Ancient Chinese Empire Huang He River Civilization China

Ancient Chinese Empire Huang He River Civilization

China During the Neolithic Era

Why did China develop apart from other cultures? China’s geography ocean, desert, high mountains, isolated China. Isolated geographically, cut off from trade, there would be little opportunity for cultural diffusion in China’s case. Developing in a vacuum, China’s civilization would stand out as the most unique of our world’s early civilizations. What other civilization had similar geographic factors?

Question: How did China’s geography impact its development?

How they adapted. . The climate in ancient China includes seasons similar to those in North America. The ancient Chinese fished, farmed, and irrigated the land. There is a variety of plant life in China. The land in ancient China consists of forests, hills, mountains, and deserts.

Artist’s Depiction of Ancient China

Major Time Periods Neolithic ca. 12, 000 - 2000 B. C Xia ca. 21001800 B. C. Shang 17001027 B. C. Western Zhou 1027 -771 B. C. Eastern Zhou 770 -221 B. C.

Shang Dynasty What were three features of Shang culture? Calligraphy writing and paper making Sharp division between king’s nobles and the peasants Wood used as building material (not mud-dried bricks as in other regions) Peasants used wooden tools Shang made magnificent bronze Pics: Bronze work of the Shang period (1700 -1027 B. C. ). A toilet, an ax, and a cooking cauldron.

Shang Dynasty: Values Name three important values of Shang culture From very early on, the idea of the “group” / community more important than the idea of “individual”/ or any single person. Emphasis on family, respect of parents Family emphasized in religion too – ancestor worship. Oracle bones used to consult the gods Chinese writing unique to others. Symbols stood for ideas, not sounds.

Differences in Culture India China Brahmin Scholar- Gentry Kshatriyas Peasants Vaishyas Artisans Shudras Merchants Untouchables Soldiers, Imperial Nobility,

Zhou Dynasty While the Zhou did simply adopt much of old Shang culture, they also did introduce new things: The idea that royalty claimed rulers got their authority from heaven. This was known as the Mandate from Heaven. From this time on the Chinese would believe in divine rule. This meant disasters could be blamed on the rulers and they would frequently be replaced. This led to a pattern of rise and fall of dynasties in China known as the dynastic cycle. The Zhou gave large regions of land privileges to a select few nobles who then owed loyalty to the king in return. This type of political system the Zhou introduced is called feudalism. Zhou introduced the first coined money; improved transportation with roads and canals; improved the efficiency of government with trained workers called civil servants

Questions: According to the poet, why were the Zhou able to take over from the Shang as rulers? How does the poem seem to demonstrate the Mandate from Heaven?

Period of Warring States 475 -221 B. C. The first 300 years of Zhou rule were relatively peaceful and stable. In 711 BC, a rebellion by a noble combined with a barbarian invasion overthrew the Zhou king. Though the Zhou Dynasty survived, it moved its capital eastward. This was the end of the Western Zhou period, and the beginning of the Eastern Zhou period, when the Zhou kings became little more than powerless figureheads. Chinese values collapsed during this period of arrogance, chaos, and

China before Confucius… The “Yellow Emperor” Xia and Shang Dynasties 2070 B. C. - 1046 B. C. Zhou Dynasty 1046 B. C. - 256 B. C. “Spring and Autumn” period and Period of Warring States 770 B. C. - 476 B. C.

Confucianism Concerned primarily with restoring social stability and order What is the basis of a stable, unified, and enduring social order? a system of social and ethical philosophy “only when character is cultivated are our families regulated; only when families are regulated are states well governed. ”

Analyze the quote: Confucius said, "Those who are born with the possession of knowledge are the highest class of men. Those who learn, and so readily get possession of knowledge, are the next. Those who are dull and stupid, and yet compass the learning are another class next to these. As to those who are dull and stupid and yet do not learn--they are the lowest of the people. "

Confucius * 551 – 479 B. C. E. * Born in the feudal state of Liu. * Became a teacher and editor of books.

Question Why was (is) Confucianism such an important philosophy to the Chinese?

Major Confucian Principles Li --> Rite, rules, ritual decorum (Binding force of an enduring stable society) Ren --> humaneness, benevolence, humanity Shu --> Reciprocity, empathy (Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you) Yi --> Righteousness Xiao --> Filial Piety (Respect your elders!)

