Chinese Dynastic Cycle
• Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han
• Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han
– Sui, Tang, Song
– Sui, Tang, Song
Yuan and Ming and Qing
Yuan and Ming and Qing
Mao Zedong, Mao Zedong
or
Mao and Deng, Mao and Deng
Ancient China
• China has high mountains in the west,
its rivers flow east, thus China was
isolated from western culture.
• Chinese
civilization
begins along
the
Huang He
(Yellow)
River.
• The religious authority of the king. It was
believed that rulers received their authority
from the gods. It was called “The
Mandate of Heaven.” As dynasties
weakened and new leaders arose, the
Chinese believed that the gods were
removing their mandate and giving it to
another.
Hsia dynasty (Xi Dynasty): Ruled
22005B.C.E. - 1722 Earliest rulers of ancient
China
Achievements:
1.Developed the potters wheel.
2.Developed baked bricks for
houses.
3.Harvested silk.
4.Developed irrigation systems.
III. Shang Dynasty: First
dynasty in China from 1766-1000
B.C.E.
Achievements:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Oracle Bones
Shamanism
Writing System
Bronze ware
Sericulture
Feudal Political System
War Chariots (Diffusion)
The Shang Economy;
•Built irrigation canals for crops
•Cowry shells were used as money.
•Long distance trade for copper, tin,
lead, and salt
•Farming was based on peasant/serf
labor.
IV. Chou (Zhou) Dynasty
1029-258 BCE
• This was a time of Feudalism (Decentralized)
government with competing warlords.
• There were few great accomplishments in science,
art and literature, but China excelled in philosophy as
great Sages (wise men) tried to bring about Unity,
Peace & Prosperity.
•551 – 478 Life of Confucius
•500 Laozi and Daoism
•450 Development of Chinese
Calendar
Patterns in Classical China
Zhou Dynasty (height c. 700 B.C.E.)
Yangzi River valley settled
"Middle Kingdom"
Mandate of Heaven
Confucius
402 B.C.E. - 221 B.C.E.
Era of the Warring States
221 – 202 B.C.E.
Qin Dynasty
•A single emperor rules
•Great Wall of China begun
•A single basic language is developed
202 B.C.E. - 220 C.E.
Han Dynasty
•Horse drawn plow, waterwheel, horse
collar
•141 – 187: Reign of Han Wu Ti:
Increased bureaucracy, examination
system begun, spread of Confucianism
Patterns in Classical China
Shi Huangdi - Qin Dynasty (221–207 )
• Great Wall - 3000 miles
• census
• standardized coinage, weights,
measures
• common writing system
Han Dynasty (202 B.C.E.–220 C.E.)
• Into Korea, Indochina, central Asia
• contact with India, Parthian Empire
• Wu Ti (140–87 B.C.E.) support of
Confucianism
III. Religion and Culture
Balance
unifying traditions
Kung Fuzi (ca. 551–478 B.C.E.)
respect for superiors
leaders must show moderation
rank based on intelligence, merit
Legalism
alternative to Confucianism
support authoritarian state
belief in evil nature of humankind
Daoism
more religious
Laozi (5th century B.C.E.)
force of nature
ethical code
Five Classics
Art
calligraphy
Science
365.5 day year
Mencius (372-289 B.C.E.)
Principal spokesman for
the Confucian
school
Believed in the goodness
of human nature
Government by
benevolence,
humanity
Xunzi (298-238 B.C.E.)
Served as a
governmental
administrator
Cast doubt on the
goodness of human
nature
Harsh social discipline to
order to society
Stress moral education,
good public
behavior
V. How Chinese Civilization Fits Together
Isolation
Confucianism & bureaucracy
Political stability & economic growth
Divisions
Confucianism v. Daoism
I. Rebuilding the Imperial Edifice in the Sui-Tang Eras
Wendi
Nobleman
Leads nomadic leaders to control northern China
589, defeat of Chen kingdom
Established Sui dynasty
I. Rebuilding the Imperial Edifice in the Sui-Tang Eras
A. Sui Excesses and Collapse
Yangdi
Son of Wendi
Legal reform
Reorganized Confucian education
Scholar-gentry reestablished
Loyang
New capital
Building projects
Canals built across empire
Attacked Korea
Defeated by Turks, 615
Assassinated, 618
Anarchy in China
Three Kingdoms 220-280
Shu Han 221 – 263
Wei 220 - 265
Most powerful, eventually conquered Shu
Built an army of Chinese infantry and
nomadic cavalry as mounted bowmen
These assimilated nomads later overthrew
Wei and founded own dynasties
Wu 222 – 280
Period Resembled Western European history after the collapse of
the Romans
Disunity and civil war between nomads and Chinese warlords
Rival states, dynasties, each controlling a part of the old Han state
Aristocrats, provincial nobles held land and real influence
Many of the northern dynasties were nomadic, both Turkish
and Mongol
Confucianism in decline, Buddhism in ascendancy due to its
relationship with the nomads
Confucian trained bureaucrats still held much influence
Common Chinese subject to taxes, warfare, drafting into army,
frequent invasions, bandits
Sui Dynasty
After fall of the Han, turmoil lasted for more than 350 years
Three major states contended for rule; further fragmentation
Nomads constantly invaded, created their own states, dynasties
The rule of the Sui
Reunification by Yang Jian in 589
Constructions of palaces and granaries, repairing the Great Wall
Military expeditions in central Asia and Korea
High taxes and compulsory labor services
The Grand Canal
One of the world's largest waterworks before modern times
Purpose: bring abundant food supplies of the south to the north
Linked the Yangtze and the Huang-Hi
The canal integrated the economies of the south and north
The fall of the Sui
High taxes and forced labor generated hostility among the people
Military reverses in Korea
Rebellions broke out in north China beginning in 610
Sui Yangdi was assassinated in 618, the end of the dynasty
Founding of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 CE)
A rebel leader seized Chang'an, proclaimed a new dynasty, the
Tang
Extensive networks of transportation
Adopted the equal-field system
Bureaucracy of merit
Recruited government officials through civil service
examinations
Career bureaucrats relied on central government, loyal to the
dynasty
Restored Confucianism as state ideology, training for
bureaucrats
Foreign relations
Tributary system became diplomatic policy
Tang decline
Casual and careless leadership led to dynastic crisis
The Uighurs became de facto rulers
The equal-field system deteriorated
A large scale peasant rebellion led by Huang Chao lasted from
875 to 884
Regional commanders gained power, beyond control of the
emperor
The last Tang emperor abdicated his throne in 907
SONG DYNASTY (960-1279 C.E.)
