Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-12-09
The Outline of History-By H. G. Wells

MADE the later historians OIL Egypt ana emma
talk of the earlier phases OF their national
history as being under dynasties of the later
empires and of such early "Emperors," as
Menes Gin Egypt or the First Five EN-
p3rors Gin China). The early dynasties eX-
ercised far less centralized powers than the
latter ones. Such unity as China possessed
under the Shang Dynasty was religious
rather than an effective political union. The
"Son of Heaven offered sacrifice for all the
Chinese There was common script, a COM
mon civilization, and a common enemy in
the Huns of the northwestern borders.
The last of the Shang Dynasty was cruel
and foolish monach who burnt himself alive
G125 B. c. in his palace after decisive
defeat by WI Wang, the founder of the
Chow Dynasty. WI Wang seems to have
been helped by allies from among the south
western tribes we'll as by popular re-
volt.
For time China remained loosely united
under the Chow emperOrs, as loosely united
as was Christendom under the popes in the
middle ages; the Chow emperors had become
the traditional high priests of the land in
the place of the Shang Dynasty and claimed
a sort of overlordship in Chinese affairs, but
gradually the loose ties of usage and senti-
ment that held the empire together lost their
hold upon mems minds.
The Age of Confucius
Hunnish peoples to the north and west
took on the Chinese civilization without
acquiring sense of its unity. Feudal princes
began to regard themselves as Independent.
Mr.. LANG Chi-Chao, one of the Chinese rep
resentatives at the Paris conference of 1919,
states that between the eighth and fourth
centuries B. c. there were in the Hwang-
no and Yang-tse valleys no less than five or
six thousand small states with about dozen
powerful states dominating over them" The
land was subject to perpetual warfare Gage
of confusion'o.
In the sixth century B. G. the great pow
ers in conflict were Ts'i and Ts'in which were
northern Hwang-ho states, and Ch'u, which
was a vigorous, aggressive power in the
Yang-tse valley. A confederation against
Ch'u laid the foundation for a league that
kept the peace for a hundred yaers; the
league subdued and incorporated Cha and
made general treaty of disarmament. 1t
became the foundation of new pacific en-
pire.
The knowledge of iron entered China at
some unknown date, but iron weapons be-
gan to be commonly used only about 500 B.
c., that is to say, two or three hundred years
or more after this had become customary in
Assyria, Egypt and Europe. Iron was prob
ably introduced from the north into China
by the Huns.
The last rulers of the Chow Dynasty were
ousted by the kings of Tsin, the latter seized
upon the sacred sacrifcial bronze tripods,
and so were able to take over the imperial
duty of offering sacrifices to Heaven. In
ILLS manner was the is IN dynasty eSta bl1Sh-
ed 1t ruled with far more vigor and effect
than any previous family.
The reign of Shi Hwang-ti (meaning "frst
universal emperor') of this dynasty is usual
ly taken to mark the end of feudal and diyid-
ed China. He seems to have played the uni
Tying role in the east that Alexander the
Great might have played in the west, but he
lived longer, and the unity he made Cor re-
stored) was comparatively permanent, while
the empire of Alexander the Great fell to
pieces, as we shall tell, at his death.
The Builder of the "Great Wall"
Sh1 -Hwang-ti, among other feats in the di-
rectlon of common effort, organized the
building of the Great Wall of China against
the Huns
civil war followed close upon his reign,
and ended in the establishment of the Han
Dynasty. Under this Han Dynasty the en-
plre grew greatly beyond its original two
river valleys, the Huns were effectively re-
strained, and the Chinese penetrated west
ward until they began to learn at last of civ
Liked races and civilizations other than their
own.
By 100 B. C. the Chinese had heard of In
ola, their power had spread across Tibet and
INTO western Turkestan, and they were trad
ing by camel caravans with Persia and the
western world. So much for the present
must suffice for our account of China. We
shall return to the distinctive characters of
its civilization later.
Copyright, 1929
mo DIN PS-&