Classical ChinaClassical China

Janet Pareja, Advanced Placement World History, Signature School, Evansville, Indiana

Relative Geographic Isolation• Fewer invasions from outside.

• Not influenced by other cultures.

• Intense and distinctive Chinese identity.

Classical CHINAClassical CHINA256 BCE – 202 BCE Qin

202 BCE – 220 CE Han

Qin Shi Qin Shi HuangdiHuangdi

Tiger of Qin; First Emperor; Tiger of Qin; First Emperor;

“Yellow Emperor”“Yellow Emperor”

– BrutallyBrutally snapped China out of snapped China out of Period of Warring States. Period of Warring States.

1.1.Centralized Centralized Power Power in Emperor, in Emperor,

Ending Feudalism in China. Ending Feudalism in China.

– Created ProvincesCreated Provinces - - ruled by ruled by non-aristocraticnon-aristocratic bureaucrats bureaucrats appointed by appointed by emperoremperor

– Powerful Standing Powerful Standing Army - Army - crushed regional crushed regional resistanceresistance

Terra Cotta Warriors: Discovered Terra Cotta Warriors: Discovered 19711971

“The Archer”

Qin:Qin:

Extended Chinese Extended Chinese

TerritoryTerritory

…….South, including .South, including

influencing Vietnam influencing Vietnam

……building a safebuilding a safe

BUFFER BUFFER ZONEZONE

Crossbows!

• Mass produced Mass produced arrows, cross bowsarrows, cross bows

• ¼ mi = distance of arrow

• Huge armies – conscription – interchangeable soldiers!

Terracotta warriors

Constant repairs & extensionsConstant repairs & extensions…

3. Built / Connected Great Wall 3. Built / Connected Great Wall

Built with conscripted labor….

300 miles longWide enough for Chariots to pass!

4. 4. StandardizationStandardization• Law • National Census-

– data to calculate tax revenues & labor service

• Copper coinage

• Weights & measures

• Road Building • Regulated Axle length

• Uniform written script

5. 5. Infrastructure and Infrastructure and Manufacturing…Manufacturing…

• New Irrigation & canal projects – (picture: terracing)

• Promoted Manufacturing– Silk cloth, especially

Building a Strong Economy

5. 5. Zero Tolerance for Dissent!Zero Tolerance for Dissent!

• Attacked formal culture:– Burned many books– Shi Huangdi considered

thinking as subversive to his autocratic rule

– Death to disagreeing scholars– LegalistLegalist

LegalismLegalism

– Believed “people are evil” Believed “people are evil”

bolstered Huangdi’s bolstered Huangdi’s

authoritarianismauthoritarianism

– Differed from Shang Yang: Differed from Shang Yang: • Ruler Ruler ISIS above the Law above the Law

– Harshest punishmentHarshest punishment

for law breakersfor law breakers

Fall of the Qin DynastyFall of the Qin Dynasty

Peasant revolt:Peasant revolt: – Attacks on Attacks on

intellectuals (Shi)intellectuals (Shi)

– High taxes needed to High taxes needed to support military support military expansion and Great expansion and Great WallWall

– Brutality of Emperor Brutality of Emperor

End of the Qin = Start of HanEnd of the Qin = Start of Han

Rise of peasant leader Rise of peasant leader – –

Liu BangLiu Bang– Not a great military commander, but

good mediator– Persistent & logical planner

– IlliterateIlliterate– Brilliant Shi advisors– loyalty of troops

• Established Han Dynasty –

named for his native land.

• Took the name “Gaozu”

Han Han DynastyDynasty

400 years

Han DynastyHan Dynasty

• Confucian!Confucian!

• Conquest!Conquest! Expanded into:Expanded into: – Korea, Indochina, central Korea, Indochina, central

Asia Asia …lead to direct contact …lead to direct contact with India.with India.

Han China:Safety for Trade Along the Silk

Road

1. 1. Beginning of the Silk Beginning of the Silk Roads!Roads!

• Trade thrived Trade thrived - China to Mediterranean!!!- China to Mediterranean!!!

