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Life in Ancient China

Life in Ancient China. Chapter 5 Section 2. Did You Know?. Daoists believe the only acceptable time to inflict harm on another living creature is in self-defense. Life in Ancient China. A social class includes individuals who share a similar position in society.

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Life in Ancient China

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  1. Life in Ancient China Chapter 5 Section 2

  2. Did You Know? • Daoists believe the only acceptable time to inflict harm on another living creature is in self-defense.

  3. Life in Ancient China • A social class includes individuals who share a similar position in society. • Chinese society had three main social classes: • Aristocrats, farmer, and merchants. • Aristocrats: grew rich from farmers who grew crops on the land the aristocrats owned. • Most Chinese people were farmers. Farmers paid aristocrats with part of their crops. • Merchants were the lowest class. • Although they grew rich, they were still looked down on by aristocrats and farmers. • Chinese families were large, and children were expected to work on farms. • Filial piety: Children had to respect parents and elders. • Men’s jobs were considered more important than women’s jobs in wars. • Men went to school, ran the government, and fought wars. • Women could not hold government offices but could influences decisions of their husbands.

  4. Discussion Question • How did aristocrats use farmers to grow rich? • Aristocrats allowed farmers to use their land. In exchange, farmers gave part of their crop to the landowners.

  5. Chinese Thinkers • Three major theories: Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism; were developed to reinstate peace after the Period of the Warring States. • Confucius: was a great thinker and teacher who believed that people needed a sense of duty to be good. • Duty meant that a person must put the needs of family and community before his or her own needs. • Confucianism taught that all men with a talent for government should take part in government. • Daoism: teaches that people should give up worldly desires and encourages the importance of nature. Daoism was created by the scholar and teacher Laozi. • Legalism: is the belief that society needs a system of harsh laws and punishments. • The scholar Hanfeizi developed Legalism.

  6. Discussion Question • Why did the aristocrats dislike Confucianism? • According to Confucianism, any man with a talent for government should take part in government. This idea opened government up to the lower classes.

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