Classical China

THE SHANG DYNASTY: 1766-1122 B.C.E.

• Stretched from the north and southern region from the Huang He River valley

• Lasted 700 years• Bronze metallurgy, monopolized by elite • Agricultural surpluses supported large

troops • Vast network of walled towns • Constant struggle with nobles for power• The Shang capital moved six times• Lavish tombs of Shang kings

– Contained chariots, weapons, bronze goods

– Sacrificial human victims, dogs, horses

Zhou dynasty:1100-750 B.C. • Zhou (Pronounced like “Joe”)• Zhou acquired most of the Shang Culture and Technology• Last Shang King was said to be a physical giant and monster of

depravity among his cruelties was that he made drinking cups of the skulls of his vanquished enemies.

• Slaves and Zhou vassals revolted against Shang cruelties. (1050 B.C.)

Zhou dynasty • Revolt so fierce that the

blood in the streets of the capital was deep enough to float blocks of wood.

– Political organization • Adopted decentralized

administration• Used princes and relatives to rule

regions • Consequences

– Weak central government with ceremonial functions

– Rise of regional powers; often called feudalism

– Constant rivalry between warring families, nobles

Political System • Political system like feudal Europe

– Serfdom and Hereditary Lords• Land is endowed for oaths of military service.

– Local Lords were culturally and linguistically different.

Zhou Mandate of Heaven • Mandate of heaven

– Government receives it right to govern by heaven approval.– The responsibility of people to overthrow governments when

ruler loses the approval of the Gods.– Governments lose approval if they are unjust and ineffective.

MANDATE OF HEAVEN• The right to rule granted by heaven

– Zhou justified their overthrow of Shang – Ruler called "the son of heaven" – Only given to virtuous, strong rulers– To lose mandate = someone else should rule– Replacement of dynasties = Dynastic Cycle

• Signs one had lost mandate– Corruption, heavy taxes– Lazy officials and rulers– Revolts, invasions, civil wars, crime – Natural disasters– Society develops bad morals, habits

Heaven Commands Me• The Justification of the political change of these tough

frontiersman barbarian was that the iniquity of Shang is full “Heaven commands me to destroy it.”

Zhou Economic Growth • Iron tools like axes and ox drawn iron plows replaced wooden

farm tools.– Made farming better because farmers could produce more

food.• First time coin money began to be used.

– Made trade better because a merchant could carry money a lot easier then a herd of cows.

THOUGHT & LITERATURE• Zhou literature

• The Book of Change, a manual of diviners • The Book of History, the history of the Zhou • The Book of Rites

– The rules of etiquette and rituals for aristocrats • The Book of Songs

– The most notable of the classic works – Verses on themes both light and serious – Reflected social conditions of the early Zhou

• Destruction of early literature • Most Zhou writings have perished • 1st emperor destroyed most writings

FAMILY• Xia to Zhou ruled through family, kinship• Veneration of ancestors

• Belief in ancestors' presence, continuing influence • Burial of material goods with the dead • Offering sacrifices at the graves • Eldest males presided over rites honoring

ancestors• Only males could perform religious duties

• Patriarchal society • During Neolithic times, Chinese society =

matrilineal • Rise of states, war due to men's contribution s• After Shang, not even queens merited temples

THE SOCIAL ORDER• The ruling elites

• Royal family and allied noble families at the top • Their lavish consumption of bronze products, silk • Hereditary aristocrats with extensive landholding• Most of the land owned by the king, nobles

• Peasants, the majority of population • Called the “mean” people• Landless peasants provided labor • Lived in small subterranean houses • Wood, bone, stone tools before iron spread in the 6th

century B.C.E. • Women’s World

• Wine making, weaving, silkworm raising • Managing household, raising children• Elite women vs. poor women

OTHERS• Specialized labor

• Free artisans, craftsmen in great demand • Also served the needs of the ruling elites

• Merchants, trade were important • Jade from Central Asia, tin from SE Asia • A few pieces of pottery from India• Merchants ranked socially lower

• Slaves • Mostly war prisoners • Performed hard work • Became sacrificial victims

• Suspicious towards Foreigners• Xenophobia

CHINESE POPULAR RELIGION• Organized religion did not play a major role

in early china

• The Connection between family members on earth and deceased ancestors were an important element of “Heaven”

Chinese Religion

• Rulers/family Patriarchs – Consulted ancestors for guidance

• Use of Oracle bones – Inscribed with a question– When Heated the bones would crack

• Shamans would interpret communication through the patterns formed on the oracle bones.

THE FALL OF THE ZHOU

• Iron metallurgy . – Iron weapons helped regional authorities to resist the

central power– Qin mastered iron technology, weapons

• Nomadic invasion sacked capital• Other Troubles

– Territorial princes became more independent – Warring States (403-221 B.C.E.) – Rise of Qin state – Last king abdicated his position in 256 B.C.E.

Warring States 400-225 B.C.E

Chaos and War

• War becomes larger in scale and more ruthless

• Stronger states conquered and absorbed weaker ones.

