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CHINA

CHINA. CHAPTER 5. Early China – Shang on the Hwang. Controlled the Yellow River valley from 1600 – 1100 B.C.E Isolated from the west of the world, except some trading with Mesopotamia Believed they were the center of the world and superior to others –ethnocentric

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CHINA

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  1. CHINA CHAPTER 5

  2. Early China – Shang on the Hwang • Controlled the Yellow River valley from 1600 – 1100 B.C.E • Isolated from the west of the world, except some trading with Mesopotamia • Believed they were the center of the world and superior to others –ethnocentric • Bronze, horse-drawn chariots, developed the spoked wheel; pottery and silk production; decimal system; calendar • Patriarchal family structure w/ multiple generations in the same household • Dead ancestors advocated for them with the gods

  3. Enter the Zhou now • Zhou = Chou • Ruled China 900 years (beginning in 1100 B.C.E); maintained traditions of the Shang • Mandate of Heaven – Heaven gave the Zhou power as long as they ruled justly and wisely • Developed a feudal system; king rules entire empire, gives smaller regions to nobles to control and protection in exchange for their loyalty • Developed bureaucracies – small units within the government assigned to particular tasks • Eventually the nobles claimed their own independent kingdoms and fought among each other

  4. Era of Warring States • 403-221 B.C.E. • No clear central control of China; individual regions warring with each other (like the Greek city states!) • Three Schools of Thought emerged to end fighting: Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism

  5. Confucianism • Confucius – lived from 551 to 479 BCE • Felt China needed the right kind of leadership • Ren (appropriate feelings) and li (correct actions) • Filial piety – respect for one’s parents • Leaders had a moral duty to set the example so that people would behave properly. • Five key relationships: • Ruler to subject • Father to son • Husband to wife • Older brother to younger brother • Friend to friend • Man is fundamentally good

  6. DAOISM • Laozi • Dao = way of nature or way of cosmos • Human beings should exist in harmony • Wu wei = act by not acting; do nothing and problems will solve themselves, like nature • Believed that government structure was useless; caused competition and fighting; less government is better • Cultivate patience, selflessness and concern for all • War should only be used for defensive purposes

  7. LEGALISM • Man is inherently evil and needs strict laws and punishment to behave properly • Need strong central government with an absolute ruler with high taxes to provide stability • Best professions are farming and military • Man is fundamentally bad

  8. HAN DYNASTY • Followed the Qin dynasty; harsh regime who had Confucian books burned • 206 BCE – 220 CE • Softened legalist ideas with Confucian ideas – ruler has authority over empire like father rules over family • Expansionist – North Vietnam, Korea and Central Asia became part of the empire

  9. HAN DYNASTY • Increased military strength established peace and order which = increase in trade Silk Roads – series of roads that allowed trade to connect with Central Asia, India and the Roman empire • Canal system within China

  10. HAN DYNASTY • Social Structure • Patriarchal; women subordinate to father’s and husbands • Upper class women were educated • Highest class = scholar-gentry peasants merchants (lived off labor of others)

  11. HAN DYNASTY • Fall of the Empire • Invading nomads • Conscription failed and the government had to hire soldiers who were not very loyal • Government corruption • Infighting among powerful aristocratic families

  12. Parallels between Roman & Han Empires • Patriarchal; family loyalty • Agricultural with farmers available for military service • Started out in small homogeneous regions and spread to vast populations • Created a cultural unity that persisted • Created systems to administer areas far away • Road systems for the spread of communication, trade and beliefs • Civil service systems • Capital cities acted as a model for all cities and towns • Defense issues (trying to maintain long distance borders)

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