Ancient China Study Sheet

8/13/2019 Ancient China Study Sheet

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Ancient China Study Sheet

Rise of Civilizations in China Chinese depended on rivers for irrigation and transportation. Valued people with the ability to control floods and develop irrigation systems/devotion to duty Long distances and physical barriers isolated China

Tian Shan desert and Himalaya mountains in W/SW blocked movement of ppl Rainforests in SE Gobi Desert in N, Taklamakan in W Tibetan Plateau in W Pacific Ocean in E Traded to Middle East and beyond Rivers = Yellow (irrigation projects to prevent flooding), Yangtze, Pearl Yellow Sea separates China from Korea peninsula and Yellow River feeds into it East China sea in the East Called China the Middle Land

Settled in Yellow River Valley Most people were absorbed into the Chinese civilization Settled there b/c of the excellent soil (loessyellow silt) Loess was light and didnt need heavy animals to carry Fertile land = lots of food in very small spaces Long, dry grass could be used as fuel

Shang Dynasty 1766 BC1122BC (first Chinese dynasty w/ solid evidence) CapitalAnyang Had large palaces and tombs for rulers. Kings didnt control most of the land

Local nobles/princes governed Heads of important clans/groups of families Noble women may have had considerable status

Social Class Royal family/noble warriors on top Artisans and merchants next Majority were peasants living in farming villages

Zhou Dynastycame from western frontier and overthrew Shang 1122BC256BC Introduced idea of Mandate of Heaventhe last ruler had ruled harshly and made god angry,

passed the Mandate of Heaven to people who treated others well.

Later had a dynastic cyclegood govt became corrupt, (natural catastrophes were signs ofa bad ruler), Heaven withdrew support and another ruler seized control

Had Feudalism as wellnobles/ lords ruled the area. Owed military service and support to the ruler


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600BCeconomy grew as ironworking reached China. More food produced w/ new tools Started using money and made trade easier New roads and canals were built Increase in pop.

Became too large, wealthy and developed Rulers were too weak to control feudal lords Had savaged wars b4 ruler united them all

Shang prayed to gods and nature spirits Shang Di was the supreme god and the king would be the only link b/t mortals and Shang Di Had ancestor worship and sacrificed food/necessities Also had oracle boneswould answer the questions of the ruler

Zhou Dynastyhad 2 major belief systems Confucianism (Confucius) and Daoism (Laozi)

Shang and Zhou Achievements Advanced in astronomymade accurate calendar Made bronze weapons and discovered how to make silk Established a system of writing (oldest had been found on oracle bones where the

shell/bone was heated and the pattern was interpreted) and each was different stroke

Zhou created first books out of strips of wood and paper Era of Warring States481 BC221BC Qin DynastyZheng reunited after 20yrs of division

221BC206BC 247BC13 yr old became ruler and became supreme ruler in 221BC Declared himself Shih Huang Di (First Emperor)in 221BC Ruled with Legalismvery harsh against people who opposed his views (mainly feudal and

Confucian scholars) Ideas were despised, but lasted for hundreds of yrs

Qin grew as they conquered new land and food production (thru irrigation/flood control)increased (got paycheck thru peasants)

Goal was to strengthen military (warriors had highest status) Burned all writings about topics that are controversial Feudalism was abolished and states were replaced w/ 36 districts

Loyal officials ministered them Noble land distributed to peasants and had to pay taxes to support govt Standardized weights, measurements, coins, Chinese writing system (simplified), and roads

and canals

Burned all but one copy of Confucian classics and 460 Confucian scholars were killed Great Wall was constructed (states used to have individual walls and all were joined)

Thousands of laborers worked for yrs on wall 25ft tall Extended and rebuilt over many centuries

Had a tomb with life size clay terracotta army (real weapons and subterranean palace where hewas supposed to spend all of eternity in)


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Collapse Shih Huang Di died in 210BC Had lots of taxes and labor and cruel policies Collapsed in 206BC when Gao Zu (illiterate peasant) took control Harsh rule, but Han was able to rule easier b/c of that

Han Dynasty 202BC220AD Liu Bang was early Han emperor and capital was Changan (scholars ruled) Confucian scholars were appointed as officials WuDi was most famous emperorstrengthened govt and econ. From 141BC-87BC

Set up university to train the scholars Lowered taxes and got rid of legalism Improved canals and roads and set up granaries so the govt could buy and sell when grain

was abundant/scarce

Reorganized finances and govt had control over iron and salt Expanded borders and drove nomadic people past great wall

Silk Road was open network of trade routes Linked China to the west and stretched 4000 miles

Confucians scholars selected thru civil service examstested on 5 Classics and Analects Anyone could be an official Tested on 5 classics by Confucius Women were excluded from govt jobs Lasted until 1912 However, they didnt really take into account the relationship portion of Confucianism

continued to rule thru punishments and military authority

Family = center of Confucian values Daoism and Confucianism overlapped hereDaoism provides escape from self control Accepted Daoist idea of not to seek fights and to be a good leader by following natures

energy, delegate authority, war was bad

Advances in science and medicinestarted using scientific proof instead of religion Invented paper using wood pulp Advances in shipbuilding, suspension bridges, etc Art advancementsjade, ivory, ceramic Buddhism introduced in 100AD, but didnt spread until 400AD

