China: Shang

Shang: 1600-1100 BCE

• Stable agri-surplus, trade-centered• N. China, walled cities, strong army, chariots• “The Middle Kingdom” World View• Trade with Mesopotamia• Bronze, pottery, silk, decimal system, calendar,

water control• Patriarchal, ancestors as advocates w/the gods• Stratified into nobles and commoners• Ability to control floods led to increased power

It’s Zhou Time• Replaced Shang around 1100 BCE• Ruled 900 years, kept customs, traditions• Mandate of Heaven and the dynastic cycle• Feudal system, nobles gained power,

bureaucracies, middle class emerges• War amongst feudal kingdoms, collapse 256

BCE• This is the time of Confucius and Lao Zi (reading

page 90)

Establishment of the Qin Dynasty• Following the Warring States Period (480 – 221 BCE)

(map page 77)• It takes over other states gradually• Lags behind in culture• First emperor unifies China and begins the imperial

age• This Dynasty may be the source of the name “China”• This dynasty was Legalist (see Legalist Sanction p 81)•

Shi Huangdi

• “First Emperor”• Ruthlessly ruled along with prime minister Li Si• Highly mobilized the people of China• Constructed Irrigation and flood control works

that solidified his position

Qin Dynastic Structure• State had a totalitarian structure • Cracked down on Confucianism• This was as a result of the duties shared by people in

Confucianism(5 Relationships)• Rivals were eliminated• Primogeniture abolished

– This was the practice of having the eldest son inherit all land a property

• Wanted to limit power and split amongst multiple heirs• Slavery eliminated• What do all of these steps help Shi Huangdi to accomplish?• CONTROL

Accomplishments of the Qin• Thousands of Miles of Roads• Standard weights, measurements, currency, law,

writing• Canals• Frontier Walls (beginning of Great Wall) (Video)

• Following the death of Shi Huangdi, he had a massive tomb built (video)

Han Emergence

• Liu Bang - 206 BCE Becomes emperor• the “Great Progenitor” or forefather• 202 BCE – he had eliminated virtually all his

competition via military means or diplomacy• tax burden of the peasants

Han dynasty would do this over time • Food Stockpiles• Treatment of loyalists• Threat of loyalists

Liu Bang

•

Han Confucianism

• The Qin/Chin DynastyTotalitarian and Legalist

• Rooted in the Legalist Philosophy• Confucianism vs Legalism• Confucianism as the basis for the Han Dynasty• 136 BCE – HAN emperor adopted Confucianism and

the principle of appointing officials based upon merit• Bureaucracy expands• Examinations and opening positions to “anyone”

Changing of the Guard• Liu Ying and his mother, Empress Lu

Emperor Wu Di

• Expansion– Conquered the Tarim Basin, Korea, Tonkin

• Taxes• Ambassadors• Royal academy • The Silk Road Grows

– Trade ended in Rome• Wu Di’s envoy

Things Get Worse under Wu Di

• Imperial authority declined• Babies inherited powerful positions• Mothers appointed relatives to high-level

positions• What was the problem with this?• Financial Problems

Hsin Dynasty (8 – 23 CE)

• Rose up against existing dynasty to attempt to return to Confucian focused style of rule

• Founder, Wang Mang, felt that the Han Dynasty has lost its “Mandate of Heaven” In the years 2, 5, and 11 CE, there were great floods of the Yellow River causing large numbers of death.

• These led to civil war and the eventual assassination of Wang Mang and his followers

Later Han Era (25 - 220 CE)

• Struggle for a ruler• Landowners• Wars ended by general Ts’ao Ts’ao in 215

His son took the throne in 220 and established the Wei dynasty.

Han Dynasty Falls• Peasant revolts• 184 – Yellow Turbans• Eunuch Issues - 189 • The empire was later split into 3 parts • The end of the Han Dynasty marked the end of

Ancient Chinese unity• Following this tragic loss of power and unity, there

was continual instability• Remembered as the height of ancient Chinese power

Accomplishments

• Improved silk production techniques • Silk Road• Water Clock and sundial invented• Mechanical inventions increased the production of salt• Wheel Barrow – Wooden Ox• Emergence of the science of acupuncture• Paper 105 by Tsai-Lun