Chinese Civilization

What philosophies, patterns of life, and empires have shaped the

development of China?

China’s Geography

• Most live in Chinese heartland (North and South China regions) because of good geography

• Outer regions are sparsely populated because of geographic barriers

• Barriers caused lack of cultural diffusion and ancient Chinese to see themselves as center of universe

North China

South China

Northeast/ Manchuria

Inner Mongolia

Xizang (Tibet)

Xinjiang

China’s First Civilization:Shang Dynasty (1650-1100 BCE)

• Government – Supported public works – Well-organized army

• Economy– Based on farming– Nobles owned/governed land

• Religion– Rituals to please gods and have good

fortune– King was link between heavens and

Earth through his ancestors (Son of Heaven)

– Use of oracle bones to communicate with ancestors to learn gods’ will

• Achievements?

Achievements of the Shang Dynasty

• Language- developed writing system of thousands of ideographs

• Science- accurate calendar• Arts- bronze-making, pottery,

silk, jade• Religion- developed ideas

about polytheism and importance of ancestors

Zhou Dynasty (1027-256 BCE)

• Invaders from northwest that influenced China through its belief in the Mandate of Heaven – Heaven granted a ruler the

mandate/right to rule– In return for loyalty and

obedience, the people should receive good govt.

– If leader failed to maintain harmony and order, the people had the right to rebel

– Created a dynastic cycle

Era of Warring States and the Development of Chinese Philosophy (700-221 BCE)

• As the Zhou fell, there was a period of war between rival states which created chaos and uncertainty

• The Chinese developed three schools of thought in attempt to bring order to society– Confucianism– Daoism/Taoism– Legalism

Confucianism

• Developed by Confucius (551-479 BCE)• Teachings collected in the Analects• Goal to achieve social order • Based on belief that people are naturally good

but just need to be taught how to behave properly

• People must respect those above them and act responsibly for those below them

• People must respect and honor one’s parents/elders (called filial piety)

• Effects- Chinese govt. based on Confucian ideas and society emphasized hierarchy, patriarchy, filial piety, and education

Daoism• Developed by Laozi in 500s BCE• Teachings collected in The Way of

Virtue• Focus not on creating social order

through rules, but on finding one's own way (Dao) to happiness by relating to nature

• Viewed govt. as unnatural and the cause of many problems, and so valued the govt. that governed least

• Accept things as they are• Effects- Developed links with folk

religion, increased importance of nature

Legalism

• Developed by Han Feizi (280-233 BCE)

• Based on belief that people are naturally evil and act out of self-interest- will only respond to rewards and punishments

• Social order can be achieved through a strong leader enforcing strict laws

• One’s duty to the state comes first• Effects- Used by Shi Huangdi of the

Qin dynasty (221 BCE-206 CE) and others, legitimized authoritarian rule

Buddhism in China

• A belief system focused on letting go of desire to attain a state of peace/enlightenment (nirvana) by following the Eightfold Path

• Spread to China in 100s CE through missionaries

• Become important in China because it offered an escape from the suffering of earthly life (while neither Confucianism nor Daiosm stressed personal salvation)

• Blended with other Chinese religious beliefs and philosophies

• Many Chinese believe in Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian ideas at the same time

Synthesis Questions

• How could these philosophies influence people’s behavior? (I.e. How would a Legalist, Confucist, Daoist, and a Buddhist respond to the following situations?)– You know that your older brother is cheating on tests – You found $20 in the hallway– Your friends are trying to get you to start smoking

• What are some positive and negatives of each philosophy?

