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Section 2: The Zhou Dynasty and New Ideas THE ZHOU DYNASTY. The Zhou dynasty brought political stability and new ways to deal with political and social problems in ancient China.
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Section 2: The Zhou Dynasty and New IdeasTHE ZHOU DYNASTY
The Zhou dynasty brought political stability and new ways to deal with political and social problems in ancient China.
THE ZHOU DYNASTYThe Zhou (JOH) came from the west and overthrew the Shang dynasty during the 1100s BC. Their armies defeated people in every direction. They expanded their rule south to the Chang Jiang river. The Zhou established a new political order. The king granted land to lords, or people of high rank, in return for loyalty and military assistance. Lords divided their land among lesser nobles. Peasants, or farmers with small farms, received a small plot of land and had to farm additional land for a noble. The social order brought by the Zhou lasted a long time, but the loyalty of the lords gradually lessened. They began to fight each other. Family structure, which had been the foundation of Chinese life for centuries, was severely weakened. By the 400s BC, China had entered an era called the Warring States period.
Zhou Dynasty, c. 1050–400 BC How far south did the Zhou dynasty reach?
Zhou Society Zhou Kings claimed to possess the mandate of heaven. Accordingly, heaven gave power to the king or leader and no one ruled without heaven’s permission.
The Warring States Period During China’s Warring States period, thousands of armies fought each other to gain territory. The armies used new weapons and battle techniques in the civil wars that lasted more than 200 years. What advantage did warriors gain by riding horses?
CONFUCIUS AND SOCIETYToward the end of the Zhou period, a teacher named Confucius, meaning master Kong,traveled through China. He taught that order in society stems from ethics, or moral values, and not laws. He wanted China to return to the ideas and practices from a time when people knew their proper roles in society. Confucianism, or the teachings of Confucius,has been a guiding force in human behavior and religious understanding in China and elsewhere through the centuries.
Confucius 551–479 BC Confucius, whose Chinese title is Kongfuzi, grew up in extreme poverty. Confucius was a dedicated student into his teenage years. Little is known about how he received his formal education, but he mastered many subjects, including music, mathematics, poetry, and history. He served in minor government positions, then he became a teacher. He never knew his teachings would transform Chinese life and thought How do you think Confucius’s government jobs helped shape his teachings?
HISTORIC DOCUMENT The Analects The followers of Confucius placed their teacher’s sayingstogether in a work called in Chinese the LunYü and in EnglishThe Analects. The word analects means “writings that havebeen collected.” What are some of the qualities that Confucius valued?
Confucius wanted China to return to ideas and practices from a time when people knew their proper roles in society. These are basic guidelines that Confucius thought would restore family order and social harmony: Fathers should display high moral values to inspire their families. Children should respect and obey their parents. All family members should be loyal to each other. Confucius’s ideas about government were similar to his ideas about family: Moral leadership, not laws, brought order to China. A king should lead by example, inspiring good behavior in all of his subjects. The lower classes would learn by following the example of their superiors.
DAOISM Around the same time as Confucius, other influential beliefs arose in China. Daoism (DOWih-zum) stressed living in harmony with the Dao, the guiding force of all reality. Daoists believed that people should be like water and simply let things flow in a natural way. They regarded humans as just a part of nature, not superior to any other thing. Laoziwas the most famous Daoist teacher.
Legalism Legalism is different than both Daoism and Confucianism. Legalists believed that society needed strict laws to keep people in line. They believed in unity, efficiency, and punishment for bad conduct. They wanted the empire to continue to expand, so they urged the state to be always prepared for war. Legalists were the first to put their ideas into practice throughout China.