Undermined emperors couldnt control local military rulers and the peasants revolted due tohigh taxes

Sui Dynasty 589AD618AD

Tang 618AD907AD Golden Age Ruled for a time by woman Wu Zhao


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China divided for about 400yrs after Han Farming improved, technology improved, cities survived even though Rome collapsed Li Yuanfirst emperor of Tang and old emperor of Sui

He and his son crushed rivals and Tang Taizong took over his father after 8yrs Became most admired emperor People came to Tang capital to learn about govt, law, art Flexible laws and schools prepared people for exams Distributed land to peasants and decreased power of landowners

Gentry and peasantry were 2 main social classes Eventually weakenedlater emperors lost territory to Arabs Corruption, high taxes, drought, famine, rebellions 907ADoverthrew last Tang emperor by rebel general

Song dynasty 960AD1279AD Wealth and culture dominated (military didnt) Econ expandedimproved farming, rice imported from SE Asia, surpluses of food Tang and Songtrade flourished and had paper money

Song and Tang Head = emperor Gentryscholar official classwealthy and could afford studying for exams

Value learning more than labor and supported Confucian thoughts Peasantrylive on what they produce

Lived in villages and kept to themselves Could move up thru edu. And govt services (entire family moves up)

Merchants had lowest status b/c they gained wealth thru labors of others Women had higher status in Tangran family households and managed being wife and mom

In late Song, had foot binding and could barely walk so they mostly stayed inside Poetry, painting and calligraphy imp. for gentry class (balance b/t strokesand Song captured

spiritual essence)

Buddhism influenced Chinamany sculptures and architecture ConfuciusConfucianism

Social changes and war disrupt life/How to behave 551BC479BC (born into chaotic period w/ unwedded mom)

Had miserable childhood full of loss/death, but was very dedicated to education and publicservice

Felt that educated people has responsibility to be part of govt and take action Taught both rich and poor Wasnt a very good public servant and many govt disregarded his teachings only advised 1

ruler before being humiliated into leavingb/c he had high standards of conduct. (once

banished from home state b/c his ideas were considered dangerous)

Spent 13 yrs wandering and looking around Died thinking he had failedreturned after being banished, but lived obscurely


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Spread wisdom Wanted to become local ruler, but couldnt find a permanent govt position Few princes/kingdoms listened to him talk about the right person to rule Became a teacher, but never wrote down ideasstudents collected them. Wasnt interested in spiritual matters more in philosophy and system of ideas concerning

social order and good govt. (dont even know about life on earth yet)

Teachings 5 key relationships

Ruler to subject, husband to wife, parent to child, elder bro to younger bro, friend tofriend (strangers should be govt job)

Only friend to friend relationship is equal Superior sets examples to inferior Correct behavior will equal order and stability

Filial Piety Respect to parentsmost important relationship inside family (5 relationships + filial

piety = harmony in society

Ren and lidont need to have both at the same time Ren = appropriate feelings toward someone Li = civility/politenessactions a person performs Not born knowing how to do everything in every relationshipmust be taught

(depending on your status)

Honesty, hard work, compassion, rule by good example, educated men should rule Had Influence in later times

Relied on ideas and chose Confucian scholars as officials

Introduced yin and yang (balance b/t dark and light) Almost 1/3 of world under Confucian influence

Superior Leader = Chunzi (the ideal leader) Should want to do whats right and dont do it for the money itself Shouldnt be worried about status Point out the good in people No one born a leadereveryone has the potential to become good leader Good rulers rule by moral example and not by force/law

DaoismLaozi (who may have not existed) Lived around time of Confucian, but never had as much fame Ideas go way backmostly from wise old men yrs and yrs ago Focused on harmony with naturedidnt like unnatural DaoThe Way and source of all life and energy but never gets exhausted (those who know of

it dont speak of it)

Thought the less government interfered, the better Wrote the Way of Virtue Gods and goddesses/magical practices were later added


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Had yin and yangdarkness and light, nature and humans, balance to make a whole Taught

Relax and allow things to sort themselves out Governments are useless Look within universe to find Dao Humans arent sure what is real and what is imaginary Refuse to fight = no losing Bend to be strongerbeing too rigid will snap

Is religious and not just a philosophypeople make it less complex and more simple than itactually is

Too many comparisons to Legalism/Confucianism Can't separate into philosophy and religion b/c it has philosophical features but is still a

religion

Laotze could actually be a myth It changes over time as any other religion

Legalism Man is born evil and goodness is acquired Greed = most motive for actions/conflicts of people Only achieve order thru strict law and punishments (power = order) Strength is rulers greatest virtue and only rulers can possess power Well Meaning and ineffective teachers shouldnt be in govt (opposed Confucianism) Daoist dropouts unfit to rule Should have one all powerful central govt people too ignorant and selfish to know whats best for them Effective in establishing control, but there was a lot of hatred

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Ancient China Study Sheet