Name:___________________________________
Block:______________
Han/Qin China DBQ
Directions: Use the documents to answer the questions which follow.
Document 1: Shi Huangdi, first emperor of the Qin dynasty, used warfare to weaken six of the seven
warring states. His efforts to unify China led to the consolidation of his power.
… The Qin (under Shi Huangdi) made many changes that were meant to unify China and aid in administrative task.
First, the Qin implemented a Legalist form of government, which was how the former Qin territory had been
governed. The area was divided up in 36 commanderies which were then subdivided into counties. These
commanderies had a civil governor, a military commander, and an imperial inspector. The leaders of the
commanderies had to report to the Emperor in writing. The Legalist form of government involved rewards and
punishments to keep order. Also, the state had absolute control over the people, and the former nobility lost all of
their power. The nobility were transplanted from their homes to the capital. Groups were formed of units of five to
ten families, which then had a group responsibility for the wrongdoings of any individual within the group…
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“Qin Dynasty” EMuseum, Minnesota, State University at Mankato
Questions:
1) Based on the EMuseum document, what were two ways the Qin under Shi Huangdi attempted
to control China?
2) What do you think Shi Huangdi chose Legalism as the philosophy to rule the newly united China?
3) Why do you think Shi Hunagdi used “group punishment?”
Document 2:
… His (Shi Huangdi’s) most significant reforms were to standardize Chinese script (writing),
weights and measures, and even the length of cart axels so that every cart could run smoothly
in ruts. An extensive new network of roads and canals improved trade and the movement of
troops between provinces….
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“The Emperor with an ego big enough for all time” Timesonline
Question:
4) Based on this document, how did Shi Huangdi improve China under the Qin Dynasty?
Document 3: Li Si was a strong supporter of Legalism and served as the Grand Counselor to Emperor Shi
Huangdi. In this passage, Li Si is responding to a scholar who has challenged the Emperor’s movements
away from traditional values
… “I humbly propose that all historical records but those of Chin (Qin) be burned. If anyone who is not court scholar
dares to keep the ancient songs, historical records, or writings of the hundred schools, these should be confiscated
and burned by the provincial governor and army commander. Those who in conversation dare to quote the old songs
and records should be publicly executed; those who use old precedents (examples) to oppose the new order should
have their families wiped out; and those officers who know of such cases by fail to report them should be punished in
the same way.
“If thirty days after the issuing of this order the owners of these books have still not had them destroyed, they
should have their faces tattooed and be condemned to hard labor at the Great Wall, The only books which need not
be destroyed are those dealing with medicine, divination, and agriculture. Those who want to study the law can learn
it from the officers” The emperor sanctioned this proposal…
- Szuma Chien, Records of the Historian, The Commercial Press
5) According to the document, what was another way that Shi Huangdi controlled China under the
Qin?
Document 4: The Seven Feminine Virtues
As a woman, she should always be modest and respectful, should keep herself constantly in the background,
whenever she does, should never speak of her own goodness or flinch from performance of her assigned
duties… and finally, should be able to endure all the humiliations and insults, from wherever they come. This
is… the acknowledgement of her own inferiority – her inability to live up to it should be constant worry and
fear.
-Ban Zhoo, a female scholar and teacher during the Han Dynasty
Question:
6) What were two rules women were expected to follow during the Han Dynasty?
7) What does this document tell you about the status of women during the Han Dynasty?
Document 5: In 165, the population of the Han Dynasty reached over 1 million people. Farmers were
important to feed the population. The emperor gave the following edict on agriculture:
“Agriculture is the foundation of the world. No duty is greater. Now if (anyone) personally follows this pursuit
diligently, he has yet (to pay) the impositions of the land tax and tax on produce… let there be abolished the
land tax and the tax on produce levied upon the cultivated fields.
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Ban Gu and Ban Zhao in History of the Former Han Dynasty
Question:
8) How do you know agriculture was important to emperors of the Han Dynasty, based on the
document?
Document 6: Confucius wrote down his ideas and beliefs on the governmnet in his work, Analects
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The gentlemen cherishes virtue, the inferior man cherishes possessions
The gentlemen thinks for the whole, the inferior thinks if personal favors
The superior person cares about character power
The inferior person cares about worldly power
The superior person cares about fairness
The inferior person cares about [how he can advance via] corruption
The superior man thinks of virtue
The small man thinks of comfort
The man of honor thinks of his character
The inferior man of his position
Question:
9) Based on the document above, what does Confucius feel each person must do in order to live in
a balanced society?
Document 7:
Confucius said, “Lead the people with governmental measures and regulate them with laws and punishment,
and they will avoid wrongdoing, but will have no sense of honor and shame. Lead them with virtue and
regulate them by the rules of propriety, and they will have a sense of shame, and moreover, set themselves
right.”
Chi K’ang asked Confucius about government, saying, “What do you think of killing the wicked and associating
with the good?” Confucius replied, “In your government what is the need of killing? If you desire what is good
,the people will be good. The character of a ruler is like wind and that of the people is like grass. In whatever
direction the wind blows, the grass always bends.”
Confucius said, “If a ruler sets himself right, he will be followed without his command. If he does not set
himself right, even his commands will not be obeyed.”
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Excerpts from The Analects of Confucius
Question:
10) How did Confucius’ ideas on government differ from Shi Huangdi’s?
Document 8:
The Way produces the One
The One produces the Two
Two produces Three
Three produces the myriad (many) creatures
The myriad creatures shoulder the yin and embrace the yang
And by blending these qi (vital energies) they attain harmony… and so sometimes diminishing a thing
adds to it. Sometimes adding to a thing diminishes it.
- Excerpt from Laozi The Daodejing
Question:
11) Identify the symbol illustrated above. What is the meaning behing gthe symbol for a follower of
Daoism?
Document 9:
Constant principles underlie Heaven’s behavior. Heaven does not prevail because you are the sage (Holy man) Yao or
disappear because you are the tyrant Jie. Blessings result when you respond to Heaven by creating order; misfortune
results when you respond to it with disorder. When you concentrate on agriculture and industry you are frugal in
expenditures. Heaven cannot impoverish (make poor) your state. When you store provisions and act quickly in
emergencies, Heaven cannot inflict illness on your people. When you are single-minded in your cultivation of the Way,
Heaven cannot send disasters. Thus, even if they come, droughts and floods will not bring starvation, extremes of
temperature will not bring illness, uncanny phenomena will not prove unlucky.
On the other hand, if you ignore agriculture and industry and spend extravagantly, then Heave cannot make your country
rich. If you are negligent concerning provisions and slow to respond to crises, Heaven cannot keep your country while. If
you renounce the Way and act recklessly, Heaven cannot make you lucky. In such a case, starvation will result even
without flood or drought; illness will occur even without severe weather; misfortune will occur without any uncanny
phenomena…
- Xunzi, a Confucianist
Question:
12) What does a ruler have to do to gain favor in Heaven? What are the consequences of his
faiulure?