Ancient China Review (through Qin Dynasty)

Xia Dynasty

Historians of China have traditionally dated the beginning of Chinese civilization to the founding of the Xia (shee-AH) Dynasty about 4,000 years ago, or roughly 2,000 BCE. The Xia Dynasty was replaced by the Shang Dynasty around the 16th century BCE.

The Terra-Cotta Army

In 1974, farmers digging a well in western China made a remarkable discovery. Archaeologists believe that the terra-cotta army of almost 1,000 figures was created by artisans to represent the palace imperial guard of the first Qin emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, to guard his imperial tomb.

The Zhou Dynasty

In the 11th century BCE, the Shang Dynasty was overthrown by an aggressive young state called the Zhou (JOH) which was located to the west of the Shang capital. The Zhou Dynasty adopted the political system of their predecessors, the Shang, with a few changes. At the apex of the government was the Zhou king, who was supported by a bureaucracy of growing size and complexity. It included the ministries of rites, education, law, and public works. This practice was called the well-field system.

The Emergence of Civilization

Systemic agriculture developed independently in different areas of the world between 8,000 and 5,000 years ago.

Legalism

Taking issue with the view that humans were essentially good, legalists argued that humans were by nature evil and would follow a correct path in life only if compelled to by harsh laws and punishments; proposed by Han Feizi The Legalists also disagreed with the Confucian belief that the universe has a moral core. They therefore believed that only firm action by the state could bring about social order.

Warring States Period

The 250 years between 475 and 221 BC when the region of the Zhou Dynasty was divided between 8 states. These states had frequent wars until 221 BC when Qin conquered them all. The fighting was sometimes fierce.

Chinese Language and Literature

The Chinese simplified one aspect of its language system, which was to give all the spoken languages the same writing system. Although any written character might be pronounced differently in different dialects and different locations, all the written characters were standardized under the Qin Dynasty and, after that, educated persons throughout the Chinese kingdom could be read the same, regardless of how the characters were pronounced.

The Qin Dynasty

The First Chinese Empire, adopting a number of reforms in agriculture, government administration, military organization, and fiscal or financial policy. The Qin was a highly centralized state. Adopted Legalism. +Created a uniform system of weights and measures. +Initial construction of the Great Wall (about 2500 miles) +Adopted use of metal coins +Standardized written characters so people could learn to read easier

Neolithic Revolution

-Cultivated crops -Domesticated animals One transition associated with this revolution was the making of more advanced polished tools.

Consequences of the Neolithic Revolution

-Permanent settlements (no longer nomadic) -Complex societies -Development of patriarchy -Metalworking and the Bronze Age

Civilizations

-Urban focus -New political and military structures -New social structure based on economic power -Development of more complexity in a material sense. -Distinct religious structure. -Development of writing The adoption of systemic agriculture led to the creation of larger and different groups of people into what we term "civilizations," or complex cultures in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements.

Shang Dynasty

1600-1046 BCE The Shang Dynasty succeeded the Xia dynasty but was followed by the Zhou dynasty. Evidence suggests that at least by the time of the Shang Dynasty, the Chinese had developed a simple but functional script.

Confucius

A great Chinese philosopher Confucius born in the province of Lu in 551 BCE. Confucius believed it was useless to speculate about metaphysical questions. His belief in philosophy was based in politics and ethics. If humans acted in harmony with nature, it was possible for them to prosper. To Confucius, the key to human behavior was to act in accordance with the Dao, or "way."

Sun Tzu

A great military strategist. Little is known about him, but his writings have been preserved and have had great influence on later military thinkers. "The Art of War" Some of his best-known principles include: "Attaining one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the pinnacle of excellence. Subjugating the enemy's army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence." "The highest realization of warfare is to attack the enemy's plans; next is to attack their alliances; next to attack their army; and the lowest is to attack their fortified cities." "This tactic of attacking fortified cities is adopted only when unavoidable. Preparing large movable protective shields, armored assault wagons, and other equipment and devices will require three months."

Daoism

A popular alternative to Confucianism was the philosophy of Daoism. Daoism does not concern itself with heavenly issues, but seeks to direct the lives of people on earth; founded by Laozi or Lao Tzu

Filial Piety

All family members to subordinate their personal needs and desires to the patriarchic head of the family, or subordinating personal needs to the head male of the family.

Well-field system

Based on the Chinese character for "well" (井) it resembles a simplified picture of the division of the farmland. This arrangement divided the farm into nine sections. Eight outer sections were privately cultivated while the land in the middle was communally cultivated on behalf of the landowning aristocrat. The majority of Chinese people, however, traded using the barter system, a good for a good or service. Taxes, rents, and even the salaries of government officials were often paid in quantities of grain.

Decline of the Zhou Dynasty and Rise of the Qin

By the 6th century BCE, the Zhou Dynasty began to decline. New forms of warfare emerged with the invention of iron weapons, and the introduction of foot soldiers and cavalry armed with crossbows. Some cities erected high walls as defenses against these innovations in warfare. Against these walled cities, military strategists developed methods of siege warfare.

The Great Wall of China

Constructed by Qin Shi Huangdi to keep out the Xiongnu. It extends nearly 4,000 miles from the wastelands of Central Asia to the sea.

Qin Shi Huangdi

First ruler of the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huangdi came to power in 246 BCE at the age of 13. He was a man of forceful personality and great ambition. In 221 BCE, he defeated the last of his rivals (Zhou) and founded his new dynasty with himself as emperor.Legalism was adopted as the official ideology. Qin Shi Huangli was also aggressive in foreign affairs. His armies continued the gradual advance to the south that had taken place during the final years of the Zhou Empire, extending the border of China to the borders of modern-day Vietnam. This was the first truly unified government (dynasty) in Chinese history.

Nomadic

For hundreds of thousands of years, most humans sustained themselves by hunting or gathering basic meal items.

The Glorious Han Dynasty

The fall of the Qin Dynasty in 206 BCE was followed by a brief period of civil strife as aspiring successors competed for power. Out of this strife emerged one of the greatest and most durable dynasties in Chinese history, the Han Dynasty. The Chinese people would come to identify with the Han Dynasty to such a degree that even in modern times they will sometimes refer to themselves as the "people of Han." The Han maintained key components of the Qin system of centralized rule.

The First Emperor's Tomb

The imperial tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi. Location of the terra-cotta army. Archaeologists have not yet unearthed the burial mound, but plan to do so in the future.

Five Relationships

The key to a proper social order. -Son is subordinate to the father. -Wife is subordinate to the husband. -Younger brother to older brother. -All were subject to the king (emperor). -Friend and friend. Only if all members of the family and the community behaved in a proper filial manner would society function effectively. Men worked in the fields and women took care of the children and stayed at home.

What kind of crops did the southern Chinese settlements cultivate?

The southern settlements were based on the cultivation of rice rather than dry crops such as miller, barley, and wheat (wheat was imported from the Middle East about 2,000 BCE)

Veneration of Ancestors

The veneration of the dead, including one's ancestors, is based on love and respect for the dead. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Confucianism and Daoism are most popular among more philosophical people, and have been often less popular among the more common people of China. Among some peoples, including peasants and lower classes, a veneration of ancestors is more popular.

Yangshao and Longshan

Two neolithic societies along the Yellow River. These two agricultural settlements are sometimes identified in terms of their pottery as the "painted" and "black pottery" cultures, respectively.

eunuch

a man who has been castrated; these men were used as servants and attendants in the royal palace; common in the Chinese Imperial system