Dynasties of China

1. Dynasties of China

2. Qin 221 BCE to 207 BCE • Political- Started China’s tradition of centralized rule; Single law code; Shi Huangdi (First Emperor); brutal ruler (legalism philosophy) who restored order to China following the decline of the Zhou; Qin unified China under a centralized state after the Era of Warring States; Ordered nobles to appear at his court and took control of their feudal states – unifying China; Qin created a centralized bureaucracy and divided land into administrative provinces • Unpopular policies such as attacks on intellectuals, high taxes, and construction of the Great Wall led to the downfall of the Qin as peasant revolts broke out

3. Economic- Uniform tax system; Used forced labor, conscripted or drafted by the government ;National census (provided data for collections of tax revenues and labor services); Standardized coinage and weights and measures through the entire realm to facilitate trade; Promoted the manufacturing of silk cloth • Religion- Legalism (philosophy); Ancestor worship

4. Intellectual/Arts- Great Wall of China; Road planning; Uniform writing system (Chinese script) = single basic language; Sponsored public works such as new irrigation projects and canal systems for agriculture • East Asia

5. Han 206 BCE-220 CE • Political -Retained central government of Qin but made it less brutal (less repression) ; Improved and expanded the bureaucracy; Revised and emphasized formal training liked to the values of the Confucian philosophy ; Established examinations (civil service exams) for bureaucrats; Expanded in china, pushing into Korea, Indo-China, and central Asia ; Han ruler, Wu Ti, enforced peace through much of Asia • Factors for decline of the Han: decrease in the quality of rule, control of the central government, and invasions from central Asia, led by the Huns (one of the groups that helped lead to the downfall of Classical Rome) ; Local government had authority and attended more to criminal and legal disputes

6. Economic-Directly organized the production of iron and salt; Tried to regulate agricultural supplies by storing grain and rice in good times to control price increases and potential unrest when harvests were bad ; Used annual labor to build canals, roads, and palaces ; Food was exchanged between wheat and rice growing reasons ;Trade focused on luxury goods for the wealthy (silks, leather goods, furniture, jewelry)

7. Religion- Promoted Confucian philosophy as an official statement of Chinese values ; Government developed a durable sense of mission as the primary keeper of Chinese beliefs; Ancestor worship • Social-Created a large, highly-skilled bureaucracy ;Men of exceptional talent and ability trained in schools of merit for civil service exams – traditionally from the upper-classes (who had time to study) but occasionally allowed individuals from lower ranks of society ; Landowning aristocracy/ educated bureaucrats ;Laboring masses (peasants, urban artisans) ;Merchant class was not a focal point; a life dedicated to making money was scorned by society ;Emphasized the role and importance of family unity ; Patriarchal society ;Emphasis on Confucian relationships ; Women were clearly defined subordinate roles; could sometimes gain power through their sons

8. Intellectual/Arts-Schools based on merit; priority on education in upper classes ; Organized research in astronomy; Maintained historical records; Active in medical research, which later led to the study of anatomy and principles of hygiene ; Collar invented for draft animals, allowing them to pull wagons and plows without choking ; Pulleys and winding gear were used in mining, which brought materials to the surface ; 1st water powered mills ; Invention of paper ;Iron tools ; Better production methods in textiles and pottery • Near- East Asia

9. Sui (581-618AD) (Rome in Shambles—Germanic/Dark Ages) • Political-Unified empire under emperor; centralized rule based on Confucianism; Military failures (couldn’t conquer Korea)--overextend in territory; Assassination ends dynasty • Economic-High taxes, forced labor: public works; Grand Canal completed- trade; land redistribution • Religious: Daoism and Buddhism

10. Social- Stratified; patriarchy; peasants do labor; merchants at bottom of structure • Intellectual/Artistic- Grand Canal

11. The Grand Canal

12. The Grand Canal Today

13. Sui Dynasty

14. Tang (618-907AD) (Maya, Anasazi, Charlemagne, Kiev & Christianity) • Political-Tributary system: acknowledged supremacy of the emperor; Wu Zetian-Only Empress in Chinese history; Perfection of civil service exam; bureaucracy; decline-Weak emperors, nomadic incursions, economic difficulties • Economic: Silk Road, Sea Trade, Salt Monopoly, cotton, agricultural base; exported more than imported • Religion- Buddhism- eventual Buddhist backlash (9th c); Philosophy-Confucianism

15. Social: cosmopolitan culture; rigid class structure; patriarchy- subordination of women- foot binding • Intellectual/artistic: Invention of movable print, gunpowder, porcelain, mechanical clocks; large scholar gentry class; “Golden Age” of Chinese art and literature

