You are learning about the three main social classes of ancient China

You are learning what life was like during the Zhou dynasty

Chinese Society

Fill in the blank with the correct social class

Aristocrats

Peasant farmers

Merchants

Why was the wealthy merchant class on

BOTTOM??

LIFE IN ANCIENT CHINA

Social classes- ppl who share a similar position in society

3 main social classes- rich land owners, poor farmers, merchants

Life of an aristocratic

• Large houses

• Beautiful gardens

• Fine furniture

• Relied on farmers to grow crops

Life of a farmer

• 9/10 Chinese were farmers• Lived in simple homes• Farmers grew wheat, millet, and rice on

aristocrat’s farmers• Farmers grew food for their family on a

small plot of land• One month a year they helped with gov’t

building projects• In war time farmers became soldiers

Life of merchants

• Shopkeepers, traders, and bankers

• Lived in towns and provide goods and services

• Very rich

• Looked down on by other classes

LIFE IN A CHINESE FAMILY

• Why big families – everybody worked so more members would help you become wealthy

• Filial piety- children respect their parents and elders

• Role of Men- women obeyed men (even their sons)

• Role of Women- raised children and took care of the house

CHINESE THINKERS

• Need for order and a peaceful society led to 3 major theories to create a peaceful society

• Confucianism- – Confucius – China’s first great thinker and teacher– Duty- was important above all else– “Golden Rule”- Do unto others …– Unpopular with aristocrats because Confucius felt

ALL men with a talent to govern should be able to work in the government.

China, Confucianism & Taoism (Daoism)

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Daoism

• Laozi- “Old Master” founder

• Dao De Jing- written text

• Worldly desires- must give up these

• Nature- the force that guides all things

• Opposite of Confucianism because it called on people to give up their concerns about the world (working in gov’t) and seek inner peace.

Legalism

• Hanfeizi- scholar that founded Legalism

• Believed people are Naturally evil – must have rules and harsh punishment to control them

• Favored by aristocrats because it favored force and power