Download Dynasties of China

Dynasties of China
Ch 11 Sections
3&4
Chinese legend…
• China’s first dynasty according to legend
was the Xia. (Dynasty means “ruling
family”).
• There was a reciprocal type of agreement
between ruler and ruled under this
system…the ruler was to work hard to
provide “good government” and in return
He deserved the full support of the people.
Dynastic Cycle
• The Dynastic cycle in China reflected this “reciprocal
agreement” between ruler and ruled. A new dynasty
restored peace, redistributed land to peasants, ended
corruption in govt & improved infrastructure; as the
Dynasty aged it became corrupt, lost lands to invaders,
taxed unfairly & lost favor with the peasants. Problems
would crop up (rebellions, natural disasters) & that would
signal the need for a new Dynasty to claim the Mandate
of Heaven. Sometimes that happened quickly but
sometimes that took several centuries, bringing chaos
and uncertainty to the country and its people.
Earliest civilizations…
• 1st dynasty backed by archeological
evidence is the Shang (1650 BC) – which
started the tradition of dynastic rule that
would last until 1911.
• Shang achievements: well organized army;
irrigation & flood control projects; writing
system based on ideographs (symbols
represent ideas, not sounds);
• Zhou overthrew the Shang & ruled for 800
years introducing many of the ideas that
would govern Chinese rule for centuries…
Mandate of Heaven
• Chinese believed that heaven granted a ruler the
mandate, or right, to rule. In return, the people owed
the ruler complete loyalty & obedience.
• The Mandate linked power with responsibility…in
exchange for their loyalty, the people had the right to
expect good government. If the ruler failed to
maintain harmony, he was thought to have lost the
mandate & someone else had the right to claim it
(this usually occurred through warfare& could take
years).
• The period between the Zhou & China’s next dynasty
(Qin) was long & chaotic & during that time the 3
philosophies emerged in an effort to provide stability
& direction in the absent of a ruling dynasty…
China’s First Empire: the Qin
(not on handout*)
• In 221 BC the Qin united China & claimed the
mandate under the leadership of Shi
Huangdi, a Legalist.
• As a Legalist he ruled strictly, instituting a
single law code, uniform currency &
weights/measures, improved transportation.
He banned & burned all books on Confucian
teachings. Began construction on the Great
Wall, intended for protection & as a symbol
of China’s desire to keep “barbarians” out.
HAN DYNASTY…
• 206 BC – 220 AD; Confucian leaders, they
expanded trade & were open to contact with
areas outside of China. (see “The Silk Road”
p. 338 in text). Buddhism spread into China
during this period. Placed great emphasis
on education & set up an exam system to
choose gov’t. officials (called “civil
servants”). This system allowed people to
improve their social status based on merit
and not birth.
• Many advancements in science, farming,
inventions (due to emphasis on learning)
TANG & SONG DYNASTIES
• Tang = 618 – 907; Song = 960 – 1279
(Daoists). This was China’s “Golden Age”
because of long periods of peace that
allowed for economic & cultural
advancements. China was open to outside
contact & greatly increased their trade &
became a great naval power. China’s
influence in the region increased as they
expanded into Vietnam, Korea & Japan
during this time.
YUAN DYNASTY…
(not on handout*)
• China’s first foreign rule experience
came when the Mongols defeated the
Song in 1279 & extended their rule over
China. China’s trade with Europe
increased significantly during this time
(Marco Polo); also improved
transportation & new innovations such
as the magnetic compass, gunpowder,
& mechanical printing.
MING DYNASTY
• Control of China returned to a Chinese leader
when a poor peasant led an army that drove
the Mongols out in 1368. The Ming Dynasty
ruled until 1644. They revived Confucian
learning, expanded the civil service, built a
new imperial palace in Beijing (Forbidden
City). Closed China to outsiders & restricted
privileges of foreigners in China as well as
forbidding Chinese to travel abroad.
QING DYNASTY (not on your
handout)
• Second time a foreign group seizes control
of China. This time outsiders from
Manchuria defeat the Ming in 1644 & rule
until 1911. They kept Confucian ideals and
limited contact with foreigners. Also passed
laws forbidding Manchus to marry Chinese
people or wear Chinese clothing.
• Death of the last Qing Empress brought an
end to Dynastic rule (which had lasted 3000
yrs.) & marked the start of a long period of
civil war & decline for China.
Opium Wars
• By the mid 1800’s the Chinese Emperor &
the whole system of dynastic rule were
weak. Europeans saw this as an
opportunity to trade openly in China but
the Emperor would not allow it and only
limited foreign trade was allowed. The
British began to sell opium illegally and
when the Chinese gov. tried to stop them
the British attacked & prevailed in a series
of wars called the Opium Wars.
Effect of Opium Wars
• China’s loss in the Opium Wars began
political & economic chaos in their country.
• The British demanded free trade &
increasingly gained political influence. By
1900 China was divided into “spheres of
influence” where colonial powers had no
formal authority but had informal influence
& a lot of economic influence (p. 486). This
further weakened the Chinese political
system.
After the Manchus …
• After the Manchus fell in 1911 China went
through a long period without an official
government. There were efforts to
establish a democratic like government,
but they were challenged by the CCP
(Chinese Communist Party) who would
eventually win control, but not until almost
1950. So for ½ century China saw
warlords fighting for control & was also
pulled into the events of WWII.