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Imperial China

Imperial China . Unit 11. Previously in China . Zhou ruled China since the early 1100s BCE, declined around 400 BCE and began the warring states period. Warring states period: several small states battling for control. Qin (CHIN) rose to power on China’s western frontier.

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Imperial China

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  1. Imperial China Unit 11

  2. Previously in China • Zhou ruled China since the early 1100s BCE, declined around 400 BCE and began the warring states period. • Warring states period: several small states battling for control. • Qin (CHIN) rose to power on China’s western frontier. • Chinese historian: swallowing them up “as a silkworm devours a mulberry leaf”.

  3. The Qin Dynasty • In 221 BCE the last rival fell and the Qin become the first dynasty to unify Chinese empire. • Qin Shi Huang China’s 1st Emperor. • Made sense out of the chaos.

  4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aePjTYVKHuA

  5. Harsh Qin Rule • Two advisors: Hanfeizi and Li Si • Founded the school of legalism (taught that a powerful and efficient government was key to maintaining order and control over an empire) • Reject Confucianism • Rulers should be strong and govern through force b/c people were naturally bad • Built a strong centralized government • Took the land of rival nobles and forced them to move to his capital. • Confiscated all personal weapons and Suppressed criticism (burned books) • divided China into 36 districts

  6. The Qin Dynasty Qin Reforms • Policies unified and strengthened China • Standardized laws, writing, coins and weights and measures • Other: building projects, improved irrigation system, roads and canals (taxes and forced labor) Qin Growth and Defense • Fierce tribal nomadic warriors to the north. • Built the Great Wall of China for defensive purposes. (later lengthened and rebuilt) • Fought armies to the south and subdued them as far as Vietnam. Qin dynasty crumbled after Shi Huangdi’s death • Peasants and nobles rebelled • Liu Bang defeated the Qin forces and founded the Han dynasty

  7. The Han Dynasty • Ruled from 206 BC to AD 220 • Model for later dynasties • The main population of China still calls itself the Han people.

  8. Ruled with the mandates of heaven Softened the harsh policies and lowered taxes Practical and effective ruler Brought back Confucianism Liu Band had no education Appointed confusion scholars to advise him. also maintained some Legalist policies Continued strong centralized government Expanded the bureaucracy: an organized a body of appointed officials who oversaw the government Restoring Control

  9. Empress • Liu Band died and one of his wives took control while her son was too young to rule. • The son died and she put numerous infants named emperor to maintain power • Empress Lu died in 180 BCE and officials and princes had the entire Lu family murdered. • This often became common in Chinese courts and made it difficult to rule effectivly

  10. The Greatest Han Emperor • Wudi ruled from 141 to 87 BC • Greatest of all Han rulers • Promoted economic growth, new roads and canals, monopolies (salt, iron, alcohol, silk) • Took away land from large landowners and placed limits on merchants to decrease their power. • Confucianism became the government philosophy • Developed a civil service system (candidates for government jobs had to pass an exam in the Confucian classics) • Only the wealthy could afford schooling and wealthy remained in power

  11. Expansion under Wudi • Known as the Martial Emperor (for expanding the empire by force. • Threat: Xiongnu nomands (lived in the grasslands, horse skills and fierce warriors) • Gifts and marriages to keep peace but had to use force to protect China from raids • Military colonized parts of Korea, Manchuria, Vietnam and Central Asia ( established trade routes with markets as far as the Roman Empire.)

  12. Han Decline • Crisis in 9 CE when Wang Mang (rebel) seized throne • AD 25 Han regained control of throne and started the Later Han dynasty • Problems: weak rulers and gap b/t rich and poor (taxes rose to cover costs, people lost land, less people to tax, taxes rose more) • Revolt in 184 by the Yellow Turbans (Daoists) which threw the empire into chaos. • led to warlords taking over and the Period of Disunion began(lasted for 350 years)

  13. Resources, The Silk Road, and the Poor • Arable land and climate of China made rice growth capable, • rice is a labor-intensive crop causing large portions of the population [think 90% of the people] were locked into the peasantry. • Chinese had natural resources like jade and silk that are highly scarce and in high demand. • only a limited number of artisan and merchant jobs could be sustained • even with the wealth which flowed into China along the Silk Road most members of ancient Chinese civilization continued to be peasants.

