Qin State vs. the Qin Dynasty The Qin State rose to power during the Warring States Period; The Shang Yang Reform paved the way for its new status; The Qin Dynasty (221 BC– 206 BC) marks a new era: Imperial China; This lasted all the way to the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912). Though the Qin Dynasty didn’t last very long, its political structure and its ideology turned out to be consequential. Shang Yang Reform ca. 390-338 BC a Chinese statesman and political philosopher. He was one of the founders of Chinese Legalism and organized the rise to power of the Ch'in dynasty. The first reform: 359 BC; The second reform: 350 BC; Content of Shang Yang’s Reform Equality vs. Hierarchy Establish the county system--31 total for a stronger centralized government; county magistrates are appointed directly by the central government; Household Registration system and chain punishment to tighten the leash; Grown up sons must live independently, which enlarged the population for tax purpose; Land Reform His most famous economic reform was the abolition of the idealized system of landholding known as the "well-field system," in which a section of land was divided into nine portions, tilled by eight families in common, with the produce from the ninth portion reserved for the overlord--廢井田 【fèijǐngtián】 開阡陌【kāiqiānmò】 crisscross footpaths between fields. Basically get rid of boundaries, carrying out private-ownership by commoners. This is a further development in Guan Zhong’s land reform; Private ownership marks a break from that of the Zhou Dynasty in which 分封制 【fēnfēngzhì】 the system of enfeoffment dominated, (of the Western Zhou Dynasty, c.11th. century-771 B.C., investing the nobility with hereditary titles, territories and slaves). 重农轻商 来自商鞅 【zhòngnóngqīngshāng láizì shāngyāng 】 Central to Shang Yang's economic theory was an over-whelming emphasis on agriculture and a rejection of "nonessential" activities such as commerce and manufacturing. He proposed that anyone engaging in secondary professions be sold as slaves; different from Guan Zhong’s model. In ancient China, merchants and businessmen suffered a bad reputation. Nowadays, many college students flood into business schools… Double-Edged Military Reform Establish a 20-rank military system on the one hand, and on the other hand, eliminate the old tenure system (which fundamentally challenged those princes). 取【qǔ】 cut “ear” off to claim credit The goal is to set up more centralized government. 据《漢書》記載:“商君 為法于秦,戰斬一首賜 爵一級,欲為官者五十 石”。 According to Han shu or Book of Han, Shang code regulates that someone could be promoted by one rank for one chopped-off head in battle or promoted as a minor officer whose salary is 50 shi of grain; a unit of dry measure for grain ( =1 hectolitre) Shang Yang’s Legal Code Its Appeal lies in Equality Central to Shang Yang’s new law is equality by which a prince be punished the same way as a commoner. 王子犯法与庶民同罪 a prince who commits a crime will be punished the same way as commoners. Once the crown prince Ying Si 嬴駟 or Zhao Si 赵驷 committed a crime—he killed someone (during a tax season when some cheating was involved), he was sent to an exile; and his teachers Ying Qian and Gongsun Jia was punished by 劓刑【yìxíng】 劓【yì】 cutting off the nose (a punishment in ancient China) Ying Si vs. Shang Yang Ying Si 赢驷 was the son of Duke Xiao 秦孝公, and succeeded his father as ruler of Qin after the latter's death. When Ying was still in his adolescent years as the crown prince, he committed a crime and was severely punished for it. Shang Yang was implementing his reforms to the laws of Qin then, and he insisted that the crown prince should be punished for the crime, regardless of his royal status. Duke Xiao approved of the draconian punishments and Ying Si's tutors, Prince Ying Qian and Gongsun Jia, had their noses cut off, for neglecting their duties in educating the crown prince, while Ying Si was banished from the royal palace. Shang Yang, a Chinese Draco It was believed that Ying Si harbored a personal grudge against Shang Yang and when he came to the throne as King Huiwen of Qin, Ying Si had Shang Yang put to death on charges of treason. However, King Huiwen retained the reformed systems in Qin left behind by his father and Shang Yang. Draꞌconian punishments http://dictionary.reference.com/browse /Draconian?s=t /translation function –adjective 1.of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Draco or his code of laws. 2.