Explore the Ancient World Student Research Guide

Fang, Linda. The Ch'i-lin Purse: A Collection of Ancient Chinese Stories. New York: Sunburst Paperbacks, 1997. Fang has compiled a collection of 10 Chinese stories that originated from tales of the Zhou Dynasty. Insight into traditional Chinese culture is gained through the morals in the stories. 160 pages. Fiction.

Heyer, Marilee. The Weaving of a Dream: A Chinese Folktale. New York: Puffin Books, 1989. Fairies steal a poor woman's beloved tapestry and her three sons are consecutively sent to retrieve it. This retelling of a traditional Chinese tale is accompanied by beautiful and detailed illustrations that will pull the reader into the story. 32 pages. Fiction.

Nonfiction Books

Freedman, Russell. Confucius: The Golden Rule. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2002. Freedman takes readers into the life of Confucius with a clear and captivating narrative style. Traditional yet unique illustrations set the tone for this engaging book. 48 pages. Nonfiction.

Hoobler, Thomas and Dorothy. Confucianism. World Religions. New York: Facts on File, 2004. This book provides a broad introduction to Confucianism. It describes how the teachings of Confucius evolved from a small band of followers to a social order to a religion. 128 pages. Nonfiction.

Williams, Suzanne. Made in China: Ideas and Inventions from Ancient China. Berkeley, CA: Pacific View Press, 1997. While focusing on specific topics in Chinese art, culture, and science, Williams also looks at famous persons and the major dynasties throughout Chinese history. 48 pages. Nonfiction.

Web Sites

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/ancient_china/zhou.html
Zhou Dynasty. Why did the Zhou believe that they were able to overthrow the Shang Dynasty? What ideas did the Zhou borrow from the Shang and what did they do differently? On this page, read about the next major ruling party in the history of ancient China after the Shang.

http://www.ancientchina.co.uk/menu.html
Ancient China—The British Museum. An excellent resource for many different aspects of ancient China, this site offers information, educational games, and stories to help you learn. Look at the maps showing the areas that various dynasties controlled, play a game where you try to make quality silk on a time schedule, and see how Chinese writing is different from English. "The Staff Room" is a wonderful area for teachers to explore, with lessons and worksheets provided to enhance the study of ancient China.

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/shzh/hd_shzh.htm
Shang and Zhou Dynasties: The Bronze Age of China. View artifacts from the dynasties that you have been studying at this site sponsored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There are photographs of items made from bronze, jade, and other materials. Each picture can be enlarged so that you can study the amazing detail on each art object.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/imperial.icon
CNN In-Depth Specials: Visions of China. Find out what the Chinese have invented over the centuries, including the crossbow. Discover how the borders of China have changed in time by reading about the dynasties that followed the Shang Dynasty. Also, look at and read about intriguing archaeological finds, such as a two-sided mask made out of bronze.

http://www.chaos.umd.edu/history/ancient1.html
Ancient Dynasties. The Zhou Dynasty was the longest ruling dynasty in China's history. This site briefly describes how the Zhou government was organized. It also talks about how invasions led to the end of this dynasty. Clicking on the "Ancient Dynasties: II" link will bring you to a page that explains the time of the Hundred Schools, a period of many important philosophies.

http://library.thinkquest.org/19053/main/heavy.html
Confucius: His Life and Teachings. Visit these pages for a glimpse into the world of Confucius. First, look at the biography, which covers important events in his life. Also available to read and study: a description of his philosophy, a photo journey into a Confucian temple, and a look at how Confucianism compares to other philosophies like Taoism.

http://www.warriortours.com/intro/history/zhou
History of Chinese Dynasties: Zhou Dynasty. The Zhou ruled longer than any other dynasty in China's history. Read this brief article that describes the two periods of the Zhou: the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. There is an explanation of the Hundred Schools, a period of many important philosophies, in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty section. Clicking on the "Taoism" link will bring you to a page that discusses how the religion developed and what Taoists believe.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
National Geographic. Discover maps of the world, historical photographs, and interactive adventures on the National Geographic site.