Classical China

How did Vietnam and Korea come to adopt Confucianism?

After Vietnam and Korea were conquered by China, they adapted Chinese values and ruled over them with a Chinese style government. They began to observe Confucian values. Over the following centuries, they began to adopt primarily Confucian governemnt and policies.

Who was Ban Zhao? Describe her ideas about women.

Ban Zhao was a well known female Chinese scholar. She believed a woman's duties were to be meek, humble, respectful, remain in the background, endure humiliation, wake up first and go to sleep last, and wait upon her husband with integrity and seriousness. A well educated woman, she believed education should be available for women. She wrote the influential work Lessons for Women, a book detailing proper etiquette for women.

Describe the advantages of the Xiongnu. Why were they a problem for China

Because the Xiongnu were nomadic, targeting them in battle was much more difficult. Attacking the Xiongnu was difficult because they had no permanent communities so attacks on their territory did little damage.The xiognu were superb horsemen and skilled archers as well.

Why doesn't anything of Han Era Chang'an remain today?

Chang'An was built from wood. Additionally, later dynasties built over the city.

What effect did silk have on trade?

China produced fine silk, the likes of which could not be imitated by people in any other places due to Chinese sericulture processes being kept a secret. Because China was the only place from which fine silk could be acquired, the demand for silk from China was high. This increased the wealth of China overall and the Han government (the government had a silk monopoly). A trade route, the silk road, was even developed from China to Rome to facilitate the trade of silk throughout Asia and Europe.

Which philosophy became the key to a government position?

Confucianism. To obtain a position in government, an individual had to pass a difficult civil service exam with a focus on Confucianism. Those who wished to obtain government positions first had to go through a Confucian imperial university where they would be taught principles of Confucianism and how to govern fairly and be junzi.

How did Confucius feel about scholars and merchants? Who did he feel was more important to society and why?

Confucius believed the farmers were morally superior to merchants. He thought the cultivators were farming to generate food for the sake of society whereas the merchants worked only to generate income for themselves rather than for the good of society as a whole.

What qualities did Confucius think a leader should possess?

Confucius thought a leader ( a junzi) should be intelligent, educated, selfless, moral, and should put the needs of the government and people above his own.

Why did small landowners lose their property and large landowners increase their land holdings?

Due to heavy taxation, many peasants had to sell their land and often even themselves into slavery to pay off debts. Large landowners absorbed the land forfeited by these smaller landowners, consolidating their wealth and obtaining more property in the process.

Why didn't Han emperors fix the problem of the landholding system?

Han emperors depended on the support of wealthy large landowners.

Why did Shi Huangdi build the Great Wall? What were the costs of this project?

He built the Great Wall to keep the nomadic raiders out of the North and West. The cost was many lives of laborers, high taxes, and forced labor.

Describe Liu Bang.

He was a crude oaf who had an affinity for alcoholic drinks. He restored order throughout China after the collapse of the Qin and established himself as the head of the Han dynasty. He attempted to follow a middle path between the decentralized network of the Zhou and the centralized network of the Qin. He believed decentralization encouraged political chaos bc it led to regional governors to pursue their own ambitions and the centralized created problems bc it provided little incentive for the imperial family to support the dynasty. He decided to give land to members of the imperial family and divided the empire into administrative districts governed by appointed officials. After an army of Xiongnu warriors captured him, he decided to follow a policy of centralization. He managed to escape without help from the imperial family.

Why was Sima Qian sentenced to castration?

He was sentenced to castration for defaming the emperor after defending a general (Li Ling) who the emperor wanted to punish after he surrendered.

What does Shi Huangdi's tomb tell you about his personality and his power?

His tomb showed his capability to conscript and force a large number of people to work on a project. The grandeur and elaborateness of the tomb showed how Shi Huangdi viewed the afterlife. The army of terracotta soldiers showed how his desire to protect his tomb from grave-robbers. The numerous traps in it show this too.

How did palace intrigue and political factions hurt the Han?

Infighting among Han factions which sought to advance their own interests brought the Han to a point of internal weakness which led to the eventual collapse of the central government and the four hundred year long division of China into regional kingdoms.

What were some important uses of iron during the Han?

Iron was used in weapons, iron, utensils and was also used in new farming tools that allowed surplus crops and specialized labor.