Traditional Chinese Culture

• Government-– Rule by powerful dynasties according to the Mandate of Heaven– Collected taxes to build public works

• Economy-– Traditional economy based on subsistence farming– Also relied on artisans and trade

• Social Classes-– Hierarchal society

• Gentry • Peasants• Artisans and merchants

– Social mobility through Confucian education and civil service exam

Traditional Chinese Culture

• Family-– Lived in joint families– Importance of filial piety– Reverence of ancestors with

offerings to ensure good afterlife and family’s well-being

– Arranged marriages, often through a go-between

• Role of Women-– Inferior to men but valued for

housework and bearing of sons– Eldest woman controlled household– Small feet as a standard of beauty,

caused painful foot-binding

Chinese Dynasties

• Sneaky (Shang)• Zebras (Zhou)• Quietly (Qin)• Hide (Han)• To (Tang)• Steal (Song)• Your (Yuan)• Meal (Ming)• Quickly (Qing)

These dynasties ruled China for over 3,500 years. They were influenced by Confucianism and Legalism and made important scientific and cultural advances. They slowly expanded Chinese influence throughout Asia.

1. Shang (1650-1100 BCE)

• 1st dynasty • Developed Chinese

writing• Viewed king as Son of

Heaven• Used oracle bones to

communicate with gods

2. Zhou (1027-256 BCE)

• Formed by invaders from the northwest

• Developed idea of Mandate of Heaven

3. Qin (221-206 BCE)

• 1st empire• Shi Huangdi united

empire through Legalism, uniform weights, measures and currency, and improved transportation

• Built the Great Wall• Created Terra Cotta

soliders to guard Shi Huangdi in afterlife

4. Han (202 BCE-220 CE)

• Created by Liu Bang• Set up civil service

system based on Confucianism

• Emperor Wudi created Silk Road trade route connecting China to Middle East

• Expanded Great Wall• Developed acupuncture,

the wheelbarrow, paper, and other technologies

5. Tang (618-907 CE)

• Conquered parts of Vietnam and began to spread Chinese influence there and to Korea and Japan

• Peace created a golden age with development of trade, the Great Canal, the mechanical clock, poetry (Li Bo), and art

6. Song (960-1279)

• Peace created another golden age with increased foreign trade, improvements in farming, and the development of the navy, sternpost rudder, magnetic compass, moveable type, and paper money

• Improved civil service system to make it a meritocracy

7. Yuan (1279-1368)

• Created by Mongol leader Kublai Khan (Genghiz Khan’s grandson)

• Only appointed Mongols to positions of power

• Opened China to the world through improved trade routes and welcoming of foreigners (Marco Polo)

• Spread Chinese inventions

8. Ming (1368-1644)• Restored Chinese

rule• Reasserted

Chinese greatness by rebuilding Great Wall and reviving civil service exam

• Supported overseas voyages in 1400s but later isolated China

9. Qing (1644-1911)

• Created by invaders from Manchuria

• Kept Confucian ideals but tried passed laws to keep Manchus separate from Chinese

• Attempted to limit foreign contact though Westerners gained control over parts of China in 1800s

• Last Chinese dynasty

China and Europe Around 1500

China:• Advanced society ruled by powerful Ming dynasty• Had explored and traded in various parts of the world, but now turned inward• Enforced strict limits on foreign traders

Europe:• Coming out of Dark Ages, experiencing great growth• Had been isolated, but now involved in the Renaissance and an age of exploration• Accepted trade limits but wanted to expand power to gain new markets and Chinese goods

Growth of European Power in China

• European nations gained power in 1700s because– Qing declined (due to high

taxes, natural disasters, and peasant revolts)

– European military power increased (due to Industrial Revolution)

• By late 1700s, Europeans refused to accept their inferior status and obey Chinese trade laws

• Led to Opium War (1839-1842) over sale of opium in China

Effects of the Opium War

• China’s loss lead to European control and forced acceptance of– Unequal treaties (Treaty of Nanjing made China pay for

destroyed opium, give Britain Hong Kong, and open other ports)– Exterritoriality (ability of westerners to be tried in own courts)– Spheres of influence (area in which a foreign nation has special

economic and therefore political privileges)

Growing Chinese Unrest in 1800s

• Upset about – Foreign economic control– Presence of foreign troops– Belittling of Chinese culture

by missionaries– Ability of foreigners to

ignore Chinese laws– Inferior status

• Leads to conflict between China and imperialist powers and among the Chinese themselves

Revolution in China

• Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864)– Chinese peasant revolt driven by anger over poverty and Qing

corruption– Led to 50 million deaths, failed reforms, and a weakened govt.

