The Creation of China Explained

We will look at the creation of China. We start by looking at the Yellow River Civilization and how they spread to the Yang Tze River Basin. How the people formed a unified ethnic group called the Han Chinese. From there we look at the creation of the very first dynasty, the Shang Dynasty. How it was replaced with the Zhou Dynasty, and how it dissolved into the Warring States Period.
We then focus on the start of the Chinese Iron Age. And how it allowed the State of Qin to grow into one of the powerful states at the end of the Warring States Period.
We then follow the life of Qin Shi Huang, or Ying Zheng, how he was called at birth. We talk about how they conquered the other 6 states of the Zhao, Wei, Qi, Han, Chu, and Yan. And we look at how the Qin state unified China under the Qin Dynasty.
From there we look at how they unified Chines language, Chinese writing, and Chinese bureaucracy. And how it became an early centralized state.
After Qin the Chinese Empire collapsed and we see the emergence of the Han Dynasty.
Credits
- Research: Mrs Scope
- Animation: Petra Lilla Marjai
- Audio: Seb. Soto
- Writing and Voice Over: Avery from History Scope
Social Media
- Discord: / discord
- Twitter: / scopehistory
- Instagram: / officialhistoryscope
- Facebook: / averythingchannel
Sources
Websites
www.britannica.com/topic/Qin-...
www.khanacademy.org/humanitie...
www.worldhistory.org/Warring_...
core.ac.uk/reader/81146530
Books
J. Clements (2019) A Brief History of China. Tuttle Publishing. North Clarendon.
Articles
G. L. Mayhew - The Formation of the Qin Dynasty:A Socio-technical System of Systems. Procedia Computer Science 8 (2012) 402 - 412
Y. Guo - Contingency and Historical Inevitability in the Development of the Qin Dynasty. Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences. Volume 8 (2023)
S. Feng - The Rise of Zhou and Qin Dynasties and the Change of the Position of the Qian Diagram in the Eight Diagrams. Asian Culture and History; Vol. 15, No. 1 (2023)
W. Huang, M. Xi, S. Lu, F. Taghizadeh-Hesary - Rise and Fall of the Grand Canal in the Ancient
Kaifeng City of China: Role of the Grand Canal and Water Supply in Urban and Regional Development. Water 2021, 13, 1932.
J. Huang - Research on the Causes of the Destruction of the Qin Dynasty. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 119.
Parveen, K., & Akram, H. (2021). Insight of Chinese culture by viewing historical picture of Qin Dynasty. Journal of Social Sciences Advancement, 2(1), 17-24.

[@lohema7827]

I DEMAND A COMPLETE CHINESE DYNASTY SERIES

[@moonshot3159]

demand rejected

[@redhead8255]

yes same

[@CHUOMSQUAD]

We demand

[@reinhardheinzwarfelr8215]

Video lenght : 20 hours

[@Flutyik_47]

The History of China... MUST... BE... PRESENTED

[@MrHyde1908]

I'd love to hear more history concerning Chinese history. I don't think enough people learn about World history, and with how prevalent China was/is on the global scale, learning more concerning their history and experiences is a personally exciting venture.

[@MustardAndFries]

China was not actually prevalent on a global scale until modernity, you could argue the colonization of China made it important for other countries but China itself was a regional player for most of its history.

[@AfghanPoppies]

​@@MustardAndFriesNot exactly.. much of old world history revolves around China, albeit indirectly. From the XiongNu - Huns contributing to the fall of the Romans, to the Mongol invasion and Black Death, to African trade networks, to the European exploration age (in order to find new trade routes to China, circumnavigating the Persians). Globalization itself is a very recent phenomenon, but China's influence on the world is probably the closest thing we've seen.

[@MustardAndFries]

@@AfghanPoppies none of this expressly deals with the Chinese state itself.

[@fargr5926]

@@MustardAndFriesI think his wording is quite accurate. Influence doesn’t need direct China state involvement, but China’s state/dynasties has been well aware of their role in global trading since long time ago. Silk porcelain teas, all products were under state supervision and organization since long long ago.

