Chapter 2 Classical Civilization: China

1
Chapter 2Classical Civilization China

• Ms. Sheets
• University High School
• Revised by Ms. Bennett

2
Chinese Dynasty Song

• Using the tune Frere Jacques
• Shang, Zhou (Joe), Qin (chin), Han
• Shang, Zhou (Joe), Qin (chin), Han
• Sui (swee), Tang, Song
• Sui (swee), Tang, Song
• Yuan, Ming, Qing (ching), Republic
• Yuan, Ming, Qing (ching), Republic
• Mao Zedong, Mao Zedong
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vXqHR1uAc_-Q

3
Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE) First documented
rule in China after Xia dynasty
4
Classical China Middle Kingdom

• China emerged with an unusually well-integrated
  system in which government, philosophy, economic
  incentives, the family, and the individual were
  intended to blend into a harmonious whole
• Isolated
• Couldnt learn from other cultures
• Rare invasions
• Distinctive identity

5
Patterns in Classical China

• 3 dynasties Zhou, Qin, Han
• Dynasty Cycle
• When a dynasty begins, it usually emerges from a
  family of a successful general, or from a peasant
  rebellion
• Over time, dynasties grew weak
• tax revenues declined
• social divisions increased
• Internal rebellions
• periodic invasions
• When one dynasty declines, another emerges

6
Zhou Dynasty 1029-258 BCE

• Displaced the Shang dynasty
• Created the Mandate of Heaven
• Used to justify rule based on the idea that
  Heaven transferred power of the dynasties and
  legitimized the current dynasty
• Heaven would also be displeased with a poor
  leader and would cause that dynastys overthrow

7
Zhou Dynasty, cont.

• Used feudalism to create alliances
• Rulers gave land to family members, other noble
  families, and regional princes
• In exchange, tax revenues and military troops
  were provided
• Feudalism is unstable depends on loyalties and
  obligations
• Extended territory of China into the Yangtze
  River valley
• Promoted one standard language (Mandarin Chinese)

8
Zhou Dynasty, cont.

• Eventually, regional rulers formed independent
  armies
• Great thinkers tried to restore order and social
  harmony through education
• Zhou never established a powerful government and
  declined because of weak political infrastructure
  and nomadic invasions
• Zhou dynasty ended after the Era of the Warring
  States (402-201 BCE)

9
Zhou Dynasty
10
Zhou

• Social
• Rise of a strong, landowning class inherit
  social status
• Patriarchal
• Political
• Loose alliance of regional princes, depended on
  loyalty relatively weak rulers
• Exchange land for promise of taxes and military -
  Feudalism
• Landowners become more powerful than rulers
• Interactions
• Expanded the Middle Kingdom
• Cultural
• Banned human sacrifice formalized religious
  practices Ancestor worship focus on harmony
• Promoted use of one language for everyone
• End of dynasty leads to development of new
  philosophies (Confucianism)
• Tea ceremonies chopsticks
• Economic
• Agriculture dominated (N-wheat S-rice)

11
Period of Warring States

• 402 BCE - 201 BCE
• Competing interests of landowning class and
  ruling class cause political turmoil
• Landowners raise own military - origins of
  regional warlords
• No political unity - China is exceptionally weak
• Cultural innovations survive
• Results in new philosophies

12
Religion and Culture in China

• Religion
• Rulers in the Zhou dynasty maintained a belief in
  gods and stressed the importance of a harmonious
  earthly life
• Ancestor worship
• Philosophies/Ideologies
• Confucianism
• Legalism
• Daoism/Taoism

13
Confucianism

• Confucius (Kung Fu Tzu)
• Period of Warring States
• Scholar - history, music, ethics
• Main Writing The Analects
• Promoted by followers - Mencius

14
Confucianism

• Chinese ethical and philosophical system based on
  relationships and personal virtue
• Developed from the teachings of Confucius
  (551-478 BCE) on the eve of the Era of the
  Warring States
• Based on Analects of Confucius
• Confucianism spread throughout Classical China
  predominant philosophy

15
Confucian Beliefs

• Education
• Self regulation
• The proper exercise of political power by the
  rulers
• Propriety and etiquette
• Familial love and respect for parents
• Righteousness
• Honesty and trustworthiness
• Loyalty to the state
• Humaneness towards others
• Highest Confucian virtue

16
Main Ideas

• Restore social order, harmony and good government
  to China
• Ethical systems based on relationships and
  personal virtue
• Emphasized family
• Filial piety - respect for parents and elders is
  necessary for order
• Early Zhou Dynasty was seen as perfect society
• Inferiors devoted to service
• Superiors looked after dependents

