1. Ancient China

2. The Unification of China
Chapter Four
Section Four

3. China Objective
Explain how the Chinese dynasties affected Chinese civilization, ethical systems, government, technology, commerce, and culture.

4. Setting the Stage the Zhou Dynasty lasted for at least eight centuries
first 300 years of their long reign, the Zhou kings
controlled a large empire – both eastern and western
lands
the decline of the Zhou Dynasty happened because of
constant conflict = “the warring states period”

5. Confucius Confucius – born in a violent and
chaotic time (551 B.C. – 479 B.C.)
deep desire to restore the order and
morality to society
Confucius believed that social order, harmony, and good government could be restored to China if society were organized around five basic relationships

6. Confucius Five Basic Relationships Between ruler and subject
father and son
husband and wife
older and younger brother
friend and friend
a code of proper conduct regulated each relationship
Examples: rulers should practice
kindness and virtuous
living; in return,
subjects should be loyal
and law-abiding

7. Confucius children should practice filial piety
filial piety: respect for their parents and ancestors
filial piety means devoting oneself to one’s parents during their lifetimes
Confucius used kindness and courtesy to reform Chinese society
remainder of his life was spent teaching
student collected his words in a
book called Analects

8. Confucius
Confucius’ ideas dealt mainly with how to ensure social order
** Confucius believed that the best ruler was a man with much knowledge **

9. Confucius Ideas About Government
education could transform a humbly born person into a gentleman
created a bureaucracy
Bureaucracy: a system of
departments
and agencies
formed to carry
out the work of
government
** Confucianism was never
a religion, but an ethical
system **

10. Other Ethical Systems Legalists = practical political thinkers
believed that a highly efficient and powerful government was the key to restoring order in society
Legalism: a Chinese political philosophy based on the
idea that a highly efficient and powerful
government is the key to social order
rich rewards for people who carried out their duties well vs. disobedient people should be harshly punished = stressed punishment more than rewards

11. Other Ethical Systems
people with little interest in the philosophical debates of the Confucians, Daoists, and Legalists found answers to life’s questions elsewhere
some consulted a book of oracles called I Ching (The Book of Changes) to solve ethical or practical problems
I Ching helped people to lead to a happy life by offering good advice and simple common sense

12. Other Ethical Systems
others turned to the ideas of ancient thinkers = concept of yin and yang
Yin and Yang: in Chinese thought, the two powers that
govern the natural rhythms of life
Yin = feminine qualities of the universe
Yang = masculine qualities of the universe
both forces represent the rhythm and complement each other; yin and yang helped Chinese people understand how they fit into the world

13. ** Yin and Yang are a part of Confucianism **
Individually, or with a partner, make a list of dualities:
good / evil day / night odd / even
Whoever gets the most dualities within the allotted time
frame will earn five extra credit points
Ready…..start now:

14. The Qin Dynasty Unifies China
the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C. – 206 B.C.) replaced the Zhou Dynasty
ruler Shi Huangdi (shihr hwahng*dee) established a strong and efficient government = unified China again

15. A New Emperor Takes Control
Shi Huangdi believed in the Legalism way of rule
halted internal battles and defeated invaders which crushed resistance within China to his rule
victories doubled China’s size

16. A New Emperor Takes Control
acted decisively to crush political opposition at home
nobles:
uprooted 120,000 noble families
seized nobles land
sent Qin officials to control them
Created 36 administrative districts
criticism
he murdered hundreds of Confucian scholars
ordered “useless” books burned = these were books that disagreed with the Legalists
established an autocracy
Autocracy: a government with unlimited
power

17. A New Emperor Takes Control
Shi Huangdi was a ruthless leader who practiced Legalism and created the Terracotta warriors to protect him in the afterlife

18. Qin Dynasty
Terracotta Soldiers

19. Centralization building highway network – more than 4,000 miles
set same standards throughout China:
writing
law
currency
weights and measures
irrigation projects increased farm production

20. The Great Wall of China
no human freedom; poor people were forced to work on the building of a huge defensive wall
Huangdi was determined to close the gaps and extend the wall almost the length of the empire = enemies would have to gallop halfway to Tibet to get around it
workers faced a terrible choice:
work or die
Great Wall of China was built in segments and thousands of workers died constructing it
Great Wall from Space

21. The Fall of the Qin Qin build the Great Wall of China
Qin Dynasty lasted only a short time
Shi Huangdi’s son took over after his death
peasants rebelled just three years after the second Qin emperor took office
202 B.C. the harsh Qin Dynasty gave way to the Han Dynasty

22. Essential Question
Do you think a ruler who followed Confucian or Daoist ideas would have built the Great Wall? Why or why not?
Write three complete sentences in the summary location on your note sheet

23. China Objective
Explain how the Chinese dynasties affected Chinese civilization, ethical systems, government, technology, commerce, and culture.