China 2000 BC: The Rise and Fall of Dynasties in Ancient China

Gr 9 Up—China traces its history back to 2000 BCE, making it the world's longest surviving civilization. These two episodes explore how the nation's earliest history set it up for its longevity while other ancient societies collapsed. Unearthing the Truth Behind a Myth looks at how recent archaeological discoveries reinforce cultural narratives about the country's founding that many assumed were legend. One telling link between this first dynasty (2100–1600 BCE) and the present is found: an unearthed palace that has an instantly recognizable layout that exists in many traditional buildings still standing today. While the end fast-forwards to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE), the second episode, The Rise and Fall of Dynasties in Ancient China delves into the fall of the Xia and the next five dynasties, including the Qin. It focuses mostly on the use of language as a unifying element, especially as Chinese characters are based on meaning instead of sound, so people whose dialectal pronunciation makes them mutually unintelligible are still able to communicate. Both segments feature video of archaeological exploration (including the mangled skeletons left over from ancient battles), interviews with professors and experts, and costumed reenactments filled with the smoke, dark lighting, and dramatic music that make it ready for cable prime-time viewing. The programs cover nearly 2000 years of history, thus glossing over many nuances and angles.