Early China

1
Early China

• Zhou, Qin, and Han

Grrr
2
Geography

• Virtually isolated by Gobi desert, Tibetan
  Plateau, and Pacific Ocean

3
Zhou Dynasty1028 BCE - 221 BCE

• Beat the Shang Dynasty claiming the Zhou had
  heavens approval to rule China the Mandate of
  Heaven
• Nobles owned large pieces of land and peasants
  worked the land
• Relatives of the royal family were appointed
  governors of city-states
• Each of these lords raised his own army
• This works at first, but eventually the begin to
  fight among themselves

4
Achievements of the Zhou

• Technological Advances
• Built roads and expanded trade
• Formed a cavalry, made the cross bow
• Chinese writing
• Iron plows, irrigation, flood control
• Laozi and Confucianism

5
Qin Dynasty221 BCE 207 BCE

• The name China comes from this Dynasty
• Ruler was Qin Shi Huangdi first emperor
• Linked existing fortification into the Great Wall
  
• Unified China by
• Politically Strong Central government, limiting
  power of nobles, uniform code of laws
• Physically Building roads and canals
• Culturally Simplifying and standardizing writing
• also burned books so Chinese would forget about
  past diversity

Do you like my Hat?
6
Han Dynasty206 BCE 220 CE

• Promoted Confucianism (govt officials had to
  take tests on Confucian literature for jobs)
• Allowed Buddhism to be introduced from India
• Established trade routes for silk and spices Silk
  Road
• Pax Sinica Height of Power, prosperity, and
  culture
• Fall of Han dynasty led to 400 years of war
• Buddhism widely accepted after this because it
  promised eternal peace

7
Chinese Society and Culture

• Family
• Most important part of society
• Hierarchy organized into levels, oldest male
  leader
• Extended families many relatives in one house
• Women were beneath men and under their authority
• Filial Piety Confucianism demanded respect for
  your parents above all else

8
Society

• Three Classes
• Landowners wealthy lifestyle supported by the
  work of the peasants
• Peasants (90)
• Turned over part of what they grew as rent to the
  landowners
• Required to pay taxes
• Required to work on Government projects one month
  a year
• Merchants shopkeepers, traders, bankers
• Bottom of society because Confucianism said that
  working for profit was unworthy

9
Dailies

• What are the three main religions (philosophies)
  of China?
• Why were merchants considered the lowest class in
  China?
• Describe filial piety. What belief system is it
  associated with?
• Who built the Great Wall of China?
• What dynasty did Confucius and Laozi live during?