Title: China and Japan
1China and Japan
Part I, Birth of China thru the Northern
Wei
- Gov/Hist 352
- Campbell University
2Japan
- Land Area 145,000 Sq. Miles/ California /-
- Population 128 Million. 99 Japanese. 1 Korean.
Low Birthrate 1.01 in Tokyo. Low Marriage
rate-Parasite Singles. - Arable Land 11.64
- Natural Resources Fish
- Per Capita Income/GDP 28,200/3.582 Trillion
- Life Expectancy Male-78/Female-84.
- Religion Shinto, Buddhist, and animists.
3Japanese Government
- Form Constitutional Monarchy
- Politics Dominated by the Liberal Democratic
Party (LDP). - Policy Objectives To secure resources. The
major investor in the Pacific Rim. ODA in 1999
was 11 Billion plus private funds. - Military Second largest military budget in world
at 1 of GDP (44.3 Billion). Why?
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
4China (PRC)
- Per Capita Income/GDP 2,500/2.97 Trillion with
growth of 9.5/year. - Life Expectancy Male-69/Female-71.
- Religion Officially Atheist but Taoism,
Buddhism, Islam, Christian, Ancestor Worship.
- Land Area 3,723,000/Slightlylt U.S. 4th largest
country. - Population 1.3 Billion. One Child Policy-Impact?
92 Han Chinese. Minorities occupy 60 of land. - Arable Land 14.86
- Natural Resources Coal, Oil, Iron, Tin, Uranium,
Lead, etc.
5Chinese Government
- Form Communist State (Peoples Republic of
China). - Politics Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
- Policy Objectives
- Internal unity, economic development, trade,
secure borders. - Role of Overseas Chinese
- Military 4.3 of GDP (About 35 Billion)
President Hu Jintao
6Chinas Military
- China sees its national interest as requiring
secure borders, access to resources (oil) and
secure sea routes for trade. - The status of Taiwan is a continuing issue.
- China is developing a blue water navy and
modernizing its air forces. It also has
demonstrated an anti-satellite missile capability.
Chinas newest fighter, the Jian-10
7Three Gorges Dam
- Located on Yangtze River, 1,500 km west of
Shanghai - Worlds largest dam. 1.4 miles long and 600 ft
high. - Will generate 18.2 GW from twenty-six 700-MW
generators. - Work began in 1993.The dam wall was completed in
2006 total completion by 2009.
Ships will be able to sail to Chongqing
8Taiwan (ROC)
- The other China Taiwan (Republic of China).
Population 21.7 Million - Chiang Kai-shek and Guomindang fled to Taiwan in
1949. They ruled Taiwan by marshal law until
1987. - The U.S. recognized and supported the ROC vs. the
PRC as the government of China until 1972. - The Dutch and Japanese had ruled Taiwan earlier.
9The Birth Of China
Painted pottery urn.
- Peking man- 50,000 years old remains.
- Yangshao Culture As early as 6000 BCE. Painted
pottery. - Longshan/Dawenkou Culture As early as 5000 BCE.
Black Pottery.
Paper thin black pottery.
10The Yellow Emperor
- The Yellow Emperor (2698-2598 BC) is a legendary
figure from whom the Han Chinese claim descent.
The term yellow refers to the Yellow River
valley as their land of origin. - He succeeded Pan Gu, the offspring of Yin Yang
and the creator of the universe. - He is credited with founding the Chinese empire
and may be linked to the Xia Dynasty.
11Three Early Dynasties
- Xia (Hsia) 2100-1600BC
- Shang (Yin) 1600-1027 BC
- Zhou (Chou) 1027-221 BC
- Western Zhou, Xian or Changan, 1027-771BC
- Eastern Zhou, Louyang, 770-221BC
- Spring and Autumn Annals 770-476 BC
- Warring States 475-221 BC.
12Cultural Core Area
- The formative influence was disproportionate due
to idealization of past. - Nomadic people settled in protected valleys of
Wei and Yellow Rivers. - Fortuitous quality of loess soil for compacting
and plowing. Walls, floors and foundations. - Farmed millet raised pigs, dogs, sheep,
chickens, deer, ox, etc. - Bronze (Cooper-Tin alloy) age tools and artifacts.
