ConfucianismConfucius (551-479 B.C.)

K’ung Fu-tze

What is it?The belief that people can be molded and elevated by education and by the virtuous

example of others.It is a set of ethical rules, a moral philosophy.

ConfucianismBeliefs

--placing stress on order--people are born good and inclined to virtue

--filial piety-respect for parents--Li (Chinese unit of distance) ritual rites

Main Axiom“Do not unto others what you do not want them

to do to you”The Analects—Confucius’s main body of work

put together by his disciples

ConfucianismFollowers of Confucius

Meng-tzu (Mencius) (c.372-c.289 BC)

--lived during the Warring States Period--focused on goodness, human-heartedness, compassion and responsibility for the welfare

of others.

ConfucianismHsun-tzu (Xun-Zi) (c. 300-237 BC)

--Human nature is not good, human emotions and desires lead to conflict.

ConfucianismMo-tzu (Mo Zi)

--Rival to Confucius--He denounces war and promotes what he calls

universal love

--He believed that “if everyone would love others as much as he loves himself”, the interests of society

would be served.

--He was utilitarian and believed that emotions , art, music, funerals and ceremonies were wasteful.

Confucianism

Confucianismhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYQ1hcpUedU

Taoism--The Tao (Dao) = The Way

Basic Axiom—silence, inaction

--They urged the acceptance of things as they are

--Based on the idea of dualism

TaoismYIN

SoftGentle

IntuitiveFemale

Taoist

Yang

StrongAssertive

IntellectualMale

Confucianist

Taoism—Yin Yang Circle

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TaoismTao te Ching (Classic of the Way)

Written by Lao tzu (The Old One)

Those who understand don’t talk; those who talk don’t understand.

Ch’in (Qin) Dynasty

221 B.C.-------206 B.C.

Ch’in Dynasty

Ch’in DynastyFacts

--Smallest and most remote of the Zhou dependencies

--They valued frugality, hard work and discipline

--Virtually no art, culture, music, literature or theater. Book learning was condemned.

Ch’in DynastyGovernment

Legalists—influenced by Hsun-tzu’s view ofhuman nature and Mo-tzu’s utilitarianism.

Han Fei-tzu—chief essayist of legalism. Hestressed the need for severe laws and harshpunishments as the only way to establish order.

Ch’in DynastyShi Huang Ti—he built a new capital at HsianYang in the Wei River Valley.

Policies Primogeniture—(eldest son inherits property

and status) was abolished.Slavery—abolished except for domestic

servants Laws—applied to all even aristocrats

Ch’in DynastyWorks Projects

--Imperial System of roads and canals

--His own tomb

--The Great Wall

Ch’in Dynasty

Ch’in Dynasty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4ikRlTAox0

Ch’in DynastyCh’in Authoritarianism

Burning of booksHighly developed police system

Travel restricted

Ch’in Dynasty

Ch’in Dynasty Video

http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/dynasty-chin.cfm

Han Dynasty202 B.C.-------220 A.D.

Han Dynasty

Liu BangFounded the Han in 202from peasant origins

Han Kao-tsu (HighProgenitor)

First Emperor

Liu BangAbolished

Restrictions on travel

Controls on Education

High Taxes

Retained

Conscription in the Army

Forced Labor for works projects

Han Wu TiRuled 141-87 B.C.

GovernmentEver-Normal Granary System—

Prevented famine by collecting grain in good years for sale at controlled prices during lean

years

Han DynastyGovernment

Confucianism the State philosophy.

Why?

GovernmentImperial Exams—

Had to learn the Five Classics

They helped to lessen corruption, mediocrity and ineffectiveness.

Trade and CommerceSilk Road

Silk was the main export from China andwas in demand in the West.

Chang Ch’ien was captured by a Turkishcavalry group for ten years. He returned in 126 B.C. with grapevine cuttings, alfalfaseeds and news of Rome.

Trade and Commerce

Video BreakHan Dynasty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkaxdGRgQgA

Trade and CommerceParthians the middle men of the Silk Road. They feared direct contact between Chinaand Rome.

The Han had met the Parthians in 97 A.D.and told them to turn back.

AchievementsPaper—appeared at the end of the first century

B.C.

Porcelain—glazed, nonporous ware, akaChina.

Wheelbarrow—wheel centered in the middle

AchievementsSsu-ma Ch’ien (Simaqien)

China’s grand historian, he replaced manyof the historical records destroyed by theCh’in.

Han SculptureDrum Jar

Han Sculpture

Han Dynasty Video

http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/dynasty-han.cfm

Han Decline and Collapse

Emperors of the last century were weak--High taxation--Large land owners taxed less--Peasants fled to the south --Barbarians

The Six Dynasties(220-589)

Period of the Three Kingdoms(220-290)

Shu, Wei and the Wu

Sui Dynasty

Sui Dynasty (581-618)

Sui Wen Ti founded the Sui

Yang Ti (604-618) builds canal fromHangzhou in the south to Kaifeng in theNorth.

He rebuilds the Great Wall

Achievements

Gunpowder

Coal as a fuel source

Magnetized needle for north

T’ang Dynasty(618-907)

Li shih-min—founder of the T’ang, Chineseand Barbarian blood.

He takes the title of T’ai Tsung (Tai zong)which means Great Ancestor.

T’ang Dynasty

Government

Maintained the Civil Service Exam.Government officials were known asMandarians.

Rule of Avoidance

Board of Censors

Government

Public Works

Rebuilt the roads of the Ch’in and the Han. They included post stations alongthe road every ten miles to rest orchange horses.

T’ang Achievements

T’ang Dynasty Video

http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/dynasty-tang.cfm

GovernmentMilitary

The T’ang army was led byaristocratic families. Horses were aprized possession. Many mountedwarriors had crossbows, lances andswords.

T’ang ArtEarthenware with polychrome glaze 725 AD. Glaze is a fine cobalt blue

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T’ang Art

Artsmia.org

T’ang Decline and Collapse--Peasants and small land owners paid the

most in taxes--Imperial Land Grants resulted in land not

being taxed--Corvee Labor no longer enforced, which

was required of all fit males--Mercenaries cost money troops developed

loyalty to regional commanders

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