1. Classical China 600 BCE to 600 CE Chapter 8
AP World History Notes
“The Unification of China”

2. Kong Fuzi (Confucius) – Confucianism Laozi – Daoism
Cultural Traditions
China
Kong Fuzi (Confucius) – Confucianism
Laozi – Daoism

3. The State of China Growing violence Disharmony and disunity
Chaos
Growing violence
Disharmony and disunity
“Age of Warring States”
These issues led many to find solutions to China’s problems

4. The Legalist Answer Founder of Legalism = Han Fei
Legalists viewed humans as inherently stupid and immoral
Legalists believed in rules and laws that were strict, clearly spelled out, and enforced through a system of rewards and punishments

5. The Legalist Answer
Legalism = used by Emperor Qin Shihuangdi during the Qin Dynasty to restore unity and order to China

6. The Confucian Answer
Confucius = from an aristocratic family in northern China
Became a teacher
Believed in ethics = good conduct and moral judgment

7. Compiled by his students after his death
The Analects
A short book of the teachings of Confucius
Compiled by his students after his death

8. The Confucian Answer The moral example of superiors
Relied on unequal relationships within society
Ruler over subject
Parent over child
Husband over wife
Old over young

9. Emphasis on Filial Piety
piety = respect for one’s elders and ancestors

10. Civil Service Exams
Confucianism = incorporated into China’s civil service exams during the Han Dynasty
Chinese men had to apply Confucian values to specific situations in these tests

11. The Daoist Answer Founder = Laozi
Focus of Daoism = living in harmony with nature
Urges withdrawal from society and entrance into a world of nature

12. The Dao
“The Way”
Universal force that guides all things

13. Yin and Yang 2 opposing forces present in all of nature
YIN = cool, dark, female, submissive
YANG = warm, light, male, aggressive

14. A Changing Patriarchy: Case of China
Chapter 6 - Notes

15. A Changing Patriarchy: Case of China
Han Dynasty
Elite think more patriarchal
Clearly define and linked to Confucianism
Yin and Yang
Opposites became unequal
Yang Superior principle
Masculine
Related to heaven, rulers strengthen, rationality and light
Yin Lower principle
Feminine
Related to the earth, subjects, weakness, emotion, and darkness

16. A Changing Patriarchy: Case of China
Confucian Texts
Two ideas that summarize the place of women
“Men go out, women stay in”
Men political/public roles
Women domestic/in the home
“Three obediences”
Women first subordinate to her father
Then to her husband
Then to her son

17. A Changing Patriarchy: Case of China
Ban Zhou
Women writer and court official
Wrote “Lessons for Women”
3 Customs when a girls is born
Placed below the bed – lowly and weak
Required to humble herself in front of others
Play with broken pottery – primary duty to be industrious
Responsible for ancestor worship in the home
“Men go out, women stay in”

18. Classical Chinese Empires

19. (Includes Warring States 425 to 221BCE)
Classical Dynasties
Zhou 1046 to 256 BCE
(Includes Warring States 425 to 221BCE)
Qin 221 to 207 BCE
Han 202 BCE to 25 CE

20. “First Emperor” = Qin Shihuangdi
The Mighty Qin
Conquere d the Zhou
“First Emperor” = Qin Shihuangdi

21. The First Emperor United much of the nation under 1 strong government
Organized the empire into military districts official per district
Created a universal system of weights & measures
Standardized coins, created a uniform writing system & set up a law code throughout China
Used forced labor to dig canals & build roads

22. Terra Cotta Army
How cool!

23. Terra Cotta Army

24. The Great Wall of China
Built in northern China to prevent attacks from the north
Connected a series of walls that already existed
Took several years & over 300,000 Chinese peasants --> thousands died
Stretches over 4,000 miles

25. The Great Wall of China

26. The Great Wall of China

27. Qin’s Strict Rule Imposed a tax on landowners
Appointed only educated men as officials to run his government
Censored & burned books
People couldn’t write about the past

28. Legalists = scholars that opposed Confucian ideas
Legalism
Legalists = scholars that opposed Confucian ideas
Legalism = philosophy that rejected Confucian idea of learning by example and emphasized strict laws and harsh punishments

29. 210 BCE = Qin died & dynasty soon came to an end
Qin’s Strict Rule
Subjects saw Qin as a cruel tyrant – Shocking!
Nobles = mad he destroyed aristocracy
Peasants = mad about the forced labor
Scholars = mad about book burning
210 BCE = Qin died & dynasty soon came to an end
Lasting Legacy = new ways of organizing & unifying the nation

30. The Glorious Han Ruled China for more than 400 years until 220 AD
Used same forms of centralized power as the Qin, but not as harsh
Rivaled Roman Empire in its power & achievement

31. The Glorious Han Reached its peak during the reign of King Wudi
Extended the empire
Sent armies against nomadic invaders
Interested in the West -- especially the Roman Empire

32. The Glorious Han
Trade routes to the West developed
Major trade route = Silk Road
Linked East & West
Allowed traders to exchange Chinese silk for Middle Eastern & European products

33. The Silk Road

34. Pax Sinica
Chinese Peace = 400 year period of prosperity & stability
China fed its population by storing grain during times of plenty & selling it when harvests were poor

35. Advancements in Farming & Transport
Veterinary medicine
Complex irrigation systems
Advancements in fertilizing crops
New canals
Better roadways

36. Inventions Silk Paper Gunpowder Wheelbarrow Printed books
Suspension bridge
Compass
Iron drill bits

37. Pax Sinica
Talented, intelligent people were appointed to government jobs -- NOT family
They were given tests to see if they were qualified
Evolved into civil service system = a system that allowed anyone with ability to attain public office -- > unfortunately, this usually favored the wealthy because education was expensive
Created a new class of well-educated civil servants = called mandarins
Controlled government until early 1900s

38. Han power declined & dynasty fell apart after Wudi’s reign ended
Pax Sinica
Han power declined & dynasty fell apart after Wudi’s reign ended

39. China’s Social Structure

40. Loosening of Strict Patriarchy
Collapse of Han Dynasty (400s CE)
Nomadic people invaded northern China
Their women = far less restricted
This influenced native Chinese women
Elite women started to handle legal and business affairs
More women rode horses, played polo, wore men’s clothing, etc.

41. Chinese Social Structure
Emperor
Elite Government Officials
Landlord Class
(Scholar-Gentry Class)
Peasants (90% of population)
Merchants

42. China’s Landlord Class
Threatened state authority
Avoided paying taxes
Decreased state revenues
Increased tax burden on the peasants
Raised their own militaries
Benefited from:
Wealth they gained from their land
Power and prestige that went with the education they paid for

43. China’s Peasant Class 90% of the population
Suffered from: famines, floods, droughts, hails, pests, etc.
State authorities demanded that they:
Pay high taxes
Provide one month’s labor every year on public works projects
Serve for 2 years in the military (men only)

44. Yellow Turban Rebellion
Peasant uprising around 184 CE
In response to floods along Yellow River, resulting epidemics, and general misery & poverty
Wanted a “Great Peace” with social harmony, equality, and common ownership of property
Suppressed --> but weakened the Han dynasty

45. China’s Peasant Class
Though oppressed, peasants were still honored in a way because they provided for their country
Backbone of China
Hard-working
Provided food = survival for all

46. China’s Merchant Class
At the bottom of society
Seen as unproductive and as profiting off of the hard work of others
Seen as greedy and materialistic
This went against Confucian values