Based on Power Point by Ms. Susan M. Pojer, Chappaqua, NYBased on Power Point by Ms. Susan M. Pojer, Chappaqua, NY

Modified by Janet Pareja, Evansville, INModified by Janet Pareja, Evansville, IN

Based on Power Point by Ms. Susan M. Pojer, Chappaqua, NYBased on Power Point by Ms. Susan M. Pojer, Chappaqua, NY

Modified by Janet Pareja, Evansville, INModified by Janet Pareja, Evansville, IN

Ancient Ancient River Valley CIVILIZATIONSRiver Valley CIVILIZATIONS

Ancient Ancient River Valley CIVILIZATIONSRiver Valley CIVILIZATIONS

LoessLoess

Many regions, many kingdoms…the Shang are just one…

ShangShangShangShang

Shang PoliticsShang Politics

• Local KingsLocal Kings – ““ruled by proclamation / fiat”ruled by proclamation / fiat” - - no written law

– DecentralizedDecentralized – NOT a unified country

• Warrior AristocracyWarrior Aristocracy – enforced royal will!

– Warfare, hunting, feasting, exchanging gifts, favors.

• ““Ruled from horseback”Ruled from horseback”• King traveled to ensure loyalty.

Socia Social l

Hiera Hierarchy rchy

• King & family

• Hereditary Landed Aristocracy

– Nobility, Warriors– Peasants worked their land

• Scribes• Artisans- silk, pottery…• Merchants• Peasants• Slaves

Who is “missing?”Who is “missing?”

FEUDAL Social HierarchyFEUDAL Social Hierarchy

“A wise man honors the gods, but

keeps a distance.”

Ancient Chinese Society was Ancient Chinese Society was

SECULARSECULAR

• Urban!Urban!

– Ao

• Wall 33’high x 66’ thick - pounded earth

– Yin -• Complex of palaces, archives, neighborhoods,

foundries, workshops, burial grounds…Lavish tombs w/ sacrificial victims.

• Patriarch:– Presided at ceremonies at

home: Honor AncestorsHonor Ancestors. – Mediated family problems– Made decisions for family

• Deference, respect, & Deference, respect, & obedience owed by obedience owed by whole family.whole family.

Ag “Surplus”Ag “Surplus” King (TaxesTaxes)– To pay militarymilitary (huge armies); (huge armies); political alliespolitical allies

- To pay advisors, ministers, craftsmen, metal smiths, architects…

ServiceService King

- ConscriptionConscription: Military, public

works

Peasants =Peasants = Most peopleMost people – Did not own land - served their lord:

• Agricultural, military, and labor services • Given plots to cultivate for their own needs

– Received Security & Law• protected & protected by lords

• Very basic living conditions.

Gender RolesGender Roles• Men- outdoors- work the fields, hunt, fish, soldiers. Patriarch.

• Women (most classes) – Duties indoors – make wine, weave, silk. - Poorest women worked with husband outside. – Obedient, quiet, hard-working.– Order the household.

PeasantsPeasants

Social Social ClassClass

eses

SlavesSlaves

•Large class Large class •POW, criminals•Hardest labor – clear fields, build city walls•Shang - sacrificed for funerals, other rituals.

Shang Technology:Shang Technology:secret to success!secret to success!

• IRRIGATION!IRRIGATION!• Written recordsWritten records• Accurate CalendarAccurate Calendar• Decimal system of numbersDecimal system of numbers• Horses & wheeled chariots Horses & wheeled chariots

• Silk ProductionSilk Production• Expert pottersExpert potters

• Shang Monopoly on Bronze Shang Monopoly on Bronze Metallurgy!Metallurgy!

White jade spearhead, Bronze shaftWhite jade spearhead, Bronze shaft

Shang BronzeShang BronzeShang BronzeShang Bronze

The Evolution of ChineseThe Evolution of ChineseWriting began during the Writing began during the

ShangShang

The Evolution of ChineseThe Evolution of ChineseWriting began during the Writing began during the

ShangShang

PictograpPictographshs

Semantic-Semantic-PhoneticsPhonetics

Oracle BonesOracle BonesOracle BonesOracle Bones

““Chung Kuo”Chung Kuo”(The (The “Middle Kingdom”“Middle Kingdom”))

““Chung Kuo”Chung Kuo”(The (The “Middle Kingdom”“Middle Kingdom”))

“Barbarians”

• Desert and steppes

• Seen as culturally

backward & morally inferior to Chinese– Why?