17
Confucianism

• Five Basic Relationships in Society
• Ruler/Subject
• Father/Son
• Husband/Wife
• Older Brother/Younger Brother
• Friend/Friend
• Chinese gentleman - education and moral
  standards birth status not important
• Bureaucracy - those who help run government
• Courteous, precise, generous, just/fair

18
Daoism/Taoism

• Founded by Lao Tze (604-531 BCE)
• Main Writing Tao-te-Ching (The Way of Virtue)
• Human actions are not important
• Most important part of society is natural order
  of things
• The Tao (The Way) - guides all things

19
Daoism

• Founded by Lao Tzu (5th c. BCE)
• A more spiritual philosophy than Confucianism
• Promoted humility, frugal living, simplicity
• Harmony with nature, astrology
• Secret rituals, ceremonies, mystery, magic
• People should follow personal paths to
  self-knowledge
• Little emphasis on formal education and learning
• Many emperors favored Daoism

20
Daoism/Taoism

• Search for knowledge and understanding of nature
• To understand nothing, it is best to do nothing,
  to observe nature
• Nature is not jealous or power hungry
• Does not argue about right or wrong, good or bad

21
Legalism

• Practical, political reaction to Confucianism
• Han Feizi - 3rd century BCE
• Powerful and efficient government is key to
  restoring order
• Laws will end civil war and restore harmony
• Rewards to good subjects and punish disobedient
• Rulers must control ideas and actions of people
• Favored by Shi Huangdi during Qin dyansty

22
Legalism

• Qin and early Han periods
• Strict system of obedience to government and law
• Favors authoritarian state ruled by force (army
  to control people)
• Human nature is evil and requires constant
  discipline
• Peoples responsibility to work for the
  government
• Not successful in China overall, but influenced
  some policies and ideologies

Shi Huangdi admired Legalist thinkers
23
Qin Dynasty (221-201 BCE)

• Qin Shi Huangdi only emperor of the Qin dynasty
• Took control of feudal estates knew the problem
  with Zhou dynasty laid with feudal nobles who
  ruled lands
• Created non-aristocratic officials to oversee
  provinces
• Had powerful army who crushed uprisings brutal
  ruler
• Goals were to unify and expand China and restore
  order

24
Qin Emperor Qin Shih Huangdi standardizes all
possible

• The Great Wall
• Weights measures
• Laws
• Money
• Thought

25
Qin Dynasty, cont.

• Great Wall of China was begun
• Over 3,000 miles long
• Built to protect from outside invasion
• Largest construction project in human history
• Built by forced labor, many died
• National census
• Calculate tax revenues and labor services more
  efficiently
• Standardized coinage, weights and measures

26
Qin Dynasty, cont.

• Uniform Chinese written script
• Government supports agriculture with new
  irrigation projects
• Shi Huangdi was very unpopular among Chinese
  citizens
• Burned books
• Taxed heavily
• Large military expansion and conscription
• After Shi Huangdi died, Qin dynasty ended

27

• Social
• Primogeniture eliminated (practice of having
  eldest son inherit all property and land)
• Nobles must leave land and live in Emperors
  court
• Political
• Emperor had complete control over all aspects of
  society
• Use of brutality and force to accomplish goals
• Bureaucracy (not of the nobility) expanded to
  help control all regions
• National census
• Single law code
• Interactions
• Army expanded to crush rivals and regional
  rebellions
• Expanded territory of China, including Hong Kong
• Influenced parts of Vietnam through conquest
• Expanded infrastructure to increase interactions

28

• Cultural
• Confucianism looked down upon and followers
  persecuted
• Legalism promoted
• Architectural Initiates construction of Great
  Wall Terracotta Soldiers/Tomb of Shi Huangdi
• Uniform written language
• Banned books
• Economic
• Introduced standard weights and measures
• Eliminated the very rare practice of slavery
• Forced labor necessary for construction projects
• Extremely high taxes
• Sponsored agricultural projects (irrigation) and
  manufacturing of silk

29
Why did the Qin Dynasty Fall?

• Shi Huangdi
• Extremely paranoid killed off suspected enemies
  (nobles, intellectuals, warlords)
• Desire to control EVERYTHING
• High taxes, forced labor
• Shi Huangdi dies in 210 BCE followed by 8 years
  of peasant revolts to determine successor -
  winner establishes Han Dynasty

30
Terracotta Army

• Created around 210 BCE
• Purpose defend Shi Huangdis tomb, help him rule
  in the afterlife
• Over 8,000 individual soldiers, 130 chariots, 520
  horses buried in four pits around the tomb
• Terracotta clay-based unglazed ceramic
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vRsUE-ZtcUFgfeature
  related

