Ancient China

The Unification of China Chapter Four Section Four

China Objective Explain how the Chinese dynasties affected Chinese civilization, ethical systems, government, technology, commerce, and culture.

Setting the Stage the Zhou Dynasty lasted for at least eight centuries first 300 years of their long reign, the Zhou kings controlled a large empire – both eastern and western lands the decline of the Zhou Dynasty happened because of constant conflict = “the warring states period”

Confucius Confucius – born in a violent and chaotic time (551 B.C. – 479 B.C.) deep desire to restore the order and morality to society Confucius believed that social order, harmony, and good government could be restored to China if society were organized around five basic relationships

Confucius Five Basic Relationships Between ruler and subject father and son husband and wife older and younger brother friend and friend a code of proper conduct regulated each relationship Examples: rulers should practice kindness and virtuous living; in return, subjects should be loyal and law-abiding

Confucius children should practice filial piety filial piety: respect for their parents and ancestors filial piety means devoting oneself to one’s parents during their lifetimes Confucius used kindness and courtesy to reform Chinese society remainder of his life was spent teaching student collected his words in a book called Analects

Confucius Confucius’ ideas dealt mainly with how to ensure social order ** Confucius believed that the best ruler was a man with much knowledge **

Confucius Ideas About Government education could transform a humbly born person into a gentleman created a bureaucracy Bureaucracy: a system of departments and agencies formed to carry out the work of government ** Confucianism was never a religion, but an ethical system **

Other Ethical Systems Legalists = practical political thinkers believed that a highly efficient and powerful government was the key to restoring order in society Legalism: a Chinese political philosophy based on the idea that a highly efficient and powerful government is the key to social order rich rewards for people who carried out their duties well vs. disobedient people should be harshly punished = stressed punishment more than rewards

Other Ethical Systems people with little interest in the philosophical debates of the Confucians, Daoists, and Legalists found answers to life’s questions elsewhere some consulted a book of oracles called I Ching (The Book of Changes) to solve ethical or practical problems I Ching helped people to lead to a happy life by offering good advice and simple common sense

Other Ethical Systems others turned to the ideas of ancient thinkers = concept of yin and yang Yin and Yang: in Chinese thought, the two powers that govern the natural rhythms of life Yin = feminine qualities of the universe Yang = masculine qualities of the universe both forces represent the rhythm and complement each other; yin and yang helped Chinese people understand how they fit into the world

** Yin and Yang are a part of Confucianism ** Individually, or with a partner, make a list of dualities: good / evil day / night odd / even Whoever gets the most dualities within the allotted time frame will earn five extra credit points Ready…..start now:

The Qin Dynasty Unifies China the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C. – 206 B.C.) replaced the Zhou Dynasty ruler Shi Huangdi (shihr hwahng*dee) established a strong and efficient government = unified China again

A New Emperor Takes Control Shi Huangdi believed in the Legalism way of rule halted internal battles and defeated invaders which crushed resistance within China to his rule victories doubled China’s size

A New Emperor Takes Control acted decisively to crush political opposition at home nobles: uprooted 120,000 noble families seized nobles land sent Qin officials to control them Created 36 administrative districts criticism he murdered hundreds of Confucian scholars ordered “useless” books burned = these were books that disagreed with the Legalists established an autocracy Autocracy: a government with unlimited power

A New Emperor Takes Control Shi Huangdi was a ruthless leader who practiced Legalism and created the Terracotta warriors to protect him in the afterlife

Qin Dynasty Terracotta Soldiers

Centralization building highway network – more than 4,000 miles set same standards throughout China: writing law currency weights and measures irrigation projects increased farm production

The Great Wall of China no human freedom; poor people were forced to work on the building of a huge defensive wall Huangdi was determined to close the gaps and extend the wall almost the length of the empire = enemies would have to gallop halfway to Tibet to get around it workers faced a terrible choice: work or die Great Wall of China was built in segments and thousands of workers died constructing it Great Wall from Space

The Fall of the Qin Qin build the Great Wall of China Qin Dynasty lasted only a short time Shi Huangdi’s son took over after his death peasants rebelled just three years after the second Qin emperor took office 202 B.C. the harsh Qin Dynasty gave way to the Han Dynasty

Essential Question Do you think a ruler who followed Confucian or Daoist ideas would have built the Great Wall? Why or why not? Write three complete sentences in the summary location on your note sheet

China Objective Explain how the Chinese dynasties affected Chinese civilization, ethical systems, government, technology, commerce, and culture.