  14. Trade • Basis of economy: agriculture Han Products • Ironwork: armor and swords • Artisans: pottery, jade, bronze objects and lacquerware • Prized product: silk Growth of Trade • Zhang Qian: tales led to increase of trade • Silk Road

  15. Han Society Family Life • Family was central to the well-being of the state • Father (head/authority), Filial Piety: children obey parents & grandparents/take care of them) • Women: few privileges, low status, little education, didn’t own property, obey husbands and mother-in-laws • Older women did at times become the head of households. • Ban Zhao a woman famous scholar and writer. • Valued sons over daughters

  16. Han Society Social Structure • Social structure: emperor, upper class (palace court, nobles, government leaders, officials and scholars), peasants (largest), artisans/merchants, slaves

  17. Han Achievements The Arts • Building: palaces and towers • Made: ceramic and bronze figurines, jade carvings and silk cloth with patterns, paintings (Buddhist art), poetry (SimaQian) Science and Technology • Inventions • paper! • Farming: plow and wheelbarrow • Science: seismograph (earthquakes) • Medicine: acupuncture • Other: compass, sundial, water mill, rudder, Movable Sails, watertight compartments for ship's hulls, Mechanical Clock, Abacus, and more!

  18. Disunion • Nomads invaded northern China and formed their own kingdom. • Many fled this area to the south (Yangzi River). • A number of dynasties rose and fell in the south. • The nomads in the north started to adopt aspects of Chinese civilization. • Northerners who fled culture also diffused into southern China as well • Growth in the arts and philosophy. • Buddhism mostly grew at this time.

  19. Sui Dynasty (Sway) • Wendi or Yang Jian founded the new dynasty and re-unified China. • Modeled after the older dynasties. • All adult males given land. • The Dynasty is responsible for the Grand Canal that linked northern and southern China. (more easily access resources) • Forced peasants to work on canal and thousands died in the process. • Poor conditions with the canal and failed military campaigns started rebellions. • The last ruler was assassinated and the dynasty fell.

  20. Tang Dynasty • A Sui general takes control and forms the Tang Dynasty. Ruled 618-907 • Strong central government and bureaucracy. • Had two capital's Chang’an and Luoyang. • Expanded civil service entrance exams (passing written exams) • Flexible law codes (a model in Korea and Japan. • Golden Age!

  21. Tang cont. • Significantly expanded China and its influence. • Regained western lands in Central Asia and influence over other states like Korea and contact with Japan increased (they sent scholars). • New contact with new states and cultures helped spread trade and strengthen their economy. • Buddhism well established even emperors were Buddhist. Missionaries were sent to other Asian lands. • Age of Buddhism 400-845 until its popularity was seen as a threat. • A campaign was started to hurt it and they burnt texts. • Buddhism survived but combined with Daoism and Confuscianism.

  22. Much expanshion occurred during Taizong’s (TY-tzoong) rule. Ministers helped him govern. Military conquests Built schools to help with civil service exams. New emperor was sick and his wife Wu Zhao gained power Ruled through sons until taking all power for her self. First woman to have the title. (Empress) Xuanzong (SHOO-AN-toong) then took the reigns and the empire prospered and flourished the most during his time. 712-756 Tang Emperors

  23. Tang Decline • Began decline in the 750’s after putting down a rebellion. • Military defeats cost them land in Central Asia and in the north. • Nomadic invasions and rebellions over tax increases cause further problems. • A powerful general kills the last Tang emperor in 907, the dynasty ends. China becomes split again.

  24. The Song Dynasty • Reunified in 960 with the Song Dynasty until 1279. • Also brought a Golden Age of many achievements. • China became the most advanced civilization in the world.

  25. Government and the civil service • Brought back a strong centralized government and enlarged the bureaucracy to manage the empire. • Revised the civil service exams grasping more the Confucianism. • Neo-Confucianism (new Confucianism): ideas from Confucius and spiritual matters. • Hard to pass, those that did were scholar-officials- an elite educated class. • Open to ordinary people.

  26. Decline and the Southern Song • Never regained lands to the west and north. • Afraid of the nomads to the north they tried to please the nomads with gifts. • 1120’s the nomads called the Jurchen conquered China and started the Jin Empire. • Song dynasty did continue is south Chine for 150 more years.

  27. Cultural Achievements Literature and Art • Du Fu wrote poems and Confucian ideals or the horrors of war. Tang • Li Bo wrote poems about friendship, nature, solitude, and the joys of life. Tang • Wu Daozi (Dow-tzee) painted murals of Buddhism and nature. Tang • Song artists focused on the beauty of nature. • Song artisan excelled at porcelain: type of ceramic that was sought for all over the world. (also called china) • Pagoda: multistoried Buddhist temples with curved roofs at the corners and had a roof at each floor was inspired by Indian Buddhist temples.

