ANCIENT AND CLASSICAL CHINA

1. ANCIENT AND CLASSICAL CHINA

2. How it all began- • King Yao, King Shun, and King Yu reflected the values of society. Legends of early China.

3. Settling Down • Domesticated rice, millet, wheat, and barley beginning around 7000 B.C.E. in the valleys of the Yangzi and Huang-he (Yellow)rivers.

4. ANCIENT CHINA

5. XIA DYNASTY • Archeological discovery of the Xia is still in its preliminary stage • Established about 2200 B.C.E. • Legendary King Yu • Erlitou: possibly the capital city of the Xia • Some still not convinced it existed.

6. THE SHANG DYNASTY: 1766-1122 B.C.E. • Arose in the southern, eastern areas • Bronze metallurgy, monopolized by elite • Agricultural surpluses supported large troops • Vast network of walled towns • Shang-kings were warriors • Constant struggle with nobles for power • Lavish tombs of Shang kings • Contained chariots, weapons, bronze goods • Sacrificial human victims, dogs, horses

7. Oracle Bones • Rulers, people looked to them for answers. • Primary instruments of fortune-tellers • Discovery of the "dragon bones" in 1890s • Bones recorded day-to-day concerns

8. MANDATE OF HEAVEN • The right to rule granted by heaven • Zhou justified their overthrow of Shang • Ruler called "the son of heaven" • Only given to virtuous, strong rulers • To lose mandate = someone else should rule • Replacement of dynasties = Dynastic Cycle • Signs one had lost mandate • Corruption, heavy taxes, revolts, invasions, civil wars, crime, natural disasters, etc

9. Mandate of Heaven

10. THE ZHOU DYNASTY: 1122-256 B.C.E. • The rise of the Zhou • The last Shang king was toppled by the Zhou. • Political organization • Adopted decentralized administration • Used princes and relatives to rule regions

11. THE FALL OF THE ZHOU -Iron weapons helped regional authorities to resist the central power. Territorial princes became more independent. • Nomadic invasions • Warring States Period (403-221 B.C.E.) • Rise of Qin state

12. FAMILY • Xia to Zhou ruled through family, kinship • Veneration of ancestors • Belief in ancestors' presence, continuing influence • Burial of material goods with the dead • Only males could perform religious duties • Filial Piety • Patriarchal society • During Neolithic times, Chinese society = matrilineal • Rise of states, war due to men's contribution s • After Shang, not even queens merited temples

13. THE SOCIAL ORDER • The ruling elites • Royal family and allied noble families at the top • Most of the land owned by the king, nobles • Peasants, the majority of population • Landless peasants provided labor • Women’s World • Managing household, raising children

14. OTHERS • Slaves • Mostly war prisoners • Performed hard work • Became sacrificial victims • Suspicious towards Foreigners

15. CHINESE POPULAR RELIGION • Co-exists well with all major ideas, philosophies • Believes gods, spirits (shen) influence family, world • Maintenance of family shrines, community temples

16. HOUSEHOLD & PUBLIC RITUALS • Household Rituals • Always performed by males • Expression of Confucian filial piety • Domestic altar • Names of deceased, icons • Public Rituals • Preserve social harmony, local identity

17. CONFUCIUS’ SEARCH FOR ORDER • Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) • Sayings compiled in the Analects by disciples • Confucian ideas • Fundamentally moral and ethical in character • Restore political and social order; stress ritual • The key Confucian idea: • 5 Relationships and filial piety as basis of society

18. LEGALISM • Legalism • Promoted a practical and ruthless approach • No concern with ethics and morality • Doctrine used by Qin dynasty • Discouraged commerce, education, and the arts • Called “carrot and stick” approach in west • Called for harsh penalties even for minor infractions

19. MOHISM • Founder Mo Zi • Lived 470 – 391 BC • Served in military, ideas based on it • Beliefs • Advocates doctrine of universal love and cooperation • Stress discipline, order, authority • Loyalty to all elders, not family

20. DAOISM • Prominent critics of Confucianism • Understand natural principles, live in harmony with them • Laozi -founder of Daoism • Philosophical Daoism • Dao - The way of nature, the way of the cosmos • Opposites in balance, complementary • Flourishes when peace prevails

21. HAN STATECRAFT • Han centralization • Built an enormous bureaucracy to rule the empire • Continued to build roads and canals • Levied taxes on agriculture, trade, and craft industries • Established Confucian educational system for training bureaucrats

22. TRADE AND COMMERCE • Iron Farming tools, utensils, and weapons • State monopolies on liquor, salt and iron • Silk textiles • High quality Chinese silk became a prized commodity • Traded as far a field as India, Persia, Mesopotamia, and Rome • Paper production • Invented probably before 100 C.E. • Silk Road established

23. HAN TROUBLES • Raised taxes • Much of defense consumed on defending against nomads • Social tensions, stratification between the poor and rich • Problems of land distribution • Early Han supported land redistribution • Economic difficulties forced some small landowners to sell property • Some sold themselves or their families into slavery • Lands accumulated in the hands of a few

24. LOSS OF THE MANDATE • Collapse of the Han • Factions at court paralyzed the central government • Han empire dissolved • China was divided into regional kingdoms