13Remains of Civilization
- Excavation of tombs of kings and nobility such as
at Anyang yielded - Treasures of bronze.
- Pottery, marble and jade.
- Chariots, horses and armaments.
- Remains of human sacrifices.
- Dragon/oracle bones.
- Post beam construction.
- Remains of city wall 60ft wide at base, 30 ft hi
and 4 miles long.
Anyang was the last capital of the Shang Dynasty.
The Shang had 7 capitals and 30 kings.
14Dragon/Oracle Bones
Tortes shell and scapula were used by shamans for
divination. Thousands have been recovered.
15Early Writing
- During the Shang Dynasty written symbols were
largely pictographic. They later became
ideographic and phonetic.
16The Power of the Written Word
- The written word was part of the shaman's magic.
The aura of magic continued to surround the
written word through much of Chinas history.
Example Memorial to the Crocodiles. - Dragon/Oracle Bones
- Deal with war, planting, weather, hunts,
journeys, etc. - Written to the Shang god Shang Ti (original
ancestor who exercised power over the weather,
sun, moon and stars)and Tien (heaven).
17Bronzes
(Above) Shang bronze chest. (Right) Figure from
Sanxindui in Southwest China.
18Alter Pieces
- Bronzes were principally used for ceremonial and
commemorative purposes. They were frequently used
as alter pieces in the worship of ancestors. - The Taotie dragon pattern is a recurrent
decorative theme. The dragon guards the gates of
heaven.
19Shang Government
- The Shang were ruled by kings whose subjects were
much like extended families or clans. - Succession was from older to younger brother.
- Filial piety (family loyalty) held the kingdom
together. - The kings role included religious rituals to
ensure the fertility of the soil, rain, good
crops, etc. - The Shang nobility conducted huge hunts in
chariots which were essentially war maneuvers. - The score keeper of archery matches may have been
the precursor of the mandarin.
20Zhou Dynasty (1027-221 BCE)
- Zhou was originally a vassal state of the Shang.
- The Zhou originated the idea of the mandate of
heaven to legitimize its conquest of the Shang. - The Zhou kings took the title of Son of
Heavenand ruled thru a feudal-like structure. - The Zhou left a remnant to continue sacrifices to
the Shang ancestors.
The Zhou ruled as many as 140 petite states
21The Duke of Zhou
- King Wu (Wu Wang) died 3 years after he conquered
the Shang, leaving a 13 year old heir, King
Cheng. - King Wus younger brother, the Duke of Zhou,
declared himself regent and ruled in King Chengs
place. - The eastern states gravitated to the Shang
remnant and revolted. The Duke fought a lengthy
war to defeat the rebels and consolidate the
kingdom. - When King Cheng turned 17, the Duke returned the
united kingdom to him and retired.
22Declining Power
- Just as the Zhou challenged the more civilized
Shang, so other western barbarian groups and
emerging states challenged and weakened Zhou.
Likewise, the pleasures of the harem corrupt and
dynastic decline takes its toll. - The Western Zhou finally fell when King You
sought to replace his Queen with his favorite
concubine, Baosi. The queens father, Marquess
of Shen (a barbarian people) joined forces with
Zheng, Lu and Qin to sack the capital and place
the Queens son, Ji Yijui on the throne. The
capital was move to Luoyang in 770 BCE..
23Eastern Zhou (770-221 BCE)
- The move to the eastern capital and questions
about the legitimacy of the heir accelerated the
decline of the Zhou. - Multiple states vied for power and position. The
strongest was granted the title of Ba(Pa) to rule
over a confederacy of states on behalf of the
King. - In theory, only the king was absolute monarch,
son of Heaven, empowered to perform rituals to
maintain the harmony of heaven and earth, to
invest feudal lords with estates and recognize
new states. In fact, he became a figure head.
24Spring and Autumn Annals
- A history of the state of Lu and one of the 5
classics, the title of which designates the
period 770-476 BCE. - Tradition holds that Confucius edited the annals.
- Prominent states of the period included Qi
(Shandong), Jin (Shanxi), Chu (Yangzi River) and
Qin (Shaanxi).