[@male19-ye9fg]

​@@MustardAndFriesThe world you are referring to is only the Western world, but in ancient times the West was the edge of the world. Because it is too developed, China itself is the center of the world

[@ucan1]

I am leaving this comment here so that after some hours, days, weeks, months or years when someone likes or comment on it, I will be reminded to watch this video again

[@NapoleanBlown-aparte]

Its been 5 hours watch the video ya goon

[@user-qk5mm1yw7y]

Its been 8 hours watch the video ya goon

[@MarkMaster123]

Its been 12 hours watch the video ya goon

[@NoNo-di4sf]

Its been 14 hours watch the video ya goon

[@AndresSanchez-bi7bn]

Its been 16 hours watch the video ya goon

[@kianakaslana1210]

Not only Confucius, Shang Yang is definitely one of the most important figure in Chinese history. With his legalism policies, he with Qin monarchs had made Qin from a backwater country into the strongest warring state and then finally united China. And Qin Shi Huang is no doubt the greatest emperor in Chinese history because his work had laid a sturdy foundation for Chinese civilization

[@user-je7cs6tj5c]

In fact, from the map, Qin is not the most isolated kingdom. In terms of geographical location, Qin's location is quite ideal. First of all, Qin only needs to guard against Wei in the east. The west and north of Qin are relatively backward. Tribal residents, the south of Qin State is separated from the powerful Chu State by the ancient and neutral Shu State and Ba State. Shu State, Ba State and Qin State have long-term trade cooperation relations, but due to changes in Qin State's economic policy , refused to obtain the rice produced by Shu through purchase, and attempted to control Shu through military power to obtain lower-cost rice, thus opening up the route for Chu to attack Qin. The excessive desire of the king of Qin made Qin Citizens were under great threat and had to embark on a militaristic plan of aggression.

[@hidefreek6905]

He did but he made two fatal mistakes that ruined all that his clan built. 1. He didn't pick a proper successor. This means the empire will guarantee turmoil when he's dead or temporarily out of power. And that's happening. (He's very paranoid and fears his eldest son because from the record...His eldest son was from the state of chu linage and had many political views that contrasted with his) 2. Use over used his authority. His unification creates a concept of divine authority which during that time no one knew how exactly it worked and what the terrifical outcome it could bring. I mean...Well, labour for one month wasn't bad but the work that guarantees your death before you reach the destination is much more terrifying. In ancient time, people usually died from starvation and sickness when outside that climate. Qin forced relocation of the population to prevent rebellion causing massive casualties among the population, then forcing entire male in the village to travel to some desolate area to die was a big no. And Qin Shi Huang was drunk on his power and did a lot of unreasonable things. Those who can's do it will die but if you can get the emperor favour, you can survive. That's a problem for sure

[@kianakaslana1210]

​@@hidefreek6905u miss the thing is Qin Shi Huang was the FIRST Emperor of united China. And he was undoubtedly making mistakes along the way because there was nothing he could rely on from history. Qin Shi Huang and his court almost built everything from scratches for the united China. But no doubt majority of his policies had worked because China today was built based on his foundation.

[@hidefreek6905]

That's why caution and patience come in handy. The first yes. But no one dare to challenge him during his reign but what about after that? Build an empire must do step by step. (Like many people said Rome wasn't build in a day) Same as Qin conquest. Qin Shihuang nearly unleashed what his ancestors built upon his enemy. So his role in the conquest was low. Then, what about his administration? Indeed, effective but also not at the same time. In history, Qin Shihuang had very bad upbringing and he himself had mental illness. Born among carnibals, his mother intended to kill him and ruin Qin's destint. His only friend wanted to kill him and his father-in-law betrayed him at the peak of Qin unification of China. All of these affect his mental state during his reign. And he no longer listen to anyone. When the time the people can't talk directly to the leader and must see his face and emotion before anything else. That nation is halfway to its doom already.

[@MrPathorock]

Not civilization, but the foundation as ine unified and centralized kindom

[@CrimsonIsDevious]

Kendrick and history scope dropping in the same week that’s crazy

[@IrrelevantPride]

Truly blessed week

[@Loumiya]

A full series would be incredible cool

[@marcinkanski2878]

okay a slight little (i hope) constructive criticism that came to my mind, the 1st few minutes seem to suggest that the Han ethnic identity was universal to all peoples of the yellow river valley from the get go, which as far as i know was not the case. Han being so dominant is only a later development of politics within the region. I think saying "(...)they started to develop their own ethnicities, chineese ethnicities one of which is (some flowery sentence if u will) Han(...)" and later the video could go on as it does. Imo it would save people that little bit of confusion... but it could just be me. aside from that little thing great video!

