Chinese concept of civilization

"The central concerns of China from its earliest historic times were writing, divination, ritual, ancestor worship, history, and poetry. The concept of a moral order in politics seems fundamental to the Chinese" (161).

China's concept of civilization depended on its qualities and obligations. Foremost, the idea of harmony is prominent in their goals. Examples of this are yin vs. yang, male vs. female, light vs. dark, and inner vs. outer lives. Also the main goal of life was to maintain order on earth. To maintain order, one must be sustained by virtue and have ritual and reverence for ancestors. The goal of life in Egyptian, Indian, and Chinese civilization are all the same idea: order.

This is the symbol yin and yang. It symbolizes the attraction of opposites creating harmony.

-Sophie Clayton

Citation: Beniretto, Rosie, and Clay Elliott, comps. Manual for Cultural Foundations of Ancient Civilizations. Vol. 2. Houston: St. John's School, 2013. 181. Print.

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