Ancient China: Shang and Zhou Dynasties Overview

2. World Population Statistics • World Population: 6,500,000,000 • India 1,080,000,000 (17%) • China 1,300,000,000 (20%) • US Population: 300,000,000 • (5%) • www.census.gov/ipc/www/world.html • Updated 4/26/05

3. Historical Context of the World Religions • 90,000-10,000 BCE: Ice Ages / Migration throughout globe • Lowering of the world’s sea levels • Expansion of land • Temporary land bridges • 9500 BCE: Ice Age slows • Agricultural Revolutions Began • Fertility Goddesses • 3500 BCE: Ocean levels reached current levels • Start of the age of metals • 2500 BCE:Start of Urbanization • four river valley civilizations • 800-300 BCE: Axial Age • Spiritual and intellectual flourishing

5. China’s Geography • North / West: desert nomads • Most times controlled by Chinese • Sometimes nomads took over areas of China • East: Yellow & East China Seas • South: People absorbed into Chinese civilization

6. Plant & Animal Domestication • 7000 – 2700 BCE Yangshao • “Painted Pottery” • Ban Po: Graves far from villages • 3500-1766 BCE Longshan • “Black Pottery” • Graves under homes or • Urns cemented into foundation walls

7. Shang Dynasty: 1751-1123 BCE • Earliest historical civilization in China • Sharp class divisions • Aristocratic, warrior, landowning elite • Peasants, merchants, artisans, slaves • Cemeteries separated by class • Divination on shells • Kings and priests consulted ancestors about the future • Relied on supernatural reassurance

8. Shang Dynasty: 1751-1123 BCE • Shell and Bone writing • Usu. turtle shells, birds/other animals • Marked bones placed into a fire • Tapped with a rod until cracked • Cracks interpreted by a specialist in predicting the future • Huge tombs with offerings • Ritual sacrifices to dynastic ancestors

9. Shang Dynasty: 1766-1122 BCE • Flood control and Irrigation • Some speculation about Indo-European Migrations • Corpses with European features and European textiles • http://www.bu.edu/asianarc/SUPPORT/archaeology.htm

10. Shang Dynasty:1766-1122 BCE • Excelled in & best known for bronze work • Axes, Knives, Spears • Arrowheads • Utensils • Ritual vessels • Sculptures • Military advantageous

11. Zhou Dynasty: 1122 – 221 BCE • The longest lived dynasty in Chinese history: over 800 years • A Golden Age • Encouraged new trades and experts in everything • Shang prayers for rain replaced by better irrigation • Elaborate ritual practices replaced by simplification of manners Shang Ritual Vessel Chou Ritual Vessel

12. Zhou Dynasty: 1122 – 221 BCE • Mandate of heaven from early Chou through 1911 • Heaven as rational and benevolent • Emperor held his place as long as he complied with the will of Heaven (rites and moral conduct) • Failure meant disaster (flood, famine, disease) or Heaven’s withdrawl of the mandate • Facilitated imperial consolidation under sucessive dynasties

13. Zhou Dynasty: 1122 – 221 BCE • King led a vast, extended family • Called a feudal monarchy • Appointed relatives or created marital ties to aristocratic landowners • Lords had loyalty to Chou ancestral spirits

14. Western Chou 1122-770 BCE • The lords’ sons were educated in the capital for 10 years • This was done in the provinces also for younger sons and lesser nobles • The Chou capital was in the western part of the empire • In 770, barbarians sacked the capital, killed the emperor and ended centralized power

15. Western Chou 1122-770 BCE • King Wen • Married Shang noblewoman • Model of benevolence and wisdom • Allied with other chiefs & barbarians to overthrow Shang • King Wu (Wen’s son) • His 50,000 troops vs. Shang’s 700,000 • Strong and Stern ruler, restored order • Shang people unhappy, gave up fight • King Tan (Wu’s brother) / “Duke of Chou” • Vision / Laid foundation for long-lived dynasty • Peacefully passed power to King Wu’s son after 7 years of rule • Tutored Wu’s son to rule effectively

16. Eastern Chou 770-221 BCE • Chou kings reigned in name only • Each feudal lord held his own economic and military power in his own kingdom • Wars were not fought violently • Diplomacy was studied and highly valued • Beginning in 681, conferences brought together many lords to sign a mutual defense treaty

17. Warring States Period 480-221 BCE • Technological and Agricultural Advances led to a population boom • During 5th century BCE, wars became deadly: • Kill or be killed • In this environment, Confucius and Lao Tzu formulated new religioius and ethical systems • Confucius (551-479) • Lao Tzu (604 BCE)