[@alexv3357]

Hell, a lot of people now called Han wouldn't have been considered so even as recently as the Qing Dynasty. The very idea of an ethnic Han identity as opposed to a cultural one based on language, education, religion, and lifestyle is largely a late-19th-century nationalist retcon rather than long-established reality.

[@alexhabegger4096]

11:20 11:23

[@johnlacey3857]

@@alexv3357What is a retcon?

[@alexv3357]

@@johnlacey3857 Retroactive continuity. A re-explaining of something at a later date. It's a commonly-used word in fandoms for when a franchise changes or clarifies something after the fact in later seasons or movies, especially as a way of smoothing out plot inconsistencies. Nationalists around the world do this when they create narratives of their nations, since no nation period existed before the age of mass literacy and mass transportation. Nations are not the same as cultures or societies or states in general, but rather a specific arrangement of standardised (hence national) institutions across the whole of a state's territory, including a standardisation of language and religion and so on. Saying that one's nation has a proud history extending back thousands of years is a recasting of events in ways that the people who lived through those events would not necessarily understand or agree with.

[@kushastea3961]

@@alexv3357 except this is just wrong? han as an ethnicity started to exist after han dynasty cuz during wuhuluanhua the huns and mongols and 3 other nomadic tribes invaded the started to kill chinese people based on their ethnicity aka han ethnicity. it's like how black is created as a race because white people needed a reason to enslave them aka a social construct.

[@amtracks22]

You pronounced “Zhao” more or less correctly in this video, but the vowel in “Zhou” is pronounced more like “oh” like the name “Joe”

[@HistoryScope]

Oh that's interesting! I couldn't find good pronunciations of Zhou and just used the one used in Avatar the last Airbender (for Admiral Zhao).

[@zhubajie6940]

I youtubers people would simply use Google translate for foreign names we wouldn't have to repeatedly have to call this out. Pinyin words get pronunciations get so tortured.

[@comradeofthebalance3147]

@@HistoryScopeGoogle translate?

[@HistoryScope]

@@zhubajie6940 Unfortunately, I can't write in Mandarin. I instead google 'how to pronounce' followed by the word I want to pronounce. In the case of Zhou, it gave me the same as Zhao. As for google translate: it sounds like a badly put-together audio clip. Considering how terrible it's with English, Dutch, and German pronunciations, I don't trust it with anything else either.

[@HistoryScope]

@@comradeofthebalance3147 see my previous comment, please :)

[@pixelpuppy]

I love that your videos cover the most important aspect of history that lots of high school history skips on - the WHY things happened. I wish these videos were available when I was in high school.

[@WensBlog]

Hey! Thanks for your amazing videos!!! I hope you can create a new video about the current situation in Argentina and its past history... cause you already gave us the Taiwanese video. I'm Argentinean with Taiwanese roots. 😂😁

[@ouss]

1000ars is like 12 cents wtf

[@luigileonardi329]

​@@oussit is 1 €

[@WensBlog]

​@@ouss is 1$ USD

[@johnlacey3857]

@@oussIt might be a lot for that guy. Have some compassion and respect.

[@HistoryScope]

@@ouss Considering how bad inflation is in Argentina, that's probably a lot more money to them than it is to us in the west. So let's not judge other people for their donations.

[@SushiElemental]

Always dropping videos on my birthday, that's hype. Thanks! 🍫

[@HistoryScope]

Of course, anything for sushi!

[@thomasfabis7338]

Great job! Please give us more!

[@namedoesmatter]

PLEASE make a complete series!!!

[@csanfino283]

Awesome video, I always look forward to watching them!

[@thebestcentaur]

Yeah, make this a series👏🏾✊🏾

[@anthonyleluika7240]

i love that history youtube isn’t afraid to make content about a subject that has been covered (specifically china) because all of them tell the story in a different way/perspective. also i want to hear all of this info again without watching the same video. (this sounds so back handed but being sincere and i love this video)

[@TheboyInPurple915]

Once again, your animators are talented.

[@gabig9477]

HELL YEAH FOR THE CHINA SERIES!! ❤

[@aarondemiri486]

A series of top tier juicy history videos on Chinese dynasties sounds amazing.

[@Corium1]

love your channel, you cover aspect of history I love to learn more about, but also cover history I haven't learn much about. definitely cover all of Chinese history!

