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Ancient India and China Chapter 3 and 2 World History Indus Valley • India: fertile plain between Indus and Ganges rivers. Area guarded by mountains and desert • Subject to monsoons-wet and dry seasons • Indus region was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, South Asia and China. It was not discovered until the 1920's. Most of its ruins, even its major cities, remain to be excavated. The ancient Indus script click has not been deciphered • 2500 B.C.-began building planned communities (Kalibangan, MohenjoDaro, and Harappa) • Indus valley sometimes referred to as Harappan civilization • Indus Valley cities were laid out on a precise grid system with fortified areas called citadels. They had separate residential districts and sophisticated plumbing and swage systems • TAKE A LOOK http://www.mohenjodaro.net/ Harappan Religion • Artifacts reveal links to modern Hindu culture Hindus are polytheistic religion Around 1750 BC life in Indus Valley began to decline ??? (river changed course, land worn out, catastrophe, or attack) The Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro show the advanced plumbing system. The drain in the middle would take all unwanted water to the sewage system below Indian Civilization • Mohenjo-Daro had plumbing and sewers! • Water came into their houses and was carried away…very complex • Most people here were farmers. They grew wheat, barley, melons, and dates. They may have even been the first people to cultivate cotton • Merchants and traderscoins from Mesopotamia found • After the decline of the Indus River valley a new group migrated into the area from 2000-1500 BCE –called the Aryans from Central Asia • These nomads intermarried with locals to form a group who called themselves Aryans. They combined their culture and Indian culture • Record from the Vedas or teachings of ancient India. This is known as the Vedic Age b/c how it was India • Aryans began to settle into villages and become farmers • They were led by their local chief or rajahs. The rajah was elected from the warriors • Over time some of these rajahs built control over many villages and became hereditary rulers • Created the caste system or social hierarchy in India • Brahmins = priests • Kshatriyas or warriors • Vaisyas or farmers/ artisans/ merchants • Sudras- people with little or no Aryan heritage (farm workers, servants, laborers) • Dalits-untouchables (performed work that made them contaminated like butchers or trash collectors Religion • Aryans were polytheistic • They worshipped gods who embodied natural forces like rain and fire • Their chief god was Indra or the god of war • Some Aryans began to focus on the idea of mysticism or direct communication with god and began to meditate and do yoga • Over time the Aryan and Indian gods melted together to form thousands of gods and the religion of Hinduism • Around 500 BCE India was divided into regional kingdoms • Mahabharata-epic poem in Indian history about history and warfare-what your comic is covering • Ramayana –poem to teach values and behavior 2: Hinduism and Buddhism • Aryan and non-Aryans blended religions together-resulting in thousands of gods • Hindus share a common view: religion liberates the soul from everyday existence • One Force underlies everything: “God is one, but wise people know it by many names” Brahman= this spirit • Therefore the religion is both polytheistic and technically monotheistic • Goal is to achieved perfect understand (moksha). Usually not achieved in one life-time (reincarnation) and soul’s karma determines the next life’s circumstances such as caste • Goal: moksha or the union with brahman. To achieve the person must free themselves from self desires that separate them from the brahman. The believe in reincarnation or rebirth in order to continue working towards achieving moksha b/c it is very difficult to achieve in just one life Hinduism • Hindus believe that you can come closer to moksha by obeying the law of Karma. Karma refers to all the actions of a person’s life that affect their fate in the next life • People who live virtuously earns good karma and are reborn at a higher level of existence while those who do evil acquire bad karma and are born into suffering at a lower level of existence. In Indian art this image is made in the wheel • Dharma- religious and moral duties of an individual that helps to guide their karma. These duties vary according to occupation/ gender/ class/ age • Hinduism also stresses non-violence or ahimsa Hinduism The religion reinforces the caste system. You deserve to be in your position in society because of your past karma. The caste system becomes more complex over time. Rules were developed on what you could eat, where you live, dressed, job, and who you could marry. Contact with lower castes would pollute a high-caste Brahmin. Untouchables had to carry a wooden instrument called a clapper to warm of their approach! Brahman Moksha Humans Animals Plants Objects-rocks and water • Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple-pg 