The Tang (T’ang) Dynasty and the Beginning of Chinese Civilization

1. The Tang (T’ang) Dynasty and the Beginning of Chinese Civilization (left) Second emperor of the Tang Dynasty—Taizong (T’ai-tsung)

2. The Fourth Emperor of the Tang—Wuze Tian (Wu-tse T’ien)—or the First Empress in Chinese History

3. The Beginning of Chinese Civilization • Written records and archaeological discoveries indicate that • Chinese civilization appeared as early as 5,000 years ago; although the first 500 years being legendary • Legendary kings remain culture heroes in the eyes of common people: Yellow Emperor, Yao, Shun, Yu

4. Three [Ancient] Dynasties • Scholars have proven the existence of the so-called “Three Dynasties” • Xia (Hsia): its history and culture have been under reconstruction • Shang (1500-1045 BCE): generally regarded as China’s first historical dynasty characterized by rich cultural activities • Zhou (Chou, 1045-771 BCE; 770-256 BCE): more elaborate cultural activities appeared

5. Fu Hao’s (Lady Hao’s ) tomb, dated ca. 1,200 BCE, unearthed in 1976 Fu Hao was one of King Wu Ding’s wives

6. One of 130 bronze weapons found in Fu Hao’s tomb Artifacts found in Fu Hao’s tomb number nearly 9,000, most of which are bronze, jade, and bone objects. 6,900 pieces of cowrie shell were found in the tomb

7. Drinking vessels found in Fu Hao’s tomb Ivory objects

8. Drinking vessels found in Fu Hao’s tomb

9. Taotie image/pattern on bronzevessels

10. Cauldron with taotie inscribed on it

13. Bronze: Shang Dynasty

14. Fragments of oracle bones in a pit

15. The Legacy of Shang • A Bronze-producing culture characterized by its bronze technology • Bronze used more for ritual than for war • Bronze objects: cups, goblets, steamers, cauldrons • Other material objects: jade, silk, carved wood • Oracle bones used in divination; oracle-bone inscription represented early writing system: logographic

16. Food: millet, wheat were main staples • Rammed earth city walls • Revered Lord on High • Worshiped ancestors • Chariot warfare

17. Bronze: Zhou Dynasty

18. The Legacy of Zhou • New system of Divination • Basedon The Book of Changes • virtue, correct way seen as important to meet auspicious sign and result • The concept of Heaven-- • linked the Zhou king and heaven : Mandate of Heaven • Son of Heaven (tianzi) • used forreading and interpreting history: The Book of History

19. The Book of Changes • The Yijing (or I-ching) • A divinatory handbook; not about cosmogony • Concerned with human life, the structure of universe, and their interconnection

21. Represented a new form of divination • Replaced earlier divination by means of oracle bones • Based on eight trigrams that were paired to yield sixty-four hexagrams to be consulted through the casting of milfoil stalks

22. The Book of History • The Shujing (a.k.a. The Book of Documents) • Teaches interdependent cosmology of heaven, earth, and human beings • Record of historical events from the third millennium to the 7th century BCE. • A combination of history and legend.

23. Major themes of the book: • Cultural heroes performed rituals and, with ritual offerings, communicated with spiritual beings • Shang people revered the Lord on High • (Shangdi) and ancestral spirits were supplicated with sacrificial offerings • Zhou people revered Heaven

24. Other themes: • Human effort are much stressed • People possessing radiant inner virtue and integrity are able to communicate with spirits and invoke their assistance • Interrelatedness of all things • Individuals are figuratively conjoined to the cosmos • A sovereign should facilitate harmonious relationship between heaven, earth, and human beings

25. The Book of Odes (Poetry, Songs) • Content: • Sacrificial hymns, praise songs—honor culture heroes, tutelary deities; celebrate the virtues of King Wen • Love poems--written in the female voice, described everyday life • Folk songs—tell of the joys and sorrows of the common people

26. The Book of Rites • The Book of Rites (li) • Stresses the importance and function of rituals • Relates the purpose and import of different rituals • Elaborates values and principles of rituals within the context of family and larger public social network (i.e., self and others; internal and external) • Underscores the relationships between social classes, and between man and nature; • Layouts the goals of life

27. The Rites of Chou (Zhou) • Records the vocabulary, regalia, staffing of ritual proceedings • Grand minister of rites; master of sacrifices, chief shaman; male shaman, female shaman; grand invocator; female invocator; exorcist; diviner of dreams • Catalogues the administrative duties of the officials

28. The Spring and Autumn Annals • The Spring and Autumn Annals • A chronicle ofimportant historical events occurred in the states of northern China from 722 to 481 BCE. • Master Zuo’s (Tso’s) Commentary, or the Zuo (Tso) chuan • An interpretive, narrative history correlating with the accounts in Spring & Autumn Annals • Records historical tales, anecdotes, legends…

29. Reverence of ancestral spirits • Human virtue or integrity emphasized • Alcohol, animal flesh and blood used in sacrificial ceremonies

30. Model government • High leadership quality exemplified by King Wen, King Wu, and the Duke of Zhou • military prowess, the morally based civil arts, and loyalty • Hereditary kingship and hierarchical society • “Son of Heaven,” feudal lords, ministers, officers…farmers

31. Bronze • vessels’ motifs were more related to war than ritual • Poetry: the Book of Odes (Songs, Poetry)

32. Paternalistic relationship between ruler and common people, the majority of which were peasant • Role of ruler: • educate people and exhort them to comply with social mores • Concerned about their welfare

33. People’s role: • Revere ancestors, present sacrificial offering to them and heaven • Develop a sense of filial piety and care for the needs of living • Serve the lord as their parent (ruler) • Confucianism and other schools of thought