[@Somewhereinthisuniverse]

Thanks for your content man really informative ❤

[@harku123]

I love your videos, been watching for about 2 years. Chinese history is complicated as heck so well done on making this. I hope to see more just like your aztec series

[@mooveegal]

I’ve tried watching Chinese history YT videos before and failed. All the names and changes and details were hard to follow without serious focus. Your video of the same complexity is clear and fascinating that kept me captive to learn and be entertained. Have given the Like for yes to the series of the dynasties please!

[@KeefeL]

Probably should have Googled how to pronounce the single word names though...

[@Joe-Mama978]

Me: “Honey! History Scope just dropped!! Get the lube!” My wife: 👁️👄👁️

[@AdityaMehendale]

Nani?

[@Kevin-cm5kc]

Que?

[@thebestcentaur]

Yes, officer, this comment right here

[@OneKorn8]

Nini?

[@MrAlexkyra]

Fantastic video! I really enjoy your history content. And I absolutely would love a Chinese Dynasty series.

[@zacsayer1818]

Bravo, great work Avery!

[@michelmurr1949]

Very interesting video I was waiting for someone to upload a comprehensive yet simple video diving into chinese history. Thank you and hope you get the necessary likes 👍

[@farcydebop7982]

Nice stuff, keep up the good work.

[@MythicTales993]

Wow, what an amazing video! Thanks for making my day brighter.

[@thomasjohnson2862]

Yeah new History Scope video!! History Scope rocks

[@supernovano1]

Thanks for this amazing video! I've been following you for a few years and these videos are always a treat. Many more thanks for uploading them so often now :)! I'd love to see a next one. Maybe an idea: it might be interesting to create a similar video on the history of the Indian subcontinent. I think there is a lot of history there that most people in the west have no clue about.

[@b1gfish999]

This was great! I really enjoyed this video!

[@henryzhang9625]

Please make full series!!

[@01ai01]

Great video, thanks Avery.

[@johane4764]

So happy to see a new video!

[@sweetdreamslydia]

absolutely loved this !! please make more china related content

[@tonyfriendly4409]

This was a quality video, from the script, the narration, and the animation. You have a new subscriber, and I shall watch your career with great interest.

[@Destinum]

Great video. The history of China is one of those areas of knowledge where I'm painfully lacking, despite how important it was for the world as we know it today.

[@AdityaMehendale]

I dropped a "like" (becaused I actually liked your presentation of the topic), and I'm sure you'll get 20k, but don't oblige yourself to make a follow-up video for this reason. Do it only if you deem the topic worthy. As on "Whose line is it anyway" - the likes don't matter. Geweldig, hoe je moeilijke onderwerpen in behapbare brokjes opdeelt. Kudos!

[@Mohammedbouziani_29]

I really like your content so much continue ❤ your brother from morocco

[@nelsonperez9546]

Just want to say thank you for citing your sources i see and appreciate that

[@DYNB]

Great and very thorough video. We learn very little about the history of China here in Holland, so a series about the entire history of China would be very nice!

[@azeuster2171]

Thank u lord history scopes for dropping new heat again

[@nothing2419]

nice work

[@moch770]

Please make a full China series!

[@mundoddl]

Make it a series ❤️❤️❤️

[@roryburch861]

This was such an amazing video

[@MCPhatman]

Really want that complete chinese history series but to be fair I'd take anything you produce keep up the good work 👍🏿 Maar ja alsnog maak die china serie gewoon 😜

[@viniciussousadiniz4623]

This video was so cool! More people should know about why china is the way it is today by studying their history, i personally never studied this topic in school MORE CHINA

[@patrickmateka5068]

Make this a series :)))

[@FxTR22]

Amazing video

[@rozkaz661]

Lets go! I would love more china content

[@spring37439]

Excellent video with very clear logic

[@TheHajinator]

Series needed

[@jaredstevens6645]

Favorite topic - commenting for algorithm

[@Muzui]

18:00 BGM:帝女花(Perish in the Name of Love, Princess Cheung Ping, or The Flower Princess)

[@_Umni_]

Thanks so much scope, Chinese history can get very confusing when researching so I really love this video!

[@bennruda11]

Would you, could you ever do a video on all the pacific people's, from indigenous taiwan japan n phillipines to Madagascar and the pacific peoples of pacific ocean P.s. just joined your patreon, love how ya do vids n research (love your team)

[@17091ira0072]

series please

[@JeadAgent]

PLS THEN IT INTO A SERIES PLS PLS PLS!!!

