Agenda

Do Now“What would a Confucist/Daoist/Legalist Do?”Finish notes on Early China

Homework:Read Chapter 11 Section 1 and use compare and contrast sheet to take notes

DO NOWWhich of the three Chinese philosophies do you think would be most effective today? Why?

EARLY C

HIN

A

WO

RL D

HI S

TO

RY

SE

PT

EM

BE

R 3

0,

20

14

GEOGRAPHY OF ANCIENT CHINAoChina – one of the largest landmasses in the worldoTwo major rivers flow through China• Yellow River & Yangtze River

oOnly one tenth of its land can be farmedoOvertime become unified•Called themselves the “Middle Kingdom”• Thought they were the center of the world

oFirst people who settled in China, Xia Dynasty, settled in the Yellow River basin

SHANG DYNASTYoSettled around the the banks of the Yellow RiveroRuled by a king• Later, warlords ruled over the smaller areas around the civilization

Aristocrats = nobles whose wealth comes from the land they owned• Majority of population were farmers

oShang people worshipped their Gods and AncestorsoThey would use Oracle bones to tell the future• These are the first examples of Chinese writing

oChinese writing …• Pictographs = characters that stand for objects• Ideographs = are another kind of character used in Chinese writing

oThe Shang are known for weaving silk and producing bronze

Yellow River Valley

Oracle Bones

ZHOU DYNASTYo Established by Wu Wang

o Tried to overthrow Shang Dynastyo The Zhou Dynasty developed a centralized form of government• Zhou emperor established a large bureaucracy

Bureaucracy = made up of appointed officials who are responsible for different areas of the government

• Aristocrats were in charge of their own independent territories • The King was considered to be a link between heaven and earth

o Kings were chosen by the Mandate of Heaven• Mandate = a formal order• Mandate of Heaven had 4 rules to governing the state:

1. Heaven chooses the ruler2. A person’s virtue determines their right to rule3. No dynasty is permitted to rule forever4. Rebellion and disaster is evidence that ruler loses legitimacy to the throne

o Farmers developed new technologies to improve crop productiono Eventually the separate territories gained too much power and began fighting with one another• Known as the “Period of the Warring States”

Dynastic

Cycles

A DAY IN THE LIFE IN ANCIENT CHINAoThe Chinese were broken up into many different social classes• Social Class = includes people who share a similar position

in society• The upper class = aristocrats• Majority of the population were farmers

Practiced terrace farming – allowed them to farm in the dry mountain side

• The lowest class were merchants Ranked below farmers because they relied on farmers to do

their joboThe Chinese family was the building blocks of their society• Practiced filial piety = children must respect their parents

and older relatives

Terrace Rice Farming

CHINESE THINKERSo During the Period of the Warring States, many Chinese thinkers sought

ways to reform the societyo Three main philosophies emerged:oConfucianismo Based on the teachings of Confuciuso Preached the ideas of virtues, respect, loyalty and devotion

o People should put the needs of their family and community firstoDaoismo Based on the teachings of Laozio Preached the ideas of balance, nature, and destiny

o People should give up worldly desires in favor of nature and the Daoo Legalismo Based on the teachings of Hanfeizio Preached that people were innately evil and would do wrong if

allowed too Society needs a system of harsh laws and strict punishment

QIN DYNASTYoDuring the Period of the Warring States, the state of Qin rose to power• Through a series of military campaigns• 221 BCE the last rival state falls• Led by Shi Huangdi = means “the First Emperor”

oDeveloped a strict, rigid government based on LegalismoCreates Great Wall & Grand CanaloHis cruel leadership caused people to rebel•4 years after his death, the people overthrew his dynasty Civil war ensued to decide who would be leader

Grand Canal

Han Dynasty

Founded by Liu Bang Ruled with Mandate of Heaven

Gained people’s loyalty Softened Qin’s Legalist policies Lowered taxes Gained military loyalty by distributing land

Continued with the bureaucracy Bureaucracy = organized body of appointed officials Advised by Confucian scholars

After his death one of his wives took control Leads to disunion in government

Han Dynasty Cont’d Han dynasty reaches height under Emperor Wudi

Promotes economic growth Set up monopolies on goods Took land from large landowners and put limits on merchants

Confucianist government Develops a civil service system

Candidates had to pass exam in Confucian classics Remains throughout China’s imperial rule

Wudi expands empire through warfare Faces the Xiongnu

Nomads who lived in the grasslands of China Extends the empire to Korea, Manchuria, Vietnam, Central Asia Declines in 184 C.E.

Period of disunion

Han Society

Period of great prosperity Family life

Practiced Confucian values of filial piety Women had fewer privileges than men

Clearly defined social structures Not always based on wealth

Trade Han dynasty manufactured numerous products

Bronze, pottery, jade, wood, and silk Trade expanded Chinese culture

Buddhism Spread through trade Reached Han dynasty as suffering increased

THE SILK ROADoEmperor Han Wudi ordered a general named Zhang Qian to explore areas west of China•Does not find allies, but discovers western civilizations

Described meeting Romans & MuslimsoEmperor Wudi began an extensive trade network stretching 4,000 miles from western China to southwest AsiaoThis was known as the Silk RoadoThis became the predominant trade route across Europe and Asia and encouraged a blending of cultures and ideas

Han Achievements Arts

Architecture Ceramic and bronze figurines Silk cloth Jade carvings Wall paintings Literature

Science & Technology Paper Iron plow and wheelbarrow Seismograph Acupuncture Compass/Sun dial Watermill and ship’s rudder