The Unification of China

1
The Unification of China
2
Many people worked to bring political and social
stability to China during the chaotic years of
the late Zhou dynasty and the Period of the
Warring States.
3

• Confucius
• Kong Fuzi(551-479 B.C.E.)
• State of Lu
• Strong-willed
• Brilliant Scholar, Teacher
• Analects, disciples wrote down his teachings

4

• Junzisuperior individuals
• Students studied Zhou lit.
• ValuesRenattitude of kindnessLisense of
  proprietyXiaofilial piety

5

• Confucius 5 Relationships
• Father and Son
• Ruler and Subject
• Husband and Wife
• Older and Younger Brother
• Friend and Friend

6

• Disciples of Confucius
• Mencius (372-289 B.C.E.) traveled, political
  advice, humans are naturally good, ren
• Xunzi (298-238 B.C.E.) served as a govt.
  administrator, human beings are naturally
  selfish, li

7

• Daoism
• Critics of Confucian activism
• Dont waste time energy on problems
• Reflection, introspection
• Harmony with nature

8

• Laozi founder
• (6th century B.C.E.)
• Daodejing Classic of
• the Way and of Virtue
• Dao the way of nature or the cosmos
• Dao does nothing, and yet it accomplishes
  everything

9

• Wuwei disengagement from the competitive
  exertions and active involvement in world affairs
• The less government, the better

10

• Legalism
• practical and ruthless
• expand and strengthen the state at all costs
• Shang Yang minister to duke of Qin, despised
  and feared
• Han Feizi essays, advisor of Qin court

11

• Clear and strict laws
• Severe punishment
• Collective responsibility

12
Which school of thought would you choose?
Why?
13
Qin Dynasty 221-207 B.C.E.
14

• The Qin state gave plots of land to farmers,
  weakening nobles power
• Established centralized, bureaucratic rule

15

• At 13, Shihuangdi is First Emperor
• Doubled Size of China
• Built roads, bridges and walls (Great Wall)
• Executed critics

16
(No Transcript)
17

• Burned books
• Standardized laws, currencies, weights, measures
• Common script
• Shihuangdis tomb was elaborate underground
  palace
• Rebellion brought end of dynasty

18
(No Transcript)
19
Han Dynasty 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.
20

• Lui Bang
• Methodical and persistent
• loyalty of troops
• restored order and became head of new dynasty
• Tried to rule somewhere in the middle of
  centralization and decentralization

21

• Wudi
• Martial Emperor
• centralization expansion
• levied taxes
• imperial monopolies
• imperial university with Confucianism as its
  curriculum

22

• The Xiongnu
• Nomads from steppes who spoke Turkish
• Great horsemen
• Maodun (210-174 B.C.E.)
• Han dynasty would pay tribute or arrange
  marriages
• Han Wudi invaded them

23
Social Order

• Patriarchal households
• Filial Piety
• Ban Zhao wrote Admonitions for Women

24
Economy and Technology

• Majority were cultivators/farmers
• Iron tips on plows at first then many iron tools
  under Han
• Iron suits for soldiers
• Sericulture, making of silk, leads to silk roads
• Invented paper (hemp, bark and textile fibers)
• By 9 C.E. population at 60 million

25
Difficulties

• Military expeditions caused economic strain
• Han Wudi raised taxes and took land from wealthy
  which hurt industry
• Huge gap between rich and poor
• Landholding fell in hands of few while others
  lost land and became tenant farmers or slaves

26
Reign of Wang Mang

• 6 C.E. a two year old boy came to throne, Wang
  Mang served as his regent.
• After urging, in 9 C.E. he claimed throne for
  himself, Mandate of Heaven
• Reforms, Socialist Emperor
• Land redistribution
• Killed in 23 C.E. by the people

27
Later Han Dynasty

• Rulers back to centralized, strong control
• Yellow Turban Uprising late second century C.E.,
  example of rebellions due to unequal land
  distribution and gap between rich and poor
• Problems between factions in the imperial court
  led to end of Han dynasty by 220 C.E.

28
(No Transcript)