THE first Chinese empires
THE first Chinese empiresChapter 6Schools of Thought in Ancient
ChinaConfucianismDaoismLegalismConfucianismUnder Zhou
DynastyConfucius was known to the Chinese as the First
TeacherConfucius was born in 551 BCUpset by the violence and moral
decay of his eraTraveled around China to persuade political leaders
to follow his ideasBook of teachings: Analects
ConfucianismConfucius provided a set of ideas that eventually
became widely acceptedConfucius ideas were not spiritual but they
were philosophical and dealt with politics and ethics Believed it
was useless to speculate on spiritual questions
Confucius2 elements: Dao (Way): Duty and humanityFive Constant
Relationships:Parent and childHusband and wifeOlder sibling and
younger siblingOlder friend and younger friendRuler and
subject*Each people had a duty to the other
Humanity- people are supposed to have compassion and empathy for
others
ConfuciusTaught that humans are basically goodHis message was
widely spread throughout China Stressed a return to the Golden Age
of China Believed government service should be open to all men of
superior talent and not limited to those of noble birth
DaoismDaoism was a system of ideas based on the teachings of
Laozi or Old MasterBook of teachings: The Way of the DaoConcerned
with proper forms of human behaviorDaoists believe that the way to
follow the will of Heaven is not through action but inaction. The
best way to act in harmony with the universal order is not to
interfere with the natural order.
LegalismLegalism proposed that human beings are evil by
natureReferred to as the School of LawRejected Confucian view that
government by superior men could solve societys problems. Believed
a strong ruler was required to create an orderly societyBelieved
only harsh laws and stiff punishments would cause the common people
to serve the interest of the ruler.
Section 2: The Qin Unify ChinaThe Qin DynastyFrom 400-221 BC
China experienced a bloody civil warChinese states fought each
otherQin Dynasty gradually defeated the rivalsQin declared
themselves a new dynasty Qin ShihuangdiRuler of Qin
DynastyConsidered the First Qin EmperorCame to the throne at
13Defeated rivals and founded a new dynastyQualities of Qin
ShihuangdiHe united all of ChinaCreated a single monetary
systemOrdered building of roads throughout the entire empireReduced
the powers of the landed aristocratsDivided aristocrats estates and
gave the land to peasantsEliminated possible rivals Gained tax
revenues for the central government ShihuangdiS armyLeft behind a
pit (burial mound)In the burial ground there were thousands of
terra-cotta soldiers- recreation of his imperial guardFigures were
slightly larger than life-size
The Great wALLShihuangdi believed that there was a foreign
concern in the northNomadic people lived in the northNomadic
people= Xiongnu people; seen as a threatTo keep these people out,
put up a wallOriginally called The Wall of Ten Thousand LiWe know
it as the Great Wall of China today
The Great Wall of ChinaMost of it is built of loose stone, sand,
or piled rubbleMany died in the course of building According to
legend, those who lost their lives are buried within the wall
Politics of the Qin DynastyLegalism was adopted as the official
ideology of the regimeThose who opposed the policies of the new
regime were punished or executed Qin Dynasty was highly
centralizedCentral bureaucracy was divided into three
divisions:Civil divisionMilitary divisionCensorateSection 3: The
Han DynastyThe Han DynastyFounder: Liu Pang- was a peasantGained
title Han Gaozu- Exalted Emperor of HanWas a very strong ruler
Political StructuresAbandoned use of cruel and unusual
punishmentAdopted Confucian ideals Division of central government
into three ministries: MilitaryCivil serviceCensorate
Han rulers kept the system of local government that divided the
empire into provinces and counties Political StructuresHan rulers
continued the Qin system of choosing government officials on the
basis of merit rather than birthIntroduced civil service
examination Students were expected to learn the teachings of
Confucius, as well as Chinese history and law Population increased
rapidly- went from 20 million to more than 60 million Growing
population meant a need for an efficient bureaucracy Expanded the
empire- now parts of Vietnam, along the South China Sea became part
of the Chinese Empire Society in the Han EmpireFree peasants began
to sufferLand taxes on land-owning farmers were light but demands
like military service impacted all of societyPoor peasants were
forced to sell their land and become tenant farmers, paying up to
half of the annual harvest in rentEmphasis on the family
structureFamily was the basic economic unit and the basic social
unit for education and training in morals Major expansion in trade
and manufacturingTrade occurred through the Silk Road
Technology and cultureTrade= economic prosperityIron casting led
to invention of steelShips could sail with the windFall of Han
DynastyWeak rulersRulers were too concerned with pleasures of life
Wealthy were corrupt Population decline Peasant uprising Civil
war
