Chinese Dynasties

Shang 1700-1027 B.C.

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/timeline .html

Shang Dynasty

Shang (1700-1027 BC)

Bronze weapons Bronze fittings for chariots and harnesses Used earthenware for vessels (metals were scarce
Did not use ploughs, used hoes Had tools of wood and stone Descent was from older brother
to younger brother
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Shang religious pitcher

in China)

ORACLE BONES
Oracle bones-made of
turtle shells (question asked, it was fired. Crack it produced answered the question) Writing was pictographic and then became ideographic By 1200 BC the Shang had a sophisticated system of writing http://www.logoi.com/notes/chinese_origins.
html

Shang Religious Practices

Worshipped Shang Ti supreme god that Human Sacrifice-When a king died hundreds
For an event (I.e. the founding of a temple)
there would be human sacrifice but with fewer Chinatravel1.co victims Mnsu.ed of slaves and prisoners were killed. Sometimes they were beheaded first, sometimes thrown in alive ruled over lesser gods

Zhou Dynasty (1027-221 B.C.)

Mandate of Heaven

The Zhou told the people that the gods

became angry at the Shang and had now chosen the Zhou to rule

Brief Review in Global History and Geography

Zhou Achievements

Made the first books Astronomers studied planet movements and

Learned how to make silk from the cocoons
eclipses, developing an accurate calendar of silkworms

Silk became a valuable Chinese export

A Brief Review in Global History and

Similarities between the Shang and Zhou Zhou vessels were

Zhou adopted Shang
Incorporated some
writing system, administrative techniques, and rituals Shang gods as lesser gods
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nearly identical with Shang

Differences

Zhou began a feudal system of land

The Zhou banned human sacrifice Descent passed from father to son
(patriarchal)
ownership-land was given to vassals of the king in elaborate ceremonies

The capital was divided in two so the Zhou

would not have to live directly with the Mnsu.ed conquered Shang

Era of Warring States 475-221 B.C.

Emergence of Confucianism Daoism Legalism

philosophies

http://www2.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/warringstates .htm

Philosophies

Confucianism- Confucius (551Legalism- Han Fei Zi (d. 233

Daoism- Laozi (604-531 BC)
B.C) and Li Si (d. 208 B.C.) 479 B.C.)

Confucius saw five major human relationships that should be governed by li, or propriety. Those relationships are: 1. Ruler and subject 2. Father and son 3. Husband and wife 4. Oldest son and younger brothers 5. Elders and juniors (friends) www.faithresource.co
m Image-

Legalism

Involved strict punishments for people who

Laws had to be obeyed by everyoneadministrators carried them out (but they were notnot above law) The law does fawn on the the noble....Whatever the law
applies to, the wise cannot reject nor can the brave defy. Punishment for fault never skips ministers, reward for good never misses commoners. -Han Fei. A Legalist Writer:
Selections from The Writings of Han Fei (c. 230 BC) http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/texts/hanfe

disobeyed laws, regardless of social standing

Daoism
"The most traditional view is that 'yin' represents aspects of the feminine: being soft, cool, calm, introspective, and healing... and "yang" the masculine: being hard, hot, energetic, moving, and sometimes aggressive. Another view has the 'yin' representing night and 'yang' day.
Source: "Where does the Yin Yang Symbol come from?"

Qin 221-207 B.C.

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Shi Huangdi

Abolished old feudal states and divided

country into military districts, each ruled by an appointed official Standardized weights and measures Created national coins Repaired canals and roads Standardized language and writing of China Great Wall of China (about 214 -204 B.C.) Legalism

Army of Clay Soldiers from the Tomb of Shi Huangdi

http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/bevans/Art101/Art101B-10-China/WebPageFull.00012.html

Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.)

