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China. China in the River Valley Era. The Hwang He agricultural civilization New Technology Art & Music. Writing. Progressed from reading scratch marks on bones to ideographic symbols ancestor worship. Oracle shell Oracle bone.
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China in the River Valley Era • The Hwang He agricultural civilization • New Technology • Art & Music
Writing • Progressed fromreading scratch marks on bones to ideographic symbols • ancestor worship
The Shang Dynasty- 1523-1029 B.C.E • Constructed tombs and palaces • Chinese world view one of harmony between man and nature • Life is cyclical
Shang Dynasty • The era around 1200 B.C.E. saw the decline or collapse of most civilizations in Western Asia, Egypt, the eastern Mediterranean, and the Indus Valley who were dependant on the same trade routes. • The only area that did not see significant decline was China, where the Shang Dynasty continued to rule. • China was not as dependent on Western Asia trade.
Classical Era • The Zhou (Chou) 1027 to 256 B.C.E. • The Era of Warring States 402-201 B.C.E. • The Qin 221 B.C.E. - 202 B.C.E. • The Han 202 B.C.E – 220 C.E.
Classical China • A difference between river-valley civilizations and classical civilizations and was that in classical civilizations political organizations were more elaborate • A difference between river-valley civilizations and classical is that religious sacrifice was suppressed in the classical civilizations
Zhou (Chou) Dynasty 1029-256 B.C.E. • This dynasty flourished until about 700 B.C.E when it was beset by decline in its infrastructure and frequent invasions by nomadic peoples from border regions.
The Zhou extended the territory of China from the Hwang Ho River Valley by taking over the Yang-tze River Valley and this became known as “Middle Kingdom”.Wheat was grown in the North; rice in the SouthThis agriculture diversity promoted population growth.
Zhou Dynasty • Promoted linguistic unity: Mandarin Chinese • Increasing cultural unity helps explain why, when the Zhou empire did began to fail, scholars were able to use philosophical ideas to lesson the impact of growing political confusion.
Zhou Dynasty • Political concept known as the “mandate from heaven.” The dynasty members were known as “Sons of Heaven.”
The Era of Warring States 402-201 B.C.E. • Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism originated as responses to societal problems during the time of disruption
Daoism • Lao-tzu • the way of nature
Legalism • Legalist disdained Confucian virtues in favor of authoritarian state that was ruled by force. For legalists, human nature was evil and required restraint and discipline- the army would control and the people labor- in the perfect state.
Confucius • K’ung Fu-tse or Confucius, c. 551 to 478 B.C.E., lived during the Era of Warring States Period between the Zhou and Han Dynasties, a time of political chaos. • Confucianism is a system of ethics and was recorded in a book called Analects • Hierarchical vision for society; some had authority, some obeyed their superiors • Harmony within relationships, particular those in the family
The Chinese government accepted Daoism because • Daoist did not have great political ambition • Daoist came to acknowledge the Son of Heaven • Daoism provided spiritual insights for many in the upper class • belief in balance & harmony
Confucianism • Established a hierarchy and insisted upon reciprocal duties between people • In official Chinese hierarchy, merchants ranked below students, peasants, artisans, & soldiers. • The lowest people were the “mean people” • Educated bureaucratic elite, peasants, artisans,soldiers, merchants, mean-pople
Culture • Ceremony became an important part of upper-class Chinese life because the Chinese believed that people should restrain crude impulses.
Key Features of Chinese Family Life • Ancestor Worship for the upper class that emphasized tight family values and structures • Gender hierarchy • Parent-child hierarchy • Discipline
Qin Dynasty. • Qin Shih Huangdi, First Emperor • Qin conferred the name China to the region • He realized that China’s problem lay in the regional power of the aristocrats, like many later centralizers in world history, i.e. Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIV
Qin Shih Huangdi • Provided a single law code for the whole empire and established a uniform tax system • Delegated special areas and decisions to the emperors ministers thus further promoting effective centralized government. Some dealt with finance, others with justice • Followed up on centralization by extending Chinese territory to the south, reaching present-day Hong Kong on the South China Sea and influencing northern Vietnam.
In the north, to guard against barbarian invasion, Shih Huangdi built a Great Wall, extending over 3000 miles, wide enough for chariots to move along its crest.
