Min  Gui  

Do you like this? -­‐-­‐  Chinese  values,  philosophies,  religion  -­‐-­‐

The history of China begins…

prehistory Ancient    era Imperial  era Modern  era

primi:ve  society  

slavery  society  

feudal  society  

capitalist  and  

communist  society

prehistory ancient    era imperial  era modern  era

Xià Dynasty 2070 BC–1600 BC

!   the  first  dynasty  in  Chinese  history  

!   the  Hereditary  System:  instead  of  passing  power  to  the  person  deemed  most  capable  to  rule,  The  first  king,  Yu,  passed  power  to  his  son,  se?ng  the  precedence  for  dynas@c  rule.   Great Yu controls the waters

!   Observa@on  of  Oracle  bone  script  (Jiǎ  Gǔ  Wén)  

!    Bronze  Cas:ng：              for  sacrifices  

!   sage-­‐rooted  culture:            necromancy    was  popular  

among  the  Shang  people  

prehistory ancient    era imperial  era modern  era

Shāng Dynasty 1700 BC-1046 BC

Si Muwu big quadrate vessel

Four sheep square statue

Shāng Rén: business man

!   The  Rites  of  Zhou(Zhōu  Lǐ)              *  China's  earliest  and  most  

complete  record  of  official  systems    

           *  most  complete  record  of  ancient  official  systems  in  the  world

prehistory ancient    era imperial  era modern  era

Zhōu Dynasty 1066 BC-256 BC

The Rites of Zhou provides a guide to officials at various levels on performing their own duties in the form of official systems. It covers a wide range of historical data, including religion, economic policies, philosophy and moral ethics etc of ancient times. The work is an important cultural classic focusing on Confucian thoughts, with original views of the legalists and the theory of "yin and yang" and "the five elements" involved.

!  Although  there  were  many  wars  in  this  period,  The  Hundred  Schools  of  Thought  of  Chinese  philosophy  blossomed,  and  such  influen@al  intellectual  movements  as  Confucianism(rú),  Taoism(dào),  Legalism(fǎ)  and  Mohism(mò)  were  founded,  partly  in  response  to  the  changing  poli@cal  world.  This  phenomenon  has  been  called  the  Conten3on  of  a  Hundred  Schools  of  Thought.

Spring and Autumn Period (722-476 BC) & Warring States Period (476-221 BC)

prehistory ancient    era imperial  era modern  era

Spring and Autumn Period (722-476 BC) & Warring States Period (476-221 BC)

prehistory ancient    era imperial  era modern  era

the Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought

Confucianism Kǒng zǐ(Confucius ), Mèng zǐ(Mencius)

Taoism/Daoism Legalism Mohism/Moism Yin-yang/Naturalists Logicians Military Diplomacy Minor-talks Miscellaneous School

Spring and Autumn Period (722-476 BC) & Warring States Period (476-221 BC)

prehistory ancient    era imperial  era modern  era

the Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought

Confucianism Kǒng zǐ(Confucius ), Mèng zǐ(Mencius)

Taoism/Daoism Lǎo zǐ, Zhuāng zǐ Legalism Mohism/Moism Yin-yang/Naturalists Logicians Military Diplomacy Minor-talks Miscellaneous School