Download LIFE IN ANCIENT CHINA Social classes

7-2 Quiz
Grab your clicker
1. In Chinese society,
_________ was the
lowest class.
2. Building block of
Chinese life
3. Children must
respect their
parents
4. Developed Doaism
5. States society
needs a system of
harsh laws and
strict punishments
7-2 Quiz
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
Filial piety
Hanfeizi
Laozi
Confucius
Family
Golden Rule
Merchants
Farmers
Legalism
Aristocrats
You are learning about the three main social
classes of ancient China
You are learning what life was like during
the Zhou dynasty
Chinese Society
Why was the wealthy
merchant class on
BOTTOM??
Aristocrats
Peasant farmers
Merchants
Fill in the blank with the correct social class
LIFE IN ANCIENT CHINA
Social classes- ppl who share a similar
position in society
3 main social classes- rich land owners,
poor farmers, merchants
Life of an aristocratic
•
•
•
•
Large houses
Beautiful gardens
Fine furniture
Relied on farmers to grow
crops
Life of a farmer
• 9/10 Chinese were farmers
• Lived in simple homes
• Farmers grew wheat, millet, and rice on
aristocrat’s farmers
• Farmers grew food for their family on a
small plot of land
• One month a year they helped with gov’t
building projects
• In war time farmers became soldiers
Life of merchants
• Shopkeepers, traders, and bankers
• Lived in towns and provide goods and
services
• Very rich
• Looked down on by other classes
LIFE IN A CHINESE FAMILY
• Why big families – everybody worked so
more members would help you become
wealthy
• Filial piety- children respect their parents
and elders
• Role of Men- women obeyed men (even
their sons)
• Role of Women- raised children and took
care of the house
China, Confucianism
& Taoism (Daoism)
CHINESE THINKERS
• Need for order and a peaceful society led to 3
major theories to create a peaceful society
• Confucianism–
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Confucius – China’s first great thinker and teacher
Duty- was important above all else
“Golden Rule”- Do unto others …
Unpopular with aristocrats because Confucius felt
ALL men with a talent to govern should be able to
work in the government.
Daoism
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•
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Laozi- “Old Master” founder
Dao De Jing- written text
Worldly desires- must give up these
Nature- the force that guides all things
Opposite of Confucianism because it
called on people to give up their concerns
about the world (working in gov’t) and
seek inner peace.
Legalism
• Hanfeizi- scholar that founded Legalism
• Believed people are Naturally evil – must
have rules and harsh punishment to
control them
• Favored by aristocrats because it favored
force and power