Qin and Han China

1. Qin and Han China Imperial China 221 BCE-220 CE

2. Agriculture and Human Labor • Production of wealth and taxes support China • Fund gov’t activities military, daily tasks • Large populations need increase in food production canal construction and surplus during times of shortage • Human labor=fundamental commodity, free peasants and taxes • Donate 1 month labor to public works • 2 years military service • Expanded at expense of ethnic groups

3. The Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE) • The Qin dynasty emerged in 221 BCE from China’s bloody civil wars between 400 BCE and 200 BCE • Qin Shi Huangdi established the dynasty.

4. The Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE) • The Qin made the central government stronger. • The government was divided into three ministries: the civil, the military, and the censorate. • Members of the censorate checked on government officials to make sure they were doing their jobs. • Future Chinese dynasties adopted this practice and kept this structure.

5. The Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE) • Qin Shi Huangdi unified the Chinese world • Monetary system • Road system • Standardized weights and measures • Standardized Chinese written language

6. He extended the empire south to modern-day Vietnam.

7. He burned books by and about Confucius and promoted learning only about military matters and economics.

8. Problems with Invasion • The Xiongnu (SHE-OONG-nu) had mastered warfare from horseback. • They attacked the Chinese living in the north. • To protect these people, Qin Shi huangdi built a system of walls called the Great Wall of China.

14. Han Dynasty • The Han dynasty was one of China’s greatest dynasties. • It emerged in 202 B.C. and was founded by Liu Bang, who was of peasant origin.

16. Liu Bang replaced Legalism with Confucianism • Hierarchy • Patriarchy • Moral government • Filial piety (family) • He kept the division of the central government into three ministries and the division of the empire into provinces.

17. Hanrulerschosegovernmentofficialsbymerit,notbirth. • Gentry • Institutedthecivilserviceexamination. • Establishedschoolstotraincandidatesforgovernmentservice. • StudentslearnedConfucius’steachings,Chinesehistory,andChineselaw.

18. Han Dynasty • The free peasants suffered during the Han period. • Military service and a month’s forced labor each year were required. • The tripling of the population shrank the size of the individual farm plot to about one acre a person—barely enough to survive. • Free farmers became tenant farmers.

19. Han Dynasty • Technology progressed under the Han. • There were advances in textile manufacturing, water mills, and iron casting, the latter leading to the invention of steel. • The invention of the rudder and fore-and-aft rigging made sailing into the wind possible for the first time. • Chinese traders were able to sail into the Indian Ocean, expanding trade tremendously.

20. Water Mill

21. Inventions • Importance to success of empire • Paper was developed in the Han period. • Horse collar • Roads • Courier system of boats, horses and footpaths. • Canals • Silk production, monopoly on silk, sought to control Silk Road campaigns into Asia

22. Decline of the Han Dynasty • Over time, Han rulers too involved with pleasure weakened the government. • The aristocratic families took over the power void, often corruptly and brutally. • Peasant revolts became common. • Hired foreign soldiers not loyal • Burdened by military expenditures, nomadic attacks • The Han dynasty fell in A.D. 220. Civil wars followed, and the next dynasty was not established for four hundred years.

23. How effective were the Qin and Han authorities in maintaining control over the Chinese?