• Trade routes carried much more than trade: they Trade routes carried much more than trade: they carried carried CULTURECULTURE……

TRADETRADE– Major Chinese Export: Major Chinese Export:

Han silkHan silkIndian merchants brought: brought:

SPICESSPICES, Tortoise shell, gold, silver, , Tortoise shell, gold, silver,

copper, iron, lead, tin, fine cloth, woolen copper, iron, lead, tin, fine cloth, woolen textiles, textiles, perfumeperfume and incense, and incense, crystal sugarcrystal sugar, , pepperpepper, ginger, , ginger, saltsalt, coral, pearls, lapis lazuli, , coral, pearls, lapis lazuli, glassglass items, … items, …

Roman wares Roman wares such as frankincense, such as frankincense, gold gold platesplates, and later, gold bouillon. , and later, gold bouillon.

Han WudiHan Wudi Most famous Han ruler: 140-87 BCE

2. Enforced peace: 2. Enforced peace: ““Pax Wudi”Pax Wudi”

–Similar to Pax Achaemenid, Similar to Pax Achaemenid, Pax Romana, but Pax Romana, but even largereven larger safe for trade safe for trade great prosperitygreat prosperity!!

Temples to Temples to ConfuciusConfucius

2. 2. Supported Supported ConfucianismConfucianism – Shrines built: Shrines built:

worship Confucius worship Confucius as a godas a god

– Formal training in Formal training in Confucianism Confucianism at at university in Xianuniversity in Xian..

Han WudiHan Wudi

3. 3. ““The Warrior EmperorThe Warrior Emperor””

– Broke up last vestiges of Broke up last vestiges of

FeudalismFeudalism

– Halted the Halted the HunsHuns

YesYes…The …The Legend of Legend of Mulan…Mulan…

______ ____ ___ ___ ______ ____ ___ ___ Success with the “Huns”Success with the “Huns”

• Han Invaded central Han Invaded central Asia; Subjugated Asia; Subjugated HunsHuns

• Safe Corridor Safe Corridor allowed allowed Silk Road trade to Silk Road trade to flourishflourish

• Some agricultural Some agricultural settlerssettlers by oases in by oases in corridorcorridor

4.4. Improved BureaucracyImproved Bureaucracy

• Centralized administration of Centralized administration of

CIVIL SERVICE CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS:EXAMS:

• Trained Trained ShiShi at university in at university in Xian:Xian:

– even (exceptional) poor could even (exceptional) poor could attendattend

– slight check on arbitrary power slight check on arbitrary power of richof rich

Chinese bureaucracy lasted from Chinese bureaucracy lasted from the Han period until the 20the Han period until the 20thth Century, outliving even the empire Century, outliving even the empire itself!itself!

Sima Sima QianQian““Records of the Records of the

Grand HistorianGrand Historian””•130 Chapters130 Chapters•From “Age of Sages” that From “Age of Sages” that preceded the Xia to his time preceded the Xia to his time (Han)(Han)•Aimed to tell the whole truth Aimed to tell the whole truth – – Research!Research!•Traditional China’s greatest Traditional China’s greatest historical writinghistorical writing

How do we know???

Handout

FIN

SHISHI = Scholar Gentry = Scholar Gentry– Lived in Lived in walled compounds walled compounds with with

extended family, servants.extended family, servants.

– Wore Wore SilkSilk- colors & emblems - colors & emblems befitting rankbefitting rank

– Horse drawn carriagesHorse drawn carriages not allowed not allowed lower social ranklower social rank

– Deference of Commoners- Deference of Commoners- bow, offer bow, offer best produce if a merchant.best produce if a merchant.

– WomenWomen may have had instruction in may have had instruction in music, art. music, art.

Qin & Han Dynasties Qin & Han Dynasties

• Why did the Emperor establish the wearing of specific clothing befitting social rank?

Merchant ClassMerchant Class

• Trade Trade important, important, but the Merchant but the Merchant Class was Class was not!not!

– Confucian emphasis on Confucian emphasis on

learning and political learning and political service led to service led to scorn scorn for lives devoted for lives devoted to moneymakingto moneymaking.

