Download WHAP Reading Chapter 2 (30-33, 35-47)

Shikha Garg
WHAP Reading Chapter 2 (30-33, 35-47)
Introduction:
- focus on last 3000 years since more information available
o wars, rebellions, how ordinary ppl thought about daily issues such as health and family
o have direct links to civilizations that exist today
- classical- the period in the history of civilization after the decline of the river valley cultures, 1000
BCE- fifth century CE, DOES NOT REFLECT THE WHOLE OF WORLD HISTORY DURING
THIS PERIOD (does not include, n Europe, central Asia, most sub-Saharan Africa, and all
American Indians)
o China, India, Mediterranean (MEast to s Europe and North Africa)
- empires around the Tigres-Euphrates- Assyrians, Persians (styles influences Greek and Indian
cultures later on)
- some of the diversities today can be linked back to classical period
o China- intense political centralization
o India- greater regionalism
o Chinese and Japanese- emotional restraint
o Mediterranean- more feeling
- all were helped by achievements of river valley societies before
o Greeks- Minoan civil. partially derived from the greater Egyptian culture
o India and China- more dependence on earlier technology, art styles and some more
abstract ideas, adapted earlier writing systems and math concepts
- new things
o iron tools- military edge
o larger political structures capable of controlling more territory
o shifted their geographical base
 India- Indus to GANGES
 China- expanded to include the rice-growing YANGTZE River (Chiang Jiang) and
the HWANG HE
o improved on technology for agriculture, manufacturing and urban life
o est. more elaborate philosophical and religious systems
o expanded scientific and math knowledge
- EXPANSION and INTEGRATION dominated the outcomes of classical civil.
o expansion- each civil. spread beyond a regional center (had to come up with institutions
and beliefs that could integrate diverse people w/o homogenizing them)
 included migration of farming peoples (why Greeks moved to a lot of islands),
military expansion (esp. China, India, Greece, Rome)
 in the Medit.- expansion aided by diseases settlers brought, reduced
local populations
 China and India- had to embrace large local pop. who were already
resistant to the diseases so GREATER SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND POL.
INSTITUTIONS
o integration- included politics, included growing internal trade, involve cultural systemsdesigned to draw people into common beliefs
- did not interact much
Chapter 2: Classic Civilizations- CHINA
- first of the classical societies
- remained isolated- limited ability to learn from others but lesser invasions and encouraged an
intense and distinctive Chinese identity
- decline of Shang dynasty not too much internal chaos- so could build more strongly on Hwang He
precedents
- YIN and YANG philosophy- an ind. should seek a way, DAO, to relate to this harmony- avoid
excess and appreciate the balance of opp., human institutions within the balance of nature
(Medit. say outside)
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system in which the govt, philosophy, econ. incentives, family, and ind. were intended to blend
into a harmonious whole
Patterns in Classical China
- Zhou dynasty- centralized politics, important cultural innovation, later dynasties- emphasized
order and centralization
- China today- maintained the clearest links to classical past
- family of kings- dynasty
- cycle of dynasties makes many Chinese think of history as cycles instead of Westerners- thinking
of it as progression from past to present
- 2 dynastic cycles- Zhou, Qin, Han
o ZHOU DYNASTY- 1029- 258 BCE, lengthy but only flourished until about 700 BCE- then
decline in the political infrastructure and frequent invasions by nomadic people from
border regions
 did not establish a powerful govt, ruled through alliances with regional princes
and noble families, alliances were standard in agricultural kingdoms (eg Japan,
Indi, Europe, Africa)- rulers lacked means to control empires directly so gave
large regional estates to members of families and supporters to maintain loyalty,
supporters supposed to provide the cent govt with troops, tax returns- FEUDAL
PERIOD
 vulnerable to regional disloyalties
 came into China from the north, displacing the Shang rulers
 ultimate DECLINE- when regional landowning aristos solidified their own power
base and disregarded the cent. govt
 contribute in several ways- development of Chinese politics, culture
 extended territory- took over YANGTZE RIVER VALLEY
o core- “Middle Kingdom”- from Hwang He RV to Yangtze RV
 rich agri. lands, benefits of 2 diff. agricultures- rice in
south, wheat in north- diversity that encouraged pop.
growth
 expansion- complicated problems of central rule- communication and
transport from capital to outlying regions- difficult, why Zhou relied on
supporters so much, but still did INCR. THE FOCUS ON CENT GOVT
 rulers claimed direct links to Shang rulers, said heaven had transferred its
mandate to rule China to the Zhou emperors- Sons oh Heaven (emperors)
 worked to provide greater CULTURAL UNITY- discouraged some of the primitive
religious practices of Hwang He civil, banned human sacrifice, urged more
restrained ceremonies to worship gods
 promoted LINIGUISTIC UNITY- standard language MANDARIN CHINESELARGEST SINGLE GROUP OF PPL SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE IN
THE WORLD AT THIS TIME
 incr. cult. unity explains why during decline- scholars used philosophical ideas to
lessen the impact of growing political confusion
 political crisis spurred efforts to define and articulate Chinese cult.
