ANCIENT DYNASTIES OF CHINA SHANG ZHOU QIN HAN

ANCIENT DYNASTIES OF CHINA SHANG ZHOU QIN HAN

Geography and First Dynasty • Two major rivers – Chang Jiang – also called the Yangzi – Huang-He – also called the Yellow River or the River of Sorrows • Xia Dynasty is considered to be the beginning of Chinese civilization

Shang Dynasty 1766 -1122 BC • Farming society ruled by an aristocracy whose major concern was war – Aristocracy = an upper class whose wealth is based on land ownership

• Kings were buried in royal tombs along with their valuable possessions and sacrificed prisoners of war and servants • Belief in the afterlife • Shang religion centered on the idea of ancestor worship called veneration of ancestors • Used oracle bones to ask questions of the gods – Wrote questions on bones, inserted a hot piece of metal into the bone until it cracked, and then read the cracks to get an answer • Shang achievements – Development of Chinese writing, which used picture symbols

Zhou Dynasty 1100 – 256 BC • Longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history • The king was the head of the gov’t and was seen as a link between heaven and Earth • The Zhou dynasty claimed it ruled China because it possessed the Mandate of Heaven – Gods gave “permission” to rule China • Set up a “right of revolution” which led to dynastic cycles • Development of two Chinese philosophies = Confucianism and Daoism

Qin Dynasty 221 – 206 BC • First to create a unified Chinese empire – The word China is derived from the Qin • Ruler Qin Shi Huangdi became the “first emperor” – Regime = the gov’t in power • Shi Huangdi adopted Legalism as the official ideology to build a strong centralized gov’t

– Anyone who opposed the policies of the new regime were imprisoned, tortured, or killed, especially Confucian scholars • A nomadic people in the Gobi desert called the Xiongnu threatened China – To deal with the threat and to keep them out of China, Shi Huangdi had workers join the separate defensive walls in northern China – This united wall became the Great Wall of China

Han Dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD • Model for later Chinese dynasties, the main population of China still calls itself the Han people • Exchanged Legalism for Confucianism and appointed numerous Confucian scholars

Qin and Han Dynasties Chapter 8, page 225

• To create a regular system for new officials, the civil service exam was introduced – These officials gained gov’t jobs based on merit, how well they did on the test – A school was established to train candidates for the exam – Students were expected to learn the teachings of Confucius

• Silk Road – Road that linked China to Rome, was 4, 000 miles long – Traded in luxury goods such as silk, spices, teas, and ivory – Dangerous due to geography and bandits • Women – “raising daughters is like raising children for another family”

Confucianism • Based on the teachings of Confucius (Kongfuzi) • Main book is the Analects, which contains Confucius’ thoughts • Concerned about human behavior – People should treat one another with love and respect – Confucius believed that the disappearance of this love and respect was responsible for the violence in society • Focuses on improving society – Restoring a respect for tradition would make society stable once again

• Proper behavior is to follow the Dao (the way) – Two elements to the Dao – duty and humanity – Everyone must work hard to fulfill their duties • Needs of the family and community come before personal needs • Five Relationships – Ruler and subject – Husband wife – Parent and child – Older sibling and younger sibling – Friend and friend • Belief in filial piety = obedience and devotion to parents, especially the male head of the family

• Honor one’s ancestors • A ruler must set a good example and lead by virtue • A ruler should be advised by qualified, wellinformed people – Select advisors based on merit rather than birth • Spread to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam

Legalism • Founded by Hanfeizi and Li Si, two advisors to Emperor Shi Huangdi of the Qin dynasty • Believed that human beings are evil by nature • Reject Confucius’ idea of leading by virtue • Instead need harsh laws and punishments to make sure people stay on the correct path – A ruler does not need to be compassionate or show mercy – People must be kept in line by fear of punishment

• A powerful and efficient gov’t was key to maintaining order and control over an empire • Rulers should be strong and govern through force – Strong ruler = orderly society

Daoism • “The Way” • Main teachings by a philosopher named Laozi – Main book Dao De Jing • Also concerned with proper behavior – Encourages people to retreat from the laws of society and yield to the laws of nature – Promotes harmony with nature – By finding one’s place in nature, it is possible for a person to achieve harmony with the universe

• The true way to follow the will of Heaven is not through action, but inaction – Let nature take its course • Embraced an ancient Chinese concept, the notion of yin and yang – Yin and yang represent the balancing aspect of nature • Male and female, dark and light, hot and cold – When balanced, yin and yang represent the perfect harmony of nature