Introduction to the philosophy and achievements of Ancient China. Beginning with the geography of the country, the episode relates China's vast climatic contrasts to the Chinese belief in natural forces in a state of balance. Beginning at 5,000 years B.C., it traces the Chinese dynasties to the time of Qin Shi Huang and the construction of the Great Wall of China. The story of the emperor's burial with thousands of terra cotta warriors is also told. Next, the scene shifts to the birth of Confucius and the principles of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. At this point, the Time Compass recalls that the Roman Republic was expanding under the leadership of Julius Caesar. The program also explores Chinese medicine, calligraphy, gardens, and Chinese inventions, including the creation of silk fabric. This naturally leads to the history of the Silk Road and Marco Polo's adventures in ancient China.