Ancient China: Geography China is located in East Asia. Like all early civilizations we have discussed, the development of China was greatly influenced by its geography. China was isolated from the rest of Asia and the world by its natural geography. To the Southwest the Himalaya Mountains provided a formidable border to protect early civilization in China. To the North lay Gobi Desert and to the east the vast Pacific Ocean, both of which provided natural barriers and added protection. Finally, to the south of China lay tropical areas with dense jungle. This geographic isolation helped early Chinese civilizations develop without significant threat of outside invaders. As a result of their geographic isolation, the early Chinese people referred to their lands as "The Middle Kingdom." Because they had limited contact with outsiders, the Chinese believed that their civilization was the center, or middle, of the world. This limited contact also allowed Chinese civilization to develop a unique and vibrant culture. The first civilization in China developed along the Huang He (Yellow) River. As with all of the other river valley civilizations we have learned about (Mesopotamia, Egypt and India) the Huang He River provided water for drinking, washing, irrigation, and transportation. The Huang He River also flooded, leaving behind a very important silt material called loess. Loess is a fine yellow silt that blows in from the regions north of China, including, Mongolia, Siberia and the Gobi Desert. The loess would settle at the bottom of the Huang He giving the river a yellowish color hence, the name Huang He or Yellow River. As the loess settled at the bottom of the river, the water level would rise. With added rainfall, the river would overflow and flood the surrounding land. The loess left behind provided an excellent fertilizer for crops. However, the flooding of the Yellow River was very unpredictable. The flood waters would sometimes cause great damage, sweeping away crops, homes and villages. As a result, the Huang He River became known as the River of Sorrows. During disastrous floods people could be swept away in the swirling, muddy waters. After the water receded many lost their lives from devastating famines. Despite the sorrow the Huang He River occasionally caused, villagers returned to the same locations to rebuild their homes and towns. The advantages of the fertile soil deposited by the flood waters proved to be too great to abandon the area completely. Chinese civilization continued to grow along the Huang He River. By 1600 BC, the first Chinese Dynasty began. The Shang Dynasty took control of the area along the Huang He River and Chinese civilization began to take shape. 1. What geographic features provided natural barriers to protect early Chinese civilization? -to the Southwest: -to the East: -to the North: -to the South: 2. Why did the Chinese call their civilization The Middle Kingdom? 3. Along what river did the earliest Chinese civilizations develop? 4. What did this river provide for the Chinese people? 5. What is loess AND where does it come from? 6. What is loess used for? 7. Why was the river known as the River of Sorrows? Explain. 8. Why did villagers continually return to the Huang He River? 9. What was the first dynasty in China and when did it develop?
The Shang Dynasty (1766BC- 1100BC) -The Shang Dynasty is the first known dynasty in China -a dynasty is a type of rule in which a family governs and power is passed down from generation to generation -The Shang Dynasty controlled the land and people along the Huang He River, where civilization first popped up in China -There were 30 kings in the Shang Dynasty who ruled China for around 600 years -Much of what historians know about the Shang Dynasty comes from archaeological evidence found in tombs and writings found on oracle bones -oracle bones were used by the ancient Chinese to predict the future
-From oracle bones, historians have learned much about the first dynasty in China -from the short readings below, what do historians know about the culture of the Shang Dynasty? -According to the passage, what did the Shang Dynasty develop? -How do we know that this system comes from the Shang time period and not later in Chinese history? -What do oracle bones reveal about Shang kings? -What are the subjects of many oracle bone writings? -What level of technology did Shang rulers have available to them? -How might this level of technology be better than stone? -What are the various advantages of horse drawn chariots in war? -People in the Shang Dynasty were: (circle one) a. monotheistic b. polytheistic -Why did people in the Shang Dynasty worship their ancestors? -What did people of the Shang Dynasty believe would happen if ancestors were not worshipped properly?
