Early Chinese Civilizations
Dynasties
Dynasties in China
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2)
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5)
The Xia - over four thousand years ago?
The Shang (1750 to 1122 B.C.) (628y)
The Zhou (1122 to 256 B.C.) (866y)
The Qin (221 to 206 B.C.) (15y)
The Han Dynasty (206 B.C. to 220 A.D.)
First Chinese Dynasty
• Dynasty
– A succession of rulers from the same family.
• First Chinese Dynasty
– Xia (SHYAH) Dynasty
• Little is known about them.
• The end.
The Shang Dynasty
• Ruled from 1750 to 1122BC.
• Farming society ruled by aristocracy
– Upper class landowners with power that is passed down to
each generation.
• Capital was Anyang.
Shang Dynasty
• 1st civilization in China to write things down.
• They used pictographs, or pictures, to represent objects.
• They also used ideographs to represent ideas such as beauty, joy, and
justice.
• They are also responsible for developing an accurate calendar.
• Finally, they are also responsible for improving the art of bronzemaking.
– Out of bronze, they created weapons, vessels for religious purposes,
and everyday objects such as cooking pots.
Tombs at Anyang
Artifacts from Anyang
The Shang Dynasty
• Kingdom was divided into territories governed by
warlords (aristocracy).
– King oversaw these territories, and could choose and remove
the warlords.
• Social Structure
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King
Aristocracy (warlords)
Peasants who farmed warlords’ land
Merchants/Artisans
Slaves
Shang Dynasty - Religion
• Human sacrifice
– Performed to win the favor of
the gods.
• Believed in life after death
– Worshiped their ancestors
• “Ancestor worship”
• Burned replicas of physical
objects for their ancestors to use
in the next world.
Zhou Dynasty
• Zhou led a revolt against the Shang and began another dynasty.
– Longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history (900 years).
– Continued the same political system the Shang used!
• (King ruling warlords in control of territories)
• The plow increased size of harvest, created food surpluses; cities also grew
and thus, population grew under Zhou
• Roads, canals allowed better transportation, communication
• Introduced coins, use of chopsticks, and silk
The Zhou Dynasty
Family Life
•
Loyalty to the family was
vital to the Chinese people.
•
Filial Piety
•
All members of the family
had to subordinate their
needs and desires to those
of the male head of the
family.
“The Five Relationships”
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2.
3.
4.
5.
Son was subordinate to the
father
Wife was to husband
Younger brother to older
brother
All were to the king
Friend to friend
Zhou Dynasty
• One difference from the Shang Dynasty…
– Claimed they had the Mandate of Heaven
• Heaven kept order through the king.
• The king was a link between Heaven and Earth.
• This Mandate of Heaven played an important role in the
Dynastic Cycle.
– Natural cycle of a dynasty.
The Zhou Dynasty
The Mandate of Heaven
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4)
Mandate means = order, permission, authorization
The Mandate of Heaven is based on four principles:
The right to rule is granted by Heaven.
There is only one Heaven therefore there can be only one ruler.
The right to rule is based on the virtue of the ruler.
The right to rule is not limited to one dynasty.
Positive and Negative sides
Mandate of Heaven for a Dynasty
1) It gives the ruler prestige and religious importance.
2) It gives the ruler supreme power.
3) It allows a new ruler to gain power quickly because everyone
believes he has the “Mandate of Heaven”.
4) The ruler’s power must be kept in check by virtue.
5) It justifies rebellion as long as the rebellion is successful.
Dynastic Cycle
Dynasty is founded by a powerful leader
Leader gains Mandate of Heaven
Period of power and prosperity
Restores peace and glory
Improves society
Period of decline
Society declines, natural disaster
Leader loses Mandate of Heaven
Period of rebellion – Dynasty overthrown
The Qin Dynasty
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The End of the Dynastic Cycle for the
Zhou Dynasty
Civil War will break out (403 B.C.)
Becomes known as the “Period of Warring
States”
What happens?
And the winner of the warring states is…
Qin Shi Huangdi- The first Emperor of China
The Qin Dynasty will emerge to take control
Huang di = King of the gods
The August most revered god.
The Qin Dynasty
Achievements
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Ordered the construction of the Great Wall
of China
Divided the country into military districts,
each ruled by an appointed official
Standardized coins, weights and
measurements
Repaired roads and canals
Legalism is the practiced philosophy
(instead of Confucianism)
Qin Shi Huangdi’s Tomb
Han Dynasty
• Liu Bang leads peasant revolt
• Confucianism is restored, removing
Legalism.
• Buddhism is brought from India to
China
• Paper is invented by Tsai Lun