[@chaosschnitzl7422]

Yes more videos please! China was a topic on my final exams in history, but we just started in 1800. I would realy like to know how it develioped in comparison to europe or the south american civilisazions at roman and medival times, or even before.

[@pasteque6605]

Chinese history is extremely interesting and this video is of the highest quality. Thank you !

[@domino9697]

I would love a full series, I find Chinese history is very interesting

[@sheagirl55]

Yes please create a series

[@SunYat-sen]

This video is so awesome!!!! Ancient Chinese history is truly fascinating

[@Kaiser_von_Europa]

Yes!!! We need china series!!!!

[@hthomas4993]

fav topic fr!!!!

[@Kevin-cm5kc]

I would definitely love to see a china series. Even as a history nerd, i know so little about china considering their importance

[@danielating1316]

I love your content. I particularly love ancient Chinese culture.

[@RossHbn]

Excellent video!

[@TheDrian24]

Yes we would all love a china series

[@alihasanabdullah7586]

Those army numbers are crazy, especially for the time period.

[@benduncan4027]

I want a series about dynasties 🤩

[@justsaying7565]

Please do more videos about Chinese history 🙏

[@Lobotomistmankyeh]

id love to see a series covering the history of china.

[@Jadeschannel255]

Nice!

[@nurlan6588]

I gave you my giant Like and looking forward for new series on Chinese history.Especially interested on Yuan Dynasty created by Chingiskhan grandson Hubilai. Also it'll be great if you consider role of Hunnu tribes.

[@ProfessionalHunt]

I would LOVE more china content from you dude it's very hard to find information that's not put just like a thick ass encyclopedia if you know what I mean

[@iwantsifegold]

Yes make a series

[@alanw1775]

i only recently learned that, before qin's wars of unification and especially han dynasty, each chinese state used a slightly different writing system, but closely related to each other. even today, many various dialects across china are mutually unintelligible, making them almost like different languages but with the same written language, thanks to this guy qin shi huang. thanks for explaining how it all began

[@Mrchengpeng]

中国在几千年前统一了文字所以中国不管怎么分裂最终都会再次统一

[@alanw1775]

yep, china unified the writing system in 221 bc, so 2244 years ago, but before that, there was no unified writing system, in fact there was no china, but a collection of various warring chinese states. similar to classical ancient greeks in my mind

[@anathardayaldar]

Great summary. Other videos on China's history was like an unending list of chinese names and dates which had no meaning for me and I would quickly zone out.

[@MyCoolDays]

Yea need that series

[@mycel66]

we need that sequel !!!

[@Wakobear.]

Pls do Tang and Song golden ages

[@AbhyudayaSinh]

Very informative and entertaining ❤❤❤

[@babthecookieman]

PLS DO PART 2

[@phantom6man]

I like that Yes Minister line, it is very true indeed. "Power goes with permanence. Sir Humphrey: Impermanence is impotence. Sir Arnold: And rotation is castration."

[@hanwenyap]

A bit weirded out with the background music used around 18:10 mark. The tune is from 帝女花， a play inspired by the fall of the Ming dynasty circa 1643/44. Will be more relevant used when covering the fall of the Ming instead. Hong Kong's TVB has a rather enjoyable TV series on this play (though it has tons of historical inaccuracies). Apart from this, I've greatly enjoyed this video and I look forward to seeing more Chinese history!

[@thevenbede767]

Slight correction. Rice farming occurred around the Yangtze. Around the yellow river they farmed wheat

[@pthea-trick2924]

Ngl I missread and thought this was about the QING Dynasty, so I was very confused when you mentioned that China had never been unified before.¨ Great video though! :D

[@ekamandalaputra5517]

Only with one letter it completely change dynasty with thousands years apart

[@VxV631]

SERIES PLEASE

[@SuperJJAlexander]

1.7K likes in 4 hours? You have 2 days to start working on the next video in this series.

[@michelangelolamargese7032]

I would like a full serie

[@Ascalis1]

I've been waiting for this since Oversimplified dropped the War of the 3 Kingdoms vid

[@sleepingtom9337]

Leaving a comment just to boost the algorithm

[@andrelagrutta7208]

Nice

[@user-bx6ig2pq2z]

I would love to see a China series!

[@thomasknief9721]

Series! Series! Series!

[@PaulOrion]

I second the motion for a complete Chinese dynasty series

[@kaizermierkrazy6886]

Series?? Hell yes!