The Zhou Dynasty 1100BC- 403BC -The Zhou Dynasty took power away from the Shang Dynasty -in order to justify their take over from the Shang Dynasty, the Zhou emperors claimed that they had the Mandate of Heaven -the Mandate of Heaven means that they were given permission and blessing from the gods to take power and rule -Zhou leaders claimed that the gods gave them power to rule because the Shang Dynasty rulers had become corrupt -Many dynasties would claim the Mandate of Heaven in order to explain their rule and make the people accept them -a pattern, called the Dynastic Cycle, developed to explain how dynasties rose to power and then lost it The Dynastic Cycle Generations go by the New Dynasty becomes New Dynasty -Emperors restore peace to the land -Taxes are lowered -Laws are passed to benefit the people -The people are treated well -Government is fair -Government builds structures to benefit the people (roads, protective walls, irrigation canals) Old Dynasty -Emperors neglect their jobs and become lazy -Government officials become corrupt -Taxes are raised, angering the people -The people claim they are treated poorly by the government -Buildings, irrigations canals, defensive walls and roads are neglected by the government A New Dynasty claims they have the Mandate of Heaven and they replace the Old Dynasty Problems -People revolt against the government -Wars begin and invaders try to enter -Natural disasters that occur are blamed on the failing dynasty *Problems are evidence that the Mandate of Heaven has been lost The Old Dynasty loses the Mandate of Heaven the gods no longer support the dynasty
Zhou Dynasty, Continued -The Zhou Dynasty lasted from 1100BC-403BC -For hundreds of years, the Zhou Dynasty was strong and stable -the population of China was growing -the army was strong, especially with the introduction of iron technology -however, at the end of the Zhou Dynasty conflict arose -this conflict was known as the Warring States Period (475BC 221BC) -people rose up against the emperors and tried to take power -local leaders fought one another for land and power -warfare was continuous -During the Warring States Period philosophers tried to come up with ideas restore peace in China -Three significant philosophies were created that would come to greatly influence Chinese culture and society for thousands of years: Confucianism, Daoism and Legalism -What is a philosophy? -a philosophy is a set of ideas that are based on how people should live and act -philosophies often discuss how society should be ordered and how governments should be run -philosophies do NOT include anything about gods, goddesses, worship practices or the afterlife -philosophies deal with life here and now how to make society better now -Philosophy is NOT the same as religion! -Confucianism, Daoism and Legalism are all examples of Chinese philosophies created during the Warring States Period -We are going to learn about each of these philosophies and how they impacted Chinese society
Confucius Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish man from beast? If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them. I will pick out the bad points of the other and correct them in myself. When you see a man of worth, think of how you may imitate him. When you see a man who is unworthy, examine yourself. Wisdom, compassion and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men. -Confucius was born and lived during the Zhou Dynasty -he lived during the Warring States Period at the end of the Zhou Dynasty -there was constant warfare -rulers were weak and ineffective -China was chaotic -Confucian philosophy includes his ideas about bringing peace and stability back to China The Basic Ideas of Confucianism: *Confucius believed that the key to having a stable and peaceful society is through respectful relationships *According to Confucius there are Five Relationships in society 1. parent and child 2. older sibling and younger sibling 3. husband and wife 4. ruler and subject 5. friend and friend -except for friendship, no relationship is considered equal one person is always superior *within each relationship there are rules of behavior that must be followed: Role of Parent: Role of Older Sibling: Role of Husband: Role of Ruler: Role of Friends: Role of Child: Role of Younger Sibling: Role of Wife: Role of Subject:
*The most important duty of all: Filial Piety -filial piety is respect for one s parents and elders -Confucius believed that the roots of a stable and peaceful society began in the home -if a home is full of respect, if children learn to respect their elders, then that respect will be carried into society -through respectful relationships, society will become peaceful once again -The Ideas of Confucius are written in a large work called The Analects What Would Confucius Do? -Scenario 1: Min s mother had died when he was very young. His father later remarried and had two more sons. Min s stepmother always dressed her own sons in thick, warm coats, but she gave Min only a thin, lightweight coat. The boy never complained. One winter day, Min s father discovered he shabby coat his wife had given his oldest son. In a rage, the father ordered his second wife out of the house. What should Min do? -What you would do: -What Confucius would suggest: -Scenario 2: Ted is a successful businessman with a wife and two kids. His parents are getting old and need more care. He considers asking them to move in with him and his family. -What you would do: -What Confucius would suggest: -Scenario 3: Amanda has a chance to make some money on an idea that her friend shared with her. She could either tell everyone that it was her own idea and make a lot of money, or she could give credit to her friend but lose her chance to make a large profit. -What you would do: -What Confucius would suggest:
Daoism -Daoism was created by a man named Laozi, who lived during the Zhou Dynasty -Daoism is another Chinese philosophy -Laozi lived during the Warring States Period at the end of the Zhou Dynasty -there was a lot of warfare and crime -Zhou leaders were weak and could not protect the people -Laozi s philosophy includes ideas to bring peace and harmony back to China -Basic Ideas of Daoism: -When observing human behavior, Laozi saw that people s desire for power, wealth and success led to conflict, war and unhappiness -Instead of striving for power and wealth, Laozi believed that people should live in accordance to the laws of nature Laozi thought the goal of life was to achieve oneness with the Dao (the way), a universal force connected to nature that cannot be defined, only experienced and felt. Daoism teaches that humans should see themselves as part of nature. The only true rules and laws, according to Laozi, are the rules and laws of nature, or Dao. To discover how to behave, Daoists believe people should observe nature and try to live in harmony with it. To discover how nature acts, taught Laozi, sit by a river, feel a breeze, and observe a drifting cloud. In doing so, one notices that nothing in nature strives for fame or power. The river, the stream and the breeze move without effort because they follow the Dao, the way of nature that guides all things. Similarly, a simple creature like a squirrel is naturally wise because it does not argue or strive for personal glory. The squirrel simply follows the Dao. -Laozi stressed the importance of living within nature -have only what is necessary to survive -do not work yourself to exhaustion follow natural patterns of sleep and wakefulness -do not try to be famous or wealthy in nature, none of that matters -do not build huge structures or destroy nature for your own benefit -To live in harmony, or the Dao, people must also accept the idea of yin and yang -yin and yang are opposite, yet equal, forces in nature -light and dark -night and day -sharp and dull -good and evil -liquid and solid -male and female -soft and hard -heavy and light -hot and cold -heaven and earth -anger and happiness -life and death -humans can find happiness when they accept the yin and yang in their lives -accepting that good things will happen and that bad things will happen -do not dwell on good or bad just let them happen naturally -instead of controlling everything in your life, just let nature guide you everything will balance out. -what will happen, will happen -Quote from Laozi: Who can make muddy water clear? Let it be still and it will gradually become clear.
-In terms of government, Laozi was opposed to it -he believed it was unnatural for people to restrict others and to restrict the natural flow of nature -Laozi believed that laws created by humans were against the Dao -However, he understood that government was not going to disappear -he believed that if government was going to exist they should place little restrictions on people and create very few laws -he believed that governments should not interfere in the lives of the people -In general, Laozi believed that harmony and peace could return to China if people lived with the laws of nature, or the Dao. -Impact of Daoism -no government ever adopted Daoism as its philosophy -BUT, people read the philosophy of Laozi in his book called The Daodejing and adopted some of his ideas -the vast majority of people continued to live as they had before, but used some ideas to help them through difficult times -the idea of balance (yin and yang) became an important belief in Chinese civilization -a VERY small percentage of the population fully adopted all ideas of Laozi -they became hermits, or people who leave society and live in the wilderness alone -a few hermits who fully follow Daoism still exist today in China -most hermits live in mountainous regions of China and only come back to civilization to communicate with family members
