Three Chinese Philosophies (Zhou Dynasty 1045-256 B.C.E)

1. Three Chinese Philosophies(Zhou Dynasty 1045-256 B.C.E) By: Sid Patra, Noel Oracheski, and Alex Lampell

2. Zhou Dynasty (1045-256 B.C.E) • After overthrowing the Shang, the Zhou made the Mandate of Heaven • The Mandate of Heaven said that the king was the son of Heaven • If the king governed his people well then Heaven would give him the right to rule • If the king governed badly then Heaven would send natural disasters and his people could overthrow him

3. Photos of Zhou Dynasty

4. Feudalism • The Zhou had a system of relationships called feudalism • In feudalism the king gave part of his land to loyal supporters (lords) • In exchange the lords sent soldiers to protect the king • The lord protected the peasants that lived in his land in exchange of a portion of their crops

5. Conflicts in Zhou Dynasty • Feudalism worked for a while, but then there started to be rebellions against the king • Then rulers hired scholars to ask them for advice about how to govern • So many ideas were offered that later the Chinese called them the Hundred Schools of Thought • The three most popular schools were Confucianism, Daoism and Legalism

6. Confucianism • The founder of Confucianism is Confucius(551-479 B.C.E) • The goal of Confucianism is to have a just and peaceful society • In Confucianism you should respect your elders • In Confucianism there are five basic relationships: ruler and subject, husband and wife, father and son, older siblings and younger siblings, and friend and friend • All people must respect and obey these relationships • People that have the authority with these relationships (rulers, fathers, husbands, and older siblings) should set a good example. They should be kind, honest, wise, and faithful • Confucius used to say, “Don’t do to others what you would not want done to you” • There is a book with all of Confucius sayings. It is called The Analects • So Confucianism thought that the “best way to govern is to lead by example”

7. Photos of Confucianism

8. Daoism • The founder of Daoism is Laozi (around 500 B.C.E.) • Laozi wrote a small manuscript of 5,000 characters which is called the Dao De Jing • Daoism teaches people that you gain happiness and peace by living in harmony and agreement with nature • For the Daoists nature is full of opposites (like pleasure and pain) • They believed that true harmony came from balancing these opposite forces • These two forces are called yin and yang • Yin means shaded and Yang means sunlit • Daoists thought that people should live a simple and natural life • They also believed that everyone must discover the Dao by themselves • So Daoism thought that the best way to govern was “if you must govern, then govern the least as possible”

9. Photos of Daoism

10. Legalism • The founder of Legalism is Hanfeizi(280-233 B.C.E.) • The goal of Hanfeizi was to create peace and order in soceity • Many of his ideas survived until today in a book named after him • Legalism thought that most people are naturally selfish • Legalism thought that rulers should establish strict laws and make them stronger by giving rewards for good behavior and harsh punishments for bad behavior • In Legalism rulers have absolute power and are backed up by the military • They thought that rulers should not trust anyone, not even the family

11. Photos of Legalism

12. The End of The Zhou Empire • Around 256 B.C.E. the Zhou Empire fell • It was overpowered by Prince Zheng of the Qin Empire • In the battle between the Qin and the Zhou millions of lives were lost

13. Bibliography • History Alive Book • Images from Google

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