Chapter 2 Classical Civilization: China

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Chapter 2- Classical Civilization China

• Three dynastic cycles Zhou, Qin and Han
• Dynasty family of kings
• As ruling dynasty began to falter, usually
  another one arose and the pattern started anew
• Symbiosis -

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Yellow River Civilization
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The 4 Old-World River Valley Cultures

• Sedentary agriculture, metal tools replaced stone
• Domesticated animals, surpluses, rising
  population, specialization of occupation

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Shang Dynasty 1766-1027 BCE

• Northern China
• Ideographic symbols -elaborate written language
• Isolated from other ancient civilizations

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Bronze Age Empires
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Shang 1523-1028 BCE
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Oracle Bones
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Oracle Bones Calendar
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The Evolution of ChineseWriting during the Shang
Pictographs
Semantic-Phonetics Written Language
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ShangUrn
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Zhou Dynasty 1027 - 256 BCE

• Replaced the Shang First of Chinese classical
  civilizations.
• Ruled through alliances
• Promoted standard Mandarin Language
• Family of king dynasty
• Spoken language
• Life of Confucius

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River Valley Civilization
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Patterns in Classical China

• Zhou 1122-256 B.C.E. Ruled through
  alliances with regional Princes. Extended
  territory to Yangzi River and promoted standard
  Mandarin Chinese language.
• Chinas feudal period
• Extended the territory
• Middle Kingdom Chinas core rich land
  between Huanghe to Yangtze wheat and rice
  growing
• Mandate of Heaven justification for Chinese
  imperial rule Sons of Heavens rule of the
  emperors

The Yellow River or Huang He, received it name
River of Sorrow because it often flooded and
destroyed crops due to loess
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The Mandate of Heaven

• The leader must lead by ability and virtue.
• The dynasty's leadership must be justified by
  succeeding generations.
• The mandate could be revoked by negligence and
  abuse the will of the people was important.
• The Chinese later expanded this idea to explain
  the dynastic cycle, when ruler became weak or
  corrupt, Heaven withdrew its Mandate and gave it
  to another ruler.

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• Yangtze River along with the Yellow River
  Valley, supported the people of the early Chinese
  civilizations
• Mandarin Chinese standard largest group of
  people speaking the same language
• Zhou first to use chopsticks

Long distances and physical barriers isolated
China from other ancient civilization, leading
the Chinese to believe that China was the center
of the world and the sole source of civilization
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• Warring States 402-201 B.C.E. period when the
  Zhou system disintegrated
• Confucius Born at end of Zhou dynasty 5th c.
• Qin dynasty arose
• Qin Shi Huangdi First emperor characterized by
  centralizations of state rule elimination of
  local and regional competitors,

Yangzi River Valley

• Expanded boundaries of China to include Hong Kong
• The Great Wall of China was built in this era

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Terra Cotta Warriors During Qin Dynasty
Legalism Philosophy that gained ground during
the Zhu and was dominant during the Qin dynasty
which was rooted in the belief that laws should
replace morality and a ruler must provide
discipline to maintain order
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Calligraphy
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Terra-Cotta Army
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• Shi Huangdi Chinas First Emperor who gave
  that country its name. under his brutal rule,
  Hong Kong was annexed and the Great Wall of China
  was built. (over 3000 miles)
• National census increases tax revenues
• Written script uniform
• Single basic language
• Silk cloth
• Book burning
• Cruel dictator

During the Zhou and Shang periods, the Chinese
made remarkable achievements in astronomy and
bronze work,
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• Confucius, China most influential philosopher,
  taught that harmony resulted when people accepted
  their place in society.
• Confucianism Stressed the values of filial
  piety, loyalty to superiors and respect for
  inferiors, honesty, hard work, and concern for
  ethics.
• Confucius, a.k.a. Kung Fuzi c. 551-478 B.C.E.
  Chinese philosopher who wrote an elaborate
  political philosophy that became the core of
  Chinas cultural and political thinking for
  centuries. Those who adopted his teachings saw
  him not as a deity bust as a master of ethics.

Confucius
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• Moderation in behavior
• Reverence for tradition
• Ancestor worship
• Analects book written by followers of Confucius

Confucius
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• The Han dynasty (202-B.C.E. 220 C.E.)
  Followed the Qin dynasty (Chinese considered
  themselves - People of the Han
• Era generally characterized by stability,
  prosperity, and peace. Contemporary often
  compared to the Roman Empire.
• Han Rulers strengthened Chins government,
  expanded Chinas borders and Influenced and
  opened up the Silk Road, a major trade route that
  would link China and the west for centuries.

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• Wu Ti greatest Han emperor - Civil Service
  tests
• China largest political system in the world
• Chinese bureaucracy lasted from the Han period
  until the 20th century
• Encouraged the worship of Confucian as a god.
• Confucius was not a religious leader

Zhou, Qin and Han Chinese Classical Period
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Han Dynasty

• Accomplishments
• 1. Silk Road
• 2. Public Schools
• 3. Paper
• 4. Pulley and Lever
• Most Chinese today call themselves
  Han people

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The Great Wall started during the Qin dynasty

• The Han period was one of the golden ages of
  Chinese civilization with tremendous advances in
  the sciences, astronomy, technology, medicine and
  the arts.
• Paper was invented
• Ox-drawn plows and new collar
• Pulleys and winding gear

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Religion and Culture

• Role of education achieve social ends
• Confucianism ethical system based on
  relationships and personal virtue, predominant
  philosophy
• Legalism countered Confucianism authoritarian
  state and harsh rule
• Daoism harmony with nature and humble living.
  Laozi was Daoism founder
• Art decorative, carved jade and ivory, silk
  screens, calligraphy
• Science/math Astronomy important

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Economy and Society

• Economy focused on agriculture
• Sharp class division existed
• a. landowning aristocracy and educated
  bureaucrats
• b. Laboring masses, peasants
• c. Mean People unskilled labor
• Extensive internal trade
• Social China tight family structure was valued
• A. Hierarchical
• B. Deferential
• C. Patriarchal

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Chinese Civilization Fits Together

• Politics and culture meshed around Confucian
  bureaucracy
• Economic innovation emphasis on order and
  stability and family structure
• Little outside contact Large island of
  civilization (China), surrounded by barbarians
  with nothing to offer
• Divergence in philosophies of Confucianism,
  Daoism and eventually Buddhism.
• Synthesis of Chinese life accounts for durability

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• Global Connections Classical China and the World
• Longest lasting in world history
• Best-run bureaucracy and technologies
• Source of the worlds largest trade network, the
  Silk Road.
• Silk Road networks provided the framework for
  later global trading patterns

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• Silk Road The most famous of the trading routes
  established by pastoral nomads connecting the
  Chinese, Indian, Persian, and Mediterranean
  civilizations transmitted goods and ideas among
  civilizations.

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Yellow Mountains
Patriarchalism ideas that social organization
should be ordered with the male as the head of
the family and institutions.
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Cultural Diffusion