Legalism -Legalism is a Chinese philosophy developed by -Han Feizi lived during the at the end of the Zhou Dynasty -the goal of Legalism was to after years of warfare -the ideas of Han Feizi s Legalist philosophy were outlined in his book entitled -Basic Ideas of Legalism: -Legalism states that all people, except the ruler, are -according to Han Feizi, all people are selfish and have a tendency to engage in -as a result of this natural stupidity, it was the ruler s job to teach his subjects how to behave -in order to teach proper behavior, a ruler must: 1. 2. have a and enforce the laws 3. inflict on those who break the law -punishments were to be cruel, often including 4. never allow (or forgiveness) for crimes 5. administer punishment in the law to all criminals -every person who breaks a law receives the -example: if a person is caught stealing their left foot shall be amputated, they will receive a permanent government issued tattoo and be sentenced to labor -each person who committed this crime would receive the same punishment regardless of who they were or how many laws they had broken previously -Purpose of Harsh Laws and Punishments: -Han Feizi believed that harsh laws and punishments would -fear, in turn, will and act appropriately -when people obey the ruler, will return to the land
Legalism -Legalism is a Chinese philosophy developed by Han Feizi -Han Feizi lived during the Warring States Period at the end of the Zhou Dynasty -the goal of Legalism was to restore stability and peace to China after years of warfare -the ideas of Han Feizi s Legalist philosophy were outlined in his book entitled Han Feizi -Basic Ideas of Legalism: -Legalism states that all people, except the ruler, are evil and unintelligent -according to Han Feizi, all people are selfish and have a tendency to engage in criminal behavior -as a result of this natural stupidity, it was the ruler s job to teach his subjects how to behave -in order to teach proper behavior, a ruler must: 1. create strict laws 2. have a police force to monitor the people and enforce the laws 3. inflict harsh punishments on those who break the law -punishments were to be cruel, often including body mutilation, forced labor or death 4. never allow pardons (or forgiveness) for crimes 5. administer punishment exactly as outlined in the law to all criminals -every person who breaks a law receives the exact same punishment -example: if a person is caught stealing their left foot shall be amputated, they will receive a permanent government issued tattoo and be sentenced to labor -each person who committed this crime would receive the same punishment regardless of who they were or how many laws they had broken previously -Purpose of Harsh Laws and Punishments: -Han Feizi believed that harsh laws and punishments would instill fear in the people -fear, in turn, will force the people to obey the ruler and act appropriately -when people obey the ruler, peace and stability will return to the land
Review: Chinese Philosophies -All developed during which dynasty: -All developed during which period of the dynasty listed above: -Purpose/Goal of these philosophies: Confucianism Daoism Legalism -Founder: -Text: -Important Vocabulary associated with Confucianism: -Founder: -Text: -Important Vocabulary associated with Daoism: -Founder: -Text: -Important Vocabulary associated with Legalism: -How Confucianism proposes it will restore peace and stability: -How Daoism proposes it will restore peace and stability: -How Legalism proposes it will restore peace and stability: -Impact on Chinese Society and Government: -Impact on Chinese Society and Government: -Impact on Chinese Society and Government:
Who Said It? -Instructions: You have learned about three Chinese philosophies created during the Zhou Dynasty; Confucianism, Daoism and Legalism. Now that you know the basic principles of each, read the following quotes. Determine which philosophy the quote comes from. Name the philosophy and then explain why the philosophy you chose is appropriate. In your explanation, refer to specific vocabulary or concepts from the philosophy. A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. Seeing that our body, with hair and skin, is derived (made from) our parents, we should not allow it to be injured in any way. This is the beginning of respect and bringing honor to our parents. Let the ruler be kind to all of the people; then they will be faithful to him. Let the ruler teach the people; then they will seek to be moral. When the wise man rules the state, he does not count on the people doing good of themselves, but employs such measures as will keep them from doing any evil. The best way to run the world is to leave it alone. While his parents are still alive, a son may not move far away.
First and foremost, a man must learn to be faithful to his superiors and keep promises. Who can make muddy water clear? Let it be still and it will gradually become clear. If the ruler is too compassionate, the law will never prevail. If the authority it too weak, the inferior will offend the superior. And so, if penalties are not strict and definite, prohibitions and decrees will take no effect. Punishments should not be anything but severe and definite. This will make people fear them. Laws should not be anything but uniform and steadfast. This will make people understand them. The ruler makes no changes in bestowing rewards, and grants no pardon in carrying out punishments. A good leader is best when the people do not know he exists. Those who are ignorant (unaware) about government say: Win the hearts of the people....as if all that the ruler would need to do would be just to listen to the people. Actually, the intelligence of people is not to be relied upon any more than the mind of a baby...