 6th, 5th centuries BCE- CONFUCIUS- wrote elaborate statement on political
ethics- core of China’s distinctive philosophical heritage
 regional rulers formed ind. armies- emperors figureheads
 402-201 BCE- the ERA of the WARRING STATES
 now China could have become like India where cent. govt not always present but
a new dynasty arose one regional ruler deposed last Zhou guy and became sole ruler of China
in 35 years- Qin Shih Huangdi- First Emperor
o QIN DYNASTY- Qin- gave China its name
 Shih Huangdi- brutal ruler, but effective given internal disorder, understood
China’s problem was the regional power of the aristos- worked to undo this force
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ordered nobles to leave their regions and appear at his court, assumed
control of their feudal estates
 organized China into large provinces ruled by bureaucrats appointed by the
emperor- careful to select his officials from non-aristo groups so they would owe
their power to him and not dare to develop their own ind bases
 powerful armies crushed regional resistance
 extending Chinese territory to the south, reaching Hong Kong on the South China
Sea, influenced northern Vietnam
 built Great Wall- north 3000 miles, wide enough for chariots, force labor
 innovations- national census- provided data for the calculation of tax revenues
and labor service, standardized coinage. weights, measures throughout realm
(even length of axles on carts was regulated to promote coherent road planning),
made written script uniform, furthered agri.- sponsored new irrigation projects,
promoted manufacturing- esp. silk, attacked formal culture- burned many books
 Shih Huangdi thought THINKING would be subversive to his autocratic
rule
 short dynasty, very unpopular ruler- “had the heart of a tiger and a wolf,” killed
many men and punished many
 died in 210 BCE- revolts by aggrieved peasants- one won and est. Han
HAN DYNASTY- over 400 yrs, to 220 CE0 rounded out basic political and intellectual
structure
 retained cent. admin of Qin- sought too reduce brutal repression
 expanded territory- into Korea, Indochina, cent. Asia
 allowed Chinese to contact India and Parthian empire in MEast, traded
with Roman Empire
 most famous Han emperor- WU TI- enforced peace throughout much of Asia,
brought great prosperity to China itself
 the workings of the state bureaucracy improved and the govt was linked to formal
training that emphasized the values of Confucian philosophy, reversed Qin
policies
 Wu Ti encouraged Confucianism- vital supplement to formal measures on the
govts part, shrines est. to promote the worship on the ancient philosopher as a
god
 quality of Han rule declined after about 2 centuries- cent. control weakened,
invasions form cent. Asia by nomadic people (HUNS) overturned dynasty
completely
 220-589 CE- China- CHAOS
 order and stability restored but by then the classical/FORMATIVE period of
Chinese civil. ended
 est. distinctive political structures and cultural values of unusual clarity, capable
of surviving 3 centuries of renewed confusion
Political Institutions
- one of classical China’s hallmarks- power of emp., development of a bureaucracy, and expansion
of state functions- COMBO
- Qin and Han- distinctive and remarkably successful govt- EXPLAINED HOW SUCH A VAST
TERRITORY COULD BE EFFECTIVELY RULED (China- largest political system in the classical
world)
o Qin- stress cent. authority
o Han- expanded power of the bureaucracy
- change after classical- streamlining, expanding bur. systems and procedures- never required
fundamental overhaul
- several key elements
o strong local units never disappeared
 relied heavily on tight-knit patriarchal families
 extended family networks
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ancestor worship- family authority
 for commoners who did not do ancestor worship- village authority was
higher up than family- village leaders helped farming families regulate
property and coordinate planting and harvest work
o centralized govt
 delegation of special areas and decisions to the emperor’s ministers
 examinations for bureaucrats- first example of civil service tests
 bureaucrats sometimes from lower classes- so CHECK ON COMPLETE
UPPER-CLASS RULE
Chinese were and maybe still are the most tightly governed ppl in any large society in the world
respect for those in power
state functions- military and judicial systems, mil activity highly fluctuated
govt sponsored much intellectual life
active in the econ- org. the production of iron and salt, standardizations helped facilitate trade,
sponsored public works- irrigation and canal systems, Han tried to regulate agri. supplies by
storing grain and rice in good times to control price increases and potential popular unrest when
harvests were bad
rulers DID NOT DIRECT THE DAILY LIVES OF SUBJECTS
Chinese proverb- “heaven is high and the emperor is far away”
used torture and execution to preach obedience and civic virtue
made every male peasant do some work every year
Huns could invade but did not have a better system to run country so system and bureaucratic
