C HINA O VERVIEW : A B RIEF H ISTORY OF C HINESE D YNASTIES

G EOGRAPHY OF C HINA Larger than the United States Climate varies North Temperate and cold South Subtropical Erosion Floods and droughts Important rivers Hwang ho (Yellow River) – north Yangtze River – central China Enclosed by high mountains, hot deserts, wide oceans

W HAT ARE DYNASTIES ? A dynasty is a series of rulers from the same family. Historically, royal rule was descended from father to son. DYNASTIC CYCLE 1. Emperor comes to power and gains the Mandate of Heaven. 2. Upward rise (wealth and population increase) to peak. 3. Downward spiral (natural disasters, corruption, etc.). 4. Emperor loses the Mandate of Heaven. 5. Civil war until a new emperor, with the Mandate of Heaven, comes to power. MANDATE OF HEAVEN – Described by philosopher Mencius Belief that the emperor was chosen by heaven to rule.

XIA DYNASTY ( CA CA BCE) China’s first dynasty Founded by Yu (the ?) Built roads and irrigation projects Wheels

S HANG D YNASTY ( CA BCE) Writing began (everyone could read) Developed bronze, glazed pottery, and silk industries Family important Oracle bones

Z HOU ( A. K. A. C HOU ) D YNASTY ( BCE) Western and Eastern city centers Set up a loose central government Feudal system >>> power hungry Leads to what? Thought to begin Great Wall Philosophers Confucius Mencius (^ his follower) Roads, canals, coined money, iron ore!

Q IN ( A. K. A. C HIN ) D YNASTY ( BCE) Military dictatorship centralized China Emperor Shih Huang Ti Destroyed nobles’ feudal power Reunites China by crushing internal opposition System of taxation Established weights and measures Great Wall (1500 miles) Legalism!

H AN D YNASTY ( CE) Empire – central Asia to China Sea, Indochina to Korea Trade Chinese fruits, silks, and spices in Rome (1 st century CE) Buddhism came from India Civil service system First paper made, seismograph Silk Road, silk production

C ONFUCIUS ( BCE) Considered China’s greatest philosopher Ethics – correct way to live Human nature – good Men should be kind, tolerant, and love their elders and ancestors (filial piety) Golden rule: “Do not do to others what you would not have others do to you.” Analects "Selected Sayings", also known as the Analects of Confucius, is the collection of sayings and ideas attributed to the Chinese philosopher Confucius and his contemporaries Confucianism – code of behavior and religion Education, good manners, right morals, respect for others, love of tradition, obedience to one’s parents

“Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes.” “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” “Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.” “Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.” “He who will not economize will have to agonize.” “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” “Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.”

TAOISM Taoism is not a religion. Taoism is a philosophy, a way of looking at life and a way of thinking about things. Taoists believe if you look at life and think about things in the right way, you'll be much happier. Taoists are firm believers in joy and laughter “There is more to knowing than just being correct.” “A clever mind is not a heart.” Taoists believe it's very important to understand the way Things Are. This does not mean that there are not things we need to change about ourselves, but it's important to recognize and trust our own inner nature, and discover who we are

LEGALISM Chinese philosophy emphasizing laws and power All humans were basically selfish and corruptible and that the only way to control them was to codify good laws and enforce them strictly. They thought that all people should be equal under the law and that the personal qualities of a ruler should not matter as long as he enforced the law. Developed after the era of warring states >>>Qin dynasty, Shi Huangdi