Transcript 9 china
China – Birth of an Empire General Info Qin Dynasty 221 B.C. - 206 B.C. First Emperor Qin Shih Huangdi Dynasty It was short-lived. Han Dynasty 206 B.C. – 220 A.D. The Most Famous Ruler Wu Ti Dynasty It lasted over 400 years. When we last checked in … Zhou Wuwang The Zhou was a bronze age dynasty that had pushed out the previous Shang rulers. By 256 bce, the Zhou had lost the “Mandate of Heaven” and China entered the “Warring States” period The Legalist Philosophy of the Qin conflicted with other political “philosophies” of the time… – Kong Fuzi “Confucious” Confucianism Good government requires men of benevolence, virtue, and culture Governments should promote these traits; their absence leads to chaos all people have virtue and are educable The Analects • Never kiss a fool, or be fooled by a kiss. • Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it. • Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses. • Respect yourself and others will respect you. • Study the past if you would define the future. • Making a mistake and not correcting it, is making another mistake. • He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it. 1. Ruler Subject 2. Father Son 3. Husband Wife 4. Older Brother Younger Brother 5. Older Friend Younger Friend Daoism (Taoism) The Dao is “The Way” The way is to become one with nature Nature should take its course with no human interference People should go with the flow – a rock in the stream letting the water (life) flow around you "Wei Wu Wei" = "action without action". Man is unhappy because he lives acc. to man-made laws, customs, & traditions that are contrary to the ways of nature. Daoism Rejected Confucianism but was often tied to it Confucianism = the public philosophy Daoism = solace in private lives Members of a Taoist spiritual group cheer colleagues backstage during an annual prayer ceremony in Taipei. BBC 2008 The Qin Dynasty The Qin defeated regional states and unified the kingdoms of China by 221 B.C.E. – The First Emperor of China – Shi Huangdi (r 221-206 bce) Economic Power! – Public works intended to improve economy Canals Irrigation Acquisition of areas rich in iron ore – Mass mobilization of FORCED LABOR for public works including Great Wall of China – 700,000 workers used to create capital city Beginning in 220 B.C., Shi Huandi began restoring and linking separate sections of the Great Wall which had been built years before Government Structure He provided a single law code for the whole empire (laws posted for all to see) Established a uniform tax system Appointed governors to control (legal/military) each district. Standardized weights and measures Standardized written Chinese language! Harsh system of rule: Legalism The best way to control human behavior is through written law rather than through rituals, customs, or ethics. laws maintain the stability of the state from the people who are selfish and ignorant. laws let the ruler govern efficiently and sometimes ruthlessly. Text apart from law books were considered useless (and were often destroyed along with other “arts”) NO ROOM FOR CONFUCIANISM?! NO WAY!! The Qin Dynasty – Confucianism was rejected due to its great respect for the past and its emphasis on personal ties – On the other hand, Daoism helped rulers explain certain things as out of their control but not very practical as a guide to rule by – Legalism is the way of the Qin! The Fall of the Qin Dynasty Dynasty collapsed with death of Qin Shi Huangdi in 210 B.C.E. His oppression brought backlash Rebellions The in regional capitals Qin had lost the Mandate of Qin Shi Huangdi tomb included 7,000 life-size figures of soldiers An Entire Terra Cotta Army An Entire Terra Cotta Army Shi Huangdi’s Terra Cotta Soldiers & Cavalrymen Cavalry Individual Soldiers The Han Dynasty One of the longest lasting and most influential of all dynasties Rose to power at nearly the same time as Rome The Han Dynasty (206 bce – 220 ce) Liu Bang, first Han, commoner who chose educated men with Confucian principles History became more important Established elite academy to teach Confucianism as part of requirement that knowledge of Confucius is necessary for promotion in bureaucracy Consolidated legal system Established principles for the conduct of women The Han Dynasty Military Power and Diplomacy – Han as militaristic as Qin had been – Army of 300,000 to one million – Campaigns to the west for silk markets and access to horses – Foreign relations by “tribute system” Payments and obedience to Chinese government in return for gifts from emperor to tribal leaders The Han Dynasty Economic Power – Developed ironworking techniques – Spread trade routes to the west (utilized “Silk Road”) – Raised land revenues and nationalized private enterprise – Confucianists opposed these policies but also opposed business activity in general A Weakened Han Dynasty [23-220 C.E.] Han weakness enabled barbarians to live inside the Great Wall, serve in army, and intermarry with Chinese Led to sinicization of barbarians Han failed to force local administrators to send tax revenues to central government Peasant Revolt and the Fall of the Han Yellow Turban revolt in 184 C.E. broke out simultaneously in sixteen places Four factions within government sought dynastic power – Child emperor – Bureaucrats, advisors, palace guard, and regent – Court eunuchs – Women of the court End of the Han in 220 ce …but not the end of China! – China divided into 2 to 3 various kingdoms for the next 361 years! – North suited to wheat; south to rice culture – Chinese culture endured imperial division; “people of the Han” refers to culture – Western dynasty became more “Chinese” over time Buddhism Reaches China – Entered during Han Dynasty – Foreignness contributed to its success – Anti-priestly stance and presence in trading communities made it acceptable to merchants – Becomes a unifying cultural element! Reunification under Sui and Tang Dynasties – The Short-lived Sui Dynasty [581-618 C.E.] (sway) Used Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist beliefs to win popular support Centralized government; rotated officials Completed Grand Canal but efforts helped deplete Sui treasury Successor (Tang, 618-907 C.E.) dynasty continued expansion to “Outer China” Block printing and Buddhist religious art Tang Dynasty Development of fine porcelain Tang poetry on meditation, nature, and suffering China essentially unified from this era forward! Imperial China – so what? –Chinese pursuit of assimilation was regarded as mutually beneficial to Chinese and “barbarians” –Danger in the threat of civil war when members of an ethnic group rejected assimilation Imperial China - Vietnam Vietnam –Part of Chinese empire (111 B.C.E.-939 C.E.) –Gained Buddhism and some agricultural practices adopted from China –Intense desire for independence Imperial China Korea – Cultural influence high; political control brief – Adopted much Chinese culture – Free of direct control after 220 C.E. – Resisted Chinese attempts to retake peninsula – Confucianism, legal codes, bureaucracy, literature, and Buddhism were borrowed from China Imperial China - Japan – Japanese adopted rice culture from China – One-third of Japanese nobility claimed Chinese or Korean ancestry (by 500 C.E.) – Chinese script from Korean scribe (405 C.E.) – Japanese visit China to learn Chinese models Imperial China - Japan Taika (“great change”) in 646 C.E. centralized state and abolished private ownership of land 710 C.E.--new capital at Nara and emperor regarded as divine but no adoption of “Mandate of Heaven” Reliance on Chinese models declined over later centuries Comparison of China and Rome – Similarities Significance of imperial armies Relations with barbarians Gender relations and the family Role of the emperor Religious policies Overextension Public works projects The concentration of wealth Revolts Comparison of China and Rome – Differences Ideological Influence on neighbors Policy and powers of assimilation Longevity and persistence Language policy Han – Roman Empire Connection