Unit 3, Lesson 5
Zhou Dynasty
1045 to 256 BC Claimed it ruled China because it possessed the Mandate of Heaven
Shang Dynasty
1750 to 1045 BC Created first flourishing Chinese civilization Under them, China developed organized government, system of writing, & advanced skills in making bronze vessels Used oracle bones
Han Dynasty
202 BC to AD 220 Population increased from 20 million to 60 million Large population created growing need for bigger & more efficient bureaucracy to keep state in proper working order China extended empire boundaries far into sands of Central Asia & southward along coast of South China Sea into modern-day Vietnam
Confucius
6th century BC philosopher Traveled observing events & seeking employment as political counselor
Qin Dynasty
After Zhou fell, 200 years of civil war occurred Founded by Qin Shihuangdi, meaning First Qin Emperor Created Great Wall of China to keep nomadic Xiongnu out First Qin Emperor was last of dynasty
Confucianism's Influence on Chinese Society
Emphasized the importance of family relationships, respect for authority, ancestor worship, & the value of tradition One of the most influential principles was the belief that rulers must rule by good example, rather than law, to promote harmony and order in society
Mandate of Heaven
Heaven, which was an impersonal law of nature, kept order in the universe through the Zhou king, so he ruled over all humanity by a mandate from Heaven
Confucian Ideas
Universe was made in a way that if humans acted in harmony with its purposes, their own affairs would prosper Key to proper behavior was to behave in accordance with the Dao Duty & humanity Duty meant that all people had to subordinate their own interests to the broader needs of the family & the community Five Constant Relationships: parent & child, husband & wife, older sibling & younger sibling, older friend & younger friend, and ruler & subject Duty expressed as a work ethic: if each individual worked hard to fulfill his or her duties, then the affairs of society as a whole would prosper as well Humanity consists of a sense of compassion and empathy for others "Do not do unto others what you would not wish done to yourself" Measure the feelings of others by one's own
oracle bones
bones on which priests scratched questions asked by rulers, then stuck heated metal rods to crack the bones to determine answers
Dao
proper way to be ruled; king had to keep the gods pleased in order to protect the people from natural disaster or a bad harvest; if not, he could be overthrown & replaced
filial
son or daughter
Confucianism
system of Confucian ideas
filial piety
the duty of members of the family to subordinate their needs and desires to those of the male head of the family; a system in which every family member had his or her place; important in Confucianism
Why were men considered important in ancient China?
they were responsible for providing food for their family