Where did the name China come from and why is this significant?

It came from "Qin." This is significant because it shows how influential the Qin Dynasty was and how it set a precedent for future Chinese dynasties and governments.

Why was a standardized "script" (writing) so important to China?

It further unified China. This made sure that written policies wouldn't be misunderstood by people who spoke different languages/ dialects. It ensured that all people throughout China would be able to read written decrees and policies of the emperor no matter what spoken dialect they understood.

What qualities did Lao Tzu think a leader should possess?

Lao Tzu believed that a leader should support people in whatever it is that they naturally desire. A fundamental principle of Daoism was that a leader should enforce minimal laws and there should be minimal government.

How did Shang Yang strengthen the Kingdom of Qin?

Legalist rule allowed the Qin dynasty to unify China. To end the Period of the Warring states, strict laws and rule such as Legalism were necessary. Legalist policies implemented by the Qin dynasty prevented crime and revolts for a time with fear, however after the death of Shi Huangdi, people revolted and the Qin fell.

What are the main ideas of Confucianism?

Li: a sense of propriety that encouraged conforming to one's role in society and relationships. Ren: the principle of being kind and benevolent. Xiao: filial piety. Junzi: superior individuals who would serve in government to set a moral example for the people. Five relationships: relationships in which each person would play a role; the superior should set a good and moral example for the inferior, who should honor and respect the superior.

How were the Qin and Han similar to other places we have studied in terms of leadership? Political organization? Culture? Technology?

Like Persia- provinces, roads, standardized coins. Assyria-provinces, assimilation, despotic (Qin). Zhou- experiment with decentralized government (Han), standardized coins, advances in iron, fought nomadic peoples. Aryans-fought nomadic peoples.

How were the Qin and Han like the Persians during the Classical Period?

Like the Persians, they were classical large land empires that had modern-day influences on the regions that they inhabited. They standardized coins and built roads that allowed for communication. These roads also helped their military advances.

Describe Liu Bang's rule- did he continue Shi Huangdi's policies? If so, which ones?

Liu Bang used a centralized government (he experimented with decentralized). He also divided his realm into administrative districts.

How did moralists try to strengthen patriarchy during the Han?

Moralists emphasized the importance of filial piety and respecting ones elders, parents, and political superiors, as well as the subordination of women. Important work- the Confucian classic, Classic of Filial Piety. Composed in the early Han.

Why is Wang Mang called the socialist emperor?

One of Wang Mang's most prominent policies was his policy regarding the redistribution of land. Wang Mang limited the amount of land and individual could hold and broke up large estates, redistributing the land among the less wealthy.

How did paper production impact China?

Paper became the most widely used writing surface in China. It was cheaper than silk and easier to use than wood. Paper made it easier and cheaper to obtain books and made record keeping and the bureaucracy more effective and efficient.

What are the main ideas of Legalism?

People are evil and selfish by nature and cannot be improved. The only way to keep people in line is with fear which can be instilled in them with struct laws and cruel, harsh punishments. A ruler should not trust anyone so that he cannot be manipulated. People should be first loyal to the government; more so than to their families. All people should pursue careers in farming or as soldiers. The state should be strengthened and expanded at all costs.

Discuss Shi Huangdi policies that increased the strength of the central government and brought more unity to China?

Qin Shi Huangdi brought unity to China with standardized writing, measures, weights, coins, laws, and built roads. The Qin dynasty followed a strict policy of centralized administration.

How was the civil service system (and exam) and example of meritocracy?

Rather than awarding positions in the bureaucracy based upon wealth or birth, government positions were given out based upon whether or not someone was well educated and could accomplish the difficult task of passing the civil service exam. This system was flawed, however, as only the wealthy could afford the education necessary to pass the exam and become a government official.

How long did Shi Huangdi think his dynasty would rule? How long did it rule?

Shi Huang di thought his dynasty would rule for hundreds of generations and thousands of years. In reality, his dynasty remained in power for only 14 years, 3 of which were after his death. After his death, revolts from peasants dissatisfied with the harsh rule and conscripted labor of the Qin caused the dynasty to collapse.

How did Shi Huangdi deal with dissent? Who criticized him and why?

Shi Huangdi used censorship. He executed Confucian scholars and forced his people to give in their books. He also burnded all books not about farming, medicine, fortune telling, or the Qin. Those who insulted the Qin or talked about the contents of these books were punished.

