Transcript 8: The Unification of China

The Unification of China
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Compare and contrast the emergence of belief
systems designed to restore political and social
order in China.
Explain and discuss the unification of China
through the efforts of the Qin dynasty.
Explain the rise and success of the early Han
dynasty.
Discuss the reasons behind productivity and
prosperity during the Former Han era.
Identify the social and economic difficulties that
led to the decline of the Former Han dynasty.
Discuss important features of the Later Han
dynasty.
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ZHOU DYNASTY (1027-221BC)
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Between 1100-1000 BC the Zhou people
overthrew the Shang (1532-1027) and set up
their own dynasty
They developed the Mandate of Heaven
(power coming from Heaven); divine right
Zhou kings granted control of large areas of
land to their supporters in a system called
feudalism
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Economy
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Use of iron and irrigation projects to produce more
food
Trade expanded along new roads and canals
Development of money spurred trade
Contributions
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First books
Astronomy
Calendar
Pottery
Produced silk
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DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS
BELIEF
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Polytheistic: Early Chinese prayed to many
gods and spirits
Greatest people only had the ear of the
gods
Called on spirits of ancestors to bring good
fortune to family
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Kong Fuzi (551-479 BCE)
 Master Philosopher Kong
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Aristocratic roots
Unwilling to compromise
principle
Decade of unemployment,
wandering
Returned home a failure,
died soon thereafter
Teachings: Analects
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FIVE KEY RELATIONSHIPS:
Harmony resulted when
people accepted place in
society and relationships
were maintained
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Ruler to subject
Parent to child
Husband to wife
Elder brother to younger
brother
Friend to friend
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Each individual has
responsibilities and
duties
Filial piety: Respect for
parents was chief duty
for the individual
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 Ethics and politics
 Avoided religion, metaphysics
 Junzi: “superior individuals”
 Role in government service
 Emphasis on Zhou Dynasty texts
 later formed core texts of Chinese
education
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Ren
 Kindness, benevolence
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Li
 Propriety, courtesy
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Xiao
 Filial piety (respect for parents  most important
value)
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Traits lead to development of junzi
 Ideal leaders
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Principal Confucian scholar
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Optimist, belief in power of
ren
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Not influential during lifetime
 Considered prime exponent of
Confucian thought since 10th
century
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Career as government
administrator
 Belief in fundamental
selfishness of humanity
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 Compare with Mencius
Emphasis on li, rigid
propriety
 Discipline more important to
preserve order
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Critics of Confucianism
 Passivism, rejection of active attempts to
change the course of events
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Founder: Laozi, 6th c. BCE
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The Daodejing (Classic of Way and of
Virtue)
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Zhuangzi (named for author, 369-236 BCE)
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“The Way” (of nature,
of the cosmos)
 Water: soft and
yielding, but capable of
eroding rock
 Cavity of pots, wheels:
nonexistent, but
essential
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Attempt to control
universe results in chaos
 Restore order by
disengagement
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 No advanced education
 No ambition
Simple living in harmony
with nature
 Cultivate self-knowledge
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 Confucianism as public doctrine
 Daoism as private pursuit
 Ironic combination allowed
intellectuals to pursue both
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Emphasis on development of the state
 Ruthless  the “end justifies the means”
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Role of Law
 Strict punishment for violators
 Principle of collective responsibility
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Shang Yang (390-338 BCE), The Book of the Lord
Shang
Han Feizi (280-233 BCE)
 Forced to commit suicide by political enemies
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LEGALISM:
The belief that the only
way to achieve order was
to pass strict laws and
 Two strengths of the state impose harsh
punishments for crimes
 Agriculture
 Military
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Emphasized development of peasant,
soldier classes
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Distrust of pure intellectual, cultural pursuits
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Historically, often imitated but rarely praised
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 Qin dynasty develops between 4th-3rd
centuries BCE
 Generous land grants under Shang
Yang