18. What is Confucianism? • Confucius - one of the world’s greatest teachers • shaped culture of Asia for 2000+ years • Cultivate the self, family, community and state through relationships • Identity through relationships • No private salvation / asceticism • Education and conduct over noble birth

19. About Confucius • Born in 551 BCE / noble, but poor • Father died when he was 3 • Sought to offer education to everyone • Education for character instead of vocation • Tried political and social reform, but his ideas not taken seriously during his time

20. A Revival of Older Traditions • Great traditions of the early Chou ended • Led to the warring states period • Confucius sought a return to the Early Chou period by: • reviving philosophical texts and • invoking beliefs about ancestral rites • The Master said, “I am not the one who was born with knowledge. I am just the one who esteems the old ways and pursues them zealously.”

21. Analects • 499 Chapters or “books” • Books 3-14 are considered the most likely spoken by Confucius • philosophy in proverbs

22. What is Confucianism for the person? • Perfectibility • “Chun tzu” or superior man • Men of moral worth deserve to be the social and political elite • Determined by character, not heredity

23. What is Confucianism for the family? • For the family – filial piety • The Master said, Behave in such a way that your father and mother have no anxiety about you, except concerning your health (89)

24. The Five Relationships • Parent and Child • Husband and Wife • Elder sibling and Junior sibling • Elder friend and Junior friend • Ruler and Subject Obligations, loyalty and benefits flow both ways

25. What is Confucianism for the society? • proper conduct “propriety” / rites • “li” • “earthly expressions of natural cosmic order” • The way things should be done • Right conduct in the 5 relationships

26. Examples of “LI” • The Master said, A man who is not Good, what can he have to do with ritual? A man who is not Good, what can he have to do with music? • He must not sit on a mat that is not straight (page 149)

27. What is Confucianism for the society? • Feeling humanity toward others and respect for oneself • “benevolence”, “human-hearted, ”conscientious” “altruistic” • ruler should be the prime example • “Do not do to others what you would not like done to yourself.”

28. What is Confucianism for the society? • Rectification of Names in Social Order • Names and ranks are regulated • Scholar-gentleman • Warrior • Farmer • Artists • Merchant • Correspondence of words and action • (1 to 1) • Correspondence of words and reality • (1 to 1) • If words are inaccurate, thought and communication cannot proceed smoothly • The Master said, A gentleman is ashamed to let his words outrun his deeds (187).

29. What is Confucianism for the State? • TE: “Power to rule over others” gained by moral example that inspires others to follow • The Master said, To demand much from oneself and little from others is the way (for a ruler) to banish discontent (196)

30. TAOISM

31. Yin / Yang • All things and events have two elements: • YIN: dark, passive, destructive, female • YANG: bright, active, constructive, male • Relationship between the two called Tao • Harmony and balance amidst constant transformation

32. Philosophical Taoism • Tao as the origin of all things • Beyond language • One can experience the unity of all things • Harmonize with the natural flow: be receptive and quiet • Accept and cooperate with things as they are • Have a simple and contemplative life • Find balance and harmony in nature

33. Wu Wei • Don’t go against the flow • Don’t interrupt the flow of nature with ego • Flowing water became a metaphor for a Taoist way of life Water is the softest thing on earth, • Yet its silken gentleness will easily wear away the hardest stone. • Everyone knows this; few use it in their daily lives. • Those of Tao yield and overcome • (Chapter 78)

34. Chuang-tzu (Zhuangzi) • 365-290 BCE • Detach oneself from the chaos of society • Spiritual life = being in accord with nature

42. Three Meanings of Tao • “Tao” is a Chinese word (concept) that refers to three ideas • Ultimate Reality: Source and transcendent ground of all being • Cannot be fully known or conceived; too vast for the rational mind to grasp • Ordering Principle and Power in Nature “Chi” is the power of the Tao flowing through the human body, nature and the environment • Way of Human Life • Tao is our original nature • Though the world and ourselves are naturally in harmony, we can get out of balance

43. Health and Healing Taoism • Increase chi or remove blocks to its flow within the body or environment • Develop physical and spiritual strength together • Tai Chi / Qi Gong / Acupuncture / Taoist Meditation

44. Ancestral Veneration Tradition • Spirits of deceased ancestors remain closely bonded to living descendants • Respect must be paid to founding ancestor and those recently deceased • Funerals • Mourning rites • Continued offerings • Ancestors will help descendants if treated with proper respect • Ancestors may cause trouble if ignored • Family altar / tombs • Grave-cleaning in April • Universal Liberation and feeding of hungry ghosts in August