• In response to crisis schools of thought were introduced – Confucianism– Daoism– Legalism

551 – 479 B.C.E.

Born in the feudal state of Liu.

Became a teacher and editor of books.

CONFUCIUS’ SEARCH FOR ORDER• Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.)

• A strong-willed man, from an aristocratic family • Traveled ten years searching for an official post • Educator with numerous disciples • Sayings compiled in the Analects by disciples

• Confucian ideas • Fundamentally moral and ethical in character • Restore political and social order; stress ritual • Formation of junzi - "superior individuals" • Edited Zhou classics for his disciples to study

• The key Confucian concepts • 5 Relationships and filial piety as basis of society

Li --> Rite, rules, ritual decorum (Binding force of an enduring stable society)

Ren --> humaneness, benevolence, humanity

Shu --> Reciprocity, empathy

Do not do unto others what you would

not want others to do unto you.

Yi --> Righteousness

Xiao --> Filial Piety (Respect your elders!)

The single most important Confucian work.

In Chinese, it means “conversation.”

Focus on practicalities of interpersonal relationships and the relationship of the role of rulers and ministers to the conduct of government.

Knowing what he knows and knowing what he doesn’t know, is characteristics of the person who knows.

Making a mistake and not correcting it, is making another mistake.

The superior man blames himself; the inferior man blames others.

To go too far is as wrong as to fall short.

Confucianism and Government – Each of the five involved both hierarchy and reciprocity.– In each pair, one role was superior and one,

inferior; one role led and the other followed.– Yet each involved mutual obligations and

responsibilities. – Failure to properly fulfill one’s role could lead to the

abrogation of the relationship

1. Ruler Subject

2. Father

Son

3. Husband

Wife

4. Older Brother

YoungerBrother

5. Older Friend

YoungerFriend

Status

Age

Gender

Confucianism– People could live together peacefully by recognizing

their roles in networks of relationships– The family is an example of how relationships linked

people together.

DAOISM• Prominent critics of Confucianism

• Understand natural principles, live in harmony with them• Laozi and Zhuangzi

• Laozi, founder of Daoism; wrote the Daodejing

• Philosophical Daoism• Dao - The way of nature, the way of the cosmos• Opposites in balance, complementary • Passive, yielding, does nothing , accomplishes

everything • Tailor behavior to passive, yielding nature • Ambition, activism brought the world to chaos

Not sure when he died. [604 B.C.E. - ?]

His name means “Old Master”

Was he Confucius’ teacher?

DAOIST Doctrine WUWEI• Disengagement from worldly affairs • Called for simple, unpretentious life, living in

harmony with nature • Advocated small state, self-sufficient community

– Political implications • Served as a counterbalance to Confucian activism • Individuals could live as Confucians by day, Daoists

by night• Generally Daoism flourishes when society at peace,

prosperous

Daoism

• Goal was to live in harmony with nature.

• Rejection of conflict and strife.– Stressed yielding.– Water does not resist

but yields.• Government the cause of

many problems.• Eventually turned into a

religion.

The basic text of Daoism.

In Chinese, it means The Classic in the Way and Its Power.

“Those who speak know nothing: Those who know are silent.”

These words, I am told, Were spoken by Laozi.

If we are to believe that Laozi, Was himself one who knew, How is it that he wrote a book,

Of five thousand words?

1. Dao [Tao] is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life.

2. A believer’s goal is to become one with Dao; one with nature. [“The butterfly or the man?” story.]

3. Wu wei --> “Let nature take its course.” --> “The art of doing nothing.” --> “Go with the flow!”

4. Man is unhappy because he lives acc. to man-made laws, customs, & traditions that are contrary to the ways of nature.

1. Rejecting formal knowledge and learning.

2. Relying on the senses and instincts.

3. Discovering the nature and “rhythm” of the universe.

4. Ignoring political and social laws.

To escape the “social, political, & cultural traps” of life, one must escape by:

Masculine Active Light Warmth Strong Heaven; Sun

Feminine Passive Darkness Cold Weak Earth; Moon

How is a man to live in a world dominated by chaos, suffering, and absurdity??

Confucianism --> Moral order in society.

Legalism --> Rule by harsh law & order.

Daoism --> Freedom for individuals and less govt. to avoid uniformity and conformity.

Legalism

• Legalism was introduced by the Qin to gain power and Stability.

• Rewards and Punishments to produce conformity to the rule of clear and well developed laws.

• Laws were stict• Promoted a practical and

ruthlessly efficient approach – No concern with ethics

and morality – No concern with the

principles governing nature

1. Human nature is naturally selfish.

2. Intellectualism and literacy is discouraged.

3. Law is the supreme authority and replaces morality.

4. The ruler must rule with a strong, punishing hand.

5. War is the means of strengthening a ruler’s power.

One who favors the principle that individuals should obey a powerful authority rather than exercise individual freedom.

The ruler, therefore, “cracks his whip” on the backs of his

subjects!

