Chinese Dynasty Overview

Zhou to Qing

Zhou (1027 - 250 BC)

• Longest lasting Chinese Dynasty• Beginning of Mandate of Heaven• Early: Feudal system, lords had total

authority• Later: City-states• Built roads, expanded trade, made

agricultural advancements

Zhou (1027 - 250 BC)• Taoism and

Confucianism introduced

• Decline: Inefficient rulers can’t control fighting between city-states

• Period of Warring States

Taoism (Daoism)

• Lao Tzu (Old Master)

• 6th century BC

What is DaoDao = “the way,” “the way of nature”• “It’s what it’s not that makes it what it is”

– Dao is like the cavity of a pot: this empty space makes the pot useful for cooking

– Dao is like water: it runs through your hands in the sink, but can wash away mountains and cities

Goal, then, is to live in harmony with the universe. To do this, one must observe…

Wuwei Live simply, unpretentiously, and in harmony

with nature.• Ambition and activism have caused chaos

in which we live• Government should be as small as possible• Abstain from advanced education and

personal striving• No countries - just small, self-sufficient

communities!• Reflect and think about how wonderful the

Dao is

Confucius

• Latin form of the title Kong Fuzi- (Master Philosopher Kong)

• 551-479 BC• Analects - collection

of Confucius’ sayings

Confucius • Junzi: “superior individuals” look at the big

picture, don’t let personal interests influence judgement

To be Junzi, you must possess:– Ren: kindness and benevolence for others

(especially important that leaders have this)– Li: Treat all with courtesy and respect, (esp. elders

and superiors)– Xiao: Filial piety (family respect):

• Useless to speculate on spiritual questions: BE PRACTICAL to fix China!

Basic Relationships • Parent and Child• Husband and Wife• Older Sibling/Younger

Sibling• Older Friend/Younger

Friend• Ruler/Subject

Health of society depended on the careful observations of these relationships

Qin (221 - 207 BC)

• Qin She Huanshi - only emperor

• Brutal ruler - executed dissenters, burned books

• Many enemies, dynasty falls after his death

Qin (221 - 207 BC)

• Adopted Legalism• Developed highly

centralized gov’t with bureaucratic administration

• Standardized currency, language, measurements, laws

• Built first Great Wall

Legalism “School of Law”

• Key founders/scholars:– Shang Yang

(390-338 BCE) {statue}

– Han Feizi (280-233 BCE) {sketch}

Legalism

• All human beings were evil by nature• Only strong ruler could create an orderly

society• Harsh laws and stiff punishments

– Fine for littering: Amputation of hands or feet

• People should be either farmers or soldiers- anything else is a waste of energy in a country

• Did not garner long-lasting support, relatively unpopular

Basic Cultural Elements• Patriarchal Society (men

in charge)• Family is extremely

important– Will only prosper if ALL

(living and dead) work together

• Established Class System: ----->

• The best and most honorable position in Chinese society is to be a farmer.

Landed Elite

Merchants and

Traders

Peasants

Slaves

CHINESE DYNASTY OVERVIEW

Part II

Han (202 BCE - 221 CE)• Chinese people referred to as “people

of the Han” • Legalism replaced by Confucianism• Introduced civil service examination

(scholar gentry)• Silk Roads

developed, opens trade

Han (202 BCE - 221 AD)

• Buddhism introduced from India • Paper invented• Great increase in population, land

holdings

Decline• Nomadic raiders• Corruption, weak leaders• Collapse of bureaucracy

221 - 581 (AD)

• Warlords control china - no centralized gov’t

• Non-Chinese nomads control much of China

• Buddhism becomes popular - Confucianism failed

Tang (618 - 907 AD)

• High point of Chinese culture• Rebuilt bureaucracy

– Examination system– Confucian education– Limited social mobility

• Buddhism supported, then oppressed• Invention of movable print, porcelain,

gun powder

Civil Service Exam Highest are those who are born wise.

Next are those who become wise by learning. After them come those who have to toil (work) painfully in order to acquire learning. Finally, to the lowest class of the common people belong those who toil painfully without ever managing to learn.

Civil Service Exam

1. According to Confucius, who are the second highest in society?

2. According to Confucius, who are the third highest in society?

Tang (618 - 907 AD)

• Wu Zetian - Only Empress in Chinese history

Decline• Weak emperors, nomadic incursions,

economic difficulties• Warlords take control

Song (969 - 1279 AD)

• Large centralized bureaucracy (Neo-Confucian)

• Mercantile class grows, increased trade• Magnetic compass, growing sea power• Weak military

Yuan (1279 - 1368 AD)

• Mongol Khubilai Khan conquers China• Economic stability and prosperity• China more open to trade and travel (Marco

Polo)• Ignored Chinese traditions, replaced

bureaucrats with non-Chinese• Unsuccessful attacks on Japan, corruption

weakens dynasty• Peasant rebellion ends Yuan

Ming (1368 - 1644 AD)

• Tried to erase all signs of Mongols• Reinstated civil service, Confucian

scholars• Eunuchs play growing role (Zheng He) -

resented by scholar gentry• Rebuilt and extended Great Wall• Collapsed after famines and riots

Qing (1644 - 1911 AD)

• Manchus (from Manchuria) move south• Take Korea, Japan, then China• Manchus hold top posts, but relied upon

scholar gentry• “Son of Heaven” concept emphasized• Would be final Chinese Dynasty• Eventually would be weakened by

European / American interventions

Chinese Dynasty Song

Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han shang, joe, chin, hahnShang, Zhou, Qin, Han

Sui, Tang, Song sway, tang, soongSui, Tang, Song

Yuan, Ming, Qing, Republic yooan, ming, ching, RepublicYuan, Ming, Qing, Republic

Mao Zedong mou dzu dongMao Zedong