Five Relationships father-child ruler-subject husband-wife elder brother-younger brother

Confucianism adopted into government Reinforced by the civil examination system “keju”: civil examination from 605 to 1905

Question How did the emphasis on the importance of the community over the individual shape early Chinese culture?

Analects * The single most important Confucian work. * In Chinese, it means “conversation. ” * Focus on practicalities of interpersonal relationships and the relationship of the role of rulers and ministers to the conduct of government.

Analects continued *Knowing what he knows and knowing what he doesn’t know, is characteristics of the person who knows. * Making a mistake and not correcting it, is making another mistake. * The superior man blames himself; the inferior man blames others.

Excerpts from the Analects The Master said, "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler. " Tzu Kung said, "If it cannot be helped, and one of these must be dispensed with, which of the three should be foregone first? " "The military equipment, " said the Master. Tzu Kung again asked, "If it cannot be helped and one of the remaining two must be dispensed with, which of them should be foregone? " The Master answered, "Part with the food. From of old, death has been the lot of humanity; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state. " "When a country is well governed, poverty and mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is poorly governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of. " "When a prince's personal conduct is correct, his government is effective without the issuing of orders. If his personal conduct is not correct, he may issue orders, but they will not be followed. "

Han - Fei *280? - 233 B. C. E. * Han Fe Zi. * Lived during the late Warring States period. * Legalism became the political philosophy of the Qin [Ch’in] Dynasty.

Legalist Principles 1. Human nature is naturally selfish. 2. Intellectualism and literacy is discouraged. 3. Law is the supreme authority and replaces morality. 4. The ruler must rule with a strong, punishing hand.

Excerpt from Master Han Fei-tzu When a sage governs a state, he does not rely on the people to do good out of their own will. Instead, he sees to it that they are not allowed to do what is not good. If he relies on people to do good out of their own will, within the borders of the state not even ten persons can be counted on [to do good]. Yet, if one sees to it that they are not allowed to do what is not good, the whole state can be brought to uniform order. Whoever rules should consider the majority and set the few aside: He should not devote his attention to virtue, but to law. . Likewise, if the people are forced to till their land open pastures in order to increase their future supplies, they consider their ruler harsh. If the penal code is being revised and punishments are made heavier in order to wipe out evil deeds, they consider their ruler stern. If light taxes in cash and grain are levied in order to fill granaries and the treasury so that there will be food in times of starvation and sufficient funds for the army, they consider their ruler greedy. If it is required that within the borders everybody is familiar with warfare, that no one is exempted from military service, and that the state is united in strength in order to take all enemies captive, the people consider their ruler violent. These four types of measures would all serve to guarantee order and peace, yet the people do not have the sense to welcome them. Therefore one has to seek for an enlightened [ruler] to enforce them.

Daoism: Laozi *Not sure when he died. [604 B. C. E. - ? ] * His name means “Old Master” Was he Confucius’ teacher?

Tao Te Ching *The basic text of Daoism. * In Chinese, it means The Classic in the Way and Its Power. “A leader is best When people barely know he exists Of a good leader, who talks little, When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, They will say, “We did this ourselves. ” ― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

Quote “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourse true power. If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich. ” ― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

The Dao To escape the “social, political, & cultural traps” of life, one must escape by: 1. Rejecting formal knowledge and learning. 2. Relying on the senses and instincts. 3. Discovering the nature and “rhythm” of the universe. 4. Ignoring political and social laws.

Daoist Principles 1. Dao [Tao] is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life. 2. A believer’s goal is to become one with Dao; one with nature. 3. 3. Wu wei --> “Let nature take its course. ” “The art of doing nothing. ” “Go with the flow!” 4. Man is unhappy because he lives according to man-made laws, customs, & traditions that are contrary to the ways of nature

Excerpt from the Tao Te Ching Chapter 57 Govern a country with upright integrity Deploy the military with surprise tactics Take the world with non-interference How do I know this is so? With the following: When there are many restrictions in the world The people become more impoverished When people have many sharp weapons The country becomes more chaotic When people have many clever tricks More strange things occur The more laws are posted The more robbers and thieves there are Therefore the sage says: I take unattached action, and the people transform themselves I prefer quiet, and the people right themselves I do not interfere, and the people enrich themselves I have no desires, and the people simplify themselves