In ancient times there were quite a few similarities found when looking at Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China. Several societies at the time met indicators used to gage if they were a civilization or not. Be it having the administrative aspects within cities, or a political system that controlled its territory. Additional indicators could be how they engaged in long-distance trading with others, advances into services and technology, or social status based on distinctions within society (Haug, 3). With these, we can see some similarities and differences between civilizations through primary sources written during this time to see just what it meant to be civilized.
In The Analects the writer Confucius, explains through a transcribed conversation had with his supporters about the teachings within Confucianism. Which was a teaching heavily followed in china at the time, we can see china civilization followed a few of these indicators based on the Analects alone. When Confucius writes "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler." And goes on to explain that "but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state. " Meaning that of the three having "faith " in their ruler is the most important (&ÃII.7). He's showing us that having the support of its people is the most important for a government, thus its decisions should be centered on the population. This teaching shows us that in china people believed a ruler should rule for the people and must have their support or else they shall fall. .
We can further see evidence of this in china based on The Classic of History (Shu Jing) where it explained that instead of using "oppression " the past king "substituted his generous gentleness; and the millions of the people gave him their hearts " to the successor.
