1. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty The Unification of China
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2. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
End of the Zhou Dynasty
Chaos of the Warring period ended the Zhou Dynasty
3 schools of thought emerged from the Period of Warring states
Confucianism
Daoism
Legalism
Each of these philosophies would deeply impact Chinese political and cultural traditions for many years
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4. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Confucius
Kong Fuzi ( B.C.E.)
Master philosopher Kong
Aristocratic roots
Unwilling to compromise principle, strong willed and hard to get along with. His personality led him to clash with state policy
Decade of unemployment, wandering trying to get hires to an influential state position
Returned home a failure, died soon thereafter
Teachings: Analects
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5. Confucian Ideals Confucian Values
His followers composed the Analects from his sayings and teachings
Moral, ethics and politics
Avoided religion, metaphysics
Believed that political and social harmony came from proper human relationships
Junzi: “superior individuals”
Role in government service
Good and conscientious individuals, not influenced by personal interests
Emphasis on Zhou dynasty texts
Later formed core texts of Chinese education
Since there was no formal education system, Confucius used the texts from the Zhou dynasty
Book of Songs, Book of History, Book of Rites
This education system implemented by Confucius was used until the 1900s in China
Ren
Kindness, benevolence towards humanity
Courteous, respectful, diligent and loyal
Most needed value for government officials Li
Propriety
Behave in a socially accepted manner
Special care for the elderly
Xiao
Filial piety
Importance of family bonds, welfare and support
The combination of these values made the perfect citizen or Junzi which would lead to a peaceful dynasty

6. Disciplines of Confucius
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Disciplines of Confucius
Mencius ( B.C.E.)
Principal Confucian scholar during Warring Period
Optimist, belief in power of ren, people were basically good
Light taxes, no wars, support education
Not influential during lifetime
Considered prime expert of Confucian thought since tenth century
Xunzi ( B.C.E.)
Career as government administrator
Belief in fundamental selfishness of humanity
Emphasis on li, clear, well publicized standards of conduct
Harsh social discipline to achieve appropriate li
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7. Confucianism consisted of three main concepts:
Importance of family
Respect of one’s elders
Reverence for the past and one’s ancestors.
Confucius was concerned with political and social unrest and how moral and ethical leadership could solve those problems.
Confucius believed that his ideals could be followed by completing two steps:
1. Every person should willingly accept his or her role in society and should perform the duties of that role.
2. Government and its leaders should be virtuous.
It was these ideals that helped to create the civil service system in China.

8. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Daoism
Critics of Confucianism
Passivism, rejection of active attempts to change the course of events
Life happens and through introspection you learn to live in harmony with life
Over time, this inner harmony would bring unity and harmony to society
Founder: Laozi, sixth century B.C.E.
The Daodejing (Classic of the Way and of Virtue)
Zhuangzi (named for author, B.C.E.)
The Dao “ The Way”
The way of nature- it does nothing yet accomplished everything
Water: soft and yielding, but capable of eroding rock
Cavity of pots, wheel hubs: empty spaces, but useful tools
Humans should mold their behavior to be passive and yielding
Retreat from engaging in the world and politics
Live as simple as possible
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9. Doctrine of Wuwei (Daoism)
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Doctrine of Wuwei (Daoism)
Attempt to control universe results in chaos, therefore simple is better
Restore order by disengagement
No advanced education
No ambition
Self sufficient communities
Simple living in harmony with nature
Cultivate self-knowledge
Political Implications of Daoism
Confucianism as public doctrine
Daoism as private pursuit
Ironic combination allowed intellectuals to pursue both
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10. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Legalism
Emphasis on development of the state
Ruthless, practical, end justifies the means
Role of law
Strict punishment for violators
Principle of collective responsibility
Shang Yang ( B.C.E.), The Book of Lord Shang
Feared for his ruthlessness. Killed by enemies
Han Feizi ( B.C.E.)
Forced to commit suicide by political enemies
Different than Confucian and Daoism
Did not care about morality or ethics
Did not care about harmony in the universe
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11. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Legalist Doctrine
Two strengths of the state
Agriculture
Military
Emphasized development of peasant, soldier classes
Strict laws that outlined expectations and punishments
Collective responsibility
Distrust of pure intellectual, cultural pursuits like art and literature
Harsh but effective way to rule
Helped end the period of Warring States
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13. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Unification of China
Qin dynasty develops, fourth to third centuries B.C.E.