31
(No Transcript)
32
Qin (Chin) mistakes

• Burned books
• Destroyed major fortifications of the states
• Assassinated powerful leaders scholars
• Collected arms of the empire melted arrowheads
  spears to make 12 statues
• Failed to rule with humanitylost the Mandate of
  Heaven

33
Han Dynasty
34
Peasant uprisings ended rule of Qin Dynasty

• Civil war
• Two strong leaders
• Xiang Yu (aristocratic general)
• Liu Bang (peasant-class general under Xiang Yu)
• 202 BCE
• Liu Bang beat Xiang Yu for good

35
Rise of the Han Dynasty

• Liu Bang, a peasant fighting in a rebel army,
  became emperor due to the Chinese belief in the
  mandate of heaven.
• He was the first emperor of the Han dynasty.
• Well liked by both warriors and peasants, Liu
  Bang released the country from strict Legalistic
  practices and focused on peoples immediate
  needs.
• Liu Bang lowered taxes, gave large plots of land
  to supporters, and set up a government that
  expanded on the ideas of the Qin.

36
Han Dynasty (201 BCE-220 CE)

• Developed examination system to prepare civil
  servants to work in government So that talented
  men would run the government it would take
  years to take the exams
• Emperor Wu Ti worked to enforce peace, and
  required government to have formal training to
  emphasize Confucianism
• Extensive expansion of Chinese territory
• Trade routes led to contact with India, Parthian
  Empire, Roman Empire
• Invasions by the Huns and a weak central
  government ended the dynasty
• Between 220-589 CE, China was in a state of chaos

37
Han 202 BCE 221 CE

• The Han dynasty created a new form of government
  that valued family, art, and learning.
• Legalism was replaced by Confucianism
• Han dynasty government was based on the ideas of
  Confucius.
• Centralized government
• Capital cities
• Introduced the civil service exam
• Lowered taxes
• Less harsh punishments
• Silk Roads developed
• Opens trade

38
Han Organizing Principles

• Heaven, earth, man form eternal trinity
• Economic welfare is basis of popular morality
• Government must provide peace prosperity,
  education
• Moral education through rites, music literature

39
Wudis New Government

• lived 141-87 BCE
• Consolidated central power (land, food supply)
• In 140 BCE, Emperor Wudi took the throne and
  shifted the countrys focus back to a strong
  central government.
• Confucianism became the official government
  philosophy.
• Wudi built a university that taught Confucian
  ideals, and awarded his officials with higher
  rank if they were familiar with Confucian
  principles.

40
4 Social Classes under the Confucianism

• Upper Class The Emperor, his court, and his
  scholars
• Second Class The peasants, who made life work on
  a daily basis
• Third Class The artisans, who produced items for
  daily life and some luxury goods
• Fourth Class The merchants, who bought and sold
  what others made

41
Agriculture under the Han

• Population of 60,000,000 to be fed
• Farming thought to be a pivotal and honored
  occupation
• But in reality small farmers were burdened by
  government taxes and became heavily indebted to
  the rich

Ancient Chinese wheelbarrow
42
Rich and Poor

• Only about 10 of the population lived in the
  cities.
• Cities were neatly laid out with main streets and
  alleyways.
• Each city was surrounded by a strong wall, made
  of earth and stone.
• As cities are today, the ancient Han cities were
  centers of government, education, and trade
  Wealthy families lived in large estates.
• Hired laborers, private security, and
  entertainment.
• Wealthy families lived in large estates.
• Hired laborers, private security, and
  entertainment.
• Peasants made up 90 of population.
• Long hours, low pay, heavy taxes.
• The poor lived in houses packed together. They
  had very little food, and little to no
  sanitation. Many of the young males joined street
  gangs. Gangs wore distinctive clothes and armor,
  that identified their gang. Teen gangs roamed the
  cities, terrorizing people.

