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Ancient China Facts for Kids

1. The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was built during ancient China to protect the Chinese from invaders.

The wall was built by the different dynasties over a period of more than 2000 years. It was a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China to protect the Chinese states and empires against the raids and invasions of the various nomadic groups.

Even though the Great Wall of China is the world’s longest wall, it can NOT be seen from space.

2. The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army is an enormous collection of around 8,000 unique, life-size statues dating back nearly 2,000 years. They were buried with the self-proclaimed first emperor of China. They were uncovered by accident in 1974 and have become a fascinating artifact since.

3. Kites

Ancient China is known for its invention of kites. Kites were invented in China more than 2,000 years ago and were originally used for religious and ceremonial purposes. People would fly kites to send messages to the gods, to bring good luck and to ward off evil spirits. Kites were also used to train soldiers in ancient China.

They would fly kites to learn how to navigate the winds and to develop good hand-eye coordination. Kites were also used for entertainment and during festivals, people would fly kites with colorful designs and intricate shapes. Kids in ancient China would also fly kites during the leisure time as a fun activity.

4. Sacrifices

Evidence has been uncovered that people in early ancient China carried out sacrifices, possibly as an offering to their ancestors to keep them happy. Ancestor worship was a central part of the Chinese culture and was considered as the foundation of Chinese society.

They believed that their ancestors had the power to influence the fate of the living and it has been suggested that they believed they could bring good fortune to the family by performing sacrifices to them.

5. Agriculture

The ancient Chinese were skilled in agriculture and developed advanced farming techniques such as irrigation and crop rotation. The Chinese farmers used to build dams and canals to control water flow and to irrigate their lands.

They also developed the technique of crop rotation which is the practice of alternating different crops on the same land in different seasons. This helped to maintain soil fertility and to prevent pests and diseases.

6. The Silk Road

The Silk Road was an important trade route that connected China to the rest of the world, along which the Chinese traded silk and other goods. The Silk Road was a network of trade routes that connected the East and West. It was named after the Chinese silk, which was one of the most valuable trade goods.

Along the Silk Road, the Chinese traded silk, porcelain, tea, and other goods with the West. They also exchanged ideas, religions and technologies with the other cultures along the route.

7. Gods

The ancient Chinese believed in a complex system of gods that controlled the forces of nature and human fate. The sky gods controlled the weather, the earth gods controlled the crops, and the underworld gods controlled the afterlife.

There were also gods for specific purposes such as wealth, love, and prosperity, etc.

8. Bronze Casting

The ancient Chinese were skilled in bronze casting and created many beautiful bronze vessels and sculptures. Bronze casting was an important art form in ancient China, where they used bronze to make a wide variety of objects, including vessels, weapons, and sculptures.

Chinese bronzes are famous for their intricate designs, and the skilful casting techniques used to make them.

9. Writing

The ancient Chinese developed a system of writing using characters, which is still used today in modern China. This is one of the oldest and most complex writing systems in the world. It was developed more than 3,000 years ago and the characters have evolved over time.

Each character is a unique combination of strokes and meanings, and there are thousands of characters in the Chinese language.

10. Gunpowder

The ancient Chinese invented gunpowder, which they used for fireworks and weapons. The invention of gunpowder had a significant impact on the development of warfare and technology in ancient China.

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