Generous land grants under Shang Yang
Private farmers decrease power of large landholders
Increasing centralization of power
Improved military technology
This allowed the Qin to expand and absorb neighboring states
The First Emperor
Qin Shihuangdi (r B.C.E.) founds new dynasty as “First Emperor”
Dynasty ends in 207, but sets dramatic precedent
Basis of rule: centralized bureaucracy (like Persian Achaemenids)
Massive public works begun
Precursor to Great Wall
Built 4,000 miles of roads
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14. China Under the Qin Dynasty, 221-207 B.C.E.
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
China Under the Qin Dynasty, B.C.E.
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15. Resistance to Qin Policies
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Resistance to Qin Policies
Emperor orders execution of all critics
Orders burning of all ideological works
Some 460 scholars buried alive
Others exiled
Massive cultural losses
Qin Centralization
Standardized:
Laws
Currencies
Weights and measures
Script
Previously: single language written in distinct scripts
Building of roads, bridges
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16. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Massive Tomb Projects
Built by 700,000 workers
Slaves, concubines, and craftsmen sacrificed and buried
Excavated in 1974, 15,000 terra-cotta sculptures of soldiers, horses, and weapons unearthed
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17. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
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20. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty
Civil disorder brings down Qin dynasty in 207 B.C.E.
Liu Bang forms new dynasty: the Han (206 B.C.E C.E.)
Former Han (206 B.C.E.-9 C.E.)
Interruption 9-23 C.E.
Later Han ( C.E.)
Liu Bang wasn’t anything like Qin Shihuangdi
Surrounded himself around loyal and brilliant advisors
Became one of the longest dynasties in Chinese history
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21. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Early Han Policies
Relaxed Qin tyranny without returning to Zhou anarchy
Created large landholdings
But maintained control over administrative regions
After failed rebellion, took more central control when Liu Bang realized he couldn’t count on his family and friends
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22. Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Han Centralization
The “Martial Emperor”: Han Wudi ( B.C.E.)
Increased taxes to fund more public works
Huge demand for government officials, decline since Qin persecution
Emphasized 2 things: Administrative centralization and Expansion of land
Han Wudi relied on legalist ideas to strengthen the government
Levied taxes on trade, agriculture to fund building programs and pay for large government
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23. Confucian Educational System
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Confucian Educational System
The government needed to hire thousands of workers to handle all the centralization
Han Wudi establishes an imperial university in 124 B.C.E.
Not a lover of scholarship, but demanded educated class for bureaucracy
Adopted Confucianism as official course of study for government officials but followed Legalist ideas for laws
3000 students by end of Former Han, 30,000 by end of Later Han
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24. Han Imperial Expansion
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Han Imperial Expansion
Invasions of Vietnam, Korea
Confucianism would leave their mark
Constant attacks from Xiongnu
Nomads from central Asia
Horsemen, highly disciplined
Brutal: Maodun ( B.C.E.), had soldiers murder his wife, father
Han Wudi briefly dominates Xiongnu, caused Xiongnu to fall
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25. East Asia and Central Asia at the Time of Han Wudi, ca. 87 B.C.E.
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
East Asia and Central Asia at the Time of Han Wudi, ca. 87 B.C.E.
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26. Patriarchal Social Order
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Patriarchal Social Order
Classic of Filial Piety
Subordination to elder males
Lessons for Women
Ban Zhao ( C.E.)
Education should be available to all children
Iron Metallurgy
Expansion of iron manufacture
Iron tips on tools abandoned as tools entirely made from iron
Increased food production
Superior weaponry
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27. Other technological Developments
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Other technological Developments
Cultivation of silkworms
Breeding
Diet control
Other silk-producing lands relied on wild worms
Development of paper
Bamboo, fabric abandoned in favor of wood and textile-based paper
Crossbow trigger, horse collar, ship rudder
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28. Economic and Social Difficulties
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Economic and Social Difficulties
Expenses of military expeditions, especially against Xiongnu
Taxes increasing
Arbitrary property confiscations rise
Increasing gap between rich and poor
Slavery, tenant farming increase
Banditry, rebellion
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29. Reign of Wang Mang (9-23 C.E.)
Chapter 8 Classical China Qin & Han Dynasty
Reign of Wang Mang (9-23 C.E.)
Wang Mang regent for two-year old Han emperor, 6 C.E.
Takes power himself 9 C.E. saying the Mandate of Heaven has passed from the Han to him
Introduces massive reforms
The “socialist emperor”
Land redistribution, but poorly handled
Social chaos ends in his assassination, 23 C.E.
Later Han Dynasty
Han dynasty emperors manage, with difficulty, to reassert control
Moved capital from Chang’an to Luoyang
Yellow Turban uprising because land distribution problems
Internal corruption and forming factions divided the government
Weakened Han dynasty collapses by 220 C.E.
Period 2