Global Studies I
Mr. Mintzes
Unit Outline
Ancient China
Chapter 3 Section 3: Early Chinese civilizations:
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Geography of China – protected by deserts, the sea and mountains. Allowed
Chinese civilization to develop independently (ethnocentrism)
Earliest civilizations grew up in river valleys Yellow River (Huang He) valley
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Beginnings of Chinese civilization dates back to Xia Dynasty around
2000BCE
Beginnings of Chinese history date to Shang Dynasty – the first that used
writing to record its history – c1750BCE
Shang Dynasty:
advanced civilization – writing, large cities, huge city walls, royal palaces
and large tombs,
country divided into regions governed by warlords
king appointed them and could remove them.
King had much power
large armies,
believed in ritual human sacrifices
kings buried in elaborate tombs along with riches and their faithful
servants.
History:
Chinese believed they could communicate with the gods.
Priests wrote questions on oracle bones and stored them – major source of
information on Shang Dynasty.
Shang society: Aristocrats (landowners) and peasants.
Small middle class made up of merchants & artisans.
There were also slaves.
Religious beliefs: believed in after life – also practiced ancestor worship,
spirits of their ancestors could bring good or bad fortune to a family.
Art: Shang Dynasty known for bronze casting. Thousands have been
recovered from temples and tombs. Some are the most prized pieces of
ancient Chinese art.
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Zhou Dynasty (“Joh”) – lasted for 800 years – longest in Chinese history.
Overthrew the Shangs and came to power in 1045BCE
Political: divided the country into regions
Regions ruled by aristocrat the king had appointed and whom the king
could remove at will – same as the Shangs
Mandate of Heaven: Zhou kings claimed they ruled China because they
had the Mandate of Heaven, meaning that they were favored by the gods
and appointed by them to rule China. King was chosen, they said, because
of their talent and virtue.
Lose Mandate if kings did not rule wisely or well, lost wars, raised taxes
too high, or if country hit by natural disasters, etc. – meant that gods no
longer favored dynasty & new one would take over – usually after a
period of civil strife.
Established the right to overthrow a ruler who is corrupt or evil – also that
the king is not divine (a God) but is a representative of Heaven
Military developments: use of infantry and cavalry – use of the cross
bow –a Chinese invention. Iron weapons replace bronze
Society under Zhou: Local lords were aristocracy, then middle class
artisans and merchants, then peasants who owned their own land as well
as worked for the lords.
Trade increased as goods came in from other regions in China
Technology: irrigation projects, flood control, new methods of farming
increased food production (caused population to grow to 50 million) iron
plow developed, improvements in silk (traded with other sections of the
world – as far as ancient Greece)
Family: Family most important unit. Reverence for older people. Filial
piety – “duty of members of the family to subordinate their needs and
desires to those of the make head of the family” - every member of the
family has his/her place – Male supremacy – women were second class
although some had influence in royal family –
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Chinese written language: pictographs – picture symbols that form a picture of
the object that is represented. Ideographs – characters that combine two or more
pictographs. (East: sun coming up behind trees) Number system: based on 10
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Chinese Philosophies:
Confucianism, Daoism and Legalism
Confucianism: based on teachings of Confucius – “First Teacher” sought to
restore order to society – China was in chaos – wars – massacres, etc.
Confucius taught that if man acted in harmony with universe all would prosper.
Key to proper behavior was to act in accordance with the Dao – The Way.
Key was duty and humanity – people must subordinate their needs and desires to
the broader interests of the family and the community.
“The duty of children to the parents is the foundation from which all virtues
spring”
Concept of duty expressed as a work ethic – if all worked hard to fulfill their duty
than all would prosper.
Ruler must set a good example – if follows path of goodness then he will be
respected and others will follow him
Also key to beliefs: All men are brothers – show compassion and empathy for all
men – “measure the feelings of others by one’s own”
RE: Government: Confucius believed that government should be open to all
men of superior talent not just to nobles and other aristocrats.
Daoism: Allegedly founded by Laozi (but may not have really existed) Scholars
still argue about the true meaning of his writings. Concerns itself with the proper
forms of behavior of people while on earth – not as concerned with the after life.
Daoists believe in inaction instead of action – let nature take its course and do
not interfere with it.
Legalism: proposes that people are basically evil by nature – only way to control
them is by strict rules and laws. Strong ruler is necessary to keep order in society
– not the superior men favored by Confucius. Ruler does not need to show
compassion – people will follow him out of fear of harsh punishments if they
disobey.
Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty
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First ruler was Qin Shihuangdi – did not want to be called king so called the
“First Emperor” – adopted legalism as the official ideology and belief system.
Opposition was imprisioned or executed for their views – books that opposed the
regime were burned (first book burnings in recorded history) – ordered hundreds
of scholars killed because “thinking too much and knowing too much was a
danger to the government”
Government: centralized rule – three parts of the bureaucracy – civil, militarey
and the censorate – the first secret police. Censorate inspectors checked on govt
officials to make sure they were doing their jobs – if not they were executed.
Unification: single monetary system for all China – built system of roads to
connect regions and cities – sent armies to the south and built a great canal to
transport supplies to them
The Xiongnu (SYENNOO) nomads from the north who raided into China –
fought from horseback with bow and arrow – excellent warriors – caused Qin to
begin the Great Wall – actual wall finished 1500 years later.
Thousands died building the Wall and many were buried in it as fill between the
stones.
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Terra-cotta Army – discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a well near
city of Xian – former capitol of the Qin (Ch’in) dynasty. Army of over
7000 warriors near the tomb of First Emperor Qin – each one is different –
dressed in armor – includes horses and chariots – made of terra-cotta
(hardened clay) – archaeologists think it is recreation of Imperial Guard –
was created to protect First Emperor in the afterlife.
Recently, more pits have been found that have terra-cotta statues of
civilians, including government officials and servants.
Fall of Q’in Dynasty – short lived – First Emperor had done much but harsh rule
angered many – overthrown by warlords – civil war ensued for awhile
Han Dynasty - one of greatest in Chinese history and one of the longest (Zhou was
longer lasting) – founded by Liu Bang – a peasant who became known as
“Exalted Emperor of Han”
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Confucianism became the ideology instead of Legalism – student were
required to study the sayings and the teachings of Confucius
Han kept some of Qin government structure – the three departments of the
bureaucracy – especially the censorate - continued to appoint officials
on the basis of merit instead of birth – introduced a civil service exam
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and a school to train government officials - a system that remained in
China for 2000 years.
Population of China increased to 60 million under the Han Dynasty
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Expansion: Han armies expanded the empire even further, especially to
the south into Vietnam. Drove back the Xiongnu and gave China around
150 years of peace.
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Society: Taxes were light but many demands on peasant farmers –
increase in population resulted in much smaller farms – many were too
small to support families – many peasants became tenant farmers – living
on landlord’s land and giving a portion of their crops for rent.
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Technology - many advances during Han Dynasty – textile
manufacturing and weaving – watermills for grinding grain – iron plows
improved – Steel invented – paper invented for writing and for printing
money – Ships with rudders and fore and aft sails were built so people
could said further and even said upstream against the wind. – Chinese
traders sailed into the Indian Ocean and established trade with the people
of the Mediterranean.
Fall of Han Dynasty – capitol fell after many years of civil war and uprisings
against the Han kings – fell in 220 CE – It would be 400 years before
another great dynasty arose in China