 Zhou
– 1122 B.C.E. – 256 B.C.E.
 Period of Warring States 403 B.C.E.
– 221 B.C.E.
 Qin – 221 B.C.E. – 207 B.C.E.
 Han – 206 B.C.E. – 220 C.E.
*A dynasty is a family of kings.
 Heightened
focus on
central government.
 Asserted Mandate of
 Emperors considered
Sons of Heaven.
 Shu Jing (The Classic
of History) (6th Cent.
 Banned
 Standardized
language, Mandarin
 Regional languages
remained but
educated officials
relied on Mandarin
 Maintained
belief in gods but little focus on
religion!!!! Problem with all Polytheism
 Upper
classes were trained in elaborate
exercises and military skills such as archery.
 Veneration of ancestors
 Special
meals and introduction of chopsticks to
encourage educate politeness at meals.
Complex Tea Ceremonies
China’s feudal period.
Rulers gave large
regional estates to family
and supporters.
Regional leaders
provided central
government with troops
and tax revenues.
Vulnerable system due
to regional landowning
aristocrats who built
own power base.
Down Fall on the way
 Regional
formed independent
 Emperors were
reduced to
 From 402 to 201
B.C.E., the “Period of
Warring States,” the
Zhou dynasty
 Confucius
 Daoists
 Legalist
 Kong
Fuzi (551 479 B.C.E.) or
“Master Philosopher Kong”
 Came from an aristocratic family
in northern China.
 Served as an educator and
political advisor.
 He attracted numerous disciples
who aspired to political careers.
 Studied Book of Songs, Book of
History and Book of Rites.
 Ren:
attitude of kindness and a
sense of humanity
 Li: sense of propriety ( in good
taste with good manners);
 Xiao: filial piety which means
respect for family; in particular,
children’s respect to parents and
family elders.
 Junzi: Encouraged education to
all talented and intelligent
members of society.
 “When
the ruler does right,
all men will imitate his self
control. What the ruler does,
the people will follow.”
 “When the ruler excels as a
father, a son, and a brother,
then the people imitate him.”
 Force
alone cannot conquer
unrest. Kindness toward the
people and protection of
their vital interests will.
 Rulers should be humble and
 Rulers should not be greedy.
True happiness rests in doing
good for all, not individual
 Spokesperson
for Confucian
 Human nature was basically
 Placed emphasis on
Confucian value of ren.
 Advocated government by
benevolence and humanity.
 Critics charged Mencius held
a naïve view of human nature.
Emerged after fall of Zhou and Period of Warring
Disdain for Confucian virtues.
Favored authoritarian state that ruled by force.
Human nature is evil and requires discipline and
In a proper state, the army controls and the
people labor.
Educated discourse and courtesy are frivolous.
Confucianism values still remained in spite of the
arrival of legalism.
Emerged during “Period of
Warring States.”
First appealed to upper
Embraced traditional
Chinese beliefs in nature’s
harmony but added sense
of nature’s mystery.
Produced a division in
China’s religious and
philosophical culture.
Laozi (5th Century B.C.E.)
stressed that “nature contains
a divine impulse that directs
all life.”
True human understanding
comes from withdrawal from
the world and contemplating
life force.
Dao means “the way of nature.”
Harmony comes from humility
and frugal living.
Political activity and learning
are irrelevant to a good life.
Individuals did come to embrace some
elements from Daoism and Confucianism.
Still, many emperors favored Daoism.
Daoism posed no political threat.
As Daoism became an increasingly formal
religion, it provided the Chinese with a host of
ceremonies that promoted harmony.
Qin Shi Huangdi (First
Emperor) made himself sole
ruler of China.
 Shi Huangdi was a brutal but
effective ruler.
 He assumed control of feudal
 He ordered nobles to leave
regions and appointed nonaristocratic bureaucrats to
 His powerful army crushed
regional resistance.
 Extended
territory to
the south
Hong Kong
on South
China Sea.
 Built
a Great Wall
which extended
over 3,000 miles.
 Organized by
 Built by forced
 Provided
a single law code
for the whole empire.
 Established a uniform tax
 Appointed governors to
exercise military and legal
powers in each district.
 Governors named officials
for smaller regions.
 Shi Huangdi ordered a national census.
 Standardized coinage, weights, and measures
throughout entire realm.
 Made Chinese written script uniform,
providing a basic language for all educated
Chinese to communicate.
 Sponsored new irrigation projects.
 Promoted manufacturing, particularly of silk
 Burning of Books and Execution of 460 scholars
who criticized his policies.
 High Taxes
supported military
expansion and
construction of Great
 On emperor’s death in
210 B.C.E., massive
revolts by peasants
broke out.
