Ancient Dynasties of China East Asian Studies Unit

Ancient Dynasties of China East Asian Studies Unit One Mitchell

Founding Chinese States � 3 Sovereigns & 5 Emperors (c. 2852 -c. 2070 BC) • Semi-mythological rulers & culture heroes responsible for creating man and imparting essential skills � Xia (“shy”) Dynasty (c. 2070 -c. 1600 BC) • First dynasty described in ancient historical chronicles • Established by the legendary Yu the Great �Legend states he successfully united the people in order to stop the floods by building canals for 13 years. • Strengthened his power, increased wealth of Xia clan • Reliability of information about Xia dynasty has been questioned due to a lack of primary sources and tradition of speculation among ancient and imperial historians.

Shang (“shong”) Dynasty (1600 -1046 BC) � Yellow River Civilization � Technological Advances • Pictographic writing system • Stone ploughs, spades, sickles to improve farming yields • Bronze Age vessels � Political Structures • Dynasty had over 50 kings �Head priest, leader of military aristocracy, head of economy • 5 -7 Capital Cities �Urban capital would move due to shifts in power

Shang Dynasty (1600 -1046 BC) � The Oracle Bones • Inscriptions on turtle shells & ox bones have provided key insight on politics, economy, and religion of Shang • Over 20, 000 artifacts have been recovered • Questions written on bones, bones would be fired, cracks would be interpreted to determine the future • Countless oracle bones lost when used as “dragon bones”

Shang Dynasty (1600 -1046 BC) � Religion within the Shang • Worshiped “Shang Ti” or “Di” (The Lord on High) �Supreme God above all others, could command the elements • Royal ancestors were viewed to intervene with distant Di �Could also cast curses, send dreams, assist in battles �Wishes of ancestors determined through burning of oracle bones �Required extensive sacrifices to avoid disasters (floods, drought) • Human sacrifice very common, often slaves or P. O. W. s

Zhou (“jyoe”) Dynasty (1050 -256 BC) � Conquering of the Shang • “Noble warriors supported by Heaven defeat decadent Shang court led by evil King” • 3 Conquering Rulers of Zhou �King Wen expanded domain �King Wu conquered the Shang �Duke of Zhou consolidated power • “The Mandate of Heaven” �Spiritual/Political theory used by early Zhou rulers to justify power �Heaven gives a king mandate to rule only as long as he rules in the interests of the people. If not…

Western Zhou Dynasty � Zhou Political Structure • King head of royalty, nobility �Still head of ancestor worship, but less sacrifice & oracle bones • Sent trusted relatives to build garrisons in conquered lands • Quasi-Feudal system develops �Zhou society highly aristocratic �When king bestowed land, he often included labor to work it �Slave/serf labor = noble wealth �Manors divided into nine squares, king held middle for emergencies �Warrior class develops over time

Eastern Zhou Dynasty �A Transition in Power • Over time, lords trade & sell feudal land thus gaining power from the Zhou kings • Succession to throne became major issue due to concubines �Kings would occasionally name son from concubine as heir over eldest son from wife �Excluded sons would often ally w/ neighboring armies, lead warfare �King Yu of Ji family made such a move, fell to wife’s father, power moved from “West” to “East”

Eastern Zhou Dynasty � Spring & Autumn Period • Lasted from 770 to 476 BC • Some vassal states grow in power, royal authority shrinks • Small feudal states absorbed by larger, stronger ones • Small-scale war, annexation � 36 kings dead, 52 states destroyed • Competition among low-level nobles to advise rulers brings rise of intellectual flowering �Taoism, Confucianism, Legalism all trace roots to this time period

Eastern Zhou Dynasty � Warring States Period • Spanned from 475 to 221 BC • Long-term wars: 7 Kingdoms �Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, Wei, Qin • States focus on reform within realm, attack outside turf �Qin reforms the most quickly (see “legalism”), emerges as the mostpowerful feudal state � 256 BC: Qin attacks and defeats all armies in Eastern Zhou � 221 BC: China becomes united under the Qin, ending Warring States Period

Eastern Zhou Dynasty � Legalism “School of Law” • One of the major philosophical movements of warring states �Utilitarian political philosophy, fails to address higher questions of nature & meaning of life • Han Fei Zi proposed leader should use three tools: �Fa (law): laws should be fair, equal, just, predictable �Shu (method): rulers need secrets, bureaucracy to protect power �Shi (legitimacy): the position, not the ruler, holds true power