19th Century China

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19thCenturyChina
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Warlord Period (1920s)
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ChinaToday?? ???????
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• NCTA Seminar
• Week II
• Wooster, 2007

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Brief overview of key features in history of
China.

• Chinas history is often written from viewpoint
  of today.
• Those living the history did not see themselves
  as Chinese.
• History of China is often written from a modern
  Chinese nationalist perspective.
• A chronological view major themes. (Confucianism,
  written language, dynastic system, politics,
  economics, culture, etc.)

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Early, early, early, early history of China

• 5000 BCE - painted pottery, bronze, silk, rice.
  Agricultural societies formed formed Yangtze
  River.
• 2000 BCE - appearance of town walls of pounded
  dirt. Elaborate market places, urban centers gain
  importance. Many graves found with human
  sacrifices to accompany wealthier people.

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Shang Dynasty ?? (1600 BCE-1100 BCE)
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Shang Dynasty ?? (1600 BCE-1100 BCE)

• First known, large, unified, politically defined
  entity.
• Capital in Anyang.
• Considered mythical until mid-20th Cent.
• Oracle bones.
• Origins of modern Chinese writing system.

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Zhou Dynasty ?? (1100 BCE - 256 BCE)Eastern Zhou
770 BCE - 256 BCE
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Zhou Dynasty ?? (1100 BCE - 256 BCE)

• Zhou conquered Shang around 1050 BCE.
• Began pattern of learning and incorporating
  elements, knowledge, skills of conquered state
  into own system.
• Mandate of Heaven. (?? Tianmìng)
• Origins of centralized and Confucian state.
• State interest in promoting technology (e.g.
  military, transportation.)

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Confucius
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Who is Confucius

• 552 BCE - 497 BCE
• Life of Confucius as stated by himself
• At fifteen my heart was set on learning (????)
• At thirty I stood firm (????)
• At forty I had no more doubts (?????)
• At fifty I knew the mandate of heaven (??????)
• At sixty my ear was obedient (?????)
• At seventy I could follow my heart's desire
  without transgressing the norm. (??????,???)

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Background

• Many countries and dynasties rose and fell during
  the time of Confucius. He traveled and taught in
  many different countries in his life time.
• Smaller states were being integrated to larger
  states through wars or alliances.
• Centralized bureaucracy began emerging.
  Agricultural progress monetary economy
  developed commerce thrived

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Personality

• Known to have been Gentle yet firm, courteous
  yet friendly, dignified yet disarming.
• Cherished pleasure in learning and scholarship.
  There was no element of asceticism, but
  emphasized self-discipline and moderation.
  (Unlike Buddhism, his teachings never condemned
  pleasures, including physical pleasure.)
• Believed that the fate of civilization depended
  on himself. Therefore extremely self-confident
  and was not affected by criticism.

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Confucian Teachings

• The most important moral principle can be
  summarized in ? (ren)
• The character ? (ren) means gentleness, goodness,
  virtuousness. It means love and respect for
  humanity, starting from family hierarchy.
• Confucius defined it as Not looking at what is
  not proper, not listening to what is proper, not
  speaking what is not proper, not doing what is
  not proper.