Transcript China - dascolihum.com

Early China Map
Earliest Civilizations- most
isolated
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Earliest- Neolithic- Ban Po- similar to other parts
of the world/ one of the oldest
Shang Dynasty 1500-11 BCE in No China along
the Huang Ho- raised silk worms- silk part of
lure and fascination of China, famous for bronze
sculpture, daggers, jade jewelry paid homage to
ancestors- family important
Chou (Zhou) 1027-256-longest-developed
foundations for Chinese society
Chinese Civilization
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1570 – 1045 BCE – Shang Dynasty
Shang kings were political and religious heads of society
Writing system of the Shang Dynasty is the ancestor of
modern Chinese
1045 – 256 BCE – Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou kings sacrificed to their ancestors (ancestor
worship), also sacrificed to Heaven (Tian)
The Mandate of Heaven (Tian Ming):
(A) Close relationship between Heaven, king
(B) King called the Son of Heaven
(C) Heaven gives king mandate to rule, in best interest
of subjects
(D) Last Shang king decadent, cruel to subjects so he
lost the Mandate of Heaven and the Zhou deserved
to replace them
Chinese Civilization
Early Literature
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Shu jing (Book of History) is the earliest
transmitted text - it praises first three
Zhou rulers
The Shi jing (Book of Poetry) consisted of
305 poems include odes celebrating
exploits of early Zhou rulers and Hymns
for sacrificial ceremonies, folk songs
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Folk songs - are about ordinary people in
everyday situations
Chinese Civilization
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770 – 403 BCE – Golden Age of Chinese philosophy
604 BCE – Life of Laozi
551 – 479 BCE – Life of Confucius
221 – 206 BCE – Qin Dynasty, first unification of China
221 BCE – Great Wall of China built
210 BCE – Terra cotta warriors placed in Lintong’s tomb
206 BCE - the Han dynasty unifies China again and
develops bureaucracy
200 BCE - Mao-tun unites the Turkic-speaking Huns
(Xiongnu, Hsiung-nu) in Central Asia around Lake Bajkal
and southeastern Mongolia
Chinese Civilization
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176BCE - the Huns attack eastern China
121BCE - China defeats the Huns
106BCE - the Silk Road is inaugurated (a treaty between
Chinese emperor Wu-Ti/Wu Di and Parthian king
Mithridates II)
2 CE - the Han empire has 57 million people, the most
populous country in the world
6 CE - Buddhism is introduced in China
105 CE - Cai Lun/Tsai Luns invents paper
190 CE - the Chinese invent the abacus
Chinese Civilization
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520 CE – Zen Buddhism develops
618 – 907 CE – Tang Dynasty
650 CE – Acupuncture is invented and spreads
1024 CE – First paper money created
1041 CE – Bi Sheng invents the printing press
1234 CE - Mongols led by Ogodai Khagan
conquer northern China
Tang Dynasty 618-907 CE
Contributions
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Internal renewal(improved lives of people) and external
expansion
Used formal civil service exam to recruit-set up
university
Tried to equalize land holdings- fought corruption
literature and art flourished- Tang horses p 203
Inventions- paper during Han- used for clothes and tp589 used for writing- invented printing, gun powder,
encyclopedia
Geographical Influences
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Mountains, sea, and desert provide some
protection and isolation
Vulnerable to northwest
River valleys 1. Yellow(Huang Ho) earliest
civilization - damaging floods 2. Yangtzevery important in unificationtransportation- irrigation
Chinese Religions
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China’s main philosophies/religions
include:
Buddhism
Confucianism
Taoism
Yin and Yang
Legalism
Ancient China
Way of Life- Confucianism
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Moral and ethical code highly developed
treat everyone with consideration
Advocated paternalistic government
Value on family head- ancestor respect
Values- loyalty, righteousness, wisdom,
sincerity
very practical and humanistic Gentility
Confucianism
“The gentleman agrees with others without being an echo. The
small man echoes without being in agreement.” Analects 15.30
“If one is guided by profits in one’s actions, one will incur much
ill will.” Analects 14.24
“Do not worry because you have no position. Worry about your
qualifications. Do not worry because no one appreciates your
abilities. Seek to be worthy of appreciation. Analects 4.14
Confucius
Never kiss a fool, or be fooled by
a kiss.