25Warring States (476-221 BCE)
- The absorption of smaller states accelerated. The
struggle narrowed to seven Qi, Chu, Yan, Han,
Zhao, Wei Qin. - The size of armies increased from 30,000 to
100,000, largely composed of infantry and cavalry
equipped with iron weapons. The dagger-axe pike
and cross-bow were among the favored weapons. - Warlords took the title of king instead of duke,
asserting equality with the King of Zhou. - Walls were built for protection.
- The Hundred Schools of Philosophy emerged.
26The Hundred Schools of Philosophy
- The period of the Eastern Zhou was the time of
the Hundred Schools. The term suggests an
explosion of ideas. A struggle emerged between
competing philosophies to achieve dominance. - A class of nobility arose in addition to the
warriors who were literate, the Junzi (Chun Tzu)
or Gentry, thus Gentlemen. With the Warring
States period, further social mobility led to the
status of the nobility being threatened. - Four major schools of thought dominated the
period Confucianism (Ruclassical tradition),
Mohism, Daoism and Legalism. Legalism was the
winner it could demonstrate measurable results.
It was later modified into Imperial Confucianism
during the Han Dynasty.
27Confucius
- Lived from 551 to 475 BCE.. Born in Lu (Shandong)
of noble family. Famous as a teacher and mentor. - Some portray him as unsuccessfully office seeker,
whose goal was to be an advisor to kings. - The Analects are a collection of his teachings
recorded by his students. Some claim that he
edited the Odes and wrote the Spring Autumn
Annals.
Kongfuzi/Kung Fu Tzu (Master
Kong)
28Confucian Teachings
- He believed man was instinctively good, but
required training and refinement. He placed great
weight on Li (ritual) to achieve refinement. - He believed music was particularly useful as a
civilizing agent. Learning to play and
appreciate music taught discipline and
sensitivity. - His ideal man was the junzi, the true
gentleman. The Duke of Zhou was his model, fully
versed in the humanities with a sense of
propriety and fellow feeling/ humanness or Ren. - The junzi was a nobility of training and virtue.
Noble birth was assumed. Why?
29Confucian Teachings (Contd)
- He saw proper hierarchical relationships as the
key to an orderly society. There are five father
and son, ruler and minister, husband and wife,
older and younger brother, friend and friend. - He expressed the importance of moral and ethical
values through the concept of rectification of
names. - He did not seek to challenge the absolute power
of monarchy, only guide it. A truly virtuous king
would rule thru the power of his example. - His reverence for the past reinforced ancient
religious practices, such as ancestor worship.
30Moism
- Mo Di/Mozi (Master Mo) (470-391BCE) was of humble
birth from either Song or Lu. - Like Confucius, he attracted a large following of
students who recorded his teachings. He pioneered
an argumentative essay style. - His writings are of a master engineer craftsman
who became an expert in defensive warfare.
Understood Newtons first law of motion. - He was a pacifist in the sense that he condemned
all offensive warfare and offered his assistance
to those attacked.
31Moism (Contd)
- He advocated universal love or altruism without
partiality for family and friends as the way of
correcting the failings of society and
government. - He emphasized utilitarianism instead of tradition
as a measurement for good and evil of actions. - He believed self-reflection instead of ritual was
the best means of cultivating benevolence. - His ideas lost influence during the Han Dynasty,
but became popular under the Republican and
Communist regimes.
32Mencius
- Mencius was born in Zhou and is considered to be
the Second Sage (or St. Paul) of Confucianism. - He believed man was innately good. Society or
environment was responsible for bad moral
character. As evidence he cited the Four Sprouts
or Beginnings - a. Alarm and distress.
- b. Commiseration.
- c. Deference and compliance.
- d. Realization of right and wrong.
Meng Tzu/Mengke/ko (372-289 BCE
33Mencius (Contd)
- His view of the Mandate of Heaven was essentially
that of a social contract. The right of revolt
was implicit. - The king should rule thru the power of his
goodness which would transform society. - The duty of government/society was to nurture
goodness, thereby transforming the individual. - His model sage was Shun, a man of lowly birth who
attained such virtue and wisdom that King Yao
abdicated in his favor.
34Daoism/Taoism
- Dao/Tao means the way or path of the universe.
- Both philosophical and religious forms exist
based on the Laozi and Zhuangzi. The religious
form was associated with alchemy, magic, fortune
telling, secret societies, etc.. - The Daoism is attributed to Laozi (Master Lao), a
putative figure who claimed to live before
Confucius. His writings suggest the opposite.