(often lowercase ) rigorous; unusually severe or cruel: Draconian forms of punishment. Draco (pronounced /ˈdreɪ.koʊ/; from Greek Δράκων, pronounced [ˈdra.kɔːn]) was the first legislator of ancient Athens, Greece, 7th century BC. He replaced the prevailing system of oral law and blood feud by a written code to be enforced only by a court. Because of its harshness, this code also gave rise to the term "draconian". Unified Ideology 定秦律,“燔詩書而明法令” Books burning (213 BCE) per Qin’s Legal Code; As a result, Qin, either as a state or as an empire, did not leave much literature behind; the landscape is barren. It is a cultural wasteland. Unification of Weight and Measurement Unification in weight and measurement, which paved the way for later regulations standardized by Qinshihuang, the first emperor in China. Shang Yang’s Royal/Loyal Supporter 秦孝公Duke Xiao of Qin (381 BC - 338 BC) Duke Xiao is best known for employing the Legalist statesman Shang Yang from the Wei state (衛), and authorizing him to conduct a series of upheaving political, military and economic reforms in Qin. Although the reforms were potentially controversial and drew violent opposition from many Qin politicians, Duke Xiao supported Shang Yang fully and the reforms did helped to transform Qin into a dominant superpower among the Seven Warring States. 秦孝公 Duke Xiao of Qin In a recent TV series, The Great Qin Empire, Duke Xiao of Qin is depicted more like a brother to Shang Yang than a king. Posters The Great Qin Empire More brotherlike Legalism: Rule by Law Legalists: Shang Yang; Li Si; and Han Feizi Legalism was a system that proved to be quite effective in gaining power but was problematic for establishing a stable political power. The doctrine of Legalism originated in the practical political operations of the State of Qin. In the 3rd century BCE, the philosopher Han Fei developed an intellectual rationale for Legalism. Han Fei argues that people need careful guidance by strong rulers to live in an orderly society. The Qin State, with Legalism as its ideology, succeeded in ending the Warring States era. Theoretical Rationale for Shang Yang’s Reform The prime minister of Qin in the mid-4th century BCE was Shang Yang who set out the basic ideas of Legalism. The central principle of Legalism was the use of rewards and punishments to produce conformity to the rule of clear and well-developed laws. The law was to be applied uniformly and strictly to both high and low so that everyone understood their duties and knew the penalties for failing to fulfill them. Consult Xunzi: “Human Nature Is Evil” (worksheet 2) Is Human Nature Good or Evil? Implicit or explicit behind Shang Yang’s model of rewards and punishments lies a crucial question regarding whether human nature is good or evil. Xunzi or Xun Kuang: Human Nature is Evil; the essay is uploaded online on our class website; (See Xun Kuang ppts) Mencius: Human nature is good…(a baby falling into a well…) Double Persuasion An example of Pre-Qin Rhetoric The Three States attacked Qin and entered Hangu Pass 函谷关. The king of Qin—( the King Zhao of Qin, r. 325-251 BCE) said to Lou Huan樓緩 , “The troops of the Three States have deeply penetrated our territory. I wish to cede Hedong and negotiate with them.” Lou Huan replied, “To cede Hedong would be a great waste. To escape disaster to our state would be a great benefit. This is the responsibility of the elders. Why does not Your Majesty summon Gongzi Chi公子池 and ask him about it?” Hangu Pass Hangu Pass 函谷關 was a strategic pass in ancient China just south of the great eastern bend of the Yellow River in today's Lingbao County, Henan Province. The State of Qin built the pass in 361 BC as its eastern gate. Because of its strategic location between the ancient lands of the State of Qin and the central plains of China, many famous ancient battles were fought at Hangu Pass. During the Warring States Period, Hangu Pass was heavily defended by the State of Qin, as the pass was the only reasonable route to invade the State of Qin from the central plains of China. Hangu Pass was also a vital route in invading the ancient capital of Luoyang from the west. According to legend, Lao Zi supposedly wrote the Dao De Jing at Hangu Pass. Strategic Location 一夫当关【yīfūdāngguān】 one strong man stand in the way full of valor and vigor., 万夫莫开【wànfūmòkāi】 even 10,000 men can not break through; unbreakable. 