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China from the Later Zhou to the Han Era

Han Rulers

Liu Bang took control of China in 210 B.C. after

the death of Shi Huangdi. He reduced taxes and eased the policies of the Qin dynasty. Wudi became emperor in 141 B.C. He established the civil service system and administered civil service exams (based on Confucian philosophy). Wang Mang (r. 823) confiscated land from the rich to give it to the peasants; executed by the Red Eyebrows, a secret society.

Women in the Han Dynasty

Some religious recluses (like nuns)

Confucian philosophy held that men are Women could not take civil service
exams and were thus excluded from Brief Review in Global History and government superior to women received an education and so did some noblewomen

Han Achievements
Chinese learned to make paper out of wood pulp Invented wheelbarrow, the fishing reel, and the Developed acupuncture, discovered herbal Artists created carvings of jade and ivory. Some
worked in bronze, ceramics, and silk
Brief Review in Global History and

rudder (steers ships)

remedies, and anesthesia. Scholars wrote texts on chemistry, zoology, and botany.

The Three Kingdoms (220265 A.D.)

war

Period of disunity and civil

Even though it had been
there since the First century C.E., Buddhism spread throughout China popular later)

Tea discovered (became Porcelain developed

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Chin Dynasty (265-420 C.E.)

Disorder Power Struggles Defeated by Huns Defeated Chin fled

to Nanking (317 C.E.) where they ruled as Eastern Chin.

Northern and Southern Dynasties Period of disunity 420-588 A.D Buddhism flourished in the North

Idea of an afterlife appealed to the peasantry

(as well as reincarnation) Non-Chinese rulers were not committed to Confucianism or Chinese shamanistic religions Confucianism moved South
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 Expanded empire Built granaries Fortified Great Wall of China near the northern
Confucianism began to regain popularity as the
border

The Sui Dynasty 580-618 A.D.

Unsuccessfully tried to attack Korea four times This defeat led the Eastern Turks to attack China
and China was split into smaller states
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nobles gained importance

T'ang 618-907 A.D.

Tang Achievements

Forced Vietnam, Korea, and Tibet to

become tributary states Japan sent missions to China to study Chinese culture Revived civil service system and exam Redistributed land to peasants Built canals Poetry (I.e. Li Po)

THE SOCIAL SYSTEM OF THE TANG DYASTY

SOCIAL AND GENDER ROLES

Gentr y

Peasants (produce d) Merchants (made $$ off of others)

Many women held great authority. There were women who managed the family finances, Imposed discipline, and supervised servants. Still, boys were still superior and more valued Than girls. When a girl married she was required to become part of her husbands family And could never remarry.

Song Dynasty 960-1279 C.E.

Used 4-deck ships that could Performed the first autopsy on a Administered civil service exam Zhu Xi developed Neo Song were not a strong military
power, Confucianism did not hold military in high regard Confucianism Southern Chinese captive in 1145 C.E. carry 500 men

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Yuan Dynasty 1279-1368 C.E.

Mongols banned Chinese
Chinese were far better
educated than Mongols from government positions

Mongols treated foreigners

Marco Polo served as
Kublai Khans envoy better than native Chinese

As the Chinese became

poorer and nobles revolted, the Mongols had less interest in holding onto China
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Ming Dynasty 1368-1644 C.E.

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Improved peasant life Kept taxes low Encyclopedias were written about Dictionaries were written, the
1405-1433 C.E. Zheng He
geography, medicine, and music Chinese language was simplified explored as far as East Africa. After his last voyage his records were destroyed and ships were restricted to smaller sizes.

Zheng He

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Qing Dynasty 1644-1911 C.E.

Manchu were foreign rulers of
China (from Manchuria-now northeastern China) Required Manchu style of dressand men had to shave their heads Outlawed footbinding Forbade intermarriage between Manchus and Chinese Opium Wars-Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain (1842) Spheres of Influence established by Europeans Emperors became younger and had to rely on advisors Empress Tzu Hsi was opposed to modernization reforms. Her two year old was placed on throne (1909-1911) Revolutionaries took control of China and the republic of China arose.

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