Transcript Early_Chinese_Civilization-Vanessa_Cuba

Early Chinese Civilization
By Vanessa Cuba
Sources: Arts and Culture
By Benson and DiYanni
and Professor Perez
Confucianism
Based on the teachings of Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.)
Confucius emphasized the importance of traditional values of
self-control, propriety, and filial piety to maintain a productive
good society.
In Confucianism teaching 4 values were valued:
Li- Establishing forms of conduct
Jen- To respect one another
Te- Virtue and power
Wen- Art Of peace (music, poetry, art and other cultural
activities)
The Shang and Zhou Dynasties
China is the world oldest civilization tracing back as far as the
fifth millennium B.C.E
The Shang dynasty was believed to be the oldest Chinese
civilization dating back to 1600 B.C.E. (legend/Myth)
The Chinese writing have been the one of the only written
languages which have remained unchanged.
The most numerous and important Shang artifacts are made of
bronze
Bronzes were used to honor the living.
In the tomb of Maquis Yi of Zheng, sixty five bronze bells were
discovered. (each of the bells were believed to have been used
to communicate with the supernatural)
Taoism
Taoism is mainly concerned with morality and ethical behavior.
Founder was Laozi (the Old Master) wrote Tao Te Ching (the
Way and It’s Power) which summarizes Taoist teaching.
Taoism is a way of ordering one’s life so as to achieve peace and
harmony with the rest of creation.
Taoism values te which is power, along with wu-wei which is a
way of relaxing the conscious mind.
p’u means unpainted wood. Taoist architecture use wood in its
natural state.
Continuing Taoism
Ying and Yang represents contrasting but complimentary
principles of life’s elements. Ex. Pain and pleasure, good and evil,
light and dark, male and female, etc.
One cannot exist without the other. Yin is negative, Yang is
positive.
Lyric Poetry is Chinese literature, the book of songs was made
in the 6th century B.C.E. the poems were mostly about love and
war, lamentation and celebration.
The music that they played was mostly to go along with their
poetry and to be played while worshiping their ancestors.
Taoism Chanting
Empire: The Qin and Han
Dynasties
Introduced measures to ensure that the empire could be ruled
efficiently and would remain unified.
The Qin rulers divided the country into administrative units and
standard writing units.
All citizens were to obey Qin laws and pay Qin taxes to the
Emperor.
The Qin created the 1400 mile- long great wall as a defense to
their empire from the northwest. Great Wall Of China
Qin Shi Huang Di was the first emperor, when he was buried he
had a statue of life size soldiers over his tomb (it is said that
the soldiers were there to protect him in an afterlife) Tomb
Figures
The Six Dynasties
Warring fractions fought for control of the country with six
successive dynasties gaining power for a brief time.
Colossal Buddha, hand carved out of rock, shows importance of
Buddhism in China.
The Tang Dynasty and
The Song Dynasty
The art of painting flourished during the Song period. (Seeking
the Tao in the Autumn Mountains)
Early Springs