The Qin Dynasty (221BC- 206BC) -The Zhou Dynasty declined around 403BC -the Warring States Period continued for nearly 200 additional years -various groups fought for power -central government was weak and ineffective -constant warfare and instability -BUT, in 221 BC, a new dynasty took control of China: Qin (pronounced chin ) Dynasty -there was one leader of the Qin Dynasty: Emperor Shi Huangdi -Policies of Shi Huangdi: -Emperor Shi Huangdi adopted Legalism as his governing philosophy -the founder of Legalism, Han Feizi, was Shi Huangdi s advisor -they both believed that strict laws and harsh punishments would force people to obey -ex: anyone caught outside his village without a travel permit will have his ears or nose chopped off -ex: if a person is caught stealing, they will have their left foot amputated, be given a permanent government issued tattoo and would become a laborer for the government -ex: if a person criticizes the government they might be sent to the northern border of China for labor, have their hands cut off, be burned alive or be boiled to death in a pot -Positive Points of Shi Huangdi s Rule: -through his harsh policies, Shi Huangdi was able to make changes to China mostly because no one would question him -he ended the Warring States Period -he standardized (made a common) system of coined money throughout China -he created a standardized system of writing throughout the empire -he improved irrigation and canal systems -he built roads throughout the empire -Accomplishments: 1. The Great Wall of China -he linked previous walls that had been built across China -Purpose: to keep invaders from the northwest out of China, particularly the Mongols -300,000 laborers were forced to work on the wall -the wall was not finished during Shi Huangdi s rule other dynasties continued to work on it for hundreds of years after 2. Terra Cotta Army -nearly life sized figures of warriors accompanied by chariots and horses -the warriors are all in battle formation -they were all part of Shi Huangdi s elaborate tomb -warriors were intended to protect and serve him in the afterlife -it took nearly 700,000 workers and artisans to complete these figures -the entire tomb has not been uncovered because of the high concentration of mercury -Collapse of the Qin Dynasty: Shi Huangdi died in 210BC, most likely due to mercury poisoning -anger over heavy taxes, forced labor and cruel policies exploded into revolts after his death
The Han Dynasty (206 BC- AD 220) -The Qin Dynasty ended with the death of Emperor Shi Huangdi -after his death, the people revolted against harsh treatment and high taxes -Shi Huangdi s philosophy of Legalism was not well liked amongst his people -it is no wonder that his dynasty only lasted 15 years! -After the Qin Dynasty, the Han Dynasty took over -The Han emperors immediately began reversing the harsh policies of Shi Huangdi -Han rulers did not continue on with the Legalist policies of the Qin -Instead, they adopted Confucian philosophy to run the new government -remember: Confucianism stresses that leaders must: 1. be role models for subjects to follow 2. pass fair laws 3. be highly educated -Han Dynasty emperors followed Confucianism and government officials were required to follow this as well -In order to get the best qualified people to serve in the government, a Civil Service Exam was instituted -Civil Service Exams are tests that one must take and pass in order to become a government official -the Civil Service Exams in China were based on the Confucian texts and knowledge -Han emperors wanted workers who believed in Confucian ideals, such as respect, honesty, hard work, education and loyalty -Generally, it was only the wealthy who could afford the schooling in order to prepare for the test -However, people in lower classes were allowed to take the test and become government officials -The Civil Service Exam of ancient China still applies today, as the United States asks those seeking government employment to pass an exam as well -This picture is of civil service exam cells used in the 1800s in China. Test takers during the Han Dynasty (206 BC AD 220) would also have taken the exam in little cells like these. Tests would take up to three days to complete.
The Han Golden Age -During the Han Dynasty, China had a stable and effective government -the Han Dynasty used Confucianism as its government philosophy -Confucianism brought stability and social order -As a result, this stability brought about a Golden Age -A Golden Age is a time of great cultural and scientific achievements -What were some of the achievements of the Han Golden Age? 1. Silk Making -the Han further developed silk making technology in China -silk was a product that was in high demand in China -silk is beautiful, soft, lightweight and very cool -silk is also extremely strong and durable -the process of silk making was so important to the Chinese that anyone who leaked the method to an outsider could be put to death 2. The Silk Roads -the Chinese realized that materials like silk could be traded to people outside of China -in exchange for silk, the Chinese could get goods they wanted, like horses from Central Asia and luxury items -regular trade routes began forming during the Han Dynasty -the most famous and well traveled of the routes were the Silk Roads -the Silk Roads spanned thousands of miles -they stretched from China to the Mediterranean Sea -the Chinese were connected through these land routes to India, the Middle East and Europe -The Silk Roads increased demand for Chinese goods throughout Asia, Europe and Africa
3. The Spread of Buddhism to China -the Silk Roads linked China to India -It was in India that the religion of Buddhism was created -as Chinese merchants traded goods in India, they also traded ideas -Chinese merchants brought Buddhism back to China around AD 100 -the religion spread rapidly throughout China and it became a major religion -Buddhism is still a major religion in China today -the spread of Buddhism from one group of people to another is an example of Cultural Diffusion! -cultural diffusion occurs when groups of people share and exchange goods, ideas, religions, languages, food, etc. 4. Development of Paper -the Chinese developed a technique for papermaking -the paper was made out of wood pulp, just like our paper is today! -Chinese paper was in scroll form, but still very similar to what we use now! 5. Development of Acupuncture -the Chinese developed a medical technique called acupuncture -acupuncture involves sticking fine needles in specific points on the skin to relieve pressure and pain -this medical practice is still used throughout the world today 6. Other forms of technology: -they developed the wheelbarrow -the Chinese also developed rudders for boats