Song Taizu
Reigned 960-976 C.E.
Founder of the Song dynasty
Song weaknesses
Song never had military, diplomatic strength of Sui, Tang
Financial problems
Enormous bureaucracy with high salary devoured surplus
Forced to pay large tribute to nomads to avoid war
Military problems
Civil bureaucrats in charge of military forces
Military was largely foot soldiers at war with cavalry
nomads
External pressures
Semi-nomadic Khitan, nomadic Jurchen attacked in north
Constant drain on treasury to pay tribute to nomads
The Song moved to the south, ruled south China until 1279
Nomads invaded, overran northern Song lands
Song retreated to the South along Yangtze, moved capital
After defeat, constantly forced to pay tribute
Industry and Technology
Porcelain
Technology diffused to other societies, especially to Abbasid
Arabia
Exported vast quantities to southeast Asia, India, Persia, and
Africa
Metallurgy
Improvement: used coke instead of coal in furnaces to make iron,
steel
Gunpowder
Bamboo "fire lances," a kind of flame thrower, and primitive
bombs
Gunpowder chemistry diffused throughout Eurasia
Printing
From block-printing to movable type
Books became widespread
Naval technology
"South-pointing needle" - the magnetic compass
Double hulled junks with rudder, water-tight compartments
A Market Economy
Merchants in Charge
Only period in China where merchants socially superior to aristocrats
Merchants attempted to intermarry with aristocrats, become landowners
Merchants attempted to have sons admitted as Confucian bureaucrats
Merchants tended to espouse Confucianism as way into traditional elites
Most large cities had large merchant communities
Financial instruments
Banking and credit institution
“Flying money " were letters of credit
Paper money backed by state, treasury
A cosmopolitan society
Foreign merchants in large cities of China
Mostly Arab (Muslim), Indian, S.E. Asian
Chinese merchants journeyed throughout region
Economic surge in China
An economic revolution in China
Made China the wealthiest nation in the world at time
Promoted economic growth in the eastern hemisphere
Ming Dynasty 1368 - 1644
Drove the Mongols out of China
Constantly faced threats of new nomad invasions
Rebuilt Great Wall to prevent northern invasions
Centralized government control
Restored Chinese cultural traditions
Restored Confucian bureaucracy, civil service examinations
Eunuchs given impressive role in Forbidden City as bureaucrats
Ming attempted to recreate the past, not improve upon it
Moved capital to Beijing
Ming decline
Centralized government ran poorly under weak emperors
Weak emperors isolated by eunuchs, advisors
Public works fell into disrepair
Coastal cities, trade disrupted by pirates, 1520 – 1560
Government corruption and inefficiency
Caused by powerful eunuchs
Overshadowed by inability of bureaucrats to reform, innovate
Famines and peasant rebellions: 1630s and 1640s
Rebellion by army units opens door to nomadic invasion
Nomadic Manchu invaders led to final Ming collapse, 1644
Qing Dynasty
Manchus (1644-1911)
Nomadic invaders
Originated in Manchuria
Last of the steppe invaders, dynasties
Overwhelmed Chinese forces
Proclaimed Qing dynasty
Originally pastoral nomads
Military force called banner armies
Captured Mongolia first, then China
Remained an isolated ethnic elite
Forbade intermarriage with Chinese
Forbade Chinese immigration to Manchuria, Mongolia
Permitted Confucian scholars to run government
Maintained Confucian system
Emperor Kangxi (1661-1722)
Confucian scholar; effective, enlightened ruler
Conquered Taiwan
Extended control to Central Asia, Tibet, Sinkjiang
Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795)
A sophisticated and learned ruler, poet, and artist
Vietnam, Burma, Nepal made vassal states of China
China was peaceful, prosperous, and powerful