1 China Before the Common Era - Dynasties

2 Geographical Influences u Mountains, sea, and desert provide some protection and isolation u Vulnerable to northwest u River valleys –1. Yellow (Huang Ho) earliest civilization - damaging floods –2. Yangtze- very important in unification- transportation- irrigation

3 Yellow River Civilization

4 Earliest Civilizations- most isolated u Earliest- Neolithic- Ban Po- similar to other parts of the world/ one of the oldest

5 The 4 Old-World River Valley Cultures

6 Shang Dynasty BCE u in N. China along the Huang Ho u raised silk worms- silk part of lure and fascination of China u famous for bronze sculpture, daggers, jade jewelry u paid homage to ancestors- family important

7 Shang: BCE

8 Shang Bronzes

9 Axe Scepter – 1100 BCE - jade Ceremonial Dagger – 1028 BCE

10 Zhou (Chou) Dynasty 1027 – 256 BCE u Feudal society- emperor gave out fiefs u Shang thought they had a divine right- Chou rulers had responsibility u Zhou did take title “Son of Heaven” u compared to medieval Europe- had a code for dress, fighting etc. u longest-developed foundations for Chinese society u Iron Age

11 Western Zhou: BCE

12 Eastern Zhou: BCE

13 Period of Ancient Philosophies u About 500BCE Buddha, Confucius, Greek Philosophers and Chinese - Lao Tzu u Called a flowering period u India more concerned with cosmos and soul u China more concerned with ethical life on earth

14 Way of Life- Confucianism u Moral and ethical code highly developed treat everyone with consideration u Advocated paternalistic government u Value on family head- ancestor respect u Values- loyalty, righteousness, wisdom, sincerity u very practical and humanistic

15 Daoism (Taoism) LaoTzu (Lao Zi) u contemporary of Confucius u Tao= the road way u Absolute=sum of existence u Goal to bring people into harmony u very introspective u not as influential as Confucius

16 “T’ien Ming” The Mandate of Heaven Principles in Action 1. The leader must lead by ability and virtue. 2. The dynasty's leadership must be justified by succeeding generations. 3. The mandate could be revoked by negligence and abuse; the will of the people was important. 4 Main Principles u The right to rule is granted by Heaven. u There is only one Heaven therefore there can be only one ruler. u The right to rule is based on the virtue of the ruler. u The right to rule is not limited to one dynasty.

17 The Dynastic Cycle A new dynasty comes to power. Lives of common people improved; taxes reduced; farming encouraged. Problems begin (extensive wars, invasions, etc.) Taxes increase; men forced to work for army. Farming neglected. Govt. increases spending; corruption. Droughts, floods, famines occur. Poor lose respect for govt. They join rebels & attack landlords. Rebel bands find strong leader who unites them. Attack the emperor. Emperor is defeated !! The emperor reforms the govt. & makes it more efficient. Start here 

18 Qin (Ch’in) Dynasty BCE u dominated by “The First Emperor” u Qin Shi Huangdi (Chin Shi Huang Ti) u ambitious= understatement u centralized the government- rid of feudal lords u constructed roads and canals u An amazing tomb found in 20th Cen

19

20 Qin [Ch’in] Dynasty, B.C.E.  Established China’s first empire   Shi Huangdi ( B.C.E)  Legalist rule  –Bureaucratic administration –Centralized control –Military expansion –Book burnings  targeted Confucianists F Buried protestors alive!  Built large section of the Great Wall

21 Shi Huangdi’s Terra Cotta Army

22 The Details of an Individual Soldier

23 The Great Wall with Towers

24 The Eastern terminus of the Great Wall, Shanhai Pass

25 Han Dynasty 202BCE-220 CE(Roman Times) u Similar: built cities, officials to carry out edicts, heavy taxes collapsed under invasions and internal revolts u contact along the Silk Road u combination of Confucius and legalism u advanced in science and literature u invented rudder, paper, magnetic compass, acupuncture

26

27 Han Dynasty, 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.  “People of the Han”  original Chinese  Paper invented [105 B.C.E.]   Silk Road trade develops; improves life for many  Buddhism introduced into China  Expanded into Central Asia

28 Han – Roman Empire Connection

29 Chang’an The Han Capital

30 Liu Sheng Tomb (d. 113 BCE) His jade suit has 2498 pieces!

31 Emperor Wudi, B.C.E.  Started public schools.  Colonized Manchuria, Korea, & Vietnam.  Civil service system  –bureaucrats –Confucian scholar-gentry  Revival of Chinese landscape painting.