57 • Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple-pg 57 Jainism • Jainism-Mahavira –great teacher • believed everything in the universe has a soul and shouldn’t be harmed (doctrine of non-violence) • Jain monks sweep the sidewalks of insects so as not to kill any. They carry brooms. •Started originally in the 600 BCE ish •-Became popular after a great teacher Vardhamana Mahavira turned to Jainism • -born 540 BCE –kshatriya (warrior/ aristocracy class)-left home at 30 in search of an escape for the cycle of incarnation and for 12 years wondered and lived an ascetic (frugal /severe) life after which he found enlightenment! He abandoned all worldly goods (including clothing) and taught a ascetic doctrine of detachment from the world. He taught this until his death in 468 BCE-his dedicated disciples he called Jina (the conqueror) and then became known as Jains. • -inspired by much found in the Upanishads. • -Believed everything in the universe had a soul (humans, animals, plants, the air, bodies of water, even rocks). Believed that souls were trapped and experienced both physical and psychological suffering. Only purification of selfish behavior would release the soul from the imprisonment of incarnation. How to attain purification: strict principle of ahimsa (nonviolence). Jain monks go to extremes to avoid harming any souls: sweep off the sidewalk, wear facial masks, strain their drinking water, are vegetarian. Very difficult to be a Jain because most people’s jobs put them in violence with souls (tanning, farming). Jainism didn’t support the caste system and the religion became popular with lower caste members like scholars merchants. This religion was minority religion in India and still is today (about 2 million followers). Ahimsa is recognized as a fundamental belief of Hinduism and Buddhism. Famous political leaders like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. practice the doctrine of ahimsa to in promoting non-violence in their social movements. Buddhism • Siddhartha Gautama is the founder • He was born a prince about 563 BCE. It was predicted that he would either be a great king or wandering holy man • His father kept him in the palace in the hopes of him becoming a great ruler • At 16 Gautama married • At 29 Gautama left the palace and his life changed. He saw an old man, a sick person, and a dead body. He discovered human suffering so he set out to discover the “realm of life where there is neither suffering or death • Gautama wondered for 6 years • He came upon a tree and began to mediate on this issue. He did so for 49 days…he also fasted. It was set that by poking him in the stomach that you could touch his back! • After the 49 days he understood the cause and cure for suffering and sorrow. He then became known as the enlightened one or Buddha Buddha Buddhism • Buddha then spent the rest of his life preaching on how to achieve enlightenment • Four Noble Truths –state of life • Eight Fold Path to reach enlightenment • Buddha died at age 80. Afterwards the religion divides into various sects (Theravada Buddhism-original teachings of Buddhism vs. Mahayana Buddhism-makes gods and people worship to find salvation) • Buddhism was from Hinduism. Differed b/c instead of focusing on priests all could seek enlightenment through meditation. Also Buddhism rejected the caste system offering the hope of nirvana to all regardless of birth • Grew and spread across Asia, but in India Buddhism declined and was absorbed by Hinduism and Buddha became one of its many gods Four Noble Truths First noble truth Everything in life is suffering and sorrow Eight Fold Path Right Views Right Livelihood Second The cause of all noble truth suffering is people’s selfish desire for the temporary pleasures of this world Right aspirations Right Effort Third The way to end all noble truth suffering is to end all desire Right Speech Right Mindfulness Fourth The way to overcome noble truth such desire and attain enlightenment is to follow the 8 fold path, which is called the Middle Way between desires and self-denial Right Conduct Right Contemplation Goal= nirvana (union with the universe and release from the cycle of life) • Stupas • Angkor Wat Indian Empires • 1500 BCE the Indus River Valley disappeared (classical age) • Indo-Europeans began migrations, Aryans • Internal fights between various Aryan kingdoms • In 326 BCE Alexander the Great from Macedonia conquers Persia and makes his way to India. He conquerors northern India and brings with him Hellenistic and Greek culture. By the time he has made it to India many of his men are homesick and force Alexander to go back home. Soon afterwards Alexander the Great dies. • His troops refused to fight the Magadha Empire in India along the Ganges River. •520 BCE the Persians began advancing into northern India under Darius. They conquered parts of northern India (n. Punjab and Gandhara) • -Cyrus the Great started the Persian Empire (sometimes called the Achaemenid Empire-after his clan name]. [ah-key-mee-nid] •Persian Empire was