How did the Qin dynasty come to an end?

Shi Huangdi's despotic laws and regime incited peasant rebellions as his laws discontented them. 3 years after his death, they overthrew the Qin dynasty.

Who was Sima Qian and why was he so important?

Sima Qian was a significant historian during the Han dynasty who described Liu Bang as crude and oafish.

Why is Wang Mang called a usurper?

The Han emperors failed to address growing social tensions, so Wang Mang, despite his not being in line to rule, usurped the throne, claiming the Mandate of Heaven and implementing more socialist policies.

Why was Chinese sericulture better than sericulture in other places?

The Han had a special process for producing silk that was unknown by other places. This secret was kept by killing anyone who leaked the secret of the process by which Chinese silk was made.

Which innovations caused Han population to grow and surplus crops which led to specialization?

The Han perfected the collar harness, double blade plow, wheel barrow, iron tools, and water mills for grinding grain.

Why did 1 Han aristocrat kill 2,000 eunichs?

The faction he led wished to destroy the eunuchs as a political force and faction.

What were the results of this unequal distribution of land?

The poor were forced to labor in harsh working conditions for the wealthy. Working Conditions mostly favored wealthy, large landowners.

How did the Yellow Turban Uprising influence the Han?

The uprising and other rebellions weakened the Han state during the second and third centuries CE.

How did the lives of the rich and poor differ during the Han?

The wealthy had extravagant possessions, wearing silk, leather, jade, and gold and eating pork, fowl, fish, and wine. The poor wore rough hemp clothing and sandals. The poor ate mostly grains and rice with some vegetables. The poor often had to sell their property and were forced to work under harsh labor conditions that benefited the wealthy.

What qualities did Han Feizi, Shang Yang, and Li Si think a leader should possess?

They believed a leader should be tough and employ strict laws and harsh punishments to control the people. Leaders should censor ideas that go against their regime.

How did Wudi's policies toward the rich hurt the economy?

They discouraged the wealthy from investing in trading and manufacturing enterprises, which hurt the economy as a whole.

Why did his land redistribution efforts fail?

Wang Mang did not implement his policies with proper preparation and communication. Poor harvests and famine led to his being killed by peasants and wealthy landlords.

How do we know about the Han?

We know much of our information about the Han from historian Sima Qian's account of the history of China and the dynasty.

Why did he choose castration over death?

When convicted of a crime, many officials either committed suicide or bribe their way out of trouble. Sima Qian did not want to die by committing suicide because if he did, the history works he and his father made would never be finished or published. and he did not have enough money to pay.

How did the Chinese go further in fostering cultural unity than the Persians did?

While the Persians used standardized coins and roads with a postal system, the Qin also developed a standard script, laws, measures, and weights.

Why did Wudi create monopolies?

Wudi created monopolies to obtain extra funds to finance his expensive government and military endeavors.

How did Wudi finance his wars and colonies?

Wudi financed his military endeavors by imposing heavy taxes and generating extra revenue from government monopolies on essential goods like iron, silk, alcohol, and salt. Wudi also confiscated land and other possessions from the wealthy.

What methods did Wudi use to try to appease the Xiongnu?

Wudi initially tried to appease the Xiongnu by paying tribute and marrying individuals from the ruling houses of their peoples. These efforts failed, so he later invaded and conquered the Xiongnu.

How did Wudi administer the central government of China? (What Qin policies did he keep?)

Wudi kept a strong, centralized administration. Like the Qin, he used heavy taxation to fund his government. Both also followed policies of imperialism and expansion.

Why did Wudi establish the imperial university?

Wudi needed more people to serve in his bureaucracy. To ensure that only educated individuals could become government officials, he established an imperial university and civil service exam to make sure that all who obtained a position in his bureaucracy would be well educated, able, and moral (junzi).

How did Wudi's conquest of the Xiongnu impact China's economy?

Wudi's military efforts against the Han drained surplus crops and money from the Han. Because of this, to generate additional funds, Wudi imposed heavy taxes.

What are the main ideas of Daoism?

Wuwei- action by non-action. Dao- the force of the universe rarely characterized in forthright terms; a central principle of Daoism. Also: people should refrain from competition and education, and should live in small villages with minimal laws and government.