700,000 laborers constructed
this monument and tomb.
Contains emperor, grave
goods, sacrificed slaves,
concubines, and many
craftsmen who made the
Qin Shihuangdi was laid to
rest in underground palace
lined with bronze and
protected by traps and
crossbows rigged to fire at
Ceiling has paintings of stars
and planets.
 Liu
Bang retained
centralized administration
of the Qin.
 Reduced brutal oppression
of the Qin.
 Expanded Chinese
territory, pushing into
Korea, and central Asia.
 This expansion gave rise to
direct contact with India
and developed contact with
Middle East.
 Enforced
peace throughout continent
of Asia.
 Embraced more territory.
 Society flourished.
 Han Wudi relied upon Legalist
principles of government while
incorporating Confucianism into
university education for bureaucrats.
 Whereas the Qin stressed central
authority, the Han expanded the
powers of the bureaucracy.
 Emphasized
importance of creating a large,
highly skilled bureaucracy. (130,000
 Han Wudi established exams for his
bureaucrats, the first civil service exam.
 He established a school to train men of
exceptional talent and ability for the national
exams. (Confucianism)
 Individuals from lower ranks were
occasionally recruited.
 Han bureaucratic system lasted until 20th
 The
Analects (the Confucian
doctrine) was revived under the
Han emperors.
 The Han saw usefulness of
Confucian emphasis on political
virtue and social order.
 Confucian learning was
incorporated into Han training of
Peasant class focused on
polytheism and spirits of
Peasants created statues and
household decorations
honoring spirits.
A belief in symbolic power of
dragons emphasized fear of
creatures and playful sense of
courtship activities among
Peasant class took on elements
of Confucian values.
Confucianism blended with
literature and art among
upper classes.
Five Classics written during
Zhou dynasty merged with
Confucius doctrine to provide
basis for civil service exams.
Classic of Songs – 300 poems
about love, joy, politics, and
Calligraphy, bronze, pottery,
carved jade and ivory, silk
Chinese astronomers developed calendar based on
year of 365.5 days.
Later astronomers calculated movement of planets.
Scientists invented a type of seismograph to register
earthquakes during Han Dynasty.
Developed anatomical knowledge and studied
principles of hygiene that promoted long life.
Serious gaps developed between upper class, which
controlled large landed estates, and the masses, farmerpeasants who produced only what they needed to survive.
Because of this division, literacy was confined mostly to
the elite.
Population was made up of land owners (2 percent of the
population) and peasants who served them.
In the southern rice region, property was owned and
regular by the village or extended family rather than
Beneath the peasantry, there was a group of “mean”
people who performed rough transport and other
unskilled jobs.
Social status was passed from one generation to the next.
In some cases, talented individuals from peasantry might
be given access to education and rise within bureaucracy.
Food exchange between
the wheat and rice
growing regions.
Copper coins began to
Trade routes did lead to
India and Middle East,
but most Chinese were
Chinese had no need or
desire to learn from
other societies.
 Trade
became more
important during
Zhou and Han
 Focused on luxury
items for upper class.
 Produced by artisans
in the cities – silks,
jewelry, leather
goods, and furniture.
Ox-drawn plows introduced
300 B.C.E.
Under the Han, a new collar
was invented to improve
Iron mining improved with
invention of pulleys and
winding gear.
Production methods in textiles
and pottery were highly
Under the Han, the first waterpowered mills were
Also under the Han, paper was
invented improving system of
government and bureaucracy.
Encouraged reliance on agriculture.
Increased size of the population in the countryside.
Expansion of cities and manufacturing
Under the Han Dynasty, the population tripled
During Han dynasty,
patriarchal family was
enhanced through
importance of filial piety
and women’s subordination
to men.
Confucian Classic of Filial
Piety taught that children
should obey and honor
their parents and superiors.
Ban Zhao, educated woman
from Han family, wrote
Admonitions for Women that
emphasized humility,
obedience, and devotion to
Tight family organization helped
solidify economic and social views
as well as political life.
Stressed authority to extremes.
Confucius said, “There are no
wrongdoing parents.”
Law courts did not prosecute
parents who injured or killed
Culture stressed strict control of
one’s emotions.
Family was at center of orderly
 Later
Han emperors did not address the
problem of land distribution.
 Wealthy classes lived in luxury while
peasants worked under difficult conditions.
 Banditry and rebellions organized by
desperate peasants continued.
 The Yellow Turban uprising raged throughout
China and tested Han state during 2nd
century C.E.
 Internal weakness eventually brought an end
to the Han.

Classical Civilization: China 550 B.C.E. to 500 C.E.