later conquered by Alexander the Great (Macedonia) (Greek). Both Greece and Persia declined (Persian wars and Peloponnesian war). King Philip II of Macedonia conquered Greece, but was killed. This left way for his son, Alexander to take the throne. Alexander picked up on his dad’s quest to conquer Persia and he did so within a few years. He took Egypt, Persia and eventually moved into conquer parts of northern India [331 BCE battle of Gaugamela]. By 325 BCE his troops were tired of fighting and mutinied! On his journey home Alexander died at 32 yrs. His empire was broken up between his commanders. • Persia=Seleucid Empire after commander Seleucus (305-281 BCE) {Bactria} • Iran= Parthians -224 CE Sasanid =conquered Parthians 224 -651 • -Later Kushan Empire formed in north and took Bactria Magadha Kingdom •Magadha –was an empire in eastern India that became powerful and grew from its trade profits. It was positioned to take over power created by the vacuum when Alexander the Great died. However, a man named Chandragupta Maurya would change this forever! He decided to attack Magadha and take the empire over for himself. So he launched a series of small attacks on the outskirts of the Magadha Empire and gradually worked his way to the center. 321 BCE he overthrew the ruling dynasty and consolidated his kingdom= the Mauryan Empire 322 BCE185 BCE • -northern Punjab and Bactria [Bahk-terr-uh] Indian Empires • The Mauryan Empire was created in the late 4th century (or late 300’s) by Chandragupta Maurya-when he killed the last Magadha king and took control of the territory. He also defeated the general left in charge of the northern Indian territories following the death of Alexander the Great. He and his successors expanded the empire to cover of Deccan. He had a well organized bureaucracy with royal officials overseeing projects and tax collection. He also encouraged trade and had state owned factories and shipyards. He had royal courts to settle disputes, but was harsh in the fact that he had a secret police force to report on corruption, crime, and dissentience. He also had a specially trained group of warrior women to protect him at his palace! Mauryan Centralization • Mauryan Empire: 322-185 BCE • **important-created a centralize bureaucracy • Pataliputra = capital and center of government for the Mauryan Empire (Chang’an-Chinese capital during Qin/ Han dynasties-became Xian) • Edicts and decrees were written on stone tablets and then sent out – how leader communicated their policies • Central treasury = to collect taxes to pay for bureaucrats and military • Public works projects-roads, irrigation etc. • Trade –roads encouraged trade • -built road connecting Pataliputra to Taxila (north) -inns, wells, and shade trees planted along the way • -stated owned factories and shipyards to raise revenue • Royal courts 7) spices and secret pp (prostitute spies) 8) warrior women • 9) According to legend, Chandraputa abdicated the throne to become a monk! Kautalya • **Kautalya (Kautilya) -advisor to Chandragupta Maurya who helped him created a centralized government. He wrote Arthashastra – outlined ideas (similar to great political and military treatises such as Sun Zu or Machiavelli) • Chandragupta’s son enlarged the empire • Ashoka = grandson-most famous of the Mauryan rulers! Ashoka • Ashoka (269-232 BCE) : Chandragupta’s grandson and great emperor. He continued to expanded and fought a very bloody battle for Kalinga where he slaughtered more than 100,000 people. He was so horrified at the seen that he converted to Buddhism and upheld its belief of nonviolence. He then brought much peace and prosperity to the people of India. Mauryan Empire Indian Empires • After the death of Ashoka the Mauryan Empire decline and fell apart • Soon regional kingdoms and infighting spread throughout India. They were then conquered by foreign to the north, the Kushan invaders • In the south on the Deccan various kingdoms arose: Dravidians to the north who absorbed many northern ideas such as language and religion and were tolerant and the Tamil kingdoms to the south focused on trade. Tamil rulers improved the harbors and sent spices, fine textiles, and other luxuries westward to Roman! When the Roman empire declined they traded with China. Gupta Empire • About 500 years following the fall of the Mauryan Empire the next strong empire arose in India, the Gupta Empire • Golden Age of India and Hindu revival • The Gupta empire was founded by Chandra Gupta and lasted from 320-540. It was called the Golden Age of India because its rulers brought much peace and prosperity to the people of India. The Guptas supported Hinduism. Much of Indian rule was based on village and city governments with their local rulers claiming subservience to the Gupta king. Trade flourished and this prosperity supported art and learning which became very important Gupta • Pataliputra once again became the capital • -Early rulers like Samudra Gupta and Chandra Gupta II extended the territory of the Gupta Empire and established tributary alliances. (smaller than