Yin-Yang symbol
35Daoism (Contd)
- Daoism asserts people are good in their natural
state. They should be left alone to live in
harmony with nature.(Akin to noble savages.) - Daoism is iconoclastic. It challenges
conventional morality and the values of
Confucianism, Moism and (later)Buddhism. - As related to government, Daoism advocates
mitigated anarchism. Government acts by
non-acting, doing as little as possible and not
disturbing the peoples Wa.
Confucius, Buddha Laozi tasting the vinegar.
36Daoism (Contd)
- The ideal Daoist society would be one in which
the people live in primal simplicity and
ignorance. - The ideal Daoist human is one who functions
intuitively and is not bothered by artificial
concepts of good evil. - Daoist anecdotes convey a sense of perspective,
such as Zhuangzi and the Butterfly.
Hell Bank Notes are being replaced by Hell Bank
Visa Cards.
37I Ching/Jing or Book of Changes
- The I Ching is a book of numerology which is
primarily associated with Daoism. - The book is based on the interpretation of 64
hexagrams, each composed of two trigrams. The
trigrams are combinations of three solid and/or
broken lines. - Solid lines are considered to be yang, broken are
yin.
38The Five Elements/Agents
- In ancient Chinese philosophy, the five elements
were used to describe the interactions and
relationships between phenomena, such as seasons,
colors, notes, smells, directions, etc. - The elements also correspond to yin-yang. Earth,
water and wood are considered yin fire and metal
are yang.
The Five Elements have been used in music,
medicine, military science, acupuncture,
psychology, geomancy, etc.
39Xunzi/Hsun Tzu
- Xunzi (Xun Kuang) is one of the three great
Confucian philosophers. He lived during the
Warring States period, studied and taught in the
Jixia academy in Qi and later held office in the
Chu. - His most famous students were Han Feizi and Li
Si, who opposed Chu and were instrumental in the
unification of China under the Qin Dynasty.
Xunzi was born in Zhao in 312 BCE. Lived until
220BCE.
40Xunzi (Contd)
- Xunzi advocates the Way (Dao) of the sages, of
good government and proper behavior. The Way is
taught thru ritual. - He does not believe in Heavens intervention
nevertheless, recommends ritual prayer and
sacrifices. Why? - He believes that man instinctively makes bad
choices and is morally blind, i.e., he is bad.
His instincts lead to conflict. - The role of education is to transform man by
changing his basic instincts.
41Legalism
- Founded by Han Feizi (280-233 BCE) and Li Si in
the late Warring States period. Han Fei was the
theoretician Li Si was the politician. - Han Fei was a prince of Han. He wrote a book (55
chapters) to compensate for stuttering. Was
employed by Qin as an ambassador. In 234 BCE, he
was charged with treason by Li Si. - Li Si (280 208 BCE) was from Chu. He was
Chancellor of Qin from 246-208 BCE and
responsible for its policies after unifying China.
School of Law
42Legalism (Contd)
- Three principles are central to Legalism.
- Law Laws must be written, publicized and equally
applied to all, regardless of rank or
circumstances, as immutably as the laws of
nature. - Legitimacy Power is vested in the position, not
the man. The structure of the state should be
strong enough to allow even an average person to
rule successfully. - Morality Morality and human nature are
irrelevant. Rewards and punishments are all that
matter. - The old feudal relationships were dead.
- The goal was to build a strong state and
military.
43Shang Yang
- Qin began its rise to power when Shang Yang
(Gongsun Yang/Lord Shang) became chief advisor to
the Duke of Xiao (361-338 BCE). He was born in
Zhou and possibly served as a royal tutor in Wei. - He brought Li Kuis Book of Law (407 BCE) from
Wei and implemented it in 356 BCE. - King Huiwen put him and his family to death in
338 BCE as revenge for having been punished
earlier without regard for his rank..
Shang Yang
44Shang Yangs Policies
- Implemented the Book of Law with the addition of
providing punishments equal to that of the
perpetrator for those failing to report crimes. - Stripped the nobility of land rights and titles.
Replaced the nobility with a military rank
structure. Assigned ranks and land to soldiers
based upon military success. - Encouraged agriculture over commerce and the
cultivation of unsettled lands and wastelands.