LEGALISM IN PRACTICE– The state's strength

• Agriculture • Military force

– Discouraged commerce, education, and the arts – Harnessing self-interest of people for needs of

state– Called “carrot and stick” approach in west – Called for harsh penalties even for minor

infractions – Advocated collective responsibility before law – Not popular among the Chinese, – Chinese used legalism if state threatened– Legalism still doctrine common to China

MOHISM• Founder Mo Zi

– Lived 470 – 391 BC– A commoner, worked with mean people– Served in military, ideas based on it

• Beliefs– Partiality, competition causes problems– Advocates doctrine of universal love– Advocates cooperation– Stress discipline, order, authority – Loyalty to all elders, not family– Emphasized practical; hate waste, war– Favor math, science over arts, ritual

Qin Dynasty: 221-206 B.C.

• Qin with legalism as its ideology succeeded in ending the Warring states era.

• Qin defeated all it rivals to unite China • 221 Chu kingdom fell and the King of Qin took the

title of Qin shihuangdi or first Emperor.

• Suppressing the resistance – Bitterly opposed, was opposed by Confucian scholars– Buried 460 scholars alive because of their criticism

against the Qin – Burned all books except some with utilitarian value

• Policies of centralization – Standardization of laws, currencies, weights, measures – Standardized scripts: tried to create uniform language– Creates a uniform writing system but not language

• Tomb of the First Emperor – The tomb was an underground palace – Excavation of the tomb since 1974 – Terracotta soldiers and army to protect tomb

• The collapse of the Qin dynasty – Massive public works generated ill will among people – Waves of rebels overwhelmed the Qin court in 207

B.C.E. – A short-lived dynasty, left deep marks in Chinese

history

Qin Economics• Qin laid the basis for an enduring imperial order.• Created unified Administrative system

– Standardized • Weight & measures system• Cart axle width• Coinage• Writing

Qin, Construction Tomb of the First Emperor

• Standardize people’s thoughts– Buried approx. 460 scholars alive because of their criticism

against the Qin – Burned books and scholars to eliminate unorthodox ideas.

• Imposed Taxes.• Massive Terracotta tomb.

Qin,Great Wall• Great wall of China

– Protected north steppe boarder– Reportedly 1 million died in the building of the wall

THE EARLY HAN DYNASTY– Han was long-lived dynasty– Early Han policies

• Sought middle way between Zhou and Qin• Royal relatives were not reliable, returned to centralized

rule

– Martial Emperor (141-87 B.C.E.) • Han Wudi ruled for 54 years • Pursued centralization and expansion

HAN Centralization– Adopted Legalist policies

• Built an enormous bureaucracy to rule the empire • Continued to build roads and canals • Levied taxes on agriculture, trade, and craft industries • Imperial monopolies on production of iron and salt

– Established Confucian educational system for training bureaucrats

• Tests to be in Bureaucracy.– Meritocracy, the best regardless of social class.– Officials selected through competitive testing

• Han imperial expansion – Invaded and colonized northern Vietnam and Korea – Extended China into central Asia

TRADE AND COMMERCE– Iron metallurgy: Farming tools, utensils, and weapons– State monopolies on liquor, salt and iron – Silk textiles

• High quality Chinese silk became a prized commodity• Traded as far a field as India, Persia, Mesopotamia, and

Rome – Paper production

• Invented probably before 100 C.E. • Began to replace silk and bamboo as writing materials

– Population growth • Increased from twenty to sixty million from 220 B.C.E. to

9 C.E. • Despite light taxation, state revenue was large

– Silk Road established: horses for silk

Han Dynasty 202 B.C to 220 A.D

• Traded with Rome and Indian Empires.

• Excepted Confucianism and the Han Dynasty was less cruel.

Han, Economics

• Canals Built.• Road System.• Markets.

– Scales.• Iron.

– Plows, Horse harnesses increase horse power.

• Fertilizer.– Animal wastes.

Han, Sciences

• History records begin to be kept.– History of the elite.

• Math, Science, Geography, and Astronomy.– Sternpost Ruder.– Magnetic Compass.– Paper from wood pulp.– 5th century wood block

printing.

Han, Medicine

• Acupuncture.• Figured out the function of internal organs.• Figured out the circulation of blood.• Metallic and Ceramic luxury items.

Han, Art

• Silk manufacturing.• Bronze, Jade, and

Ceramics used for art.• Poetry.• Landscape art.• Instrumental music.

Han, Foreign Affairs

• Groups that were assimilated by China.– White Huns.– Toba.

• Developed trade contacts with India.– Trade Commission sent to

Rome.– Nothing of interest in Rome.

• Diffusion of Buddhism.

Han, Problems

• Peasant Rebellions.• Disloyal Bureaucracy.• Over Taxation.• Warlords gained more

power.

HAN TROUBLES• Expeditions consumed the empire's surplus

• Raised taxes and confiscated land of some wealthy individuals

• Much of defense consumed on defending against nomads

• Social tensions, GAP between the poor and rich • Problems of land distribution

– Early Han supported land redistribution– Lands accumulated in the hands of a few

LOSS OF THE MANDATE

– Collapse of the Han • Factions at court paralyzed the central

government • Han empire dissolved• China was divided into regional kingdoms