Ancient China

Geography of Ancient China

• Civilization on the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers

• Rivers flow out of Tibetan Mountains

• Chinese saw their land as the center of the civilized world “Middle Kingdom”

Chinese Society was held together by strong bonds.• The group was more important than

the individual• The family central to society

– Elderly had privileges and power– Oldest man in charge of the family’s

possessions– Final approval on all marriages– Respect for parents most important

virtue

Women in China

• Expected to obey fathers, husbands, and later, their sons

• Marriage arranged between 13 and 16

• Moved into husband’s family’s house

• Only improve status by bearing sons

Family closely linked to religion• Spirits of the family’s ancestors

thought to bring good fortune on the family

• Family’s paid respect to the father’s ancestors– Not gods but helpful or hurtful neighbors

• Only sons could carry on the traditional religious duties

Government

• Chief loyalty to the family• People obeyed the ruler like a “super-

grandfather” who was responsible for the people

• Royal authority came from heaven• Mandate of Heaven• Dynastic cycle pattern of strength

and decline in the different dynasties

The dynasties ruled for 2000 years• Shang• Chou

– Longest in Chinese history

• Ch’in– Shortest and

cruelest

• Han– Mightiest

Shang Dynasty Civilization

• First civilization along the Yellow River where loess is spread

• Unpredictable flooding “China’s sorrow

Cities

• Appeared along the Yellow River in 2000B.C.

• Anyang capital to the Shang dynasty

• Houses built of wood

Social Classes

• Divided between nobles and peasants

• Nobles– Owned land– Served in the army and government– Skilled fighters

• Peasants– Tilled the soil

Artisans were a special class.• Bronze work• Silk• Embroidery

Writing System

• Animal bones and shells with written symbols

• Symbols similar to those used today

• Each character stands for an idea

• Same system throughout China

Chou Dynasty

• No dramatic changes in civilization• For first 300 years ruled a large

kingdom• Gradually lost power• 771 B.C. barbarians invaded and

murdered the Chou monarch• Family moved to Loyang and

pretended to rule

In truth, they were powerless• Noble families fought for control

– “the time of warring states

• Traditional values collapsed– led to Chinese love of order

• Solutions?

Confucius urged order

• Society should be organized around five basic relationships– ruler and subject– father and son– husband and wife– older and younger

brother– friend and friend

Code of Proper Conduct within each relationship• Filial piety- children should respect

parents and elders• If a ruler practiced kindness then

all would go well

Confucius wanted to change Chinese society• Prince of Lu made him Minister of

Crime• People so impressed with his

wisdom and courtesy that all crime vanished

Taoists sought harmony with nature• Natural order

important• Nothing in nature

strives for power, fame, or even wisdom

• Followers withdrew from society

• Tao is the way

Legalist urged harsh government• Highly efficient

powerful government the key to order

• Reward those who do well

• Disobedience punished

• Controlling ideas as well as actions

Ch’in Dynasty

• From small state of Ch’in in western China

• 256 B.C. destroyed Chou king• 246 B.C. new Ch’in king

– Age 13– ruthless Legalist

Ch’in Shih Huang-ti (the first emperor)

• Stopped petty wars• Conquered barbarians

to the south• Protected the North

with the Great Wall• Formed a

government that lasted 200 years

• Responsible for the people

Ch’in Dynasty concentrated on• Stamping out rival armies

– Doubled the size of China– Attacked the barbarians in the North

• Destroying resistance inside the realm– Commanded that all noble families live in

capital city– Changed state boundaries– Built gigantic network of highways

• Uniform standards for law, money, weight, and measures

• Built Great Wall

Great Wall provided protection

Great Wall

Decline of the Ch’in Dynasty• Son less able• Han marched on the city

Han Dynasty known for glory, unity, and peace• Hated laws of

Ch’in• Barbarians rarely

threatened• Confucious’s

teachings won influence

Most powerful Han emperor Wu-ti• 140-87 B.C.• Marshal Emperor• Drove Huns out of Northern border

Renewal of Learning

• Scholars read old Chinese classics

• Confucianism official

• Founded national university

• Brought back news of the civilized people of Persia

Search for culture led to trade

• Great Silk Road– camel caravans– Tibet to Syria and

Asia Minor

After Wu-ti prosperity declined• Peasants suffered

– Burden of taxes and debts– bad harvests– famine and plague– peasants became bandits

• Twice overthrown– Early Han and Later Han

Buddhism came from the Great Silk Road• Monks taught that

Buddha was a merciful god

Han Empire collapsed

Buddhism spread