administrators normally endured
Religion and Culture
- featured Confucian system, Daoism, a distinctive sci. and artistic traditions complemented this
emphasis
- way viewed world similar to distinct political structure
- Chinese tolerated and often combined various specific beliefs so long as they did not contradict
basic political loyalties
- Zhou- stressed IMPORTANCE OF A HARMONIOUS EARTHLY LIFE- maintain proper balance
btw earth and heaven
o harmony included carefully constructed rituals to unify society and prevent individual
excess
o upper classes- trained in elaborate exercises, military skills (eg archery)
o chopsticks- use began at end of Zhou empire, encouraged a code of politeness at meals
o soon after- tea, tea drinking rituals began
- China’s dominant values were secular rather than religions
- Confucius- Kung the philosopher- 551-478 BCE, devoted to teaching, traveled and preached,
not a religious leader, believed in a divine order but refused to speculate abt it
o saw self as a spokesman for Chinese tradition and for what he believed were the great
days of the Chinese state before the Zhou declined
o if ppl could be taught to emphasize a personal virtue (incl. a reverence for tradition)- a
solid political life would naturally result
o stressed respect for one’s social superiors- including fathers and husbands, emphasis on
a proper hierarchy balanced with an insistence that society’s leaders behave modestly
w/o excess, shunning abusive power and treating charges nicely
o book of his doctrine Analects
o “when the ruler does right, ppl will follow”
o true happiness in doing good for all
o reluctance to explore mysteries of life- DEPRIVED IT OF A SPIRITUAL SIDE
- Legalism- pragmatism, authoritarian state that was ruled by force
o human nature was evil, required restraint and discipline
- most peasants needed more than civic virtue to understand and survive their harsh life, so
Confucianism appealed more to upper class than lower
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Daoism- first appealed to many in upper classes, embraced a traditional Chinese belief in
nature’s harmony and added a sense of nature’s mystery, means the way of nature
o produced a durable division in China’s religious and philosophical culture
o furthered by LAO-ZI- stressed that nature contains a divine impulse which directs all life,
true human understanding comes in withdrawing from the world and contemplating this
life force
o set of ethics- humility and frugal living- political activity and learning were irrelevant to a
good life
o guaranteed that China would not be united by a single religious/philosophical system
a set of Five Classics- used as a basis for civil service exams, Classics of Songs- over 300
poems
from classical period onward- THE ABILITY TO LEARN AND RECITE POETRY- MARK OF AN
EDUCATED CHINESE
art- largely decorative- stressing careful detail and craftsmanship, reflected the precision and
geometric-ness of the many Chinese writing symbols
calligraphy
painted, worked in bronze and pottery, carved jade, ivory
no monumental buildings except Great Wall and some imperial palaces and tombs- partly
because of the absence of a single religion
the entire ton of upper-class Confucianism was such that it discouraged the notion of temples
soaring into the heavens
science- practical work was encouraged rather than imaginative theorizing
o astronomers developed an accurate calendar by 444 BCE- 365.5 days
o calculated movement of Saturn and Jupiter and observed sunspots- more than 1500
years before this happened in Europe
o seismograph type thing in Han dynasty
o medical stuff- precise anatomical, hygiene to promote longer life
math- also practical
o music- acoustical advancements
practical focus CONTRASTED WITH ABSTRACT DEF. OF SCI. DEVELOPED IN CLASSICAL
GREECE
Economy and Society
- extensive internal trade- some ambivalence abt merchants
- social in= included some respect for the peasant masses
- patriarchy- rigid
- 3 main social groups
o landowning aristos plus educated bureaucrats- MANDARINS
o laboring masses, peasants, urban artisans who manufactured goods (some had some
econ. ind)
o mean people- identified as those w/o meaningful skills- performing artists, punished more
severely, required to wear GREEN SCARVES, household slaves- few
- china DIDN’T DEPEND ON SLAVES FOR PRODUCTION
- trade important- focused on luxury items
- ENDURING LEGACY OF CONFUCIAN CHINA- the gap between the real importance and wealth
of merchants and their officially low prestige
- 300 BCE- ox-drawn plows
- first water-powered mills- Han
- Han- paper- emphasized bureaucracy
- CHINA REACHED FAR HIGHER LEVELS OF TECHNICAL EXPERTISE THAN EUROPE OR
WESTERN ASIA IN THE SAME PERIOD- A LEAD IT WOULD LONG MAINTAIN
- Confucius- “there are no wrongdoing parents”
- expressed STRICT CONTROL OVER EMOTIONS
- mother of MENCIUS- managed to exert considerable influence over son
Conclusion
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used good cop- bad cop deal
very united- whole China
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