• Boxer Rebellion (1900)– Uprising against foreigners led by Fists of Righteous Harmony

(Boxers) – Eventually crushed by European and Japanese forces– Forced to accept foreign power in China

• Chinese Revolution/Revolution of 1911 (1908-1911)– Nationalist revolution with goals of ending foreign domination,

forming a representative government, and creating economic security for the Chinese

– Replaced the Qing dynasty with a weak republic led by Sun Yatsen

Chinese History into the 20th Century

• Because Sun Yatsen’s republic was so weak, it only lasted for a short period of time

• Nationalists (under Chang Kai-shek) and Communists (under Mao Zedong) fought to control China in1920s-1940s

• Nationalists wanted democracy and capitalism; Communists wanted a stronger govt. and a command economy to create equality

• After WWII, Communists set up the People’s Republic of China and the Nationalists fled to Taiwan

China Review

Chinese Philosophies• Confucianism- founded by Confucius, based on idea that people are

naturally good, focuses on achieving social order though proper behavior in relationships, emphasizes education and morality

• Daoism- founded by Laozi, focuses on individuals achieving harmony with nature by following the “natural way,” emphasizes simple govt.

• Legalism- founded by Han Feizi, based on idea that people act out of self-interest, focuses on achieving social order through govt. imposing strict laws with harsh punishments

• Buddhism- founded by Siddhartha Gautama in India, came to China through trade and became popular there because of focus on afterlife/salvation, individuals achieve nirvana by letting go of desire through Eightfold Path

Important Events/Achievements1. Shang dynasty (1650-1100 BCE)- China’s first dynasty that

developed writing, use of oracle bones, and concept of Son of Heaven

2. Zhou dynasty (1027-256 BCE)- founded by invaders from northwest, developed concept of “Mandate of Heaven”

3. Era of Warring States (700s-200s BCE)- chaos and confusion lead to development of Confucianism, Legalism and Daoism as ways to improve society and life in China

4. Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE)- founded by Shi Huangdi who used Legalism and uniform policies to unite China and began building Great Wall

Important Events/Achievements5. Han dynasty (202 BCE-220 CE)- founded by Liu Bang, set up civil

service exam and Silk Road, expanded Great Wall, developed acupuncture, wheelbarrow, and paper

6. Buddhism Arrives (100s CE)- comes to China through trade, become popular because offers salvation and can be combined with other philosophies

7. Tang and Song dynasties (618-907, 960-1279 CE)- Peace leads to golden ages that produce the poetry of Li Bo, the mechanical clock, sternpost rudder, magnetic compass, moveable type, and paper money

8. Yuan dynasty (1279-1368)- created by Mongol leader Kublai Khan and led by Mongols, opened China to the world through improved trade routes and welcoming of foreigners (Marco Polo)

Important Events/Achievements9. Ming dynasty (1368-1644)- restored Chinese rule and reasserted

Chinese greatness by rebuilding Great Wall, reviving civil service exam, and supporting overseas voyages

10. Qing dynasty (1644-1911)- attempted to limit foreign contact but European imperialism developed in 1800s and led to war and rebellion (Opium War, Taiping Rebellion, Revolution of 1911), last Chinese dynasty

11. Chinese Republic (1911-1949)- Nationalists (Sun Yatsen, Chiang Kai-shek) attempted to rule China as a republic but faced civil war with Communists and Japanese invasion during WWII

12. People’s Republic of China (1949-Present)- communist nation founded by Mao Zedong after winning the Chinese civil war against the Nationalists