The Life and Legacy of
Confucius
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Born in 551B.C.E. to a
noble but poor family.
Confucius died in 479 B.
C. E.
Confucius was an
exceptional student who
later became a teacher
and a government
official.
Three Schools of Thought
 Legalists: Stern rule of law and harsh punishments
Mohist: universal love, even towards enemies.
Taoist: cared little about societal improvement and believed that
the path to human happiness lay in the individualistic pursuit of
harmony with nature.
Human Qualities
 What is maturity?
What is the highest human virtue?
What is the best way to behave?
How can one be a cultured person?
How can one best govern?
Confucian Virtues
Tao = the Universal Way
Chun-tzu = mature person - this person has such abundant
virtures that he or she is able to contribute to the improvement of
society.
Jen = supreme virtue = perfect form of benevolence - doing
one’s best to treat others the way you would like to be treated.
Li = proper behavior = behaving properly given the situation at
hand.
Wen = a cultured person. Music, poetry, archery, calligraphy.
Te- virtue shown through the power of example.
Human Relationships
Self = the center of all relationships and is constantly changing
and growing towards maturity.
Family = each person has a clear sense of place and purpose.
Good behavior and respect for elders are important in the family.
Government = the leader has acquired the moral perfectionm
needed to lead by the power of example.
Heaven = represents the ultimate moral force that guides and
nurtures humanity.
Confucius’s Solution
Confucius’s solutions centered on human relationships and drew
from the sages of ancient times.
At the time of his death, Confucius was considered a failure.
However, his influence in China and around the world continues
to this day.
The Analects of Confucius
What the gentleman demands is
something of himself. What the petty
man demands is something of others.
Anyone learning without thought is
lost, anyone thinking but not learning
is in peril.
Daoism (Taoism)
LaoTzu (Lao Zi)
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contemporary of Confucius
Tao= the road way
Absolute=sum of existence
Goal to bring people into harmony
very introspective
not as influential as Confucius
Taoism
The father of Taoism
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Lao Tzu:
Was born around 640 B.C.
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any dates or places.
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Taoism
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Lao Tzu was not pleased with his people, so
he left and went on a journey.
Lao Tzu was asked to leave
a record of his beliefs with
his civilization.
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It took him three days to
complete 5000 characters
titled the Tao Te Ching.
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Taoism
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The Tao Te Ching is in effect the Taoist
bible.
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It centers around the concept of Tao. Or the
“path”
Taoism
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There are three meanings of “Tao”
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Tao- The way to ultimate reality. This Tao is
way to vast for a person to comprehend or
fathom.
Tao- The way of the universe. The norm, the
rhythm, and the driving power in all of nature.
Deals more with the spiritual side then the
Physical side of things.
Taoism
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There are three meanings of “Tao”
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Tao- The way of human life. It refers to the way
that we mesh with the Tao of the universe.
Taoism
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Just like the three meanings of Tao. All
three were designed to facilitate the power
of Tao through “te”
There are three types of Taoism:
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Philosophical Taoism
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Religious or Popular Taoism
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Vitalizing Taoism
Taoism
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Philosophical Taoism:
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Is a reflective look at life
Relatively unorganized
Teaches what you should understand
You work on improving yourself
Seeks power through knowledge
Sought to conserve “te” and not to expend is on
friction and conflict.
Associated Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, and Tao Te
Ching
Taoism
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Philosophical Taoism:
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Wu Wei- The perfect way to live life, and reduce
conflict and friction
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Combines supreme activity and supreme relaxation
The conscious mind has to get out of the
way of its own light.
For one to perfect the wu wei lifestyle.
A lifestyle above excess and tension.
Taoism
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Religious Taoism:
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Became a full fledge church
Its programs are active
“The Taoist priesthood made cosmic life-power
available for ordinary villagers.”
Their power was with magic, the harnessed
higher powers for human ends.
