of the hegemons among the feudal lords during the Spring Autumn period, and into the Warring States Era. Confucious, Meng Zi, Lao Zi, Xun Zi and Zhuang Zi etc, not to mention the famous Sun Zi.

Etruscans – Archaic Period, Roman monarchy changed to Republic, got sacked by the Gauls, recovered and defeated the Etruscans and Samnites to become capital of Italy. Read the rest of this entry »

Why was China the longest suriving ancient civilization in the world ?

According to most chinese history texts, there are 4 great ancient civilization:

1. Egyptian (based on niles river civilization)
2. Mesopotamia (based on Tigris and Euphrates civilization)
3. Indian (based on Indus Valley civilization)
4. China (based on Yellow River civilization)

However, Egyptian, Mesopotamia and Indian have all disappeared.

After attending a course on chinese history, I’ve learnt a number of factors that make chinese civilization unique, contributing to its continuity:

1. Geographical Factor

2. Chinese are agriculture and farming-based

3. Chinese learnt cavalry warfare from nomads to fight against nomads

4. Acculturation and Sinification nature of chinese culture

from:chinahistoryforum.com