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Classical China
Confucius
I. Dynastic Cycles
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History of classical China is cyclical
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A family/line of kings (dynasty) ruled for a time,
weakened, then was overthrown
The dynastic cycles of the Classical Era
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The Zhou (1029 to 258 B.C.E.)
The Qin (221 to 202 B.C.E.)
The Han (202 B.C.E. To 220 C.E.)
II. Zhou Dynasty
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Never established a strong central government
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Relied on system of feudalism
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Ruled through regional princes and noble families
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Zhou rulers counted on loyalty to control population
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Nobles exchanged loyalty, taxes, and troops for land
and power
Encouraged cultural unity
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Discouraged “primitive” religious ideas
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Promoted a unified language – Mandarin
402 – 201 B.C.E. - Era of the Warring States
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Nobles formed independent armies, fought over
territory, forced Zhou leaders from power
III. The Qin Dynasty
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Shi Huangdi – First Emperor
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Unified all regions under the name China
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A brutal tyrant, used military might to take control
Leaders appointed by the Emperor took over for
noble families
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Leaders picked from non-aristocratic families
“Strengthening the trunk and weakening the
branches.”
The Great Wall
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Over 3000 miles long
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Built to repel invaders
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Built using forced labor
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Terra Cotta Warriors
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Hundreds of
warrior statues
created to protect
emperor in afterlife
III. continued...
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Innovations
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Standardized coins, weights, and measures
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Completely standardized written script
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Completed new irrigation projects
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Promoted manufacturing – silk cloth
Promotion of Legalism philosophy
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Burned and/or banned many books/texts that
disagreed
Peasant revolts due to high taxes and
oppressive tactics brought end to dynasty
IV. The Han Dynasty
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Retained the centralized gov't of Qin Dynasty
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Reduced oppressive laws
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Expanded empire – Korean peninsula, NW
China, southern China
Government was improved thanks to formal
training
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Creation of a bureaucracy – set of trained
government officals
Confucianism promoted throughout China
Central control weakened through expansion
and invasions
V. RELIGION & PHILOSOPHY
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Confucius (551-478 B.C.E.)
– Lived during time of the Zhou Dynasty
– Promoted the studying and teaching of
history and moral character
– Believed in social order, harmony, and good
government
– Stressed importance of social relationships
–
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Code of conduct regulated these relationships
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Example: rulers should be kind, subjects
should be loyal
Stressed importance of respect for one's
family
V. CONTINUED...
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Ideas about government
•
Taught the importance of training and
educating government leaders
(bureaucracy)
Confucianism not a religion
The foundation for Chinese government and
social order for centuries to come
V. CONTINUED...
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Legalism
– Founded during the Qin Dynasty
– Believed in a powerful, authoritative
government
– Use force, not reason or respect for others, to
gain control
– Good citizens rewarded well, disobedient
citizens punished harshly
– Education and philosophy strictly controlled
by the government
V. CONTINUED...
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Daoism
– Loazi, founder in the sixth century B.C.E.
– A spiritual alternative to Confucianism
– Natural order – relationships among all
living things
– A universal force (Dao) guides all things
– Live simply and in harmony with nature
– Stressed humility and frugal living
VI. GOVERNMENT
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Classical China was the largest political system
in the world
Zhou Dynasty = strong local governments/rulers
– Early on, depended on a network of
aristocratic families
– Village leaders, not kings, important to
peasants
Qin dynasty = strong unified government
– Established a single law code
– Uniform tax system
VI. CONTINUED...
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Han dynasty = perfecting the bureaucracy
– Required leaders to take a civil service test
– Many from the lower class became
bureaucrats
Classical China established many gov't
traditions:
– Judicial system
– Organized, centralized military
– Scientific research – Astronomy, metal
working
– Historical record keeping
VII. SOCIAL STRUCTURE
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Social classes
– Upper class: landowning nobles, educated
bureaucrats (Mandarins)
– Middle class: artisans & peasants
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Much poorer than upper class
– Lower class: “mean” people (unskilled
laborers)
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Lowest possible status, punished more
severely
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Identified by green scarves
– Very few household slaves
VII. CONTINUED...
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Family life
– Emphasis on family unity
– Patriarchal - husbands and fathers at the
head of family
– Confucian belief: “There are no wrongdoing
parents”
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Parents not punished for hurting (or
sometimes killing) a disobedient child
– Women were subordinate
– Oldest male child would inherit property
and social status
VIII. ECONOMY
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Agricultural society
– Rice and wheat the main commodities
Trade
– Mostly within China
– Silk, jewelry, leather goods, furniture
– Society did not hold merchants in high
regard
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More respect for learning and political
service
VIII. CONTINUED...
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Technological advances
– Harnesses that allowed animals to pull carts
and wagons without choking
– Ox-drawn, two-bladed plows
– Iron tools
– Paper