Encouraged immigration. - Burnt Confucian books. Why?
- Standardized land allocation and taxes.
45Shang Yangs Policies (Contd)
- 6. Established a central bureaucracy and divided
the state into administrative districts instead
of feudal domains. - 7. Taxed peasants directly.
- 8. Conscripted all males between 15 and 56.
- 9. Eliminated primogeniture as a means of
deconstructing the extended family clan system. - 10. Implemented a Horizontal Alliance strategy of
foreign relations. Befriend distant states
conquer neighboring states. - 11. Considered all culture and traditional
virtues a waste. -
46The Qin Dynasty
- The Qin unified China in 221 BCE, but only lasted
until 207. The regime was as revolutionary as
Maos - China was divided into 36 commanderies which were
subdivided into counties, all under central
control. - The feudal nobility was replaced and officials
assigned on the basis of performance, not birth. - The title of Emperor was taken by the ruler
instead of king (wang), the first supreme
ultimate.
Shi Huangdi
47Qin Dynasty (Contd)
- Uniform laws were enforced without regard to
position or title. - Weights and measures were standardized for the
whole country. - Axle widths were standardized.
- Standardized and simplified the written
language. - The population was disarmed, including the Junzi.
48Qin Dynasty (Contd)
- 120,000 aristocratic families were transported to
Shaanxi. - Built the Great Wall, 1,400 miles long as a
defense against the Xiongnu. - Built roads and canals.
- Burned the books of all other philosophies.
- Executed 460 scholars for concealing books.
- Exhausted the country thru taxes and labor
demands.
49Qin Shi Huangdi
- Qin Shi Huangdi died while on an inspection tour.
Li Si and Zhao Gao ( a eunuch) conspired to keep
his death a secret until they could forge a will
directing the heir, Er Shi Huangdi, to commit
suicide. Why? He did, leaving the third son. - In 1974, a peasant accidentally unearthed the
tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi about 20 miles east of
Xian. There are 8,099 terracotta figures plus a
complete world with stars and rivers.
Terracotta soldiersQin tomb
50Han Dynasty (206 BCE 220CE)
- The death of Qin Shi Huangdi led to a civil war
in which many previously existing states
reemerged. - The final struggle is called the Chu-Han
Contention. It pitted Xiang Yu of Chu nobility
against Liu Bang, a peasant who became prince of
Han. - Xiang Yu sought to restore the old aristocracy.
Xiang Yu won the battles Liu Bangs politician
skills won the war.
Han Gaozu/Liu Bang (247-195 BCE)
51The Han Dynasty
- The Han Dynasty is divided into
- The Former/Western Han (206 BCE- 9 CE) at
Changan. - The Wang Mangs Xin (9-23 CE)
- The Later/Eastern Han (25-220 CE) at Luoyang.
Chinese records describe several Roman embassies
that traveled to China and one in particular that
met Emperor Huan in 166 BCE.
52Western Han (206 BCE 9 CE)
- The Western Han established Changan (aka Xian)
as its capital. It was a huge urban center laid
out on a N-S axis. - It was one of the two largest cities in the
ancient world. Rome was the other. - Changan also served as the capital of the Sui
Tang Dynasties and was the model for Kyoto.
53Western Han
- Han Gaozu awarded kingdoms to his supporters
however, the basic centralized structure of the
empire was retained. - Encouraged a venire of Confucianism, but legalism
remained at the core of government. - Sought to restore prosperity and encourage
agriculture. War had ravaged the land and
inflation was rampant. A horse cost 300 lbs of
gold. A bushel of rice cost a pound of gold. - Forced to deal with an emerging merchant class,
in spite of Confucian scruples.
54Western Han Under Wudi
- The dynasty reached its height under seventh
emperor, Wudi. His reign last 54 years
(141-86BCE). - Confucianism became the official state
philosophy. Held first examinations, although
appointment to office based on position and
recommendation continued. - The first official history was written by Sima
Qian, the Shiji. It became the model for
subsequent histories. It described the
surrounding peoples as barbarians and promoted
the idea of the dynastic cycle. - He expanded the empire to include N. Vietnam,
Korea and Central Asia along the Silk Road.