Mauryan) • *Administration: different approach –moved from centralized bureaucracy • -Guptas left local government / administration and making of policy up to the various regions within the empire. It didn’t come from top down. When nomadic people (White Huns) invaded the Empire quickly fractioned into small regional kingdoms along these line Gupta Empire • Decline came with the invasion of the White Huns. Huns invaded Bactria and the Gutpa Empire was kept busy with making defenses against their assaults…cost much resources of the state eventually weakening it. • By 5th century the Huns moved into Northern India and set up kingdoms • As this happened, regional governors usurped Gupta and later Gupta emperor’s names are not even recorded! Only really ruled in name towards the end. The Empire slowly declined and no other major empire would rule India until the 16th century with the Mughal dynasty with Babur “the Tiger”. (456 in your book) Achievements/ Decline of Gupta • Math: Arabic numerals, concept of zero, decimal system. Arabic numerals, concept of a zero, decimal system, placevalue notion system expediting math computations (19 x 84 instead of XIX x LXXXIV)-carried out advanced algebraic calculations, calculated value of pi. Indian mathematics readily adopted “Hindi numerals” later Europeans called “Arabic numerals”. (1-9) • Medicine: remedies to treat illnesses, setting bones and simple surgery, and even some early version of vaccinations. early plastic surgery, (c-sections), vaccines, used healing plants as remedies, set bones, simple surgery, earth is a sphere that rotates on its axis. • Literature: many writers in the Sanskrit language. Kalidasa the most famous playwright story of Shakuntala Indian Literature • Literature: • Vedas-Vedic Age –Older: Religious concepts and explanations for all aspects of life • Mahabharata- greatest epic poem • Ramayana- epic story • -both about adventure, battles, and romancereflect a increasingly complex and organized society • Upanishads –literature about religion and Hinduism: specifically the joining of the soul with the Braham. Everyday Life (India) • Most people of India were poor peasant that lived in the countryside in villages. Their lives were consumed with work, caste system, family and village life, and their duties to each • The family structure was a joint family with parents, children, and their offspring living in a common dwelling. The culture was patriarchal with men having power. There were traditions like consulting the wife and family on important decisions. Property belonged to the family itself. • Family interests came before individual interests! They trained children, performed their caste duties, and learned rituals to honor their ancestors. • Women left the home after marriage to resident with their husband’s family. (dowry) • At first women enjoyed many freedoms in India, but by the Gupta Empire they were restricted and couldn’t leave the house without being covered from head to foot! Culture (India) • Women were believed to hold and specific energy that needed to by channeled by her husband (shakti) • Women were thought to only achieve a higher existence (reincarnation) through being devoted to her husband. Virtuous widows would even through themselves onto their dead husbands funeral fires to join him. • The village was the heart of daily life. It was run by a headman and council that made important decisions (at first women could be on the councils, but this changed). They organized projects like road and irrigation projects. The town was organized into a cluster of homes surrounded by the fields • Farming depended on the monsoons, too little or too much rain could mean famine. The farmers rented their lands from landlords and were required to pay a percentage of their crops as payment leaving very little for the family. They village people also traded some goods and participated in trade across the continent Caste become complex • Caste System: growth of trade and industries led to deep implication for the social structure of India b/c new groups didn’t quite fit into it. People of the same craft/trade formed guilds that supervised prices/ wages. They lived in the same area of town, socialized, intermarried, and cared for their groups’ needy. The guilds functioned as subcastes known as jati. Jati came to organize and maintained discipline of its members including resolving disputes. Individuals who didn’t abide by the group rules were subject to expulsion from the community-they had to take on the work of untouchables India guilds and the jati worked to perform services that central governments provided in other lands. TRADE • Trade: Trade active along the Ganges River along with other waterways and roads • -Strong states in China, India, and Mediterranean provided the foundation for long distance trade. Political and military alliance helped for long distance relations. When Persia conquered parts of northern India –the region was pulled into Persia trade and it stuck. Alexander the Great continued this extensive trade