• War campaigns POWs slaves in Shang capital

• Zhou conquered the Shang

• LegitimizationLegitimization:

• Heaven smiles on the “son of heaven”“son of heaven” – Must govern justly, maintain order, balance

& harmony, bring prosperity…– Keep mandate as long as he & his dynasty

are successful

• If ruler fails in duties chaos & suffering in his realm– Cosmos out of balance heaven is

displeased – Mandate will be given to another more

deserving candidate: heaven will “smile” on someone else…

Mandate of HeavenMandate of Heaven

TheDynastic

Cycle

TheDynastic

Cycle

A new dynasty

comes to power.

A new dynasty

comes to power.

Lives of common people improved;

taxes reduced;farming encouraged.

Lives of common people improved;

taxes reduced;farming encouraged.

Problems begin(extensive wars,invasions, etc.)

Problems begin(extensive wars,invasions, etc.)

Taxes increase;men forced towork for army.

Farming neglected.

Taxes increase;men forced towork for army.

Farming neglected.

Govt. increasesspending; corruption.

Govt. increasesspending; corruption.

Droughts,floods,

famines occur.

Droughts,floods,

famines occur.

Poor looserespect for govt.They join rebels

& attack landlords.

Poor looserespect for govt.They join rebels

& attack landlords.

Rebel bands findstrong leader who

unites them.Attack the emperor.

Rebel bands findstrong leader who

unites them.Attack the emperor.

Emperor isdefeated !!

Emperor isdefeated !!

The emperorreforms the govt.& makes it more

efficient.

The emperorreforms the govt.& makes it more

efficient.

Start here

• Love/Hate Love/Hate – Tense: constant raids by

nomads– Nomadic guides for

travelers

• SymbiosisSymbiosis- – GrainsGrains & agricultural goods

– For HorsesHorses & other goods made by nomads

Relationship with NomadsRelationship with Nomads

Zhou Coins - Zhou Coins - bronzebronze

Zhou Coins - Zhou Coins - bronzebronze

Evolution of Chinese characters

Zhou LiteratureZhou Literature• Book of Changes

– how to foretell the future

• Book of History – Zhou historical documents & justification, for royalty & elites

• Book of Etiquette / Rites – for aristocrats

• Book of Songs / Book Book of Songs / Book of Poetry of Poetry – by & for common peopleby & for common people

Some written on silk, bamboo- lost!

ZHOU POETRY ZHOU POETRY

Not just the ideas of the Elite…But also the Voice

of the Chinese People…

ZZhhoou u TTeecchhnnololooggyy

Bronze and … IronBronze and … Iron• Zhou did Zhou did notnot monopolize monopolize

bronze productionbronze production – Bronze tools in Agriculture.– Subordinates built arsenals.

• IronIron metallurgy arrived & spread metallurgy arrived & spread rapidly:rapidly:– Cheaper, more abundant – Government could not monopolize– Uprising! Subordinates resisted

central government…

• Nomads invaded • Subordinates rebelled

– Built own kingdoms– Fought for hegemony

Period of the Period of the Warring StatesWarring States

Knife Coins

Decline of the Zhou… Decline of the Zhou…

403-221 BCE.403-221 BCE.

Warring States PeriodWarring States Period

•Chaos!Chaos!

Period of the Period of the

Hundred Schools Hundred Schools

:

–Itinerant scholars Itinerant scholars - often served as advisers to state rulers on methods of governing, war, diplomacy.

–Period ended with the rise of Qin &

purging of dissent.

““Golden Age Golden Age of Chinese of Chinese Philosophy”Philosophy”

770-221 BCE770-221 BCE

1.1. School of Scholars:School of Scholars: Kǒng Fūzǐ Social Philosophy – NOT Social Philosophy – NOT

RELIGIONRELIGION Offered PRACTICAL Offered PRACTICAL

suggestionssuggestions

““Invented nothing – just relaying Invented nothing – just relaying wisdom of the sages & classics”wisdom of the sages & classics”

Goal: Reform Society!Goal: Reform Society!Order, harmony, Order, harmony, kindnesskindnessAdvocated active, dutiful Advocated active, dutiful role of educated men in the role of educated men in the affairs of state, and advising the affairs of state, and advising the leaders. leaders.

