The Unification of China

1. The Unification of China

2. Many people worked to bring political and social stability to China during the chaotic years of the late Zhou dynasty and the Period of the Warring States.

3. Confucius: • Kong Fuzi (551-479 B.C.E.) • State of Lu • Strong-willed • Brilliant Scholar, Teacher • Analects, disciples wrote down his teachings

4. Junzi=superior individuals • Students studied Zhou lit. • Values:Ren=attitude of kindnessLi=sense of proprietyXiao=filial piety

5. Confucius: 5 Relationships • Father and Son • Subject and Ruler • Husband and Wife • Older and Younger Brother • Friend and Friend

6. Disciples of Confucius: • Mencius (372-289 B.C.E.)= traveled, political advice, humans are naturally good, ren • Xunzi (298-238 B.C.E.)= served as a gov’t. administrator, human beings are naturally selfish, li

7. Daoism: • Critics of Confucian activism • Don’t waste time & energy on problems • Reflection, introspection • Harmony with nature

8. Laozi= founder (6th century B.C.E.) • Daodejing= Classic of the Way and of Virtue • Dao= the way of nature or the cosmos • Dao does nothing, and yet it accomplishes everything

9. Wuwei= disengagement from the competitive exertions and active involvement in world affairs • The less government, the better

10. Legalism: • practical and ruthless • expand and strengthen the state at all costs • Shang Yang= minister to duke of Qin, despised and feared • Han Feizi= essays, advisor of Qin court

11. Clear and strict laws • Severe punishment • Collective responsibility

12. Which school of thought would you choose? Why?

13. Qin Dynasty 221-207 B.C.E.

14. The Qin state gave plots of land to farmers, weakening nobles’ power • Established centralized, bureaucratic rule

15. At 13, Shihuangdi is “First Emperor” • Doubled Size of China • Built roads, bridges and walls (Great Wall) • Executed critics

17. Burned books • Standardized laws, currencies, weights, measures • Common script • Shihuangdi’s tomb was elaborate underground palace • Rebellion brought end of dynasty

19. Han Dynasty 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.

20. Lui Bang: • Methodical and persistent • loyalty of troops • restored order and became head of new dynasty • Tried to rule somewhere in the middle of centralization and decentralization

21. Wudi: • “Martial Emperor” • centralization & expansion • levied taxes • imperial monopolies • imperial university with Confucianism as its curriculum

22. The Xiongnu: • Nomads from steppes who spoke Turkish • Great horsemen • Maodun (210-174 B.C.E.) • Han dynasty would pay tribute or arrange marriages • Han Wudi invaded them

23. Social Order • Patriarchal households • Filial Piety • Ban Zhao wrote Admonitions for Women

24. Economy and Technology • Majority were cultivators • Iron tips on plows at first then many iron tools under Han • Iron suits for soldiers • Sericulture, making of silk, leads to silk roads • Invented paper (hemp, bark and textile fibers) • By 9 C.E. population at 60 million

25. Difficulties • Military expeditions caused economic strain • Han Wudi raised taxes and took land from wealthy which hurt industry • Huge gap between rich and poor • Landholding fell in hands of few while others lost land and became tenant farmers or slaves

26. Reign of Wang Mang • 6 C.E. a two year old boy came to throne, Wang Mang served as his regent. • After urging, in 9 C.E. he claimed throne for himself, Mandate of Heaven • Reforms, “Socialist Emperor” • Land redistribution • Killed in 23 C.E. by the people

27. Later Han Dynasty • Rulers back to centralized, strong control • Yellow Turban Uprising: late second century C.E., example of rebellions due to unequal land distribution and gap between rich and poor • Problems between factions in the imperial court led to end of Han dynasty by 220 C.E.