network. Products moved up from India to Taxila and pasted into the Silk Road. • -cotton, black pepper, pearls, gems, and aromatics main exports • Imported: horses, bullion, and silk • Indian Ocean Trade: in addition to land trade sea trade developed. Once merchants learned the rhythms of the monsoon seasons they could easily and safely pass through the India Ocean basin (s/s sw wind, f/w ne wind). Merchants from India traveled to Indonesian islands/ southeast Asia. Items flowed to Persian and Red Sea Gulf eventually up to the Mediterranean. Indian pepper was so popular with Romans that they established trading settlements in southern India to facilitate the trade! China • Natural barriers isolated ancient China: Pacific Ocean, Taklimakan desert, Plateaus of Tibet and Mongolia, Gobi Desert, and the Himalayan mountains • Plain between Huang He (Yellow River) and Yangtze is China heartland-farming’s • Silt from yellow river overflowing-loess-also called the “River of Sorrows” • 2000 B.C. cities arose in China • Xia dynasty: led by Yu (flood control and irrigation projects) The Yellow River gets its name because of the yellow windborne clay dust called loess that is blown across the north of China from the steppes of Central Asia. The loess is blown into the river and gives it a yellow appearance Shang Dynasty of China • Shang: 1766-1122 BCE. invaders, written records, created walled cities-protection, society sharply divided by class (King, warrior-nobles, and peasants) (118ft mounds) • Culture placed importance on family and loyalty to king/emperor • Local princes and nobles governed most of the lands controlled by the king • Elite women may have enjoyed high status…some have been found to own land and even lead armies • Majority of people were peasants who lived in small villages. They worked the fields or worked on public projects. There was also trade and a class of merchants and artisans Shang Dynasty • Religion-believed spirits of family members could influence fortune (Chinese version of Dracula!) • Polytheistic-worshipped a supreme god, Shang Di, and many lesser ones through the spirits of their ancestors • Shang kings consulted the gods through oracle bones, which priest would break and then interpret • Controlled bronze-tin and copper =allowed them to controlt their society and they rioting became difficult • Writing system-(pictographs): no links between China’s languages and writing system -Oracles bones Zhou Dynasty • Zhou overthrow Shang around 1122 BCE-last Shang leader nobody really liked so Zhou came in and beheaded him and took control! • Justified by Mandate of Heaven (bad rulers could lose gods support and others could then overthrow him) • This began a patter of rise and fall in dynasties in Chinadynastic cycle. Floods, famine, and other problems were sign that a dynasty had lost the mandate • Zhou began feudalism to control lands (nobles can use kings land in return for loyalty and service) • Technology-roads, coined money, government workers, and iron • Zhou lost power 256 BC and nobles began fighting Zhou Dynasty • By 771 BCE the Zhou was very weak and the monarch was killed in an invasion into the city he lived in (nomadic invaders). Family moved to another city and pretended to rule for the next 500 years. This was a chaotic time and much fighting occurred between powerful vassal. The time of the called the period of the warring states • Extended land, banned human sacrifice, began to standardize language • By 256 BCE Zhou fell apart and a warlord took control of the China and trimphed over the other war lords, his name Qin Shi Huangdi. He started the Qin Dynasty • Confucius also lived during this time period Religion • Believed in many gods, but believed that humans could not speak with them • Only the ancestors of great people could speak to the gods on behalf of people • So Ancestor worship-people prayed to their ancestors to help them with the harvest and even war. The ancestor would then speak with the God. At first only royal family and nobility were thought of as having ancestors of enough power. Over time this began to change and many prayed to their ancestors for things like good fortune Confucius 551BCE • Ancient belief of peace and harmony: nature: yin/ yang. Confucius created a philosophy or system of ideas that was concerned with worldly matters, especially good government. He thought that the government needed to be centralized and that peace needed to be restored to China. His local leaders refused to allow him to work for them b/c he was too opinionated and so he traveled around looking to be a chief advisor. Didn’t have much success, but had disciples who wrote his idea in the Analects. • He then became a very famous teacher. He had a strong focus on patriarchy and respect for elders and country. Know and accept your role/ position in society. Relationships were to reflect this position (ruler to subject, parent to child, and even husband to wife). Correct behavior would bring stability and order. The most important duty was respect to parents. “Do not do to