CONFUCIUS

CONFUCIUS

ConfucianismConfucianism

– 5 Social Relationships5 Social Relationships – JunziJunzi - wise, educated - wise, educated

“superior men” “superior men” to to advise the leadersadvise the leaders

Etiquette / Discipline / Etiquette / Discipline / Education / Generalists Education / Generalists / Moral examples!/ Moral examples!

““The Analects”The Analects”• Written Written LATERLATER by Confucius’ by Confucius’

followersfollowers

• Q & A formatQ & A format• Wise sayings: Wise sayings:

– easy to relate to understand easy to relate to understand – Easy to followEasy to follow– Examples, stories - parablesExamples, stories - parables

Handout!!Handout!!

Heirs to ConfuciusHeirs to Confucius

A. A. MenciusMencius (Meng Ko)(Meng Ko)

– People are People are GOODGOOD:: • Rule them so their Rule them so their

goodness developsgoodness develops• EducationEducation

– Egalitarian thinkingEgalitarian thinking

– Consent of common Consent of common peoplepeople is basis for is basis for political power (includes political power (includes Mandate of Heaven)Mandate of Heaven)

Heirs to ConfuciusHeirs to Confucius

B. B. XunziXunzi – People are lazy and People are lazy and EVILEVIL– Strong Strong authoritarian authoritarian

government government to curb to curb selfishness & capacity to selfishness & capacity to harm othersharm others

– Improve people Improve people with with strong laws & educationstrong laws & education

– Common people are not Common people are not the source of political the source of political power.power.

2. 2. School of the WaySchool of the Way •Individual retreats into Individual retreats into NatureNature rather than rather than working for change in working for change in social/ political societysocial/ political society

•Laozi Laozi

Some bureaucrats were Some bureaucrats were Confucianist by day &Confucianist by day & Daoist by night… Daoist by night… What does that mean?What does that mean?

– Stressed non-action Stressed non-action over over political power… political power…

““Wu Wei”Wu Wei”– Self-examination & appreciation Self-examination & appreciation

of nature; not Mastery of Others of nature; not Mastery of Others or rule of state.or rule of state.

– Advice to kings:Advice to kings:• Cultivate patience, Cultivate patience,

selflessness, concern for selflessness, concern for welfare of all creatureswelfare of all creatures

• Chastised for enjoying war & Chastised for enjoying war & excessive pleasure while excessive pleasure while population is hungrypopulation is hungry

DaoismDaoism

Those who rebel against the basic rules of the universe sever their own Those who rebel against the basic rules of the universe sever their own roots and ruin their true selves.roots and ruin their true selves.  Yin and yangYin and yang……are the beginning and the are the beginning and the end of everything and they are also the cause of life and death.end of everything and they are also the cause of life and death.   Those who Those who disobey the laws of the universe will give rise to calamities and visitations, disobey the laws of the universe will give rise to calamities and visitations, while those who follow the laws of the universe remain free …for they are while those who follow the laws of the universe remain free …for they are the ones who have obtained Tao, the Right Waythe ones who have obtained Tao, the Right Way……. Anything contrary to . Anything contrary to harmony (with nature) is disobedience and means rebellion to nature. harmony (with nature) is disobedience and means rebellion to nature.

3. 3. School of Law School of Law (Legalism)(Legalism)• Han FeiziHan Feizi (d. 233)(d. 233)

• Prosperity of the Prosperity of the

State, martial State, martial

prowess, and order prowess, and order

are more important are more important

than morality or the than morality or the

welfare of the citizenswelfare of the citizens..

LEGALISM LEGALISM “The Book of Lord “The Book of Lord

Shang”Shang”

ABSOLUTE POWER of ABSOLUTE POWER of Law – Even over Ruler!Law – Even over Ruler!

–People exist to serve statePeople exist to serve state

–Ruler’s duty to people: Ruler’s duty to people: • Enforce strict laws strictly- harsh Enforce strict laws strictly- harsh

punishmentpunishment–Qin Shi Huangdi legitimized his ruleQin Shi Huangdi legitimized his rule

Reading from the Book of Lord ShangReading from the Book of Lord Shang

Next time…Next time…

Will China Will China unify?unify?

Who is Qin???Who is Qin???

Stay tuned!Stay tuned!