The Unification of China

Many people worked to bring political and social stability to China during the chaotic years of the late Zhou dynasty and the Period of the Warring States.

Confucius:•Kong Fuzi(551-479 B.C.E.)

•State of Lu•Strong-willed•Brilliant Scholar, Teacher•Analects, disciples wrote down his teachings

• Junzi=superior individuals• Students studied Zhou lit.• Values:Ren=attitude of kindnessLi=sense of proprietyXiao=filial piety

Confucius: 5 Relationships

1.Father and Son

2.Ruler and Subject

3.Husband and Wife

4.Older and Younger Brother

5.Friend and Friend

Disciples of Confucius:•Mencius (372-289

B.C.E.)= traveled, political advice, humans are naturally good, ren• Xunzi (298-238 B.C.E.)= served as a gov’t. administrator, human beings are naturally selfish, li

Daoism:•Critics of Confucian activism

•Don’t waste time & energy on problems

• Reflection, introspection

• Harmony with nature

• Laozi= founder (6th century B.C.E.) • Daodejing= Classic of the Way and of Virtue• Dao= the way of nature or the cosmos• Dao does nothing, and yet it accomplishes everything

• Wuwei= disengagement from the competitive exertions and active involvement in world affairs• The less government, the better

Legalism:• practical and ruthless• expand and strengthen the state at all costs• Shang Yang= minister to duke of Qin, despised and feared• Han Feizi= essays, advisor of Qin court

• Clear and strict laws• Severe punishment• Collective responsibility

Which school of thought would you choose? Why?

Qin Dynasty

221-207 B.C.E.

• The Qin state gave plots of land to farmers, weakening nobles’ power

• Established centralized, bureaucratic rule

•At 13, Shihuangdi is “First Emperor”

•Doubled Size of China

•Built roads, bridges and walls (Great Wall)

•Executed critics

• Burned books• Standardized laws, currencies, weights, measures• Common script• Shihuangdi’s tomb was elaborate underground palace• Rebellion brought end of dynasty

Han Dynasty

206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.

Lui Bang:•Methodical and persistent •loyalty of troops •restored order and became head of new dynasty• Tried to rule somewhere in the middle of centralization and decentralization

Wudi:• “Martial Emperor”• centralization & expansion• levied taxes• imperial monopolies• imperial university with Confucianism as its curriculum

The Xiongnu:•Nomads from steppes who spoke Turkish•Great horsemen•Maodun (210-174 B.C.E.)•Han dynasty would pay tribute or arrange marriages•Han Wudi invaded them

Social OrderPatriarchal householdsFilial PietyBan Zhao wrote

Admonitions for Women

Economy and TechnologyMajority were cultivators/farmers

Iron tips on plows at first then many iron tools under Han

Iron suits for soldiersSericulture, making of silk, leads to silk

roadsInvented paper (hemp, bark and textile fibers)

By 9 C.E. population at 60 million

DifficultiesMilitary expeditions caused economic

strainHan Wudi raised taxes and took land from

wealthy which hurt industryHuge gap between rich and poorLandholding fell in hands of few while

others lost land and became tenant farmers or slaves

Reign of Wang Mang6 C.E. a two year old boy came to

throne, Wang Mang served as his regent.After urging, in 9 C.E. he claimed throne

for himself, Mandate of HeavenReforms, “Socialist Emperor”Land redistributionKilled in 23 C.E. by the people

Later Han DynastyRulers back to centralized, strong control

Yellow Turban Uprising: late second century C.E., example of rebellions due to unequal land distribution and gap between rich and poor

Problems between factions in the imperial court led to end of Han dynasty by 220 C.E.