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Classical China

Classical China. Objectives WHI.4. Students will be able to: describe China, with emphasis on the development of an empire and the construction of the Great Wall describe the impact of Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism Essential Questions: Why was the Great Wall of China built?

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Classical China

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  1. Classical China

  2. Objectives WHI.4 • Students will be able to: • describe China, with emphasis on the development of an empire and the construction of the Great Wall • describe the impact of Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism • Essential Questions: • Why was the Great Wall of China built? • What were contributions of classical China to world civilization • Why were Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism important to the formation of Chinese culture

  3. Mapping Classical China • Locate and label the following places on your map: • Yangtze River • Huang He River • Himalaya Mountains • Yellow Sea • South China Sea • Taklimakan Desert • Gobi Desert • Han Dynasty in 220 C.E. (including it’s area of influence) • Great Wall of China

  4. Introduction • Zhou Dynasty • 1045 B.C.E. – invade China • Use Mandate of Heaven and Feudalism • Conflict • 700 B.C.E.- Feudalism breaks down • 700 B.C.E- 453 B.C.E- Warring States period • Need for order • Led to questioning what was the best way to keep order in society • Three Philosophies: Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism

  5. The Vinegar Tasters • 1st Confucius • Sour look • Life was sour • Present was out of step with the past • 2nd Buddha • Bitter look • Life was suffering • 3rd Lao-Tse • Smiling • World was teacher of valuable lessons • Natural result of living harmoniously was happiness • Life when understood is sweet not sour and bitter

  6. Confucianism • Kongfuzi- Confucius • 551 B.C.E.- 479 B.C.E. • Saw rulers needed to govern wisely • Changes needed for peace • Teachings • Goal: peaceful and just society • Society best when all people acted properly • Code of politeness • Still used in China today • 5 basic relationships: • Ruler-subject • Husband-wife • Father-son • Older sibling- younger Sibling • Friend- friend • Respect of Elders and ancestor worship • Teachings continued • Belief that all humans are good, not bad • Authority figures must set good examples • Do not do to others what you would not want done to you

  7. Confucianism • Influence of Confucianism • The Analects • Han Dynasty • Civil servants hired for ability instead of birthright • Civil service exams • Influenced Chinese culture • Respect for elders • Proper behavior • Love of scholarship

  8. Taoism (Daoism) • Laozi (Lao-Tzu) • Author of Dao De Jing (The Classic of the Way and its Power) • Legend? • 500s B.C.E. ? • Teachings • Ancient idea of the Dao, or “the way” • The force that gave order to the natural universe • People gained happiness and peace by living in harmony with nature • Nature full of opposites • Yin/Yang • Follow nature by meditation • Accept whatever comes • Must discover on your own • Government should interfere the least • Influence • Encouraged rulers to govern less • Influence on Chinese culture • Humility • Simple life and inner peace • Harmony with nature • More significant impact on • Thought • Writing • Art • Developed into a religion

  9. Legalism • Hanfeizi • 280-233 B.C.E. • Prince of a royal family • Book called Hanfeizi • Teachings • Based on idea that people are naturally selfish • Pursue self-interests • Not enough for rulers to rule by example • Strict laws • Harsh punishments • People that critize government should be banished • Rulers should have absolute power • Trust no one, even family • Influence • Qin Dynasty used Legalism to build a strong central government • Adopted strict policies

  10. Qin Dynasty • Replaced Zhou Dynasty in third century B.C.E. • Shi Huangdi • “First emperor” 221 B.C.E. • Defeated invaders and crushed internal resistance • Doubled China’s size • Wanted to unify China • Had to crush political opposition • Policy of “strengthening the trunk and weakening the branches” • All nobles families forced to live in the capital city • Seized their land, created 36 administrative districts • Silenced opposition by murdering hundreds of Confucian scholars • Burned “useless” books • Established an autocracy- government in which ruler has unlimited power