32 Han Artifacts Imperial Seal Han Ceramic House

33 Three Kingdoms 220 CE – 581 CE u China’s Dark Ages u 1. Wei –Capital in Loyang, maintains imperial seals, country’s wealth, 30 million people –How are the above ideas advantageous? u 2. Wu u 3. Shu u Chaotic times, war and violence u 581 – Yang Chien assassinates ruling family in N and establishes Sui Dynasty

34 Sui Dynasty 581 CE-618 CE u Yang Chien  Wen-ti –Devoted to Buddhism; built temples, trained clergy –Centralized govt: controlled appointments, inspectors to assess and report back 3 times a year –Banned weapons, forced labor –Repaired Great Wall u Yang-ti: takes over in 604 –Spends on construction projects –Rebellion in 617

35 Tang Dynasty CE Contributions u Internal renewal(improved lives of people) and external expansion u Used formal civil service exam to recruit-set up university u Tried to equalize land holdings- fought corruption u literature and art flourished u Inventions- paper during Han- used for clothes and tp- used for writing

36

37 Empress Wu Chao,  The only female Empress in China’s history who ruled alone.   Searched for outstanding individuals to attract to her court.  Construction of new irrigation systems.  Buddhism was the favored state religion.  Financed the building of many Buddhist temples.  BUT… She appointed cruel and sadistic ministers to seek out her enemies.

38 Tang Dynasty, C.E.  Imperial examination system perfected.  Liberal attitude towards all religions.  Spread of Buddhism in China  Golden Age of foreign relations with other countries.   Japan, Korea, Persia

39 Tang Government Organization

40 Tang Dynasty, C.E.  New technologies: –Printing  moveable print (Encyclopedia)  –Porcelain –Gunpowder –Mechanical clocks  More cosmopolitan culture.  Reestablished the safety of the Silk Road.  Tea comes into China from Southeast Asia. 

41 Foot-Binding in Tang China u Broken toes by 3 years of age.  Size 5 ½ shoe on the right

42 Foot-Binding in Tang China Mothers bound their daughters’ feet.

43 Foot-Binding in Tang China u For upper-class girls, it became a new custom.

44 Song(Sung) Dynasty u moved the capitol east u economic expansion - used paper money u used abacus u Silk Road traffic at height –when dangerous went to sea routes –first period of great oceanic commerce –trades tea, silk and porcelain for exotic woods and precious stones

45

46 Song [Sung] Dynasty, C.E.  Creation of an urban, merchant, middle class.  Increased emphasis on education & cheaper availability of printed books.  Magnetic compass makes China a great sea power! 

47 Song Peasant Family

48 Song Rice Cultivation

49 The Mongols Nomadic peoples u Loosely organized clans in a state of stress u Genghis Kahn- son of impoverished noble with army of less than 130,000 conquered Asia u mastered military tactics on horseback- pursue and ambush, firelance, took China u Kublai Kahn- grandson Yuan dynasty at Peking- adopted Chinese ways- lasted 100 years- gave way to Ming dynasty

50 Mongol Invasions

51 The MONGOLS [“Golden Horde”]  Temujin --> Genghis Khan [“Universal Ruler”] – –from the steppe [dry, grass-covered plains of Central Asia]

52 The MONGOLS [“Golden Horde”]  Genghis Khan’s Tax Laws: –If you do not pay homage, we will take your prosperity. –If you do not have prosperity, we will take your children. –If you do not have children, we will take your wife. –If you do not have a wife, we will take your head.  Used cruelty as a weapon  some areas never recovered from Mongol destruction!

53 Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty, C.E.  Kublai Khan [r ] –Pax Mongolica [“Mongol Peace”] FTolerated Chinese culture but lived apart from them.  FNo Chinese in top govt. posts. FBelieved foreigner were more trustworthy. FEncouraged foreign trade & foreign merchants to live and work in China. Marco Polo

54 Yuan Dynasty, C.E.  The Black Plague was spread by the Mongols in the mid-14c.  Sent fleets against Japan. –1281  150,000 warriors –Defeated by kamikazi [“winds of the gods”]   Kublai Khan experienced several humiliating defeats in Southeast Asia late in his life.