Social Hierarchy in HAN Society

1.1. Land-owning aristocracy-Land-owning aristocracy- about 2% about 2% plus plus ShiShi - - Educated Bureaucrats, or Mandarins Educated Bureaucrats, or Mandarins

22. . Laboring Masses: Peasants, urban artisans…Laboring Masses: Peasants, urban artisans… – Provided dues & service to landlordsProvided dues & service to landlords– Farmers controlled some of their own land, but organized & run by Farmers controlled some of their own land, but organized & run by

extended family and village- especially in the rice-growing Southextended family and village- especially in the rice-growing South

33. . Merchants – wealthy, but not liked or respectedMerchants – wealthy, but not liked or respected . .

44. . The Mean PeopleThe Mean People1.1. performed transport and other unskilled jobsperformed transport and other unskilled jobs2.2. Suffered from lowest possible status Suffered from lowest possible status 3.3. Included performing artistsIncluded performing artists4.4. Punished for crime more harshly than othersPunished for crime more harshly than others5.5. Required to wear identifying green scarvesRequired to wear identifying green scarves6.6. Household slaves – relatively few. China did not depend on slaves for construction.Household slaves – relatively few. China did not depend on slaves for construction.

Patriarchal Society in Han ChinaPatriarchal Society in Han China

• Men: Men:

–Filial Piety Filial Piety – Orderly patriarchal society as Orderly patriarchal society as foundation of a stable societyfoundation of a stable society

• Women: Women: – Humility, obedience, devotion to Humility, obedience, devotion to husband husband – Marry and bear sonsMarry and bear sons

Capitol City : XianCapitol City : Xian

• Forbidden City- Emperor, family, servants, closest advisors

• Walled

• Pleasure garden outside with first zoo

• Administrative buildings & Scholar Gentry adjacent, also walled.

• Both enclosed in another wall around city proper.

URBANIZATIONURBANIZATION

UrbanizationUrbanization• Most urbanized

civilization in world at this time.

• Walled cities for administration, mining, manufacturing, trade.

• Traders increased as a class. Wealth grew, but status did not.

Walled City of Xian today

The Old City today…

Technology: Technology: • Agriculture:

– Irrigation & canal system improved/extended– Highly accurate sundials & calendars– Crop techniques improved:

• Ox drawn plows, new collar for oxen

• IndustryIndustry: : – Silk making improvedSilk making improved– Laquerware and porcelain pioneered– Watermills to grind grain & power

artisan shops

• NEW:NEW: – Brush & paper invented– Rudders and compasses pioneered

Uh-Oh! Problems!Uh-Oh! Problems!

1.1. XiongnuXiongnu – Steppe Nomads spoke a turkic language

Superb horsemen – bows & arrows

MOBILITY & SPEEDMOBILITY & SPEED Han tried to pacify: tribute in luxuries, ag & manufactured goods, intermarriage

w/ nobility…but to no avail…

2.2. Social & Economic Problems:Social & Economic Problems: A. A. Wealth & land - small, wealthy,

elite class

• BanditryBanditry• RebellionRebellion

• Wang MangWang Mang, “the , “the socialist emperor”: socialist emperor”: redistributed landredistributed land

Result: Confusion, inconsistency…Wang Mang ousted & killed

Han Social & Economic Problem$Han Social & Economic Problem$

B.B. Huge Economic Cost of Huge Economic Cost of military expeditions -> military expeditions -> Social StrainSocial Strain

To raise money, Han:

1. Raised taxes

2. Confiscated land & personal property from wealthy less investment in manufacturing & trade more economic problems

Decline of Han DynastyDecline of Han Dynasty

• Central control weakened after about 2 centuries

–Yellow Turban Yellow Turban UprisingUprising

– Intrigue & violence within the royal family

• Huns- invaded Huns- invaded from Central Asia again!

• The Classical period was over…Chaos reigned as China broke into several large regional kingdoms…

Legacy of Classical Legacy of Classical Period in China:Period in China:

“China had established distinctive political structures and cultural values of unusual clarity, capable of surviving the next three centuries of renewed confusion.”