China

Key Concepts

Contents

1. Dynasties2. The Mandate of Heaven 3. Confucius4. Government of China before 19005. Chinese Writing6. The position of women in society7. China and the rest of the world before 19

008. China in 1900

Dynasties

• Chinese history divided into DYNASTIES since 2000BC (see page 10)

• Xia Dynasty was the first• Qin (Chin) Dynasty (c.221BC) gave name to

China• The Yuan Dynasty established by Kublai Khan

(Grandson of Genghis Khan) in 1279• Marco Polo visited Yuan Dynasty China• In 1645 the Manchu Dynasty ordered all Han

men to wear their hair in a pigtail (a queue)• Mao was a great reader and fan of Qin Dynasty

The Mandate of Heaven

• Heaven means a force that causes and justifies change. Like fate.

• Justified authority of the Emperor and Dynasty since c.1000BC

• A Dynasty fell when they lost the Mandate of Heaven

• This was seen as a result of their evil actions

• Signs were successful rebellions, famine, floods and earthquakes

Confucius (470-391BC)

• Known in China as Kong Qui• Lived during Zhou Dynasty• Wrote a book called Analects• Basis of Chinese government and way of life• His ideas defended and expanded upon by

Meng Tzu (Mencius) in 300 BC• “Ever since man came into this world, there has

never been one greater than Confucius.” • Emphasised importance of harmony in all things

Confucian ideas of harmony

• “Reform yourself and then arrange your family and so pacify the world”

• Correct behaviour and respect for those in authority is crucial for maintaining authority (deference and obedience)

• Living within the laws of nature• Rulers should also treat subjects with love and

concern or will lose Mandate of Heaven• Not concerned with supernatural but focused on

ordering society to create heaven on earth• “Good government consists in the ruler being a

ruler, the minister being a minister, the father being a father, and the son being a son.”

Examples of Confucian Harmony

Feng ShuiSweet and sour

Yin and Yang and Chinese Medicine

Government of China before 1900

• Emperor with Mandate of Heaven was absolute ruler

• The Son of Heaven• Link between China and Nature• The people owed him total loyalty• Legalism used by some emperors instead of

Confucianism• Eg WuDi (141-87BC) of Qin Dynasty• Mao knew all about detailed history of emperors

Mandarins

• C.10,000 Civil Servants called Mandarins governed China (Scholar-Officials)

• They had to pass exams on Confucius and handwriting (Calligraphy) to qualify

• Very powerful privileged group for 1300 years

• In theory open to any sector in society

Chinese Writing (Calligraphy)

• Chinese handwriting is not phonetic

• Over 40,000 characters

• Takes years to master

• Helps to build unity

• Written with an ink brush on rice paper

Dog Cat

The position of women in society

• In Confucian order women subordinate to men

• Eg Footbinding• On marriage girl’s loyalty now to

husband’s family ahead of her own• Your dad’s family more important• Many girls not given a name until

marriage. Mao’s first wife was called Woman Luo.

China and the outside world before 1900

• “The Middle Kingdom”

• 13th Century first contacts with Europe (Silk Road) eg Marco Polo

• 1793 contacts made with Britain – Lord Macartney

• Tributary States

• By 19th century China slipping behind Europe

China and Europe in 19th Century

• Britain trying to establish trade with China• Private traders importing opium into China• 1838 Emperor banned trade in opium –

causing social problems and run on silver• 1839 3 million pounds opium thrown into

sea• Under pressure British Government

declare war on China• Britain win war in 1842

The Opium Wars

• Treaty of Nanjing gave Britain Shanghai, Hong Kong and 3 other cities

• 1856 a second Anglo-Chinese War• Gives Britain greater control over trade• France, USA, Germany and Russia also

seize “Treaty Ports” and establish spheres of influence. Treaties called “unequal treaties”

• Missionaries established schools, hospitals, churches etc

China and Japan

• Japan had successfully modernised• Many Chinese nationalists admired the

Japanese model eg Zou Rong and Lu Xun• 1894 – Rebellion in Korea V Monarch• China and Japan rush in troops• Japan sink a Chinese ship and seize Lushun in

Manchuria and Shandong• China forced to give Korea and some ports to

Japan by Treaty of Shimoneseki • 1905 Japan defeated Russia

China in 1900

• Governed by Empress Dowager Ci Xi on behalf of Emperor Guangxu (Qing (Manchu) Dynasty)

• Growing Nationalist movement which hated yet admired the West and Japan

• Economic and social problems led to a series of rebellions against the Emperor

• Corruption• Militarily and technologically inferior to Japan

and the West• Over 50 Treaty Ports. • Lost Vietnam and Korea to France and Japan

Homework

Skim read pages 11-24 and note down reasons why anti-government feeling was growing in China in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries

A Sign from a park in Shanghai

Empress Dowager Ci Xi

A Mandarin official(Ming Dynasty)

A shoemaker with a queue