Transcript Society and Culture in Ancient China

Society and Culture in Ancient
China
Chapter 7.2
Objectives
• SPI 6.33 Analyze the structure of the Zhou
Dynasty and the emergence of Daoism,
Confucianism, and Legalism
• SPI 6.34 Identify the political and cultural
patterns prevalent in the time of Confucius
and how he sought to solve them
Chinese Philosophies
• 3 major philosophies
– Confucianism
– Daoism
– Legalism
– Main Goal was to create a well-run and
peaceful society
What Ideas Did Confucius Teach?
• Confucianism was based on
teaching of Confucius
– Criticized kings
– Urged people to follow ancestors
– Tried to bring peace and
harmony to China
– Duty is central idea of
Confucianism
• Parents love children
• Children respect parents
• Rulers should rule justly
The Influence of Confucius
• Confucius believed the government
service should be open to men of ability
• Sayings of Confucius called The Analects
• His ideas continued to shape Chinese
society until 1900s
The Philosophy of Daoism
• Daoism promoted a
peaceful society
– Began with the ideas of Laozi
– Believes people should free
themselves from worldly
desires and live simply
– Turn to nature and the Daothe spiritual force that guides
all things
– This will cause people to live
a happy life
Confucianism vs Daoism
• Confucius taught people should work hard
to make the world better
• Daoism taught people to turn away from
worldly affairs and live in harmony with
nature
Legalism
• Legalism-School of Law
– Believes humans are evil
– Strict laws and harsh punishment were
necessary to force people to do their duty
– EMPHASIZED FORCE
Chinese Life
• Chinese society was divided into 4 classes
– Landowning aristocrats
– Farmers
– Artisans
– merchants
Lives of Aristocrats
• Aristocrats were wealthy
• Owned large plots of land
• Family’s land was divided equally among
all of the male heirs
Lives of the Farmers
• 9 out of 10 Chinese
farmed
• Lived in rural villages
surrounded by mud
walls
• Rented the field
• Paid taxes
• Farmers forced to serve
as soldiers
Lives of the Artisans and
Merchants
• Artisans are skilled workers
• Wealthy
• Not respected members of society
– People believed merchants worked for their
own gain and not for the good of society
What were Chinese Families Like?
• Family was at the center of early Chinese
society
• Practiced filial piety-people’s responsibility
to respect and obey their parents
• Required people to take care of their
parents
Roles of Men and Women
• Men were respected because of their jobs
• Considered the jobs of men more
important than the work of women
• Women raised children and saw to their
education
• Women managed household and family
finances