55Confucian Bureaucracy
- Bureaucracy became the hallmark of Chinese
government. It took shape during the Western Han. - Initially, appointments were based on
recommendations by officials of filial and
honest young men of good family. - Established an examination system which was in
theory open to all hence, permitted some social
mobility. - Established an Empirical University which
produced 30,000 graduates by the end of the
Eastern Han. - The system produced a well trained, dedicated
civil service, loyal to the central government.
56Wu vs. Wen
- The Confucian literati and the Emperor formed a
symbiotic relationship in governing the country.
The emperor provided wuthe structure of power,
e.g., army, police, etc. The scholars provided
wen the knowledge of precedent and statecraft
that legitimized power and made the system work. - The scholars were not yes men. They believed
that they had a mission to guide the emperor no
matter the consequences. Ex. Sima Quians defense
of a Chinese general and Wudis reaction.
57Western Han the Silk Road
- Constant warfare against the Xiongnu led to
efforts to control border areas and beyond, e.g.,
the Silk Road. - In 138 BCE, Wudi sent Zhang Quian to contact the
Yuezhi, whom the Xiongnu had displaced. The goal
was to back-door the Xiongnu. - After 10 years imprisonment by the Xiongnu, Zhang
Quian contacted the Yuehzi in modern Uzbekistan
and negotiated an alliance. He returned to China
12years after his departure.
58Han Economic Policy
- Taxes Emperor Wus expansion of the empire
required new sources of revenue. - Established salt and iron monopolies.
- Tax assets at 10. The tax encouraged inflation.
- Sold offices, titles and dispensations from
punishment. - Currency To combat speculation and hording
established - A government mint to produce silver coinage after
rampant inflation and white stag currency.. - The Ever-Normal granary system to stabilize
prices by buying surpluses and selling during
shortages.
59Wang Mang the Xin
- Wang Mang rose to power as the nephew of Grand
Empress Dowager Wang. He was appointed regent to
a succession of three child emperors, finally
taking the title of acting emperor. In 9 AD, he
claimed the full title. - Wang Mang cultivated the reputation of being a
competent but filial official. In fact, he
murdered the last child emperor and purged the
royal court.
Wang Mang, the usurper
60Wang Mangs Policies
- Restored a version of the ancient Zhou well-field
system. - All land became the property of the state. Could
not be sold or bought. - Required redistribution of land in excess of one
well (0.6 sq km). - Abolished slave trade, but not slavery, per se.
- Created an economic adjustment agency (price
stabilization). - Created new coinage, an income tax and added new
state monopolies on liquor and weapons.
61 Xin Failures (9-23 CE)
- Wang Mangs attempt at land reform while needed
only led to gentry resistance. - The yield from additional taxes and monopolies
were largely offset by corruption and graft. - Changes in coinage led to anger and inflation.
- The Yellow River shifted its course from North to
South 3 times, flooding the Shantung Peninsula. - The Xiongnu and other tribal groups revolted.
- Secret Societies like Mother Lus Red Eyebrows
inspired peasant insurrection.
62Fall of the Xin
- The Xin became embroiled in constant and costly
warfare with tribal groups on its borders. - Over a period of time insurgent groups coalesced
around Liu family pretenders. Eventually, Liu Xiu
was declared Prince of Han. - Changan and the palace were attacked in 23 CE.
Wang Mang 1,000 members of his court died in
the battle. His head was kept as a souvenir. - The restored Han Dynasty established its capital
in Louyang in 25 CE.
63The Eastern Han (25-220 CE)
- Protracted civil war resulted in automatic land
and tax reform. - Ban Chao defeated the Yuezhi and reasserted
control over Central Asia, leading military
forces to the Caspian Sea. - Dou Xian weakened the Xiongnu in Mongolia
allowing growth of Xianbei power. - Trade and diplomacy flourished. Western Central
Asia , Japan and Rome all sent envoys tribute.
Ban Chao dominated Central Asia, 73-94 CE.
64Han Accomplishments
- The Han Chinese developed paper, water clocks,
sundials, astronomical instruments and invented
the seismograph. - Wrote texts on chemistry, zoology and botany
measured the movements of the stars and planets - Diagnosed diseases, used herbal remedies drugs
developed acupuncture. - Invented the ship rudder and suspension bridge.
The Chinese invented the seismograph in 132
CE.