43
Commerce and Trade under the Han

• Trade and commerce were not respected but were
  still very important
• Government had monopolies
• Salt mining
• Iron forging
• Coin minting
• Alcohol brewing
• Government engaged in industry
• Silk weaving
• Growth of trade along the Silk Roads

44
Family Life

• Social Classes and Wealth
• Social rank did not reflect prosperity.
• Hard work and heavy labor did not reflect
  prosperity.
• A strong family was stressed so that people would
  obey the emperor.
• Men
• Men were the head of the household.
• Rulers had to obey their elders too it was a
  crime to disobey.
• Some men gained jobs based on the respect they
  showed to elders.
• Women
• Women were taught to obey their husbands.
• Girls were not valued as highly as boys.
• Women could influence their sons families

45

• Buddhism was introduced
• Literature
• Fu style combination of prose and poetry
• Shi style short lines of verse that could be sun
• Confucian education system
• University established 124 BCE
• Art
• The Han created realistic scenes from everyday
  life, advanced figure painting, and depictions of
  religious figures and Confucian scholars.
• Porcelain
• Paper was invented
• The Han Chinese made paper by grinding plant
  fibers into a paste and then setting the paste
  out to dry in sheets. Later they rolled the dried
  pulp into scrolls.
• Great increase in population and land holdings
  it doubled

46
Roles of Women under the Han
47
Chinese inventions

• The Chinese invented many new products during the
  Han dynasty, such as the waterwheel, the rudder,
  drill bits, and steel.

48
Music

• Produced by tones based upon response of human
  heart to external things
• Music govt directly related
• Contentmentbroad slow
• Joyebullient free
• Music of well run state is peaceful joyous
• Country in confusion full of resentment
  angerprotest music
• Dying countrymournful pensive

49
Feng Shui

• Chinese art of placement to establish balance
• Geomancyfor grave placement
• Propitious sites are on south facing slope with
  water at the base
• Capitalizes on energy of the earth--qi
• Belief that qi can be directed to benefit man

50
Unification of the Han Empire
51
Decline

• The Han dynasty fell after wars, rebellions, and
  plots against the emperor. Civil war began, and
  nomads invaded the country before the government
  collapsed.
• Nomadic raiders Huns
• Corruption, weak leaders
• Collapse of bureaucracy
• Buddhism spread from India to China.
• Unrest in China helped Buddhism to spread
• Buddhism helped people cope with the chaotic
  times

52
Han 221 581 CE

• Warlords control China no centralized
  bureaucracy
• Non-Chinese nomads control much of China
• Buddhism becomes popular
• Confucianism fails

53
Political Institutions in China

• Most tightly governed of any large society in the
  world
• Belief in desirability of central government
• Power of the emperor
• Shi Huangdi - single law code and uniform tax
  system
• Qin and Han stressed central authority and strong
  government
• Development of a educated, professional
  bureaucracy
• Han create civil service tests
• Expansion of state functions allowed government
  to reach the common people (ex regulation of
  agricultural production to control costs)
• Little emphasis on military since China did not
  depend on expansion to maintain its stability

54
Economy in China

• Large gaps between the upper class and the
  majority of people
• Standardization of weights and measures by Qin
  facilitated trade
• Focused on agriculture virtues of peasants
• Yangtze River Valley
• wheat in north, rice in south
• population growth

55
Trade in China

• Extensive and regular internal trade using copper
  coins
• Trade focused on luxury items silk, jewelry,
  leather, furniture
• Traded food between wheat and rice growing
  regions
• Trade was not highly valued in Classical Chinese
  society (Confucian value of learning emphasized
  merchants viewed poorly)

56
Technological Advances in China

• Ox-drawn plows (300 BCE)
• Collar created that did not choke the animal
• Iron mining
• Pulleys bring material to surface
• Improved tools and weapons
• Water-powered mills
• Aided manufacturing
• Paper
• Allows government to keep records

57
Society in China

• Social classes passed down through families
• Not permanent could move up
• 3 social classes (hierarchical)

• Landowning aristocracy and educated bureaucrats
• Laboring masses peasants and urban artisans
• Manual labor
• Produced manufactured goods (crops, etc.)
• Mean (average) people
• People with unskilled jobs
• Performing artists, merchants, household slaves
• Punished more harshly than other groups

58
Families in China

• Importance of unity and extended families
• Power of husbands and fathers (patriarchy)
• Power of parents
• Children punished severely for disobedience
• Ancestor worship
• Role of women power through sons, and as
  mother-in-law
• Property rights oldest male child inherited
  property

59
Science in China

• Sundial
• Accurate calendar (444 BCE)
• 365.25 days
• Adept at astronomy
• Observed movements of Saturn and Jupiter
• Developed early seismograph
• Measures earthquake strength
• Acupuncture
• Medical research
• Principals of hygiene and anatomical knowledge

60
Technology in Ancient China

• http//www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?ID351241

61
Chinese Art

• Highly decorative, often representing nature
• Chinese calligraphy
• Artwork found on bronze, pottery, carved jade,
  ivory, woven silk screens
• No monumental buildings or large monuments
• Many palaces and tombs