Chinese Dynasty Overview
Zhou to Qing
Zhou (1027 - 250 BC)
• Longest lasting Chinese Dynasty
• Beginning of Mandate of Heaven
• Early: Feudal system, lords had total
authority
• Later: City-states
• Built roads, expanded trade, made
agricultural advancements
Zhou (1027 - 250 BC)
• Taoism and
Confucianism
introduced
• Decline: Inefficient
rulers can’t control
fighting between citystates
• Period of Warring
States
Taoism (Daoism)
• Lao Tzu (Old
Master)
• 6th century BC
What is Dao
Dao = “the way,” “the way of nature”
• “It’s what it’s not that makes it what it is”
– Dao is like the cavity of a pot: this empty
space makes the pot useful for cooking
– Dao is like water: it runs through your
hands in the sink, but can wash away
mountains and cities
Goal, then, is to live in harmony with the
universe. To do this, one must
observe…
Wuwei
Live simply, unpretentiously, and in harmony
with nature.
• Ambition and activism have caused chaos
in which we live
• Government should be as small as possible
• Abstain from advanced education and
personal striving
• No countries - just small, self-sufficient
communities!
• Reflect and think about how wonderful the
Dao is
Confucius
• Latin form of the title
Kong Fuzi- (Master
Philosopher Kong)
• 551-479 BC
• Analects - collection
of Confucius’
sayings
Confucius
• Junzi: “superior individuals” look at the big
picture, don’t let personal interests influence
judgement
To be Junzi, you must possess:
– Ren: kindness and benevolence for others
(especially important that leaders have this)
– Li: Treat all with courtesy and respect, (esp. elders
and superiors)
– Xiao: Filial piety (family respect):
• Useless to speculate on spiritual questions:
BE PRACTICAL to fix China!
Basic Relationships
• Parent and Child
• Husband and Wife
• Older Sibling/Younger
Sibling
• Older Friend/Younger
Friend
• Ruler/Subject
Health of society depended on
the careful observations of
these relationships
Qin (221 - 207 BC)
• Qin She Huanshi only emperor
• Brutal ruler executed dissenters,
burned books
• Many enemies,
dynasty falls after his
death
Qin (221 - 207 BC)
• Adopted Legalism
• Developed highly
centralized gov’t with
bureaucratic administration
• Standardized currency,
language, measurements,
laws
• Built first Great Wall
Legalism “School of Law”
• Key
founders/schol
ars:
– Shang Yang
(390-338
BCE) {statue}
– Han Feizi
(280-233
BCE) {sketch}
Legalism
• All human beings were evil by nature
• Only strong ruler could create an orderly
society
• Harsh laws and stiff punishments
– Fine for littering: Amputation of hands or feet
• People should be either farmers or soldiersanything else is a waste of energy in a
country
• Did not garner long-lasting support, relatively
unpopular
Basic Cultural Elements
• Patriarchal Society (men
in charge)
• Family is extremely
important
– Will only prosper if ALL
(living and dead) work
together
• Established Class
System: ----->
• The best and most honorable
position in Chinese society is to be
a farmer.
Landed
Elite
Merchants
and
Traders
Peasants
Slaves
Part II
CHINESE DYNASTY
OVERVIEW
Han (202 BCE - 221 CE)
• Chinese people referred to as “people
of the Han”
• Legalism replaced by Confucianism
• Introduced civil service examination
(scholar gentry)
• Silk Roads
developed,
opens trade
Han (202 BCE - 221 AD)
• Buddhism introduced from India
• Paper invented
• Great increase in population, land
holdings
Decline
• Nomadic raiders
• Corruption, weak leaders
• Collapse of bureaucracy
221 - 581 (AD)
• Warlords control china - no centralized
gov’t
• Non-Chinese nomads control much of
China
• Buddhism becomes popular Confucianism failed
Tang (618 - 907 AD)
• High point of Chinese culture
• Rebuilt bureaucracy
– Examination system
– Confucian education
– Limited social mobility
• Buddhism supported, then oppressed
• Invention of movable print, porcelain,
gun powder
Civil Service Exam
Highest are those who are born wise.
Next are those who become wise by
learning. After them come those who
have to toil (work) painfully in order to
acquire learning. Finally, to the lowest
class of the common people belong
those who toil painfully without ever
managing to learn.
Civil Service Exam
1. According to Confucius, who are the
second highest in society?
2.
According to Confucius, who are the
third highest in society?
Tang (618 - 907 AD)
• Wu Zetian - Only Empress in Chinese
history
Decline
• Weak emperors, nomadic incursions,
economic difficulties
• Warlords take control
Song (969 - 1279 AD)
• Large centralized bureaucracy (NeoConfucian)
• Mercantile class grows, increased trade
• Magnetic compass, growing sea power
• Weak military
Yuan (1279 - 1368 AD)
• Mongol Khubilai Khan conquers China
• Economic stability and prosperity
• China more open to trade and travel (Marco
Polo)
• Ignored Chinese traditions, replaced
bureaucrats with non-Chinese
• Unsuccessful attacks on Japan, corruption
weakens dynasty
• Peasant rebellion ends Yuan
Ming (1368 - 1644 AD)
• Tried to erase all signs of Mongols
• Reinstated civil service, Confucian
scholars
• Eunuchs play growing role (Zheng He) resented by scholar gentry
• Rebuilt and extended Great Wall
• Collapsed after famines and riots
Qing (1644 - 1911 AD)
• Manchus (from Manchuria) move south
• Take Korea, Japan, then China
• Manchus hold top posts, but relied upon
scholar gentry
• “Son of Heaven” concept emphasized
• Would be final Chinese Dynasty
• Eventually would be weakened by
European / American interventions
Chinese Dynasty Song
Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han
Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han
shang, joe, chin, hahn
Sui, Tang, Song
Sui, Tang, Song
sway, tang, soong
Yuan, Ming, Qing, Republic
Yuan, Ming, Qing, Republic
yooan, ming, ching, Republic
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
mou dzu dong