秦人开关而迎敌, 九国之师逡巡而不敢进 The Qin army opened the pass to meet the enemy, yet the troops of the nine states, hesitant to move forward, dared not enter… Jia Yi’s 贾谊 (200 to 168 BCE) 过秦论 “The Faults of Qin” criticizes cruelty of the Qin Rule Regardless of its military supremacy and rich resources… Double Persuasion The king summoned Gongzi Chi and asked him about it. He replied, “If you negotiate with them, you will regret it. If you don’t negotiate with them, you will regret it.” “What do you mean?” Gongzi Chi replied, “When Your Majesty has ceded Hedong and negotiated, even though the Three States have departed, you will certainly say, ‘Too bad! The Three States were about to depart, and I simply accommodated them with three cities.’ This is what you would regret about negotiating.” Double Persuasion If you do negotiate, and the three States enter Hangu Pass, Xiangyang will certainly be in danger. Your Majesty will say, “Too bad! I begrudged three cities and did not negotiate.’ This is what you would regret about not negotiating. The king said, “The regret is equal in both cases. I would rather lose three cities and regret it than endanger Xiangyang and regret that. I have decided to negotiate.” In the end, the king sent Gongzi Chi to use the three cities to negotiate with the Three States. They withdrew their troops. Zhanguo ce 6.1 b-2a. It is Up to You to Decide… The argument in which the persuader juxtaposes both pro and con alternatives is similar to a mode of persuasion used in later Chinese literature in which the writer gives the appearance of ambivalence on which course of action he actually favors, and leaves it to the reader or listener to choose between the alternatives. This ambiguity of purpose often seems to be deliberate, and perhaps is an attempt to give the impression that all possibilities have been explored and that there is a choice between alternatives. The person thus is led to the desired conclusion not by direct admonition, but through indirect suggestion, and this technique becomes a principal form of suasion. See a sample here. Annotations on Double Persuasion Three states that attacked the State of Qin refer to Qi, Han and Wei. This happened around 297 BCE; The king of Qin refers to the King Zhao of Qin (r. 325-251 BCE) Gongzi Chi, son of the King Hui of Qin, was the highest military leader, equivalent to the president of the military committee; Stylistic features of the Zhanguo ce Intrigues of the Warring States The enumeration of historical analogies is the most common device of Chinese suasive discourse. Toward the end of the speech, the persuader uses the repetition scheme known as expolitio, which involves the repetition of synonyms in adjacent lines. See the ending of Su Qin’s speech in “Double Persuasion.” expolitio ex-po-li'-ti-o Latin, "adorning, embellishing" refining One of the most common rhetorical techniques of the Zhanguo ce persuasion is what James I. Crump has called the double persuasion. http://www.sinoplatonic.org/complete/spp041_zhanguoce_intrigues.pdf Double Persuasion Double persuasion is the Chinese equivalent to the general topic of classical Western rhetoric and assumes several different forms. Its basic feature is the presentation of alternative or contraries that appear equally persuasive, either in a negative or positive way. The Qin Unification Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇) (259 BC – 210 BC), personal name Ying Zheng (嬴政), was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC. He ruled until his death in 210 BC at the age of 49. The Great Wall of China Unification of writing Terracotta Army Lǚ Buwei 吕不韦 vs. Qin Shi Huang The Emperor and the Assassin Qin Shi Huang’s birth remains a riddle since in The Records of the Grand Historian 史记, Sima Qian gave us two contradictory accounts; As Emperor’s 仲父 【zhòngfù】 , literally the second father, equivalent to a mentor, god-father figure. 奇货可居 【qíhuòkějū】 hoard as a rare commodity: Lǚ Buwei’s investment in Qin Shi Huang. See the notes below. 焚书坑儒【fénshūkēngrú】 burn the books and bury (460) scholars alive Compare the Two movies The Emperor and the Assassin directed by Chen Kaige Hero directed by Zhang Yimou 指鹿为马【zhǐlùwéimǎ】 call a stag a horse - deliberately misrepresent something a (court) eunuch overpowers an emperor