Mandate of Heaven and the Dynastic Cycle

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Mandate of Heaven and the Dynastic Cycle
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Mandate of Heaven

• The belief that heaven granted a ruler a mandate
  or divine right to rule
• Linked Power and Responsibility
• In exchange for loyalty, the ruler must maintain
  order
• Rulers need Mandate of Heaven to rule
• If lost, the people were allowed to rebel.

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Accomplishments

• Est. a strong, central government
• Bring peace and order
• Give land to peasants
• Build roads, defensive walls and irrigation
  systems
• Support education and arts

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Failures Losing the Mandate

• Allow Corruption
• Lose military power
• Raise taxes
• Spend on luxuries
• Fail to reinforce walls, and irrigation
• Harsh ruler

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Problems Sign the Mandate is Lost

• Chaos
• Floods
• Invasions
• Peasant rebellions
• Poor harvests

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Dynastic Cycle

• A strong leader emerges and establishes a new
  dynasty
• Claims mandate
• Cycle begins again

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During times of Chaos, Chinese philosophers tried
to find ways to guide human behavior and ensure
order in society

• 3 Philosophies Developed in China
• Confucianism
• Daoism (Taoism)
• Legalism

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Confucianism

• Founder Confucius
• (Master Kong)
• Dates 551 B.C
• Writings The Analects
• Teachings
• 5 Relationships must govern society

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but
in getting up every time we do
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5 Relationships

• Ruler and Ruled
• Father and Son
• Older Brother and Younger Brother
• Husband and Wife
• Friend and Friend
• Superior sets example and cares for inferior
• Inferior shows respect to superior

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Confucius

• Filial piety the duty and respect that children
  owed their parents
• Education and Morality
• Society more important than individual

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do
and I understand.
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Daoism

• Founder Lao Zi
• Dates 551 B.C
• Writings The Way of Virtue
• Teachings
• Stressed the link between Nature and People
• People should do nothing contrary to nature, live
  according to the Dao the Way

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Daoism
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vg-zD-RohzNY
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• Yin and Yang Forces in Nature are to balance
  each other
• Yin female, passive, earthy
• Yang male, active, heavenly

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Daoism

• Water as symbol of Tao
• Govt. should have fewer rules
• Reveal thyself, embrace original nature, do not
  be selfish, curtail desire

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Legalism

• Founder Han Feizi
• Writings Han Feizi
• 300-200 B.C.
• Teachings
• People acted out of self interest
• People only respond to rewards and punishments,
  not good examples

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Legalism

• Harsh Laws and Strict Rulers are necessary to get
  things done
• Laws more important than rulers
• Example Shi Huangdi used Legalism to unite China
  and create the Great Wall