Discussion 9

How far would you travel to trade something?
Objectives:
To explore which forms of transport were available in Ancient China. To investigate how useful these forms of transport would have been in different areas and what they could carry. (Extend to look at trade routes and animals used for trade)

Materials:
Physical map of ancient China, pictures of different forms of transport from the era and animals used for transport and trade.

Class set-up:
Whole group discussion

Vocabulary:
trade route, transport

Discussion:
Describe the physical geography of China. Get the pupils to think about the difficulties of travelling within and across the different regions.
  • What will affect how far you decide to travel?
  • What will stop you travelling easily in any particular direction?
  • How would you quickly travel to other countries / lands? What would be the problem with travelling by boat up the rivers?

Explore other problems of travel in ancient China such as bandits and wild animals.

  • What might attack you as you travelled?

    • Describe the different forms of transport available at different times. Discuss what differences these would make in how far people could travel and at what speed. Consider if the different forms of transport would allow people to transport different materials.

  • Could you carry more by cart/boat than by horse?
  • What sort of things could a horse or a cart carry that would be difficult for a person?
  • What sort of problems would traders/travellers encounter at different times of year? (weather, typhoons, mud/landslides, heat, drought, etc)

    Get the pupils to draw spider diagrams of the advantages and disadvantages of travelling via each of the forms of transport.

    Think about how distance of transportation would make materials and goods more expensive.

  • Would you charge the same if you carried some dried fish to your neighbour or to the other end of the Yellow River?

    • Finish by discussing how most of the forms of transport are still used in some parts of China.

    Background information:
    Climate, Yellow River, Yangzi River

     

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