  11. Centralization • Highway network of 4,000 miles • Peasants forced to work on roads • Trade blossomed • Merchants became a new prominent class • Uniform standards for • Writing • 9,000 approved characters • Law • Detailed laws and punishments • Currency • Metal coins of bronze or gold • Hole in center • Weights and Measures • Measuring cups • Standardized weights • Irrigation projects increased farm production • Qin Dynasty unpopular • Harsh taxes • Repressive government

  12. Great Wall • Zhou Dynasty had built small walls to discourage attacks from invaders • Focused on northern border • Migratory invaders raided Chinese settlements from the North • Shi Huangdi wanted to close gaps and unify wall 1,400 miles • Used 100,000s of peasants to build • Die or build wall • Difficult conditions • Thousands died • Wall worked

  13. Fall of the Qin Dynasty • Peasants rebelled three years after Shi’s son took control of the Dynasty • One of the leaders of the rebellions from the land of Han marched on capital in 202 B.C.E. • Would lead to the Han Dynasty

  14. Death and Burial of Emperor Qin • Afraid of dying • Wanted to be immortal • Searched for magic potion • Xian, China • Emperor’s tomb • Terra cotta army • Discovered in 1974 C.E.

  15. Rise of the Han Dynasty • After years of civil war, Liu Bang declared himself emperor of the Han Dynasty in 202 B.C.E. • Liu Bang • A rebel who had gained control of the Han kingdom and conquered the Qin army • Han Dynasty divided into two periods • Former Han (ruled 2 centuries) • Later Han (ruled 2 centuries) • Han Dynasty was so influential that the Chinese people still refer to themselves as “People of the Han” • Running the Han Dynasty • Liu Bang re-established centralized government • Turned away from Legalism • Liu Bang died in 195 B.C.E. • His son became emperor but real power belonged to his mother • Empress Lü • Outlived her son and retained power by naming infants emperor

  16. The Martial Emperor • Wudi, great-grandson of Liu Bang, became emperor in 141 B.C.E. • Called Martial Emperor because he expanded the empire through war • Defeated a band of nomadic raiders • Secured the northern border • Colonized the northeast

  17. Han dynasty – Government • Established a centralized government • A central authority controls the running of a state • Hundreds of commanderies • Local officials of provinces, reported to central government • Lowered taxes • Softened harsh punishments, moved away from Legalism • Civil service system • Civilians obtain government jobs by taking examinations • Involved testing knowledge of the teachings of Confucius

  18. Han dynasty - Accomplishments • Paper was invented in 105 B.C.E. • this made books cheaper and education spread • Also expanded Chinese bureacracy • More efficient plow, collar harness, iron tools, the wheelbarrow, watermills to grind grain • Government had monopolies on salt mining, iron forging, coin minting, alcohol brewing • Monopoly: complete control over the production and distribution of certain goods

  19. Han dynasty - Accomplishments • Doctors discovered a type of wine that could be used as an anesthetic • Invented the seismography, which detects earthquakes, and the magnetic compass

  20. Unifying Chinese Culture • Expansion of the Han Dynasty meant the population expanded with new “foreigners” • To unify the region, the government encouraged assimilation • Process of making these conquered peoples part of the Chinese culture • Assimilation process included: • Sending Chinese farmers to settle new areas • Encouraged intermarrying • Set up schools • Had writers document “history” of China

  21. Han dynasty - Decline • The gap between rich and poor increased due to land taxes • A series of inexperienced emperors replaced one another from 32 B.C.E. to 9 C.E. • A great flood left thousands dead in 11 C.E. • Rebellions occurred • Brief period between Han Dynasty periods • Later Han Dynasty • Ruled for another 200 years • In 220 C.E. the Han dynasty dissolved into three rival kingdoms

  22. Objectives WHI.4 • Students will be able to: • describe China, with emphasis on the development of an empire and the construction of the Great Wall • describe the impact of Confucianism, Taoism and Legalism • Essential Questions: • Why was the Great Wall of China built? • What were contributions of classical China to world civilization • Why were Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism important to the formation of Chinese culture

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