Early Chinese History John Ermer Miami Beach Senior High School
World History
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The Huang He River Valley China = isolated by natural barriers
Himalaya mountains in Southwest Pamir Mountains, Tian Mountains,
Gobi Desert in West Mongolian Steppe to the Northwest Pacific Ocean
to the East Minimal contact w/ rest of Asia = distinct development
Various climate zones (Subarctic to Subtropical) Loess deposits
create fertile agricultural lands Colors the Yellow River Northern
China farms millet and wheat Southern China farms rice
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Shang Dynasty (1750-1027 B.C.E.) Neolithic Chinese (Xia
Dynasty) Silk production, pounded earth walls, pottery, livestock,
grain Enters Bronze Age c. 2000 BCE (later than W. Asia) Earliest
written records in Chinapictograms & phonetic Warrior culture,
military campaigns against nomads POWs taken as slaves to Shang
capital Decentralized political system, clan leaders rule locally
Cities were administrative/religious centersfeng shui Most common
people lived in farming villages Divination and sacrifice Bronze =
sign of authority
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Shang Artifacts
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Zhou Dynasty (1027-221 BCE) 1027: Last Shang king defeated by
Zhou leader, Wu Zhou adopt many Shang cultural elements, add new
ones The Mandate of Heaven Decline in divination, priestly power,
sacrifice Continued decentralization of political power 800 BCE:
Shift from Western capital to Eastern capital Zhou power
destabelized, local leaders increase power, war 480-221: Warring
States Period Long protective walls, mounted soldiers, steel
production Legalism
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Chinese Society: Confucianism & Daoism Aristocrats seek to
influence Zhou leaders Kongzi Confucius (551-479 BCE) is such an
aristocrat Governments = family, hierarchy, human goodness,
anti-Legalist Ren (familial benevolence) = moral government Daoism
founded by Laozi, follow the path (dao) Accept the world as is,
follow natural path Clan-based kinship replaced by three-generation
family Women subordinate to men, Confucius equates to commoners
Monogamous marriage, but men allowed concubines Yin and Yang =
different roles for women and men
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China: Rise of the Qin Dynasty 230-221 BCE: King Zheng of Qin
defeat the Warring States King Zheng assumes Zhou Dynastys Mandate
of Heaven Declares self Shi Huangdi First August Emperor (like
Augustus) Establishes capital in Xianyang Qin administrative
system: commanderies & counties Commanderies ruled by civilian
and military governors All male citizens register with imperial
clerks for conscription and taxes Establishment of standard weights
and measures, coinage minting Qin emperors expand into Korean
peninsula & Vietnam Han idea of grand unity justifies
expansion, oppression of rebel states Qin officials Han Fei &
Li Si espouse Legalism Citizens organized into mutually responsible
groups Free labor preferred over slaves, high tax base = wealth
Economic regulation, agricultural surplus, high level of regional
trade
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The Qin Decline Nomadic warrior peoples on frontier Xiongnu
people especially troublesome for Qin Qin emperors push on, build
defensive wall Wall allows for the colonization of Inner Eurasian
Steppe Constant warfare burdens Qin tax base Dissention among
nobles & conscripted workers Chief Master Li Si executed, Xiang
Yu leads rebellion Third Qin Emperor surrenders to Han forces
Xiongnu Confederacy reconquers Steppes Xiang Yu commits suicide,
feudal lords war Han prince Liu Bang declares himself Han emperor
Rules with Confucian philosophy, moral value
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Xiongnu Areas
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The Han Dynasty; 206 BCE-220 CE Han rulers keep Qin
bureaucratic system Army of 50,000+ crossbow armed soldiers
Western/Former Han Dynasty (206 BCE-9 CE) Territorial expansion,
economic prosperity Dynastic Cycles Families compete for power,
claim authority of past dynasties mandate of heaven Dynasties rise
and fall according to the cycle Imperial continuity through
multiple dynasties until 1911
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Han Power Worlds most centralized bureaucracy Regional
administrators played active role in local affairs Removal of
princes, management of aristocrats Governor-Generals appointed
during crisis/famine Bureaucratic schools breed government
officials Imperial University started by Emperor Wu (136 BCE)
Rational thought brings diagnoses of body function, link between
weather and disease, invention of magnetic compass, making of paper
Confucian thought dominates education of the elites Balance between
emperors power and bureaucracy Honor tradition, emperors
responsibility, respect historys lessons
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Han Social & Economic Order Han unite various groups who
once warred Allowed former Qin lords to reacquire power Status of
scholars rises in societymasters Emperor Wu est. state monopolies
to pay for wars Minting of standard copper coins, The Silk Road Han
cities designed in grid, wide avenues Palaces become forbidden
inner cities Large building projects aggrandize imperial power
Patriarchal family, women worked/respected Public entertainment,
gambling, debauchery Funerary rites important to rich and poor
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Han Social Structure & Religion Free peasantry=base of
society Farmers honored, merchants controlled Scholar officials
protect moral authority Top of society=imperial clan and nobles
Merchants begin to espouse Daoist ideas to improve position Emperor
Wu turns Confucian philosophy into the state religion,
Confucius=divine/demigod Astronomical omens Chinese not as
religious/otherworldly as Romans
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Expanding Han Rule Creating stability for improving trade
Standing army of 1,000,000; 10,000 Imperial Guard Emperor Wu
conquers Korea and Sichuan Emperor Wu sends expeditionary forces to
battle the Xiongnu and their horsemen Xiongnu tribes split;
southern tribes conquered Northern Xiongnu pushed westward,
threaten Rome (Huns) Retreat of Nomadic peoples=pax sinica
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Declining Han Power Chinas Sorrow natural disaster Economic
problems, political instability The usurper Wang Mang (9-23 CE)
Later Han emperors justify anti-reformist rule Elites reform tax
code, benefit Government no longer controls economy Increased
social inequality, rebellion Confucius replaced by Laozi &
Yellow Emperor as model citizenrise of Daoism The Yellow Turban
rebellion Buddhism arrivesmillenarian movement Han fall=three
competing states (Wei, Shu, Wu)