CHINA

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CHINA
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• Like many early civilizations during the
  Neolithic period a civilization was established
  along a river the HUANGHE or Yellow River in
  northern China.
• The river and the land (called LOESS) around it
  has a yellow color to it from the dust blown
  there from the west.
• The Huanghe floods often very destructively
  causing the river to be called Chinas Sorrow.

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Huanghe
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• The mountains, deserts, and sheer distance from
  the Middle East and India allowed China to
  develop in relative isolation.
• By the end of the Neolithic period the
  civilization along the Huanghe had already
  developed a written language and religion. These
  ancient peoples are the subject of myth
  concerning the origins of China their mythical
  ancestor Pan Ku. We do know that there was an
  organized society that regulated irrigation from
  the Huanghe. They rode horses and were skilled
  pottery and bronze artisans.

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Shang China

• Sometime about 1700 B.C.E., the people of the
  Huanghe were conquered by the SHANG who used
  their great ability to use chariots in order to
  defeat their enemies.
• The Shang established the first DYNASTY in China.
  The Shang kings/emperors established a strong
  BUREAUCRACY in order to run the empire.
• The Shang built the first great monuments
  palaces and tombs in China. China would become
  the first great CLASSICAL society. It is here
  that the people begin to build a distinct Chinese
  identity that exists to this day.

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• As with most civilizations most Shang Chinese
  were farmers although the emperor owned all the
  land.
• The Shang developed the ability to cast delicate
  bronzes (copper mixed with tin).
• The Shang Chinese combined ancestor worship with
  animism.
• The Shang Chinese developed their writing into a
  system of characters or PICTOGRAPHS written in
  beautiful CALLIGRAPHY. IDEAGRAPHIC
• ISOLATION throughout most of Chinese history,
  the people were relatively isolated from the
  larger word HOWEVER keep in mind that invaders
  (usually from the north) and trade with India
  gave China some contact with the larger world.

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CLASSICAL CHINA

• ZHOU1029-258 BCE
• QIN221-202 BCE
• HAN
• 202 BCE-220 CE

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• About 1100 B.C.E., the Shang empire was destroyed
  by the ZHOU who established the Zhou DYNASTY
  that reigned until about 771 B.C.E.
• The dynastic cyclical theory
• A dynasty is weak internally and/or externally
• A new group/family takes advantage of the
  weakness to rally support against the reigning
  dynasty
• A new dynasty takes control and possesses great
  control of China bringing prosperity and peace
• As time goes on, the dynasty becomes corrupt,
  there may be external challenges, internal issues
  such as famine bring instability
• The dynasty is weak and a new group/family begins
  to challenge the existing regime
• The cycle continues

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• The Zhou believed that whoever ruled China did so
  because of the will of the gods. This was called
  THE MANDATE OF HEAVEN. The Zhou called
  themselves the Sons of Heaven and when they
  conquered the Shang they felt that the gods had
  passed the Mandate of Heaven to them.
• The emperors were known as the SONS OF HEAVEN

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The Middle Kingdom

• The Zhou extended the borders of China as they
  controlled the fertile land between the Huanghe
  and the Yangtze rivers this became the center
  of China and was known as THE MIDDLE KINGDOM.
• The fertile lands grew wheat in the north and
  rice in the south this led to population
  increases
• An increase in the size of China in land and
  people made the ZHOU rely on regional
  supporters in order to maintain control.

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• The Zhou established FEUDALISM in China in order
  to rule and maintain power. The emperor gave
  control of land to special feudal lords who would
  rule in his name.
• The feudal lords ruled with their warriors
  over the mass of the population who were peasants
  and slaves.

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• Over time the Zhou emperors lost influence and
  power often to their own feudal lords.
• About 700 B.C.E., the Zhou empire disintegrated
  in to 200 independent states. Centuries of
  warfare among the Chinese states began. The
  dynasty technically ruled for many more centuries
  but the nation suffered from a decline in
  political INFRASTRUCTURE.
• By 403 B.C.E., the various governments abandoned
  attempts at diplomacy and the even fiercer ERA OF
  THE WARRING STATES began. Eventually, the Qin
  state triumphed.

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• Because of centuries of warfare and turmoil, many
  looked for ways to bring harmony back into life.
  
• One response was the development of Chinese
  philosophy known as THE ERA OF A HUNDRED
  SCHOOLS.
• From this came the theory of YIN and YANG.

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Confucius/Taoism

• Confucius developed a system of thinking and
  behavior that stressed proper roles and proper
  codes of conduct.
• This was in response to the centuries of turmoil
  and chaos the wars had brought about.
• In response to the strict codes of behavior of
  Confucius developed the theories of LAOZI and his
  work the DAO DA JING.

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• A third philosophy that developed during the Era
  of a Hundred Schools was LEGALISM.
• Proponents of legalism rejected ritual
  observances of Confucius and Taoism in favor of
  strictly enforced laws. Rule by force and
  placing the emperors interests first were the
  tenets of legalism.

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The Qin Dynastyas a silkworm devours a mulberry
leaf

• By 221 B.C.E., the Qin had conquered the other
  Chinese kingdoms.
• Using strict Legalist ideas, a strong central
  state based on bureaucracy, a direct tax on the
  peasants the Qin Dynasty became the strongest
  China had seen to that date.
• Not like

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• The Qin Dynasty lasted only fifteen years! BUT
  the impact the Qin left was terribly important.
  The Qin had established
• Standardized weights, measures, and coinage
• Uniform system of writing
• Code of Qin codifying Chinese laws
• Abolished feudal holding and replaced them with
  governors

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• Single tax system
• Massive public works roads, canals, etc this
  is known as INFRASTRUCTURE
• Began building the Great Wall of China to protect
  China from western invaders

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• The Qin emperor Shi Huangdi ruled as an
  AUTOCRAT someone who had complete control. He
  was afraid of scholars and independent thinkers.
  He ordered thousands of books burned hundred of
  scholars were executed. If someone broke a law
  his entire family or sometimes many families were
  punished. People were encouraged to inform on
  others. When he died in 210 B.C.E. people
  rejoiced.

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• Shi Huangdi

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