1. Politics, Culture, and Society
Classical China
Politics, Culture, and Society

2. Political Institutions
patriarchal family
ancestor worship
centralized government
semi-autonomous villages ruled by nobles (feudal system)
local authority
justice
local armies
regional governors
Bureaucracies
civil service exams
Confucian Schools
Rulers were divinely promoted
Military system present
Established a Judicial system

3. Daoism Laozi (5th century B.C.E. Zhou dynasty)
Founder of Daoism
Means “the way of nature”
more religious than legalism
Appealed to the upper class
Believes in the force of nature
Ying & Yang
Uses ethical codes
Priests

4. Culture Art Science Math Calligraphy Pottery Jewelry Great Wall
Developed day calendar
Astronomical Advances
Medicine and Hygiene
Found order in nature
Acoustics

6. Society Agricultural based Three main social groups
Only the wealthy upper class was literate
Slavery- house slaves were common
Inherited social status
Father was a noble you were a noble
Three main social groups
Mandarins - Landowning aristocracy, educated bureaucrats
Laboring Masses – peasants and artisans
“Mean” people – unskilled laborers, lowest status

7. Society: Family Unity of Family
Patriarchy
Hierarchy
Oldest son inherits property and position
“There are no wrongdoing parents” – Confucius
Women were subordinate to everyone except to younger women

8. Economics Trade Silk Road Silk Road Trade in Silk & Luxury products
luxury items – sold to upper class
Silks
Jewelry
Leather
furniture
Copper coins
Facilitated trade with merchants
Silk Road
Trade in Silk & Luxury products
India, Middle East, & Mediterranean societies traded with China for desired Chinese silk
Mostly nomadic merchants traded & traveled

10. Innovative Legacy Ox-drawn plows Iron mining
Pulleys & winding gear to pull minerals to the surface
Iron tools & lamps
Water-powered mills
Creation of paper