Zhou Dynasty
By: Haley Hernandez
Jarrett Sippola
Jim Edgar
Lauren Turner
Sara Cody
Will Gordy
Human Environment
Interactions

Shang and Zhou Dynasties coexisted with each
other being friendly at times, but warring with
them at others

Zhou was based on agricultural production
which was done mostly by the peasants

In the mid 11th century fighting broke out
between the two for almost three years before
the Zhou established their rule over all of China


The original Zhou capital was near present day
Xi’an
These territories rebelled and defeated the
original Zhou capital but from the east capital
they fortified their military and political control
over the territories

During this time when the Zhou Dynasty
became much stronger was during the Iron Age,
bringing improved irrigation techniques in turn
bringing greater populations

The Zhou became unstable when it expanded
into areas of non-china with the rise of these
territories within the Zhou Dynasty

The Zhou Dynasty fell in anarchy and collapsed
in the late 5th century

To support the empire in the east and its other
rulers, an eastern capital was built at Luoayong

Empire

Because of the large area of the Zhou
dynasty it was split up into territories

Territories were walled of cities

Each territory had its own lord who was
appointed by inheritance

Then in social classes came the fighting
men followed by the peasants and slaves
Politics

1122 – 256 B.C.E.

Emperor rules by mandate of heaven, the belief that dynasties will rise and fall according to the will
of heaven, or the ancestors

Emperor

lived in the forbidden city (away from all others)

in full control but bound by duty

had few slaves

“The Son of Heaven”

Political authority controlled by Confucian values

Zhou Philosophy

Concept of heaven emerged
Emperor Wen: founder of the Zhou Dynasty

Universal force

Chose the emperor to rule (moral force)

If the emperor was evil, heaven would send natural disasters as a warning. If he didn’t heed the
warnings then heaven would withdraw its mandate. Social and political order would break down and
there would be a revolution.
Culture
 Technology

Starting of Chinese bracketing
system

Silk from silk worms

Replaced roof tiles with thatch

Iron (instead of bronze)

Started using bricks

Copper for coins

Acupuncture

Horseback communication

Chariots and mounted cavalry
 Architecture
 Science

Gan and Shi’s Astronomy Book

Mo Jing (physics, MoZi)
 Art

Irregular walls of rammed earth
for defense

Silk paintings

Murals

Used earth and timber for many
buildings

Musical instruments were still
developing

Some multistory buildings
Economics
 “Ceremonial Lords of the Kingdoms”
 Warfare between territories
 Lost control of some territories in 700 B.C.E.
 Legalism - strict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to
law or prescription, especially to the letter rather than the spirit.
 4th century B.C.E.
 Agriculture
 Peasants planted crops
 Planted crops in a square and the peasant’s crops would be planted on
the outside and the emperor’s crops were on the inside
 Zhou society was based on agriculture
Social

First dynasty to unite most of China
under a single government

Divided into two parts: Western Zhou
and Eastern Zhou

Western Zhou

Semi-nomadic clan

Peasants


were physically separated from
other classes

Key element

Had supportive functions
(sewing, reaping, etc.)
Zhou rulers were the nobles with
family names, and they practiced
ancestor worship

Eastern Zhou

Also known as the E.Z. period

The decline of ancient forms of
religion began and the
transformation into Confucianism
and Daoism started

The uniqueness of China’s
recorded history began

Collection of documents
Resources
 http://library.thinkquest.org/12255/library/dynasty/zhou.html
 http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron/China/Zhou.html
 http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t3w10zhoudynasty.
htm
 www.chinatour360.com
 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/114678/Zhoudynasty
 http://library.thinkquest.org/12255/library/dynasty/zhou.html