Download Chapter 6 Lesson 2 The Zhou Dynasty and New Ideas (KEY)

KEY Chapter 6: Ancient China Section 2: The Zhou Dynasty and New Ideas Big Idea: The Zhou dynasty brought political stability and new ways to deal with political and social changes in ancient China. The Zhou Dynasty Vocabulary
1) Lords – people of high rank
2) Peasants – farmers with small farms
3) Structure – the way something is set up or organized
The Zhou, along with other nearby tribes, attacked and overthrew the Shang dynasty, and they
lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history.
The Zhou Political System
The Zhou kings claimed to possess the mandate of heaven, which allowed them to rule with
heaven’s permission. They used the mandate of heaven to justify their rebellion against the
Shang, and eventually, expanded their rule to the Chang Juang.
The Zhou had a political order. In return for loyalty, military support, and other services, they
granted land to others.
Zhou Society
•Kings – led the government and granted plots of land to lords
•Lords and Warriors – lords paid taxes to the king and provided warriors to protect his lands
•Peasants – farmed the nobles’ land
The Zhou system brought order to China, but over time, broke down. Lords passed down their
power to their sons, who were not as loyal to the king. Local rulers gained power and rejected
the authority of the Zhou.
The Decline of Zhou Power
As the lords’ loyalty to the Zhou king lessened, many refused to fight against invasions, so
invaders were able to reach the capital. According to legend, the king was entertaining a friend
and lighting warning fires. His army came rushing to protect him. Unfortunately, when the real
attack came, the men thought it was another joke, and no one came.
The Warring States period was a time of many civil wars. During this time, armies grew and
fighting became brutal and cruel as soldiers fought for territory.
Internal Problems
The Chinese family structure changed. Large families formed powerful groups. When they
broke apart, they lost power and close relatives became rivals.
Bonds of loyalty weekend, especially among the upper class where sons plotted against each
other over inheritances (some even killed their own father). During the Warring States period,
China lacked a strong government to stop power struggles within the ruling-class families,
resulting in a period of disorder.
Confucius and Society Vocabulary
1) Ethics – moral values
2) Confucianism – the ideas of Confucius
“Kongfuzi”, or Confucius, was one of ancient China’s most important philosophers of the Zhou
dynasty. He believed people lacked decency and needed to return to ethics. Many of
Confucius’s thoughts about government and society were based on views about the family.
Children were expected to treat their parents with honor and respect, and leaders needed to be
kind and lead by example.
Confucius’s teachings (passed down through his students) are remembered today in the form of
short statements collected in a book called the Analects (a.k.a. Lunyu).
Confucianism focuses on morality, family, society and government; therefore, people think of it
as a philosophy (a way of thinking). It is both philosophical and religious, and Confucius’s
ideas became the dominant belief in China.
Daoism and Legalism Vocabulary
1) Daoism – stressed living in harmony with the Dao, the guiding force of all reality
2) Legalism – the belief that people were bad by name and needed to be controlled
During the Zhou dynasty, other beliefs besides Confucianism influenced China.
Daoism
Daoism comes from Dao, meaning “the way.” The Dao gave birth to the universe and all things
in it. It developed in part as a reaction to Confucianism. Daoists believed the government
should stay out of people’s lives.
They believed that people should avoid interfering with nature or each other. They should be
like water and simply let things flow in a natural way. A wise man in harmony with the Dao
was considered the ideal ruler.
According to Daoists, the universe is a balance of opposites, and these opposing forces should
be in harmony. They paid more attention to the natural world and regarded humans as just a
part of nature.
The most famous Daoist teacher was Laozi, who taught that people should not try to gain
wealth or seek power. He wrote The Way and Its Power (the basic text of Daoism).
Legalism
Legalism was a political philosophy without religious concerns and only dealt with government
and social control. Legalists felt that society needed strict laws and punishments should fit
crimes. They believed citizens should be held responsible for each other’s conduct, so everyone
would obey the laws.
Legalists appointed officials, not nobles, to run China. They urged the state to always be
prepared for war, because they wanted to keep expanding their empire.
Legalists were the first to put their ideas into practice throughout China.