Download ZHOU DYNASTY

THE MANDATE OF
HEAVEN AND THE
DYNASTIC CYCLE
ZHOU DYNASTY
 MANDATE OF HEAVEN – DIVINE RIGHT TO RULE
 PROMOTED THIS IDEA TO JUSTIFY THEIR REBELLION AGAINST THE
SHANG
 FELT THE CRUELTY THE LAST SHANG KING HAD, OUTRAGED THE GODS
 GODS PASSED THE MANDATE OF HEAVEN TO THE ZHOU – WHO
“TREATED THE MULTITUDES OF PEOPLE WELL”
 DYNASTIC CYCLE – THE RISE AND FALL OF RULING DYNASTIES
 AS LONG AS A DYNASTY PROVIDED GOOD GOVERNMENT IT ENJOYED
THE MANDATE OF HEAVEN
 IF THE RULERS BECAME WEAK OR CORRUPT, THE CHINESE BELIEVE
THAT HEAVEN WOULD WITHDRAW ITS SUPPORT
 FLOODS, FAMINE, OR OTHER CATASTROPHES WERE SIGNS THAT A
DYNASTY HAD LOST THE FAVOR OF HEAVEN
 DURING THE TURMOIL AND CHAOS OF THE END OF A DYNASTY AN
AMBITIOUS LEADER WOULD SEIZE POWER AND SET UP A NEW
DYNASTY
THE FEUDAL STATE
 THAT LEADERS SUCCESS AMD STONG GOVERNMENT SHOWED THE
PEOPLE THAT THE NEW DYNASTY HAD WON THE MANDATE OF HEAVEN
 FEUDALISM – WAS A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN WHICH LOCAL
LORDS GOVERNED THEIR OWN LANDS, BUT OWED MILITARY SERVICE
AND OTHER FORMS OF SUPPORT TO THEIR RULER
ECONOMIC GROWTH
 DURING THE ZHOU PERIOD THE ECONOMY GREW GREATLY
 THE KNOWLEDGE OF IRONWORKING REACHED CHINA
 WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE IRON AXES AND OX – DRAWN PLOWS
REPLACED STONE, WOOD, AND BROZE TOOLS CAUSING FARMERS TO
PRODUCE MORE FOOD
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PEASANTS ALSO BEGAN TO GROW NEW CROPS SUCH AS SOYBEANS
FARMING BECAME EVEN MORE PRODUCTIVE FROM THE LARGE SCALE
IRRIGATION PROJECTS
CHINESE
ACHIEVEMENT
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CHINESE BEGAN TO USE MONEY FOR THE

TRADE ROUTE THAT LINKED
1ST TIME
EARLY FORM OF MONEY ECONOMY MADE TRADE EASIER
SILK BECAME
CHINA’S MOST VALUABLE EXPORT
CHINA TO THE MIDDLE EAST BECAME
KNOWN AS THE SILK ROAD
 UNDER THE ZHOU THE CHINESE MADE THE 1ST BOOKS
 I CHING IS A HANDBOOK STILL USED BY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO
PREDICT THE FUTURE
Government
Social Classes
Religion
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Arts and
Science
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Shang Dynasty
Kings led other noble warriors in battle
Walled capital city called Anyang
Noble women had considerable status
Kings only controlled small areas
Princes and nobles loyal to the Shang Dynasty governed most of the land
Princes and nobles were most likely heads of important clans
Clans – groups of families who claimed a common ancestor
The royal family and a class of noble warriors who owned the land
Shang warriors used leather armor, bronze weapons, and horse drawn chariots
Noble families lived in large timber or stone houses
Class of artisans and merchants - The artisans produced goods for nobles
Merchants organized the trade by exchanging food and crafts made by the artisans for
goods not found in northeastern China\
Peasants were the largest group of people in the Shang dynasty
Developed complex religious beliefs
Prayed to many gods and spirits
The king was seen as the link between the people and Shang Di
A rulers power grew from their ancestors
It was thought that only the royal family and other important nobles had important
enough ancestors to influence the gods
Chinese called on the spirits of their ancestors to bring them good fortune
Yin and Yang – Chinese believed the universe reflected a delicate balance between
two forces
Yin – linked to earth, darkness, and female forces
Yang – stood for heaven light and male forces
Chinese did not see these forces as opposite –felt the well – being of the universe
depended on harmony between yin and yang
People could play a role in maintain this harmony – for example the king had to
make proper sacrifices to heaven
Chinese developed system of writing
Used both pictographs and ideographs
Ideographs – signs that expressed thoughts or ideas
Calligraphy – fine handwriting
Oldest example of Chinese writing is on oracle bones used by priests to predict the
future
Shang priests would write questions addressing the gods or the spirit
Would heat the bone until it cracked to find answer
Bye interpreting the pattern of cracks they could provide answers to the questions or
advice from the ancestors