An Empire in China

1
An Empire in China

• The social disorder of the warring states
  contributed to Chinese Philosophy

2
The Decline of the Zhou Dynasty

• In the last 300 years of the Zhou Dynasty, the
  kings power had been diluted by the feudal lords
  and nobles who controlled the land.
• The lords began to think of themselves as
  independent kings and warfare among them led to a
  decline of the dynasty.

3
Philosophy and Social Order

• At the end of the Zhou Dynasty, social order had
  broken down.
• Scholars began to look for ways to restore the
  ancient values that had been apart of Chinese
  culture.

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4
Confucius Urges Harmony

• Confucius, a teacher, believed that the key to
  restoring traditional values was to organize
  society around 5 basic relationships between
• Ruler and subject
• Father and son
• Husband and wife
• Older and younger brother
• Friend and friend

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5
Confucius

• Confucius was born to a poor family. His father
  was a teacher.
• According to legend, he set virtuous example that
  a purse lying in the middle of the street would
  lie untouched for days
• He believed that if a ruler was upright, all will
  go well without orders. However, if he is not
  upright, even though he gives orders, they will
  not be obeyed..

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.jpg

• He was driven out of political office but
  returned to teaching. He always considered
  himself a failure for not ever holding a high
  office

6
Confucian Ideas About Government

• Confucius believed that education could transform
  a peasant into a gentleman.
• He believed that a gentleman had four virtues.
• Courteous in private life
• Precise when serving his master
• Generous in providing for people
• just

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7
Filial Piety

• Three of Confucius relationships were based on
  the concept of filial piety, or respect for ones
  parents and elders.
• Confucius believed all society could be reformed
  if the Duke or Prince governed based on these
  principals
• Confucius was appointed minister of Justice by
  the Duke of Lu.

http//jbe.la.psu.edu/textbooks/PM-China/graphics/
Ch12/5.htm
8
Daoist Seek Harmony

• Another philosopher named Laozi believed that
  there was an universal force (tow) that guided
  all things.
• He believed that all animals except for humans
  were guided by this force.
• He believed that humans wasted their time arguing
  about right and wrong, and good and bad.
• Daoist made contributions to science, astronomy,
  and medicine.

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9
Legalists Urge Harsh Rule

• The Legalists were a practical political
  thinkers.
• They believed that the only way to restore order
  was through a highly efficient and powerful
  government.
• They believed that the ruler should reward those
  who followed the rules and harshly punish those
  who did not.

http//jbe.la.psu.edu/textbooks/PM-China/graphics/
Ch11/10.jpg
10
Legalist Censor Books
http//www.lahosken.san-francisco.ca.us/departures
/euro0/1108_bookburn.htm

• Legalists believed that the ruler should burn all
  books that might encourage people to think
  critically about government.
• The Legalist gained the favor of the Prince that
  gained control over the Zhou Dynasty

11
I Ching and Yin and Yang

• I Ching was a book that answered ethical
  questions.
• Yin and Yang are the two powers that together
  represented the natural rhythms of life.
• Yang- masculine qualities of the universe
• Yin- represents female qualities of the universe

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0/150px-Yin_and_yang.png
12
The Qin Dynasty

• The Zhou Dynasty was replaced by a 13-year-old
  Qin Dynasty ruler.
• He used the suggestions of the legalists to gain
  a firm hand on the empire.

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13
A New Emperor Takes Control

• The new emperor assumed the name Shi Huangdi
  which means First Emperor.
• He began his reign by subduing internal battles
  that had weakened China.
• He also defeated invaders and internal dissenters.

http//www.eslessonsonline.com/special/King_of_Qin
/pix/china.qin.dynasty.jpg
14
Shi Huangdi Crushed Political Enemies

• The emperor destroyed the power of his rivals.
• He ordered all noble families to abandon their
  land and move into the capital city.
• He uprooted 120,000 noble families by seizing
  their land and dividing the land into 36
  administrative districts that his officials
  controlled.

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projects.jpg
15
The Emperor Orders Books to be Burned

• Following the legalists suggestions, he ordered
  many books to be burned including those
  containing the ideas of Confucius and poets who
  disagreed with the Legalist philosophy.
• He establishes an autocracy whereby he was the
  sole ruler of his empire.

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16
A Program of Centralization

• In order to more efficiently govern his empire,
  he built a series of roads that stretched 4,000
  miles using forced peasant labor.
• He also set standards for writing, law, currency,
  and weights and measures.
• He ordered huge public works projects such as
  irrigation to increase agricultural production.

http//www.lcsc.edu/modernchina/u2s1p3.htm
17
The Great Wall of China

• Shi Huangdi wanted to close the gaps in the walls
  that the Zhou Dynasty had built to keep out
  invaders.
• Thousands of peasants were forced to build the
  wall against their will.
• Many died or were terribly injured while building
  the wall.
• The Great Wall is the only human-made structure
  visible from space.

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/greatwall/mountns.jpg
18
The Great Wall From Space
19
The Fall of Qin

• Shi Huangdis son was not as strong a leader as
  his cruel, harsh father.
• Peasants rebelled against him only three years
  into his reign.
• A peasant from Han led his troops against the
  emperor.
• In 202 B.C., the Qin Dynasty gives way to the Han.

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The End