China—Moving into the Modern Age

1. China—Moving into the Modern Age Chris Anderson Randolph-Henry H. S.

2. Three Great Dynasties • 1100 BC—AD 200, China will be ruled by 3 very powerful dynasties • 1.) Zhou—ruled China for 800 years—the longest dynasty in Chinese history • 2.) Qin • 3.) Han

3. 1.) Zhou Dynasty • 1028 BC—the Zhou Dynasty took power away from the Shang Dynasty • Zhou leaders claimed to rule because of the Mandate of Heaven • Kings received their right to rule from the gods • Zhou kings were called the Son of Heaven • Created a very large empire • To control the large kingdom, the Zhou created an agricultural system to keep the people under control • Nobles would own the land • Serfs would work the land • The nobles would control the serfs

4. Map of the Zhou Dynasty

5. Zhou kings gave their family members positions in the government • Each family member was given a city-state to govern • Some of these family members were not good rulers • Local lords lived in the city-states • These local lords could have their own land and armies • At first, the local lords pledged loyalty to the Zhou kings • Later the lords will use their armies to challenge the kings and try and take the kings’ powers

6. 771 BC: one Zhou king was killed by his own stupidity—emperor Yu • Yu was the 13th emperor of the Zhou Dynasty • If the emperor was in trouble, he was to light a signal fire as an alarm to his troops to come and help him • Yu would light the fires when he was NOT in trouble, making his army come as a practical joke—Yu would be laughing at his soldiers when they showed up

7. One day, Yu was really being attacked • He lit the fires, but his army thought he was playing a joke again • The army refused to come • Yu had no help and will be killed by the invaders • “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” story

8. After the death of Yu, the Zhou dynasty had no real power • The nobles and lords had more power than the kings • The nobles began to fight with themselves for power—civil war • By 200s BC, many city-states were at war with each other • This civil war allowed for one city-state to rise and take power over China—Qin

9. Zhou introduced new ideas to China and the world • Horses were brought into China and used for travel and work • Added the crossbow to the military • Started using iron plows

10. 2.) Qin Dynasty • 221 BC—the city-state of Qin rose up and took power away from the Zhou leaders • The Qin Dynasty united China for the 1st time • The Qin created a very strong central government • China is named after the Qin Dynasty

11. Map of the Qin Dynasty

12. The 1st Qin emperor—Qin Shihuangdi • Shihuangdi wanted a China totally under his control • He divided China into 36 military districts—he was trying to keep power away from the local lords • Each district had their own governor

13. Qin Shihuangdi

14. Shihuangdi tried to standardize China • Created a standard set of weights and measures • Standardized coins • Created a uniform writing system • Established a law code for China • Constructed canals and roads in China

15. Shihuangdi’s greatest achievement was the Great Wall of China • The wall was built to protect China from a northern invasion • Many of China’s early leaders built small walls for protection • Shihuangdi connected the different walls to created the Great Wall • It took over 300,000 people to finish the wall • Many people died in its construction • The Wall is 1400 miles long and 50 feet wide in spots

21. To have absolute power in China, Shihuangdi had to take power away from the lords • He took away the lords’ land • Lords who still owned land were heavily taxed • Shihuangdi began burning books to cut the people off from their past--except on medicine, agriculture, and magic

22. The Chinese people did not like Shihuangdi • The nobles were angry at the loss of their power • The peasants were angry at being forced into hard labor—working on the Great Wall • 210 BC—Shihuangdi died and his empire soon fell apart

23. Terracotta soldiers in Shihuangdi’s tomb

24. Shihuangdi’s Mausoleum Mound

25. 3.) Han Dynasty • 207 BC—LiuBang drove the Qin Dynasty out of power • He was from a poor peasant family—not royalty • 202 BC—Bang had eliminated all of his enemies and made himself emperor—created the Han Dynasty which ruled China from 202 BC—AD 220 • Han rulers were tolerant—unlike Qin Shihuangdi • Han leaders made China prosperous and powerful

26. Liu Bang

27. The height of the Han Empire came under the 6th emperor of the dynasty—Wudi (141-87 BC) • He expanded China by taking over non-Chinese lands • Manchuria • Korea • Parts of India

28. Wudi

29. 139 BC—Wudi sent out an expedition to find new areas to conquer • The leader of the expedition was Zhang Qian • Qian returned 13 years later with a wonderful tale • He and his troops were nearly destroyed by a group of barbarians • Qian had served in the barbarians'’ prisons for 10 years