other…what you would not wish yourself” Confucius Daoism • Laozi founded around the same time as Confucius • Concerned with living in harmony with nature • You should look beyond everyday cares and focus on the Dao or “the way” of the universe • Believed that one who truly understood the Dao wouldn’t speak of it! • Rejection of conflict and strife (water does not resist, but yields to outside pressure, yet is an unstoppable force) • Believed that government was unnatural and cause many problems. The best government was one that governed the least! • Daoism-*PASSIVE Laozi (Dao de Jing –Classic of the Way and Virtue) • -Pointless to waste time and energy on problems where there were no solutionsInstead of devoting time to social activism, Daoists devoted their time to reflection and introspection in the hopes of understanding the principles of nature so that they could learn to live at peace. Daoists believed that peace would arrive in society if people tried to learn the principles of nature and live in harmony…people wouldn’t meddle in affair they could not understand and control and just go with the “way”. • -Tried to understand the world and nature • -Central concept = dao or “ the way” (of nature/ cosmos) –it is a force and is eternal and unchanging principle that governs all the workings of the world. • -dao “the way” seen as passive (dao does nothing and yet accomplishes everything-Dao is like water because it is yielding, but is also so powerful that it can erode the hardest rock in its path) • *If Daoism were applied to society –then people would tailor their behavior to be passive and yielding-and would retreat from politics/government. Human striving and desire had brought the world into chaos…so we need to cease frantic striving and live as simple life as possible. • -wuwei (chief moral virtue) –disengagement from the competitive exertions and active involvement in affairs of the world. • -refrain from education and personal striving • -In terms of government wuwei called for less governmentenvisioned a world of tiny, self sufficient communities with people had no desire to conquer or trade-the idea was they were so content with their existence that they would not have desire!!! Religion • Daoism changed and evolved into a popular religion with gods, goddesses, and magical practices. People turned to priests for good luck and cures • Over time many Chinese mixed Daoist and Confucian ideas because Confucianism taught them how to behave while Daoism influenced their view of the natural world Achievements • Shang astronomers studied the movement of the planets and recorded eclipses. This helped them to make an accurate calendar with 365 ¼ days • Technology for bronze making: weapons • 2640 BCE learned how to make silk. This became China’s most valuable export and kept the technology secret for many years • Writing system: people across China spoke various languages and dialects. Therefore having one language was important for Chinese unification. • Language –characters that represent words. Must memorize thousands of characters in order to be successful reading or writing. As you can imagine only the most wealthy could afford tutors. • Calligraphy became popular • Zhou –first book written “book of songs” Strong Rulers: section 5 • Qin dynasty rose up from the Zhou and the time of the warring states • Shi Huangdi or the “First Emperor” proclaimed himself emperor after the fight for power in 221 BCE • He spent 20 years conquering most of the warring states and then needed to unify them • He created a centralized government that was legalistic • Legalism is based on the teachings of Hanfeizi who died in 233 BCE. He believed that the nature of man was evil and that goodness was something acquired. Therefore, the only way to achieve order was to pass very strict laws and impose harsh consequences for crimes • Shi Huangdi tortured, enslaved, or killed his critics many whom were nobles and Confucian scholars • In order to root out dissent, Shi Huangdi, also approved the burning of books (exception was medicine and agriculture) Shi Huangdi •His Tomb Shi Huangdi (tomb) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • QIN Dynasty -221-202 BCE (207-in reality) -Qin Shi Huangdi “The First Emperor” established this dynasty Why important: Unified China Created a central government -It accomplished this amazing feat through using the philosophy of Legalism (Han Feizi) This philosophy believes that all people are evil and in order to create good people and a good state strict laws and severe punishments are necessary to control the population. Constructing an empire series –ancient China will cover the Great Wall and his tomb -punishment for putting your trash in the streets –cut off a hand or a foot! -Shi Huangdi tortured, enslaved, or killed his critics –many were scholars. 