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Qin Dynasty China 221 BC-205 BC The First Real Empire

Qin Dynasty China 221 BC-205 BC The First Real Empire. Zhou to Qin: Warring States. Disorder or loose government of Later Zhou devolves into “Warring States Period” Autonomous smaller regions emerge as largely independent nations Periodic war ensues

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Qin Dynasty China 221 BC-205 BC The First Real Empire

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  1. Qin Dynasty China221 BC-205 BCThe First Real Empire

  2. Zhou to Qin: Warring States • Disorder or loose government of Later Zhou devolves into “Warring States Period” • Autonomous smaller regions emerge as largely independent nations • Periodic war ensues • One among the several emerges to establish a new, far more centralized dynasty • Qin Dynasty emerges as the first Chinese “Empire” 221 BC (pronounced “chin”)

  3. Qin Shi Huang Di Unifies China by brute force Adopts Legalism as official governing ideology Rules with ruthless, iron fist

  4. Qin Dynasty and Legalism Legalism as promoted by Han Fei Zi: 233 BC Humans are selfish and evil; can not be reformed Ruler must establish rule of law Ruler must rule with force and violence Confucian doctrine is misguided and corrupting

  5. Qin Dynasty:Qin Shi Huang Di Rejects Confucian Governance Rules Orders Slaughter of 400 Scholars Orders ALL Confucian Documents/Books Burned

  6. Qin Dynasty Captures and unifies much of China Builds first Great Wall Builds Canal System

  7. Qin Dynasty:Qin Shi Huang Di Builds Great Tomb Terracotta Warriors – 8000 + and still counting

  8. Qin Dynasty: Brutality Pays(but only for a while) Brutality of Legalist Governance alienates: Gentry Not recognized as important Traditional privileges stripped Scholars Confucian knowledge and skills distained Many scholars slaughtered Commoners Brutal, forced labor and harsh law enforcement

  9. Qin Dynasty: Problems Legalism Provides no Legitimating Myth No Mandate of Heaven Claim Legalism = rule of law --- but by force Force as a source of Power???Generates Hostility Requires vigilant monitoring Inevitably creates the revolution that destroys it

  10. Qin Dynasty: Collapse 205 BC First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang Di, Dies Son, heir not as capable or brutal Alienation leads to revolt and collapse

  11. Han Dynasty: 206 BC – 221 AD Han Gaozu – First Emperor • Originally a commoner • Rose to prominence as a general in an army trying to overthrow the Qin • Overthrows his own king to become Emperor when they succeed

  12. Governing philosophy drawn from XunZi: The prince is the boat; the common people are the water. The water can support the boat, or the water can capsize the boat. Han Dynasty: Han Gaozu

  13. Han Dynasty: Han Gaozu Government of Reconciliation: • Win over gentry by restoring privileges • Win over scholars by reinstating Confucian advisors and Confucian court system • Win over commoners with reduced labor load and more gentle system of government • Make peace with northern neighbors: • Marriages of convenience -send his daughters • Generous dowries • Lavish annual gifts to keep peace

  14. Han DynastyCultural Developments • Han period Poetry develops and gains in elegance and complexity • Confucian ideals codified • Confucian based civil service exam developed but never used in official recruitment

  15. Han Dynasty: Problem Becomes Opportunity Tax System based on Land and Agriculture Great Families are Tax Exempt Major revenue problem Iron, Salt, and Liquor Monopolies imposed to boost government revenue

  16. Han Dynasty: Problem Becomes Opportunity Grain Storage and Arbitrage • Government buys grain in good times • Stores it • Government sells grain in shortage periods Intent: Profit and Government Revenue Outcome: • Price Stabilization • Avoid Famine • Stabilize political system and support

  17. Recurring Dynastic Themes: • Empress families • Empresses come from powerful families • She brings along brothers or uncles who are appointed to powerful posts • Clash or power struggle between empress’ family and imperial family • Major power struggles • Solutions… Complex, sometimes violent

  18. Recurring Dynastic Themes: • Eunuchs: emasculated male servants • Ensure legitimacy of Imperial Heir • (Empress can’t produce a bastard if she never sees any other men with reproductive equipment intact) • Men without offspring (or testicles) were presumed to lack ambition – hence they were thought trustworthy • Eunuchs sometimes adopted or worked to build inheritance for a nephew

  19. Recurring Dynastic Themes: • Eunuchs: Continued • Testicles apparently do not equal ambition (or more precisely, the absence of testicles does not equal the absence of ambition) • Eunuchs built alliances with Empresses • Power battles between eunuchs and other factions, even the imperial family were common

  20. Recurring Dynastic Themes: Millenarian Movements ?? Millennium ?? Christian Millennium: heaven on earth, reign of Christ, 1000 years of peace • Millenarian movements are social movements claiming the ability to lead their followers to some ideal world, some heaven on earth. Often also referred to as utopian movements. Tend to arise in times of economic or social stress or chaos: flood, drought, famine, plague, etc.

  21. Han Period Millenarian Movements • Red Eyes • Yellow Turbans: 184 AD • Daoist Agricultural rebellion • Five Pecks of Rice: 2nd Century AD • Daoist inspired. • Communal movement • 5 pecks of rice was the price of entry • Unsettled Han Period power structure

  22. Recurring Dynastic Themes: • Disinterest in military oversight • Confucianism does not value military virtues • Confucian scholar officials avoid military issues • Generals frequently recruited from low status families or even as foreign mercenaries

  23. Recurring Dynastic Themes: • Factional fighting • Top families form factions in government and feud for power • Feuding within government creates major weaknesses and vulnerabilities

  24. Han’s End • Too-independent generals overthrow Han 221 AD • No new, unified dynast succeeds Han period. • Six Dynasties period until 589

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