17. Foot Binding: Tang China • Broken toes beginning at age 3-5 years • Large toe for stabilization In 1911, foot binding was outlawed

19. Song Dynasty 960-1279 • Political: Emperor Civil Service Exam (Confucianism);Broke domination of the hereditary aristocracy; Govt service based on merit; gained tribute • Economic: Interregional credit system “flying money”; Govt issued paper money; trade on Silk Road; agriculture- fast growing rice • Religious: Neo-Confucianism-Emphasized individual moral and social responsibility; Ideal person= sage (person with mental serenity who could deal with social ills); Daoism; Buddhism

20. Social- Rigid class structure based on Confucianism; patriarchy- women- footbinding • Intellectual/Artistic- Increase focus on education; printing press more books; magnetic compass; “Golden Age” focus on poetry, music, landscape painting and architecture “pagoda” style building

21. Yuan 1279-1368 • Political- Conquered by Kublai Khan; direct rule as emperor; distrust of Chinese- able to serve as local level; bureaucratic structure; brought in foreigners to help govern; ended civil service exam • Economic- made Silk Road safe again; trade flourishes; direct taxation; agriculture; paved highways; favored merchants • Religion- Buddhism; religious tolerance under Mongols

22. Social: New class structure based on ethnicity: Mongols; foreigners; northern Chinese; Southern Chinese; Mongol women refused to adopt Chinese customs; outlawed intermarriage • Intellectual/Artistic- Assimilated into Chinese art and culture; exported the first blue and white porcelain; advances in astronomy and mathematics

23. Ming Dynasty 1368-1644 • Political --emperor is all powerful with a close group of eunuchs (castrated men) who were very loyal to him-civil service exams are re-instituted -capital moved to Beijing and the Forbidden City is built -civil engineering projects to fix China's landscape from Mongols-elaborate bureaucracy -large seafaring expedition to pay tribute to China 

24. Economic:-international and domestic trade are very productive -state restored millions of acres to cultivation -more productive than almost any other dynasty in China agriculturally -types of jobs were merchants, government officials, accountants, translators, and craftsmen

25. Religion:-Buddhism and Daoism were the dominant religions -Christianity began to spread into Ming China -Jesuit missionary Mateo Ricci converted some of the Chinese upper class to Christianity using advanced Western Technology -belief systems include those of Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism and Christianity

26. Social: -all signs of foreign rule discouraged-the use of Mongol names and clothing was discouraged -orthodox Confucian gender roles were adopted -system of flogging by stick in court was adopted as form of punishment -a system of spying was organized by the emperor -instructions for female behavior was written

27. Intellectual/Artistic--emperor Yongle sponsored an enormous Encyclopedia of some 11,000 volumes-invented wood block color painting, the toothbrush, and ship rudders-created a large armada of revolutionary ships to sail the Indian Ocean

28. Qing 1644-1911 • Political- The Manchus had taken over the Ming and became the last dynasty of China; for each Manchu top official there was a Chinese official; very effective bureaucracy. The government was centralized. Bureaucracy; Civil service exams. The decline was caused not only by internal causes but also outside forces. There was a mass civil disorder (rebellions—Taiping) They had an unstable central authority as they moved toward 20th century. They went threw the Opium War with the British and the 1st Sino -Japanese war and suffered horrible loss. 1905 civil service exams ended. After the Qing dynasty collapsed, Sun Yat-sen set up a republic ending over 2000 years of dynasty rule in China.

29. Economic-Agriculturally based society Commercial and urban expansion increased under the peaceful conditions of the 17th century. They imported silver for their exported goods creating a favorable balance of trade. European traders came into Canton and Maccao and Chinese merchants traveled over seas. When the Chinese refused to open up to the British the British began to smuggle the illegal drug, opium into the country destroying them economically and socially and causing the Opium War (1839-1842) Treaty of Nanjing (1842) would begin the economic imperialism of China through spheres of Influence

30. Religion-They had their traditional Confucianism; influenced gov’t and society. Buddhism and Daoism also practiced; some Christianity • Social-Maintained the social system of the Ming. The values for rank and acceptance of hierarchy were greatly emphasized. Extended family remained core unit among the elite. Women were still subordinate to men. They were centered around the household. Daughters were less wanted then sons. There was a population growth and their was a bigger gap between the lower and upper classes.

31. Intellectual/Art-Commercial expansion. Repaired roads, dikes, and irrigation systems. The foreigners had a lot of influence over the intellectual lives of many Chinese but the Chinese people still had a strong sense of tradition and still followed traditional ways.Painting, silk, pottery.