Qin innovations in Chinese politics and culture • National census • Standardization of coins, weights and measures; even the length of the axles on cart led to standardized road building • Agricultural innovation: irrigation projects • Promoted manufacture, especially silk cloth • Uniform written script, completing the process of creating a single basic language for all educated Chinese
Demise of Qin Shih Huangdi • His construction projects and high taxes made him unpopular as did the • Banning and burning the classical text • constripting peasants and excessive labor projects • aristocrats lost land • Daoist prists opposed him • On Shih Huangdi’s death in 210 C.E., popular revolts by the peasants led to one peasant leader establishing himself and his family as the new dynasty of China
The Qin dynasty differed from the Zhou • It was more centralized
Han Dynasty 202 B.C.E.-220C.E • Reduced the brutal repression of the Qin.
Han Dynasty • Instituted a system of examination to prepare professional civil servants • promoted scientific research • Large construction projects • Instituted a system of punishment of criminals • Promoted Confucian beliefs • Census taking • Exerted military & legal power
Han Dynasty • The Han emperors revived Confucianism • Confucian built the links among many levels of authority that came to characterize Chine politics at their best.
Han Dynasty • Trade was particularly important during the Han period and was produced by skilled artisans in the cities. • Silk, jewelry, leather goods, and furniture. Food was also traded. Copper coins began to circulate. • Classical China reached far higher levels of technical expertise than Europe or western Asia in the same period, a lead they would long maintain.
Han Dynasty Expanded Chinese territory into Korea, Indochina, and central Asia • Contact with India and with the Parthian empire in the Middle East through trade with the Roman Empire around the Mediterranean • Repaired the Great Wall to keep out the Huns
Wu Ti, 140-87 B.C.E • Enforced peace throughout most of the continent of Asia • Supported Confucianism and established shrines to promote worship of the ancient philosopher as a god.
Key Elements of Han Bureaucracy • Training • Specialization • Confucian-based ethic
Demise of the Han Dynasty • The Huns, a nomadic people from central Asia overturned the Hun dynasty and occupied China from 220 C.E. until 531 C.E. • Between 220 and 589 China was in a state of chaos. By the time stability restored the classical and formative period of Chinese civilization had ended.
Era of Divisions • The demise of the Han Dynasty and occupation of China by the Huns resulted in a chaotic time known as the Era of Divisions that lasted from 220 C.E. until 531 C.E.
Demise of the Han Dynasty • With the collapse of the Han dynasty, Daoism (which would join with Buddhist influence from India during the chaos that followed in the years of the Hun occupation) guaranteed that the Chinese people would not be united by a single religious or philosophical system. In time Daoism became a formal religion
Key Elements of the Classical Era • In literature, a set of five classics, written during the early part of the Zhou dynasty and then edited during the Confucian period, provided important literary tradition. They were used, among other things, as a basis for civil service exams. The five classics contain many things: historical treatises, speeches, and other political material, a discussion on etiquette, and ceremonies, 300 poems dealing with love, politics, joy, family life. • From the classical period forward, the ability to learn and recite poetry became the mark of the educated Chinese.
Key Elements of the Classical Era • Chinese art during the classical period was largely decorative, stressing detail and craftsmanship. Calligraphy became important art form. Chinese artists worked in bronze, pottery, carved jade, and ivory, and wove silk screen. • Classical China did not produce monumental building because of the absence of a single religion
Key Elements of the Classical Era • In science practical work was encouraged rather than Imaginative theorizing • Chinese astronomers developed an accurate calendar by 444 B.C.E based on a year of 365.5 days • Astronomers calculated the movement of the planets Saturn and Jupiter • Astronomers observed sunspots more than 1500 years before comparable knowledge developed in Europe
Key Elements of the Classical Era • Medical research- precise anatomical knowledge, studied hygene to promote a longer life
Major Technological Innovations of Classical China • Paper • wheelbarrow • advances in metalwork
Economic Strength of Classical China • A key element of economic strength was the high level of technological innovation • The government was active in the economy.
Political Institution- became one of the hallmarks of classical Chinese culture • Strong local units never disappeared • China relieved heavily on patriarchal families. Whether within the family or the central state, most Chinese believed in the importance of respect for those in power • The central government had little effect on the everyday life of the people. • Chinese proverb: “heaven is high and the emperor is far away.”
