Development of:
• Daoism, inspired
by Laozi.
• Confucianism,
inspired by
Confucius.
Buddhism, from India,
was absorbed by the
Chinese culture during
the “Classical
Period.”
•
•
•
•
The funerary complex constructed for Qin Shihuangdi
reflects a belief that the living and the dead formed a single
community existing in parallel societies.
7,000 life-sized terra-cotta soldiers.
His wives that
____ were
sacrificed in his
tomb.
•
•
Qin:
Burned
books.
Scholars
were buried
alive.
Han:
• Developed paper making ca. 105 C.E.
•
Qin:
Standardized
writing
system, to
what is used
today.
•
•
Developed cast iron.
This led to the development of _______________.
•
•
•
Created the crossbow.
Advantages of the crossbow over European bows were;
______ & _______.
First weapon
to have
_______.
Han:
•
Iron
smelting
progressed
with the
use of
human
powered
bellows.
•
Zhang Heng, invented seismograph (earth-quake-observation
instrument) in 132 C.E.
•
Qin:
Examples of the
centralization of the
Chinese state under Qin
Shihuangdi, where to
consolidate China with
5,000 miles of roads,
and standardized
coinage, weights and
measures.
•
Gave peasants the
right to own land.
•
•
Designed first iron plow.
Created the yoke.
•
Zhuge Liang,
created singlewheeled cart
(wheelbarrow)
in 231 C.E.
Improved ship
designs:
• Stronger
hull
• Aft sails
• Sternmounted
rudder
Han:
• Traded along the Silk Road.
• A trading network, connected Asia, Europe, and Africa.
•
•
•
•
•
Trade Items:
Han; silk & jade.
Rome; glass.
India; cotton textiles.
East Africa; Ivory.
Arabia; incense,
spices, and
tortoise shells.
• Created wealthy merchant class, along the route.
• The Yuezhi, nomadic peoples in Central Asia, created the
Kushan Empire based on Silk Road trade.
Affects of the Silk Road:
• 1. More people in non-food production.
• 2. Spread of technology and religion (Buddhism).
• 3. Spread of disease (measles, smallpox and the bubonic plague).
Social
Stratification
• After emperor, the Dowager (wife of emperor) was most
powerful.
• Issue edicts
• Pardon
• Appoint new
emperor if no
heir.
First class:
1. Nobles,
relatives to
emperor.
• Ruled over
semiautonomous
fiefs.
2. Palace officials
(eunuchs).
3. Scholars.
Second Class:
• Farmers and
peasants.
• Not allowed to
wear fancy
clothing or ride
horses.
Third Class:
• Artisans and
craftsmen.
• Below farmers;
but, allowed to
wear fancy
clothing and
ride horses.
• Could become
officials.
Fourth Class:
1. Merchants
• Wore white as an
indicator of their
lowly status.
2. Slaves;
• Privately owned
or state-owned.
• 1% of population.
•
•
•
•
•
Family Structure:
Patrilineal.
Arranged marriages.
Wife joined the
husband’s clan.
Sons valued over
daughters.
Confucianism required
females to be
passively to males.
That concludes Ancient China.
Any questions before the quiz on the next
slide?