1. ANCIENT DYNASTIES OF CHINA
SHANG
ZHOU
QIN
HAN

2. Geography and First Dynasty
Two major rivers
Chang Jiang – also called the Yangzi
Huang-He – also called the Yellow River or the River of Sorrows
Xia Dynasty is considered to be the beginning of Chinese civilization

4. Shang Dynasty BC
Farming society ruled by an aristocracy whose major concern was war
Aristocracy = an upper class whose wealth is based on land ownership

5. Kings were buried in royal tombs along with their valuable possessions and sacrificed prisoners of war and servants
Belief in the afterlife
Shang religion centered on the idea of ancestor worship called veneration of ancestors
Used oracle bones to ask questions of the gods
Wrote questions on bones, inserted a hot piece of metal into the bone until it cracked, and then read the cracks to get an answer
Shang achievements
Development of Chinese writing, which used picture symbols

7. Zhou Dynasty – 256 BC
Longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history
The king was the head of the gov’t and was seen as a link between heaven and Earth
The Zhou dynasty claimed it ruled China because it possessed the Mandate of Heaven
Gods gave “permission” to rule China
Set up a “right of revolution” which led to dynastic cycles
Development of two Chinese philosophies = Confucianism and Daoism

9. Qin Dynasty 221 – 206 BC First to create a unified Chinese empire
The word China is derived from the Qin
Ruler Qin Shi Huangdi became the “first emperor”
Regime = the gov’t in power
Shi Huangdi adopted Legalism as the official ideology to build a strong centralized gov’t

12. Anyone who opposed the policies of the new regime were imprisoned, tortured, or killed, especially Confucian scholars
A nomadic people in the Gobi desert called the Xiongnu threatened China
To deal with the threat and to keep them out of China, Shi Huangdi had workers join the separate defensive walls in northern China
This united wall became the Great Wall of China

13. Han Dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD
Model for later Chinese dynasties, the main population of China still calls itself the Han people
Exchanged Legalism for Confucianism and appointed numerous Confucian scholars

14. Qin and Han Dynasties
Chapter 8, page 225

15. To create a regular system for new officials, the civil service exam was introduced
These officials gained gov’t jobs based on merit, how well they did on the test
A school was established to train candidates for the exam
Students were expected to learn the teachings of Confucius

16. Silk Road
Road that linked China to Rome, was 4,000 miles long
Traded in luxury goods such as silk, spices, teas, and ivory
Dangerous due to geography and bandits
Women
“raising daughters is like raising children for another family”

18. Confucianism Based on the teachings of Confucius (Kongfuzi)
Main book is the Analects, which contains Confucius’ thoughts
Concerned about human behavior
People should treat one another with love and respect
Confucius believed that the disappearance of this love and respect was responsible for the violence in society
Focuses on improving society
Restoring a respect for tradition would make society stable once again

19. Proper behavior is to follow the Dao (the way)
Two elements to the Dao – duty and humanity
Everyone must work hard to fulfill their duties
Needs of the family and community come before personal needs
Five Relationships
Ruler and subject
Husband and wife
Parent and child
Older sibling and younger sibling
Friend and friend
Belief in filial piety = obedience and devotion to parents, especially the male head of the family

21. Honor one’s ancestors
A ruler must set a good example and lead by virtue
A ruler should be advised by qualified, well-informed people
Select advisors based on merit rather than birth
Spread to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam

22. Legalism
Founded by Hanfeizi and Li Si, two advisors to Emperor Shi Huangdi of the Qin dynasty
Believed that human beings are evil by nature
Reject Confucius’ idea of leading by virtue
Instead need harsh laws and punishments to make sure people stay on the correct path
A ruler does not need to be compassionate or show mercy
People must be kept in line by fear of punishment

23. A powerful and efficient gov’t was key to maintaining order and control over an empire
Rulers should be strong and govern through force
Strong ruler = orderly society

25. Daoism “The Way” Main teachings by a philosopher named Laozi
Main book Dao De Jing
Also concerned with proper behavior
Encourages people to retreat from the laws of society and yield to the laws of nature
Promotes harmony with nature
By finding one’s place in nature, it is possible for a person to achieve harmony with the universe

26. The true way to follow the will of Heaven is not through action, but inaction
Let nature take its course
Embraced an ancient Chinese concept, the notion of yin and yang
Yin and yang represent the balancing aspect of nature
Male and female, dark and light, hot and cold
When balanced, yin and yang represent the perfect harmony of nature