Society and Culture in Ancient China

1
Society and Culture in Ancient China

• Chapter 7.2

2
Objectives

• SPI 6.33 Analyze the structure of the Zhou
  Dynasty and the emergence of Daoism,
  Confucianism, and Legalism
• SPI 6.34 Identify the political and cultural
  patterns prevalent in the time of Confucius and
  how he sought to solve them

3
Chinese Philosophies

• 3 major philosophies
• Confucianism
• Daoism
• Legalism
• Main Goal was to create a well-run and peaceful
  society

4
What Ideas Did Confucius Teach?

• Confucianism was based on teaching of Confucius
• Criticized kings
• Urged people to follow ancestors
• Tried to bring peace and harmony to China
• Duty is central idea of Confucianism
• Parents love children
• Children respect parents
• Rulers should rule justly

5
The Influence of Confucius

• Confucius believed the government service should
  be open to men of ability
• Sayings of Confucius called The Analects
• His ideas continued to shape Chinese society
  until 1900s

6
The Philosophy of Daoism

• Daoism promoted a peaceful society
• Began with the ideas of Laozi
• Believes people should free themselves from
  worldly desires and live simply
• Turn to nature and the Dao-the spiritual force
  that guides all things
• This will cause people to live a happy life

7
Confucianism vs Daoism

• Confucius taught people should work hard to make
  the world better
• Daoism taught people to turn away from worldly
  affairs and live in harmony with nature

8
Legalism

• Legalism-School of Law
• Believes humans are evil
• Strict laws and harsh punishment were necessary
  to force people to do their duty
• EMPHASIZED FORCE

9
Chinese Life

• Chinese society was divided into 4 classes
• Landowning aristocrats
• Farmers
• Artisans
• merchants

10
Lives of Aristocrats

• Aristocrats were wealthy
• Owned large plots of land
• Familys land was divided equally among all of
  the male heirs

11
Lives of the Farmers

• 9 out of 10 Chinese farmed
• Lived in rural villages surrounded by mud walls
• Rented the field
• Paid taxes
• Farmers forced to serve as soldiers

12
Lives of the Artisans and Merchants

• Artisans are skilled workers
• Wealthy
• Not respected members of society
• People believed merchants worked for their own
  gain and not for the good of society

13
What were Chinese Families Like?

• Family was at the center of early Chinese society
• Practiced filial piety-peoples responsibility to
  respect and obey their parents
• Required people to take care of their parents

14
Roles of Men and Women

• Men were respected because of their jobs
• Considered the jobs of men more important than
  the work of women
• Women raised children and saw to their education
• Women managed household and family finances