Confucian Ideas about Government Education could transform a humbly born person into a gentleman. This belief led to the beginning of bureaucracy. Trained civil service, or those who run the government. Education was important to advance in bureaucracy.

Confucian Ideas about Government Cont.d’ Confucianism was never a religion but an ethical system of what is right or wrong. Foundation of Chinese government and social order

Other Ethical Systems Daoists Seek Harmony Laozi (low dzuh) Different philosophies Laozi (low dzuh) Natural order (relations between all living things) is what is important Believed Dao, “the Way”, guides all things Importance of Nature Power of Government A stone sculpture of Laozi, located north of Quanzhou at the foot of Mount Qingyuan

Others used the concept of yin and yang Ching and Yin and Yang Others used the concept of yin and yang Two powers that together represented the natural rhythm of life Both helped people see how they fit into the world

The Qin (chinh) Dynasty Unifies China Qin replaces Zhou Used Legalist ideas

A New Emperor takes Control Shi Huangdi “First Emperor” Stopped internal battles Defeated invaders Doubled China’s size Determined to unify China

A New Emperor takes Control Cont.d’ Crushed political opposition at home A new policy called “strengthening the trunk and weakening the branches” enacted What was this?

A New Emperor takes Control Cont.d’ Murdered Confucius scholars to prevent criticism, burned “useless” books Autocracy established Government that has unlimited power and uses it in an arbitrary manner

A New Program of Centralization Built highway networks Set standards for writing, law, currency, weights and measures, cart axles Irrigation increased farm production Trade grew, merchants became prominent Harsh taxes and repressive government made Qin regime unpopular

Great Wall of China

Great Wall of China Scholars hated Shi Huangdi for burning books Poor people hated him for forced labor: work on the wall or die

Great Wall of China Cont.d’ Were they in danger from invaders? Some scholars believe China was not in danger. They suggest that Shi Huangdi knew that without employment the soldiers in his large army might cause trouble. Building the Great Wall kept them busy. It prevented foreign invasions until Genghis Kahn punched his way through 14 centuries later.

Do Not Write Shi Huangdi’s Quest for Immorality He avoided the public and moved secretly through tunnels connecting his palaces. Finally, he had several thousand life-sized terra-cotta soldiers and horses built and buried to protect him after death.

Do Not Write Shi Huangdi’s Quest for Immorality After barely escaping three attempts on his life, the First Emperor launched a quest for immortality. He summoned magicians to his palace, hoping they could give him an elixir. He scoured the land for the eight immortals who were said to know the secret of eternal life.

The Shaanxi province gained worldwide attention in March 1974, when local farmers uncovered what would become one of the great archaeological finds of the 20th century while drilling for a water well. 8,099 life-size terracotta figures of warriors and horses were buried in a tomb that was built over two thousand years ago to protect its occupant, Qin Shi Huangdi, Emperor of Qin. In addition to the warriors, an entire man-made necropolis (cemetery) was excavated by hand for the emperorcomplete. . Construction of this mausoleum began in 246 BC and is believed to have taken 700,000 workers and craftsmen 38 years to The emperor was buried near the 350 square meter earthen pyramid seen behind the warriors. But Qin Shi Huangdi's tomb has remained unopened until this day. Excavators are still searching for a way to completely seal off the area around the tomb to prevent corrosion from exposure to the outside air.

Each of the pits discovered at Shihuangdi's tomb were excavated by the emperor's workers, who first placed a brick floor, and then built a sequence of rammed earth partitions and tunnels. The floors of the tunnels were covered with mats, the life-sized statuary was placed erect on the mats and the tunnels were covered with logs.

The Fall of the Qin Dynasty lasted a short time By 202 B.C. Han dynasty takes over