The Zhou DynastyThursday, September 16th

The End of the Shang

The Shang dynasty collapsed after they were defeated by Wu, a military leaders.

Wu and his brother were the leaders of the Zhou people. They had a series of vassals under them who they controlled

When the Shang dynasty fell to the Zhou (and Wu) they already had long-standing allies and people who were obedient to them.

Early Zhou Period

The Zhou dynasty practiced feudalism: a type of political system that stressed mutual obligations and benefits within the ruling clan.

The Zhou rulers granted their loyal warriors (aka vassals) fiefs: permission to gather money from peasants.

Zhou rulers had almost no control over the fiefs. So, if a vassal stopped sending money to the monarch, he was declaring war against the Zhou.

Changes in the Social Order

The feudal system was stopped for two reasons:

1. Mandate of Heaven

2. Emergence of professional bureaucrats who grew in size and expertise.

Mandate of HeavenThis was a philosophy adapted by the Zhou Rulers when King Wu overthrew the Shang.

He said that the Shang lost the Mandate of Heaven- this meant that they would no longer deserve the allegiance of their supporters.

The concept of the Mandate of Heaven basically said that a leader was brought to the throne by the gods; that is, it was proof that the Zhou were stronger and more favored leaders than the Shang because they defeated the Shang.

It established the idea that the supreme political authority was granted by the gods.

Bureaucrats & The ShiDuring the Shang and early Zhou, it was thought that military leaders would govern an area of land and answer to the emperor.

However, during the later Han period, shi (which means men of service) became the administrators of the empire.

They were able to rise to political position because they could read and write well, and were willing to serve as scribes, clerks, advisors, and overseers.

The shi were paid regular salaries from the emperor. They soon came to specialize in record keeping, running rituals and ceremonies, and handling war and other public works.

New Patterns of Life

In the early Zhou, they did not live closely with those who were under the Shang. It was a segregated society.

Zhou vassals lived away from capitals in order to run their given territories.

People began improving farming implements and peasants were forced to do road work and building projects.

Peasants were not treated well; they were usually oppressed and mistreated.

Zhou Cultural Change

The Zhou Dynasty strengthened the idea that males were dominant within the family structure.

Boys were needed in order to worship male ancestors.

The cults of royal and family ancestors became the centers of religious observance.

Human sacrifice was ended but people still worshipped their clan, family, and dynasty.

The End of the Zhou

By the 8th century BCE, Zhou power was declining.

Rulers no longer had power over their vassals and the vassals grew too powerful.

The Zhou ruler was killed in battle and most of the western kingdom, after that, was lost.

A growing chaos and widespread suffering began. This resulted in a reaction by the shi and produced some of the greatest Chinese thinkers of all time.

ConfuciusOne of the greatest thinkers to come about in Chinese History after the decline of the Zhou

He began a religion and a philosophy known as Confucianism.

He was convinced that a small minority of superior men were destined to govern and set an example for the common people. Superior men were made- not born.

Confucianism states that the welfare of the common good was the most important thing rulers should think about.

He taught that society was held together by personal ties of loyalty and obedience. If these relationships were honored, government would not have to intervene on behalf of the people.