Download An Empire in China

An Empire in China
The social disorder of the warring
states contributed to Chinese
Philosophy
The Decline of the Zhou Dynasty
• In the last 300 years of the Zhou Dynasty,
the kings power had been diluted by the
feudal lords and nobles who controlled the
land.
• The lords began to think of themselves as
independent kings and warfare among
them led to a decline of the dynasty.
Philosophy and Social Order
• At the end of the Zhou
Dynasty, social order
had broken down.
• Scholars began to look
for ways to restore the
ancient values that had
been apart of Chinese
culture.
http://uygurworld.com/userfiles/uygurprinces10thopt.jpg
Confucius Urges Harmony
• Confucius, a teacher,
believed that the key to
restoring traditional
values was to organize
society around 5 basic
relationships between:
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–
–
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Ruler and subject
Father and son
Husband and wife
Older and younger brother
Friend and friend
Confucius
• Confucius was born to a poor family.
His father was a teacher.
• According to legend, he set virtuous
example that a purse lying in the
middle of the street would lie
untouched for days
• He believed that if a ruler was upright,
all will go well without orders.
However, if he is not upright, even
though he gives orders, they will not
be obeyed..
http://www.mishicot.k12.wi.us/webs/chinaweb/pasek3.jpg
• He was driven out of political office but returned to teaching.
He always considered himself a failure for not ever holding a
high office
Confucian Ideas About Government
• Confucius believed that
education could transform a
peasant into a gentleman.
• He believed that a gentleman
had four virtues.
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Courteous in private life
Precise when serving his master
Generous in providing for people
just
Filial Piety
• Three of Confucius relationships
were based on the concept of
filial piety, or respect for ones
parents and elders.
• Confucius believed all society
could be reformed if the Duke or
Prince governed based on these
principals
• Confucius was appointed
http://jbe.la.psu.edu/textbooks/PM-China/graphics/Ch12/5.htm
minister of Justice by the Duke
of Lu.
Daoist Seek Harmony
• Another philosopher named Laozi
believed that there was an universal
force (tow) that guided all things.
• He believed that all animals except
for humans were guided by this
force.
• He believed that humans wasted
their time arguing about right and
wrong, and good and bad.
• Daoist made contributions to
science, astronomy, and medicine.
http://www.denniscox.com/CL999LaoZi.jpg
Legalists Urge Harsh Rule
• The Legalists were a practical
political thinkers.
• They believed that the only
way to restore order was
through a highly efficient and
powerful government.
• They believed that the ruler
http://jbe.la.psu.edu/textbooks/PM-China/graphics/Ch11/10.jpg
should reward those who
followed the rules and harshly
punish those who did not.
Legalist Censor Books
http://www.lahosken.san-francisco.ca.us/departures/euro0/1108_bookburn.htm
• Legalists believed that the ruler should burn all books that
might encourage people to think critically about government.
• The Legalist gained the favor of the Prince that gained control
over the Zhou Dynasty
I Ching and Yin and Yang
• I Ching was a book that
answered ethical questions.
• Yin and Yang are the two
powers that together
represented the natural
rhythms of life.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/90/150px-Yin_and_yang.png
– Yang- masculine qualities of
the universe
– Yin- represents female
qualities of the universe
The Qin Dynasty
• The Zhou Dynasty
was replaced by a
13-year-old Qin
Dynasty ruler.
• He used the
http://www.mrdowling.com/613firstemperor.jpg
suggestions of the
legalists to gain a
firm hand on the
empire.
A New Emperor Takes Control
• The new emperor assumed
the name “Shi Huangdi”
which means First Emperor.
• He began his reign by
subduing internal battles
that had weakened China.
http://www.eslessonsonline.com/special/King_of_Qin/pix/china.qin.dynasty.jpg
• He also defeated invaders
and internal dissenters.
Shi Huangdi Crushed Political Enemies
• The emperor destroyed the
power of his rivals.
• He ordered all noble families
to abandon their land and
move into the capital city.
• He uprooted 120,000 noble
http://www.sfps.k12.nm.us/wood_gormley/2003/class_projects.jpg
families by seizing their land
and dividing the land into 36
administrative districts that
his officials controlled.
The Emperor Orders Books to be Burned
• Following the legalists
suggestions, he ordered
many books to be burned
including those containing
the ideas of Confucius and
poets who disagreed with
the Legalist philosophy.
• He establishes an autocracy
whereby he was the sole
ruler of his empire.
http://www.theasiahotel.com/gallery/people/ghostv2.jpg
A Program of Centralization
• In order to more efficiently
govern his empire, he built a
series of roads that stretched
4,000 miles using forced
peasant labor.
• He also set standards for
writing, law, currency, and
weights and measures.
• He ordered huge public works
http://www.lcsc.edu/modernchina/u2s1p3.htm
projects such as irrigation to
increase agricultural production.
The Great Wall of China
• Shi Huangdi wanted to close the
gaps in the walls that the Zhou
Dynasty had built to keep out
invaders.
• Thousands of peasants were
forced to build the wall against
their will.
• Many died or were terribly
injured while building the wall.
http://www.towerwebproductions.com/alt-lib/histgeo/greatwall/mountns.jpg
• The Great Wall is the only
human-made structure visible
from space.
The Great Wall From Space
The Fall of Qin
• Shi Huangdi’s son was not as
strong a leader as his cruel,
harsh father.
• Peasants rebelled against him
only three years into his reign.
• A peasant from Han led his
troops against the emperor.
• In 202 B.C., the Qin Dynasty
gives way to the Han.
http://eprentice.sdsu.edu/J03OJ/ly/han_fig.jpg