Transcript Slide 1

Ancient China
Xia (Hsia) and Shang China
I.
A.
Yellow River
1.
Cradle of Chinese civilization
2.
Flows through a plain of loess soil
a.
Sandy soil hundreds of feet deep
b.
Produced by winds off the Gobi and floods
c.
Very fertile
d.
Loose, very flat - devastating floods
e.
Frequently changes course after a flood
3.
Fertile soil and dangerous river spurs growth of
civilization
B.
Xia (Hsia) Dynasty
1.
Traditionally dated 2205-1776 BC
2.
Semi-mythical - only a small amount of
archaeological evidence
C.
Shang Dynasty (1766-1050 BC)
1.
Capital at An yang
2.
Tortoise shell oracle bones main source of
information
3.
City-state based society recognizing the overall
authority of the Shang king
4.
Cities built mostly of wood -- frequently moved
due to war, floods
5.
Highly stratified - king lived in great opulence
a.
Hundreds of servants, soldiers, sacrificed to
be buried with king
b.
Military kept power - monopoly on bronze
weapons
6.
Greatest artistic achievement in Shang bronzes
6.
Religion -- shamanistic religion
a.
Recognized a Deity Above
b.
Several lesser deities of nature
c.
Sacrifice and prayers made to ancestors, who
interceded with gods
d.
Shang-ti, ancestor god of the dynasty, main
deity of ancestor cult
e.
Kings were high priests but not divine
f.
Religion closely tied to astronomy, celestial
occurrences
g.
Emphasis on magic, fertility -- religious rites
included drinking, dancing, human sacrifice
The Western Zhou (Chou) (1122-771 BC.)
II.
A.
1.
B.
1.
2.
Zhou kings invaded from western China, killed Shang king
King Wen, King Wu, Duke of Zhou -- semi-mythical
founders of dynasty
Large land and no communications. How rule? Feudalism
King gave land and its contents to a vassal
a.
Usually a relative
b.
Someone who had shown valor, intelligence
The Vassal
a.
Pledged allegiance to king (provide protection)
b.
Paid taxes
c.
Defended king's lands for him
3.
King had the Mandate from heaven -enunciated by Duke of Zhou
a.
first Chinese use of "heaven" (tien)
b.
King received power from heaven, not from
descent
c.
King had to act morally
d.
More rational than the magic-based thought
of Shang period
C.
D.
Feudalism: BASED ON LOYALTY AND
TRUST
Social Hierarchy Zhou feudal system
1.
King ("son of heaven“)
2.
Vassals (almost complete local power)
3.
Fighting men, political leaders
4.
Artisans
5.
Farmer/peasants
E.
Feudalism unified "Chinese" culture
1.
Cornerstones of Chinese development
a. kinship
b. moral code
The Eastern Zhou (771-256 BC)
III.
A.
Feudal relationships deteriorated
1.
Time creates distance in loyalty and trust
2.
Vassals gained more and more political power
3.
Vassals gain more riches than the kings
4.
King became a figure head with no power.
6.
King forced to leave his capital, move eastward
to safety
Two periods of the Eastern Zhou
1.
Spring and Autumn period 771-481 BC - feudal
system breaks down and states competed
•
Not always open rebellion
2.
Warring States period 481-256 BC - three of
every four years were taken up in warfare
•
Civil War – open rebellion
5.
B.
Vassals (not King) control military power.
I.
States of the Early
Eastern Zhou (around
500 BC), also Spring &
Autumn Period, but
the actual existence of
such coherent states is
doubtful, dozens - if
not hundreds - of
smaller principalities
existed & were only
swallowed by the
bigger states in the
Warring States Period.
C.
D.
State view themselves as INDEPENDENT
1.
Stronger states to take over weaker ones
2.
Originally 70-100 feudal states
3.
Warring States period, seven major states
4.
At end of Warring States period, there was only
one central state
5.
CHIN: How would it be rules??????
a.
Iron Fist: strong centralized political system
b.
End of feudalism
Land and people scarred after 225 year of WAR
E.
Growth of philosophy: attempting to heal
1.
Confucianism: Confucius (551-479 BC)
a.
Interested in political and ethical behavior
(not religious)
b.
“It is all about the relationship”
c.
Take Action and seek to achieve the Dao
(way)
d.
Two key aspects:
•
Duty: family and community
•
Humanity: compassion and empathy
2.
Daoism (Taoism): Laozi???
a.
Achieve the way through inaction
b.
Act spontaneously, let nature take its course.
F.
Legalism as the Answer (mandates healing)
1.
Developed in Qin (Ch'in) state
2.
“People are not capable of being good”
3.
Legalism - highly rationalistic
a.
Strict and detailed laws, impartially applied
b.
All serve the state
4.
Regimented society
5.
Feudal lords replaced with bureaucracy
6.
War is good
7.
Makes people disciplined, submissive