30. Qian’s “barbarians” were the Romans • For the 1st time, China realized they were not the only advanced civilization in the world • China and Rome began trading, creating the SilkRoad—trade route between the east and west

31. Map of the Silk Road

32. Han China was very stable and prosperous for 400 years • This 400 year period is called the PaxSinica—Chinese Peace • During the Pax Sinica, Wudi developed a new way to get qualified government workers—he created the civil service system

33. Wudi wanted the best people working in his government • In the civil service system, applicants for government jobs take a test • Those who score higher on the tests get the better jobs • With the civil service system, Wudi was insuring he had the best people working in government • The civil service system also made education important in China • If you wanted the best job, you needed a good education to ensure a good score on the test

34. A new class of Chinese arose—mandarins • The mandarins were the educated Chinese civil servants who ran the government of China • The mandarins controlled China’s government until the early AD 1900’s

35. When Wudi died in 87 BC, the Han Dynasty slowly began to fall • The land owning lords began gaining power • AD 220—the Han dynasty came to an end • The landowners began a civil war that tore China apart

36. Three ways of Life • China is also the home of 2 philosophies that have helped shape the culture of many Asian nations • Confucianism • Taoism (Daoism)

37. Confucianism • Kongzi laid the foundations for Confucianism • People in western China called Kongzi by his more famous name—Confucius

38. 551 BC—Confucius was born into a poor family • @ age 16, he left home, wandering China looking to be a political advisor • He wanted to end the political, personal, and social disorder that he had seen in his wanderings • He failed to find a job, so @ age 22 he began teaching

39. Confucius’ main concerns were order and the promotion of order • He said everyone had a proper role in society and all political and social disorder would end if everyone would accept their role in life • He said people should live their lives according to ethics

40. Confucius wanted people to respect their family, the past, and traditions • He said there were 5 relationships that everyone must know and follow • Ruler and subject • Parent and child • Husband and wife • Old and young • Friend and friend

41. The Zhou Dynasty did NOT like Confucius’ teachings • 479 BC—Confucius dies, but his ideas continued • The Qin Dynasty did NOT like Confucius’ ideas • The Han Dynasty DID like Confucius’ ideas • The Han used Confucianism as the basis for their civil service system • Confucian ideas will be the basis for Chinese society until the AD 1900s

42. Taoism (Daoism) • Developed by Laozi • Taoism seems to be the direct opposite of Confucianism • Laozi did not accept formal social structures and people’s roles in society • Laozi did not like living in public • He wrote his ideas in the Dao De Jing

43. Laozi said Taoists (Daoists) should • Reject wealth • Reject power • Reject ambition • Reject social structures • Reject formal codes of behavior • Get in touch with nature

44. Taoism also believes in the Yin and Yang—2 opposite forces of nature that must be in harmony • Yin • Cool, dark, female, passive • Yang • Warm, light, male, aggressive

45. Although Confucianism and Taoism seem opposite, a person could be both • Use Confucianism for government and one’s place in the social order • Use Taoism to achieve harmony with nature

46. Chinese Society and Culture Family Life • The Han family lived and worked together • 1.) father was dominant—head of the household • 2.) eldest son • 3.) younger sons • 4.) females (mother before daughters) • 5.) youngest daughter or childless daughter-in-law • there were very strict rules between husbands and wives, parents and grandparents, uncle and aunts, etc. • a nuclear family existed in Han China • father, mother, and children

47. Women • subordinate to men • girls began life as servants to father and brothers • baby girls were valued less than boys • women in the dynasty could inherit property and remarry if the husband died

48. Society • 1.) landowners • 2.) peasants (90% of the people) • farmers gave produce to landowners as rent • 3.) merchants • lowest class because they were out for a profit—not a Confucian ideal • Confucian values governed all aspects of Han China

49. Literature • 1.) Book of Songs (1000-600 BC) • 305 Chinese poems • 2.) Book of Documents • political speeches of the Zhou Dynasty • 3.) Book of Changes • book on how to tell the future • 4.) Spring and Autumn Annals • Confucian writing about Chinese History • 5.) Historical Record • written during the Han dynasty • done by Sima Qian • 1st true History of China

50. Science and Technology • Astronomers calculated the length of the solar year at 365 ¼ days • 240 BC: discovered Haley’s Comet • acupuncture to restore yin and yang • developed veterinary medicine to save farm animals