1. Traditions in China…

2. Ming and Qing Dynasties
Practiced isolationism
Did not want influence from the West
Put trade restrictions and regulations on trade from the West
Were self-sufficient
Not interested in
“strange objects”

3. Social Classes Emperor Scholars Gentry = wealthy land owners Peasants
Artisans and merchants
Soldiers

4. Marriage Parents arranged marriages Lived with husband’s family
NO divorces!

5. WORK Peasants rented land Children worked as soon as they walked
Worked all day
Children worked as soon as they walked

6. CHILDEN & ELDERLY Birth of a girl was not celebrated
Not given name until 1 month old
“The bamboo stick makes a
good child”

7. Family Respect
Children learn from birth that family interests come before your own
Parents expected and got complete obedience
Family’s worship their ancestors and have ceremonies for them

8. Family Life Family is most important thing in life Respect elders
Women obey men, but kids respect mom
Many generations of one family lived together to survive
Oldest male is in charge

9. Role of Women Chinese valued girls for work and childbearing
Did not celebrate the birth of a girl
When married, a woman becomes part of his family
A young bride must obey her mother-in-law and husband (she can’t criticize either of them)
Birth of a son = respect (birth of girl is ignored)
950AD = binding feet because small feet were considered more desirable for men and possible husband (very painful!)
Small feet = more beautiful

10. GOVERNACE
Family Dynasties controlled regions within the country-Passed Down
Emperor was a distant figure
Peasants had absolutely no say

11. EDUCATION Only wealthy boys were educated
Peasants were easily cheated by anyone who could read and add

12. HEALTH & HYGIENE Many food shortages Doctors very far away
“Foot binding”

13. Binding Feet

14. BINDING FEET FOR WOMEN
Having tiny feet was a sign of beauty and wealth and men were attracted to women with small feet.
Foot Binding is an attempt to stop growing your feet and usually began between the ages of four and seven. A ten foot long bandage was wrapped tightly around the foot. This bandage forced the four small toes to go under the bottom of the foot. This made the foot become more narrow, but also shorter because it forced the big toe and the heel of the foot to become closer together by bowing the arch of the foot. An ideal foot should be no longer than three inches. The clef between the heel and the sole should be two to three inches deep. Finally, the foot should appear as an extension of the leg, rather than a stand for the body. To achieve the perfect foot, girls would walk long distances so their own body weight would crush the foot into its deformed shape. After two years of extreme pain, you would get a tiny pair of folded feet, but become unable to move normally. The tradition is carried out for ten years to make sure the toes stay in place.

15. STANDARD OF LIVING Tax collectors came every month
Families shared one-room hut

16. China’s Self-sufficiency
Agricultural economy
Mining and manufacturing industry- salt, tin, silver, iron.
Produced silks, cottons, and fine porcelain
SO- they had little interested in trading with the West
How do the European get the Chinese to increase trade with them?

17. Opium War
Had been used in China for medicine but the British smuggled it in for non-medicinal uses
By 1835, 12 million Chinese were addicted to the drug. Almost all men under 40 smoked it.
Opium caused great social, moral, and monetary problems for China.
Emperor desired to stop trade, British refused.
War broke out in 1939 between the British and the Chinese called the Opium War
BRITISH WIN! And get:
Hong Kong $
Access to more Chinese ports
Extraterritorial rights- U.S. and other foreigners have exemption from Chinese law at four Chinese ports. (Chinese resented this privilege and the foreigners)
Trade of opium continues

18. Other foreigners enter China now…

19. Boxer Rebellion Poor peasants and workers resented foreigners
Began a campaign against the Empress and foreigners by attacking European section of Beijing
People killed on the streets and in hotels
Boxers were eventually defeated by the Europeans

20. Results of the Boxer Rebellion
Chinese Boxers lost but a strong sense of nationalism had emerged
China must resist foreign intervention
The government must become responsive to the needs of the people
Chaos in China for years over who would lead next
Internal fighting leads to the rise of nationalist leader, Chaing Kai-Shek, who wants to unify China but other groups fight against him including communists led by Mao Zedong