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Zhou Dynasty
1045BC - 256BC
Conquest
• Shang initially challenged from
the west by Qiang
• -In-between Shang and Qiang were
the Zhou (a Frontier State)
• -Around 1050 B.C- Zhou attack and
conquer the Shang
• Early Zhou is the 1st period w/Texts:
“Book of Documents”
• -Give the Zhou version of history and their conquest of the
Shang
• -It says that the Shang were decadent rulers
• -Shang had a sadistic King
• *It recognizes that the Shang occupied the center of the world
(Then they occupied it)
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Beliefs
- Human sacrifice declined (still some occurred)
- Oracle bone divination declines
- New System= “Classic of Changes”
- Interpretation of (Un) Broken lines
- Concept of Heaven- A sacred moral power in the universe
- Zhou Rule was linked to heaven’s will
- “Mandate of Heaven”- Heaven chose the leaders
- Bad leaders would be warned (natural disasters)
- Heaven would remove the ruler’s “right” to rule
- He would then be replaced
*History is a mirror of heaven’s will
-The ruler acted as a mediator between heaven and humans
- His virtue ensured good times
-Mandate of Heaven remains central throughout Chinese
history
• Three Early/Important Zhou Rulers (legendary)
• King Wen (The “Cultured King”) formed alliances
w/neighboring states and tribes to attack Shang (diplomacy)
• King Wu -Wen’s Son (the “Martial” King) built a capital
close to Shang= leads attack against Shang-takes over that
capital (fighter=military) Allows one son of the last Shang
king to live
• Duke of Zhou (Wu’s brother) acts
as a regent/consolidates power
and extends control East
(down Yellow river)
• -Then, when nephew is older,
he gives up power (loyalty)
• Zhou Rule (HOW)
• -Indirect Rule: They send out
relatives and subordinates to
establish forts in New Territories, or
they would recognize local chief as
their representative (similar to
feudalism)
• -The Zhou kings maintain a big army
supplemented by other troops
• -Stressed certain qualities for all of
society: loyalty, military valor,
obedience, respect, and kinship
solidarity
• -King had Title: “Son of Heaven”He’s the only one who could make
sacrifices to heaven at the capital
• Zhou Social structure
• Hierarchical Society
-Son of Heaven-Lords/Ministers/Officers/Knights/Court
Attendants/Farmers
• Earliest collection of Poetry (In China) “Book of Songs”
• Eastern Zhou- 770 Through 256 BC
• -In 771 Zhou King is assassinated-son put on throne &
moves capital East to Luoyang
• -Zhou King can’t control vassals (local lords)
• -Kings end up serving ritual purpose (intermediaries w/
heaven) and have no real power
• Political Fragmentation-Local Lords gaining
power
• -770-481: Zhou Kings only nominally ruled
• -403-221 BC- Warring States Period
• -335-Regional Lords called themselves Kings
• -256-Zhou were out
• -Was a violent period-But also a time of great
study
– 1.Diplomacy, Government and warfare
– 2.Warfare Technology: Chariots were
out/cavalry perfected (1st by non-Chinese in
North)
– 3.Infantry perfected/training with cross bow
– -Because you need more soldiers=Kings had
to figure out ways to support
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-How to maximize resources?
-Irrigation=ended serfdom
-Cultivate more land
-Iron mining and smelting begins
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(Master Sun- “The Art of War”)
-Outside states had an advantage
-They could expand before attacking others
-By 300 BC-7 states remained
-4 Main Ones:
1.Jin-North
2.Qi-East
3.Qin-West
4.Chu-South
• -Also new ways of governing became important
• -Sending out officials to govern leads to larger
Bureaucracy
• -More opportunities to (for) men with ideas
• -More competition to get the best guys to work for you
• (During the end times of Zhou)
• Civil Wars/Fighting…….
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-In “China” the idea of “Us” vs. “Them” is strange
• -You had the “State” you lived in, but you also identified with
the larger idea of “Central” State or “All under Heaven”
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-The “Son of Heaven” ruled
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-Being a “barbarian” was not a racial or ethnic thing
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-But rather a cultural distinction