  28. Cultural Achievements Inventions and Innovations • led the world in technology and science. • Gunpowder: mostly used for fireworks and building projects but as it spread it began to be used with weapons. • Magnetic compass, woodblock printing (Tang) and Movable Type (song), and Paper Money. • These inventions would revolutionize they way things were done and would change the world forever.

  29. Prosperity and Society • New advancements in agriculture: new irrigation systems, fast ripening rice, and faster production of cotton and tea. • Led to a population growth: Tang 70 million people, Song nearly 100 million people. Most populous country in the world at the time. • Trade expanded with this and improvements in roads and canals. • Traded to med. Sea with silk road and by sea with Korea and Japan. • Sea trade became important and had many advances in sailing. • Economy grew strong and money and banking system developed.

  30. City life, Society, and Women • Cities began to grow with increased trade, especially port cities. • Entertainment districts grew. • Had the largest cities in the world but most still lived in the country. • Aristocrat power declined while a new class the gentry rose. • Gentry: scholar-officials, and leading landowners. • Most were peasants: farmed, paid most of the taxes, little to no school. • Women status declined (encouraged to stay at home) and a desire for small dainty feet began (foot binding) • Made women immobile and showed male dominance.

  31. The Mongol Empire • In 1200’s a nomadic people called the Mongols from Central Asia conquer China and create the largest land empire in history. • Steppe or grasslands with little resources relied on herding animals for their needs. • Traded for what they lacked or took it. • Like the Huns and the Turks they come from this land to conquer.

  32. The Mongol Empire • Skilled with horses and learned to ride at an early age. • Used to living in harsh environments with scarce resource. • Tough and fierce warriors. • Not united but separate clans led by a chief or Khan. • Temujin conquered his rivals and united the clans in 1206. • He takes the name Genghis Khan “Universal Ruler”

  33. Building an Empire • Military strategies: mobile, strikes quickly, brutality, psychological warfare, organized, strict discipline, complete loyalty, rewards. • Conquers most of Asia learning siege warfare and gunpowder which helped further conquest. • Genghis Khan dies in 1227, tells his sons to conquer the world.

  34. Mongol Empire Divides • Divides empire into 4 regions or Khanates with an heir ruling each but the Great Khan ruled over all. • Grandson kublai Khan resumes conquest. • Was going to invade western Europe until they heard of the Great Khans death.

  35. The Yuan Dynasty • Kublai Khan only really had power of The Great Khanate region. • 1279 he finally beat the Song Dynasty. • He created the Yuan Dynasty declaring himself Emperor. • 1st foreign ruler of China.

  36. Chinese thought they were rude and uncivilized. Did not force ways onto Chinese but adopted aspects of their culture giving his dynasty a Chinese name. Also moved his capital to where modern Beijing is, Chinese styled ceremonies, palaces, and ruled as a Chinese emperor. Did not want Mongol identity lost. Mongols lived apart from Chinese. Friendships were discouraged. Forbidden to intermarry. Had different laws and taxes. Chinese not allowed to have weapons or be in the military. Yuan Cont.

  37. Yuan cont. • While leaving much of the government in place, Chinese could not hold high places in office. • Put other foreigners in place. • Chinese taxed heavily. • Money went to building roads and extending the Grand Canal to the capital. • Soldiers placed around empire to keep peace and prevent rebellions.

  38. The Mongol Peace • Brutal in the building of but ruled it peacefully. • Tolerated local beliefs and ways of life. • Allowed local rulers to stay in power as long as they pay tribute. • Adopted aspects of the more civilized cultures they conquered. (adopted Islam) • Pax Mongolia “monol peace”

  39. The Mongol Peace • Guarded the silk road and other trade routes, that protection= trade increase. • Chinese inventions spread world wide. • Built enormous ships to improve trade across seas. • Welcomed foreign merchants to China’s ports and offered them special privileges. • Traders from S.E.A., India, and Europe came to China including Marco Polo

  40. Marco Polo In China • An Italian trader from Venice. • Visited Yuan court with his father. • Kublai Khan liked him and sent him on many missions in China and abroad. • During a battle was captured and told his tales to his inmate. • They were written down and published. • Europeans became fascinated by the stories of China. • Skeptics wonder if the stories were real.

  41. End of the Yuan Dynasty • Began to weaken after several failed military campaigns into South East Asia and Japan. • Large amounts spent on public-works projects had weakened the economy. • + resentment towards Mongols left conditions for rebellion. • 1294 Kublai Khan died leaving power struggles and weak leadership. • Natural flooding disasters and increase taxes. • 1300’s many rebel groups, one army wins in 1368. • Mongols leave China to Manchuria and foreign rule ends.

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