460 scholars were buried alive once for criticizing him. (many were burned alive) -Shi Haugndi burned many books in order to control what people thought/ learned and to control the culture (only kept agriculture, medical, and fortune telling booksno history, literature, or philosophy-many hide forbidden books). Scholars who spoke out were executed, tortured, or even sent to join the army and dispatched to dangerous posts. -He conscripted the labor of millions of Chinese on many projects 1) Great Wall of China (took 25 years to build) “Longest Graveyard” 2) Road, Bridges, Irrigation, defensive walls etc 3) His massive tomb • -Took power from nobles in order to create his centralized government by taking away their lands and forcing them to move to his new capital where he could closely watch them and punish them if necessary. • -Granted private plots to peasants and encouraged them to move to sparsely populated areas of the state. =generous profits and high agricultural production –his policy of granting land right to individuals also weakened the economic position of the hereditary aristocracy! • -Focused on building a strong military and produced iron weapons and controlled his lands by disarming regional military forces and destroying regional fortresses to weaken any possible resistance. • -Built roads to communicate, move troops, and move goods • -Divided the state into provinces and districts that were controlled by entrusted officers who implemented his policies and directly served the emperor • -After Shi Huangdi’s death the state fell into civil chaos due to high taxes, conscripted labor, and cruel policies Qin Dynasty • He started to standardize Chinese and created weights and measurements to use throughout the country. He even required all cart axles be the same size so that wheels could run through the same ruts on Chinese roads! • He abolished feudalism and replaced the various states with 36 military districts with loyal officials in charge • He force noble families to move to the capital at Xianyang in order to closely watch them • He gave some of the lands taken from nobles to the peasants to work • He also built the Great Wall of China. This took the conscripted labor of peasants and it took them toiling constantly for 25 years to build the wall to protect the Chinese for northern invaders. The wall took on the nickname “longest graveyard” due to all the peasants that died building it. • Shi Huangdi died in 210 BCE and after his death the empire fell. People revolted due to high taxes, conscripted labor, and cruel policies. In 206 BCE Gao Zu (a illiterate peasant leader) defeated rival armies to find the next dynasty, the Han Han Dynasty 202 BCE-220 CE • Gao Zu-Liu Bang restored order and justice. He lowered taxes and ended curtailed Legalist policies. He also restored Confucian scholars as government advisors • Wudi (141-87 BCE) was a famous Han emperor who strengthened the government by choosing Confucian scholars and he even set up an imperial university. He built roads and canals and set up granaries across China. He also created a government monopoly on iron and salt thereby creating an income for the government so they wouldn’t have to increase taxes. • Wudi was an expansionist and expanded the territory of China. In doing this he also opened up a network of trade routes called the Silk Roads that linked China eventually all the way to the West! New foods and products flowed into China and China exported much silk. The road was eventually about 4,000 miles long (relay trade) • Wudi (Wu Ti) Han Wudi “Martial Emperor” –Greatest Han ruler (148-87 BCE) • -Did two important things that dramatically increased the power of the state • 1) Increased powers of centralized government • -recruitment problems of qualified men for the bureaucracies led him to form imperial university to train better officials = better government (laid foundation for later civil service exams) • -decreased taxes by establishing a state monopoly on iron and salt • -established granaries around the empire to feed the hungry • -legalism –less harsh to establish authority of government • 2) Increased territory under the Han • -took northern Vietnam • -took Korea • -extended into Asian steppes and sent the Xiongnu into a decline (for now) • **All of these military expeditions were quite expensive and led to increases on taxes • -This led to increased social tensions: At the same time that taxes increased and few poor harvests occurred forcing many small farmers to sell their lands or even themselves into slavery to pall of their debts. Larger, rich, noble conglomerate farms were created. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer! • • • • • Han Dynasty 202 BCE-220 CE Former Later 202 BCE -9 25-220 Stronger usurper weaker -Han dynasty was started by Gao Zu or Liu Bang. He was a great commander who used his brilliant skills and great advisors to fill the power vacuum following the fall death of Qin Shi Huangdi • -Liu Bang initially tried to walk the line between centralized government and feudalism. He gave lands to family in return for loyalty. However, he changed his mind after the Xiongnu almost successfully kidnapped him and his so called loyal friend never showed up to help! • -Liu Bang then started a program of strict centralization Wudi Han Dynasty • Under the Han dynasty, Confucianism became the official belief of the state • The state relied on well-educated Confucian bureaucrats to run the government • These Confucian scholars were civil servants or officials of the government. They believed that someone should gain their position by merit and not family ties. If someone proved themselves then they were promoted through the government ranks. Eventually, they might be recruited to take a civil service exam to test their knowledge of government and history (Five Classics). Later under the Sui dynasty a formal civil service exam was established. Only men from wealthy families could afford the training needed in order to pass the test. Sometimes brilliant peasant boys were paid for but that was unusual. Women were excluded from this system due to the patriarchal nature of the country. • The test remained in use until 1912 in China! • Xiongnu-Nomadic, pastoralists from the Asian Steppes. They raided Chinese villages for manufactured goods and food when trade didn’t prove helpful. (in books says the Huns-they are wrong) • -They were highly mobile military force because they raised horses-little boys learned to ride sheep first and shoot rodents with bow/arrow! • -Maodun (210-174 BCE)-greatest Xiongnu leader…he created a large confederation of tribes from the Aral Sea to the Yellow Sea!!!! Chinese had a difficult time attacking because the society moved around-no permanent settlements. He army was highly mobile and strong and was a big threat to Han China. Therefore, Han attempted to subdue the Xiongnu by paying tribute (food and goods) to them. • Society: Patriarchal society where filial piety was encouraged and women were to be subservient to their men! Unfortunately, the social tensions created under Wudi were never properly dealt with and they grew. This resulted in banditry and rebellion. • Wang Mang (Socialist Emperor) The Usurper!!! 9-25 • -A 2 year old boy came to the throne as the emperor of Han China and Wang Mang worked in the government at the time as was named as the child’s regent. • -Wang Mang then declared the throne for himself and stated the Han had lost he mandate of heaven due to the high poverty and starvation. • -Moved to redistribute land. He wanted to take land from the rich and give to the landless and relieve social tension. However, he didn’t think of how to properly implement his idea and confusion resulted…plus you know the nobles didn’t like this guy at all. Soon forces rose against Wang Mang and it was declared he didn’t really have the mandate since life wasn’t improving for anyone and famine was still occurring. He was kicked out of power and promptly executed! Han Fall • Court intrigues undermined powers of the emperor and powerful warlords emerged • Weak emperors let canals and roads fall into disrepair while they increased taxes • Taxes became so high that they send out tax collectors. Peasants revolted by abandoning villages and fleeing to the mountains where they joined bandit groups with colorful names like the Red Eyebrows or Green Woodsmen • In 220 powerful warlords overthrew the last Han emperor and China broke up into regional kingdoms. Additionally, northern invaders purged into the country (Xiongnu)! • Late Han: After Wang Mang, power was restored to the Han dynasty and they attempted to use the same tactics as Wudi…but never regained their power. • -They never dealt with the social tensions and people soon began to rebellion, turned to banditry, and even abandoned their homes to live in the woods! • -Coupled with an inefficient government = factions developed which competed with each other for the emperor’s approve and power. They literally fought each other and power broke down-didn’t work together for the betterment of China Imperial family vs. Confucian scholars vs. eunuchs • -At the same time that government and society was breaking down the Xiongnu moved in for increased raiding. This effective put an end to the Han dynasty!!!! Achievements/ Golden Age • Han dynasty: chemistry, zoology, botany, and astronomy. Developed calendars, timekeeping devices, seismographs to detect earthquakes, moon eclipses, acupuncture, diagnosed diseases, and developed anesthetics and remedies (drugs) • China was the most advanced civilization in the world at the time • Cai Lun: invented a method for making paper of out of wood pulp • Ship building: rudder to steer • Bronze and iron stirrups, fishing reel, wheelbarrows, and suspension bridges • Art expanded during this time, palaces and temples were built, and large parks • Silk makers improved, jade and ivory cravings improved Buddhism • By 100 missionaries and merchants from India spread Buddhism to China • Spread during times of trouble and did oppose basic traditional Confucian Chinese values of the family, hierarchy, and the patriarchy • Personal salvation and hope to end suffering were appeal: Neither Daoism or Confucianism emphasized the idea of personal salvation • By 400 Buddhism had spread throughout the country and became somewhat popular