Life in Ancient China Life in Ancient China

Life in Ancient China

Life in Ancient China. Aristocrats • Families owned large estates • Estates didn’t remain large for very long, they were divided among the male children • Houses were large and decorated with silk wall hangings and fine furniture • Houses were surrounded by walls to keep out bandits and for protection during wars • Relied on farmers to grow their crops that made them rich

Life in Ancient China- Farmers • 9 out of 10 Chinese were farmers • Lived in simple homes inside village walls • Grains grown in northern China and rice in southern China • Paid for use of aristocrats land by giving them a large part of their harvest • Most had a small piece of land to feed their families

Life in China- Farmers • Paid taxes and worked one month a year building roads or working on large government projects • In wartime the farmers also served as soldiers

Life in China- Merchants • Shopkeepers, traders , artisans and bankers were in this class • Became quite rich, but were looked down upon by aristocrats and farmers( not a honorable profession) • Couldn’t hold government jobs, government officials couldn’t be concerned with money

Chinese Family • Basic building block of society and was considered very important • All members worked in the fields to produce more for the family • Older sons raised their own crops and provided for their parents • Families cared for the aged, the young and the sick

Chinese family • Practiced filial piety – Had to respect their parents and all older relatives – Family members placed the needs and desires of the head of the household above their own needs – Head of the household was the oldest male usually the father

Role of men and women • Men – Respected because they grew the crops – Went to school – Fought in wars – Ran the government • Women – Raised the children and ran the household – Worked in the fields

Chinese Thinkers • Zhou dynasty was weakened around 500 BC • States began attacking each other • People were looking for ways to restore order • Between 500 BC and 200 BC Chinese thinkers developed three theories about how to create a peaceful society

Confucianism • Confucius was ancient China’s first great thinker and teacher • Believed people needed a sense of duty, put the needs of the family and community before one’s own needs • Each person owed a duty to another person – – Parents owed their love to their children Children owed parents honor Husbands owed wives support Wives owed husbands obedience

Confucianism • Above all rulers had to set good examples • Rule for the common good and his subjects would respect him and society would do well • If all did their duty, society would prosper • Urged people to seek knowledge and to do good

Confucianism • Behavior should follow a simple rule: “measure the feelings of others by one’s own”, for “within the four seas all men are brothers”( Golden Rule)

Daoism • Promotes a peaceful society, based on the teachings of Laozi( the old master) • People should give up all worldly desires • Turn to nature and the Dao ( the force that guides all things) • Give up concerns about the world and seek inner peace • Live in harmony with nature and respect it always

Legalism • Developed by a scholar named Hanfeizi • Believed humans were naturally evil • Argued for a system of strict laws to bring peace to society • Harsh laws and strict punishments would force the people to do their duty • A strong ruler was needed to enforce the laws