65Fall of the Eastern Han
- Four factors led to the fall of the Eastern Han.
- Great landed families dominated selection process
for bureaucratic offices and provided imperial
consorts. They blocked needed land and tax
reforms. - Protracted border wars caused an acute fiscal
strain. - In 166 CE, eunuch power reached the point of
allowing them to seize control of the government.
Called the Proscription, eunuch control lasted 18
years before the Massacre of the Eunuchs by Dong
Zhou. - Rebellions by secret societies like the Celestial
Masters and Yellow Turbans led to their control
of entire provinces. -
66Cao Cao and the Warlords
- After the Han capital was burned in 190 CE by
Dong Zhou, Cao Cao offered Emperor Xiandi refuge
in his capital at Xuchang. - The emperor soon became Cao Caos puppet.
- When Cao Cao died, his son Cao Pi, accepted the
emperors abdication in 220 CE and established
the Wei Dynasty.
Wei was carved out by Cao Cao. He was sent to
subdue the nomadic tribes of the area. He fought
the Yellow Turbans and defeated the Celestial
Masters.
67Three Kingdoms
- The period that followed the collapse of the
Eastern Han is called the Three Kingdoms. - (Cao) Wei occupied the north, Shu (Han) occupied
the west and Wu occupied the south. The Shu and
Wu were founded by members of the Liu royal
family. - Cao Cao sought to reunite China but was defeated
by a coalition of Shu and Wu.
The Romance Of Three Kingdoms, a classic of
Chinese literature, celebrates the period.
68Overview 400 Years of Disunity
- Following the Three Kingdoms, China was briefly
reunited by the Jin (265-316). - The Jin was followed by the Sixteen Kingdoms in
the north (304-439) and the Six Dynasties
(220-589) in the south, all with capitals at
Nanjing. - The Tuoba clan of the Xianbei supplanted the
Xiongnu and other Xianbei tribes to establish
Northern or Tuoba Wei (386-534). - The Northern Wei united China north of the Yellow
River, effectively ending the period of the
Sixteen Kingdoms.
69Wei - Jin Connection
- Cao Pi established the Wei Dynasty with the
support of General Sima Yi. The Sima family
deposed the emperor in 265 and established the
Western Jin (265-316) with Louyang as its
capital. - In 289, the Western Jin conquered the Wu (the
last of the Three Kingdoms) and unified China. - Internal strife weakened the Western Jin and in
308, the Xiongnu chief, Liuyan captured Louyang
and the emperor. A remnant fled to Changan but
was defeated in 316 by Liuyan. - The remainder of the Western Jin fled to Jiankang
(Nanking) and became the Eastern Jin (316-420)
70Northern Wei
- The Touba established its capital at Datong
(Shanxi),later moved to Louyang. - They adopted the Chinese language, titles, dress,
ceremonies, music and legal codes and
intermarried. - Used Chinese officials to collect taxes, keep
records and run the government. - Created 30,000 Buddhist cave images.
Gilt Bronze Buddha, 55 hi.
71Northern Wei (Contd)
- The Tuoba admired and sought to imitate the Han.
- They instituted the equal field system which
was applied primarily to open land. - Adopted the nine-rank system for recruiting
officials. It relied on inherited family rank. - Administratively organized the land using a
system of fives. Five families formed a
neighborhood (lin), five neighborhoods formed a
village (li) and five villages formed a commune
(tang).
72Religion and Culture
- The disunity following the Han created a cultural
melting pot. - Buddhism which had just reached China during the
Han became a major force. - Nomadic people from the Inner Asian frontier
conquered the north and were in turn Sinified. - Sinification resulted in a fatal split within the
Northern Wei between border garrisons and the
more southern ruling class.
Longmen Caves, Louyang
73Buddhism
- Expansion of Buddhism to the East, 1st-10th
Century CE.
74Recurring Patterns
- Development of Centralized Bureaucracy.
- Aristocratic Families Vs. Exam System Graduates.
- Inner Vs. Outer Court.
- Consort and Eunuch Power.
- Impact of Inner Asian Frontier.
- Regionalism and Warlordism.
- Ever Shrinking Tax Base.
- Buddhist Daoist - Confucian Interaction.
75The End of Part I
The Chinese invented the first wheelbarrow.