 Private farmers decrease power of large
landholders
 Increasing centralization of power
 Improved military technology
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Qin Shihuangdi (or, Shi
Huangdi, r. 221-210 BCE)
founds new dynasty as “First
Emperor”
 Dynasty ends in 207, but sets
dramatic precedent
 Basis of rule: centralized
bureaucracy
 Massive public works begun
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 Includes precursor to Great Wall
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EMERGENCE OF THE QIN
DYNASTY (221 BCE – 206
BCE)
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SHI HUANGDI (221 BCE –
210 BCE)
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ZHENG: Rebel ruler from
western state of Qin who
overthrew Zhou Dynasty
 221 BCE: Ruler proclaims
himself Shi Huangdi – “First
Emperor”
 and
Centralized
power
helpgot
Note: Qin
Ch’in are the
samewith
- China
from
its name from
thisLegalist
dynasty advisors
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Attempts to unify China
during Shi’s reign
Abolished feudalism created military districts
with loyal officials
Standardized
measurements
Uniform currency created
Created uniform writing
system (script) 
Previously: single language
written in distinct scripts
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Built and repaired roads
and canals
Built the Great Wall to
keep out invaders
Irrigation projects
completed
Stopped wars and
crushed invaders
Doubled China’s size
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 Emperor orders execution of all critics
 Orders burning of all ideological works
 Some 460 scholars buried alive
 Others exiled
 Massive cultural losses
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 Built by 700,000 workers
 Slaves, concubines, and
craftsmen sacrificed and buried
 Excavated in 1974, 15,000 terra
cotta soldiers unearthed
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 207 BCE: Civil disorder brings down Qin
dynasty
 Liu Bang forms new dynasty after
death of Shi Huangdi: the Han (206
BCE-220 CE)
 Former Han (206 BCE-9 CE)
 Interruption (9-23 CE)
 Later Han (25-220 CE)
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Relaxed Qin tyranny without returning to Zhou
anarchy
 Continued direct control of people
 However, friendly to nobility
Created large landholdings and granted
nobility land
 But maintained control over administrative
regions
 After failed rebellion, took more central
control
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The Martial Emperor:
Han Wudi (141-87 BCE)
 Engaged in wars with nomadic
tribes
Increased taxes to fund more
public works
 But huge demand for
government officials, decline
since Qin persecution
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124 BCE: Han Wudi establishes an Imperial
University
Not a lover of scholarship, but demanded
educated class for bureaucracy
 Established civil service system to staff government
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Adopted Confucianism as official course of
study  Confucianism governed everyday life
3000 students by end of Former Han, 30,000 by
end of Later Han
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Invasions of Vietnam,
Korea
Constant attacks from
Xiongnu
 Nomads from Central Asia
 Horsemen
 Brutal: Maodun (210-174
BCE), had soldiers murder
his wife, father
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Han Wudi briefly
dominates Xiongnu
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Classic of Filial Piety
 Subordination to elder males
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Admonitions (Lessons) for Women
 Written by Ban Zhao (45-120 CE)
 Female virtues
▪ Humility
▪ Obedience
▪ Subservience
▪ Loyalty
 Education should be available to all women
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 Expansion of iron manufacture
 Iron tips on tools abandoned as tools
entirely made from iron
 Increased food production
 Superior weaponry
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 Cultivation of silkworms
 Breeding
 Diet control
▪ Other silk-producing lands relied on wild
worms
 Development of paper
 Bamboo, fabric abandoned in favor of
wood and textile-based paper
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General prosperity
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Increased agricultural
productivity
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Taxes small part of
overall income
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Produce occasionally
spoiling in state
granaries
40
30
20
10
0
220 BCE
9 CE
Population (millions)
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Expenses of military expeditions,
especially versus Xiongnu
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Taxes increasing
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Arbitrary property confiscations rise
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Increasing gap between rich and poor
 Slavery, tenant farming increase
 Banditry, rebellion
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Wang Mang: Regent for 2year old Emperor, 6 CE
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Takes power himself in 9 CE
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Introduces massive reforms
 The “socialist emperor”
 Land redistribution, but poorly
handled
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Social chaos ends in his
assassination in 23 CE
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Han Dynasty emperors manage, with
difficulty, to reassert control
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Yellow Turban uprising challenges land
distribution problems
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Internal court intrigue
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Weakened Han Dynasty collapses by 220
CE
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