Want to help transmit “Ch’i” to people that can
not get it on their own.
Taoism
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Vitalizing Taoism:
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The programs are active
Relatively unorganized
Teaches what you should do.
Is a self help program
You work on improving yourself
Want to increase the amounts of Tao or “te” in
their life
They do this through “ch’i”
Taoism
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Vitalizing Taoism:
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They want to remove the barriers that slowed
the flow of “ch’i”
The power of “ch’i”
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“could shift Heaven and Earth”
Taoism
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Philosophical, Religious and Vitalizing Taoism
All center on how to maximize their Tao.
They honor hunchbacks, crippels. Because
the tallest tree get the axe first.
Their temples blend in with the landscape.
They do not stand out.
Taoism
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Philosophical, Religious and Vitalizing Taoism
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They all teach that people will be at their best,
when they are living in harmony with their
surroundings.
They consider ceremonies pompous and
downright silly.
They feel there is nothing to gain from
punctiliousness, and the meticulous observance
of propriety.
Taoism
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The Taoist believe in opposites, and that
things in nature have a way of working
themselves out.
The Taoist believe
that people should
be spontaneous and
life their lives by
someone else’s
thoughts.
Lao Tzu connects
the human to what
transcends it.
Art and Architecture
Chinese Art
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Fang Ding
12th century BCE
Houjiazhang , China
Sculpture
Shang Dynasty was
famous for its bronze
work
This was used to store
food and wine for
ceremonies
Animal motifs are central
Chinese Art
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Bronze Bells
433 BCE
Wuhan, China
Sculpture/Craftwork
Zhou Dynasty – each bell is capable of producing 2
distinct notes / Bronze casts
Chinese Art
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Terra Cotta Warriors
210 BCE
Lintong, China
Sculpture
Buried in the tomb of the
1st Qin emperor Qin Shi
Huang Di
Life sized figures were
meant to serve and
protect the emperor in
the afterlife
Terra Cotta Warriors - Detail
Terra Cotta Warriors - Detail
Terra Cotta Warriors - Detail
Chinese Art
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Colossal Buddha
460 – 470 CE
Yungang, China
Relief Sculpture
Buddhism spread in
importance as internal
strife increased in China
during the 5th – 6th
centuries
Carved directly into the
rock – heavily influenced
by Indian art
Vairocana Buddha, Longmen Caves
ca. 670-680 C.E.
Luoyang, China
Relief Sculpture
central figure 50 feet high
Vairocana Buddha – Full
Horse
8th to 9th century C.E.
Sculpture/Pottery
Tang Dynasty
20 in. high
glazed earthenware
Chinese Art
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The Poet Li Bai Walking
and Chanting a Poem
1200 CE
China
Painting
Artist: Liang Kai
Song Dynastic period
Contrast of blurred lines
of robe with details of
face – reflects a Zen style
of art
Chinese Art
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Early Spring
1072 CE
Taipei, Taiwan
Artist: Guo Xi
Painting
Song Dynasty Era
3 forms of perspective
are found in this work:
(1) height – up the
mountain; (2) depth –
down into the valleys;
and (3) level – looking
across the marshes
Chinese Art
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Celadon Ware
1127 – 1279 CE
China
Pottery
Song Dynasty Era
Celadon ware is known
by its green color and
blends the parts of vases
The most highly regarded
Chinese ceramics are
from the Song Dynasty
Song ceramic ware aims
at being simplistic and
elegant
Chinese Art
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Searching for the Past
1641 – 1704 CE
China
Painting
Artist: Shitao (aka Daoji)
Qing Dynasty Era
Ink on paper
Use of wet brush
technique allows for the
ink and colors to merge
and blur
Chinese Art
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Forbidden City
Begun 1402
Beijing, China
Architecture
Foreigners were
forbidden to enter into
the imperial complex
Built on a grid pattern all
buildings facing south
Forbidden City
Foguang Si Pagoda
1056 C.E.
Yingxian, China
Architecture
Evolved from the Indian Stupa for religious
purposes
Foguang Si Pagoda
Chinese Erotic Art