Ancient Chinese Civilization

ANCIENT CHINESE CIVILIZATION

Introduction• Most isolated civilization

• East- bordered Pacific ocean• North- Immense Gobi desert• South east-Himalayas mountains and

Tibetan plateau• South-jungles impenetratable to

invaders• Thus- the isolation and cultural

supremacy bred a belief in China’s uniqueness

Origin• Settlement - 6000BC in Huang he valley

• Initially- hunters & gathers, & fishing• Crops grown: millet and vegetables• Domesticated: dogs, pigs (meat)

•Oxen & horses (labour)

• Social life:• Priestly class assumed political role• Ancestor worship• Closely net family network

Government:• Ancient China is associated with 3

dynasties:• Xia (Hsia)- Yu- great ruler• Shang-Founded by Yu• Zhou (Chou)• Qin dynasty (Chin)

Shang:• 1st dynasty or ruling class

• Power centered Anyang• Not a nation despite one uniting language

• Government: • Confederation of state• Rulers acted as priests• Military leaders - defend the Northern China

from border raids• In peace-time

• Monarch performed religious rituals and sacrifice son behalf of the people

• Armies composed of aristocrat who fought on horse-chariots & foot soldiers

Shang Dynasty:• Bronze weapons• Writing preserved on bones

• Socio-religious life:• Believed in many gods and spirits that

resided in nature, floods, drought • Polytheists but not worship directly through

ancestors (ancestral worship common)• Sacrificial worship, & good will sacrifices-

Kings’ burials • Classified into three –

• Priests/Kings, officials and warriors • Nobles (fortified houses), artisans, agricultural

workers• Slaves

• Writing – preserved in bones

Zhou Dynasty:• From North invaded the Shang dynasty • History- Western & Eastern • Invented - “Mandate from heaven” (approval of

gods to govern)• Shang dynasty corrupt, cruel & wicked

mandate taken away• Indicators- famine, drought, (natural

disasters)• Mandate of heaven remained as long as

rulers ruled with wisdom, justice and honor• Legitimized their authority

Chou/Zhou Dynasty:• Government:

• Feudalism • Bureaucratic system of government

• System of government:• Chief advisor (formulated royal policies)• Ministers-

• 6 administrative departments- in charge of agriculture, war, public works and religious observances etc

• Collected taxes

Chou/Zhou Dynasty:• Government:

• Feudalism • Divided the land into 100 of feudal states

which competed for land and power• Large standing army to oppress rebellion

and expand authority• Established a ruler’s responsibility to

provide good government • Trusted military and royal leaders with

land in exchange for the military services to the rulers & protection

Qin/Chi’n Dynasty:• Located in modern Shaanx• Qin brought an end to the warring period in 221 BC (Zhou)

• Assumed absolute power • Divided his empire into 6 districts all

under the control of the central government (each with a military & civil governor)

• Centralized government and destroyed feudalism• Forced the nobles to live in palace hence

losing touch with the subjects and therefore power

• The new structure: King- scholar-officials- peasant farmers- merchants and artisans in that order (considered unproductive)

Kings, Nobles & Warriors

Scholar-Officials

Peasant Farmers

Merchants, Traders, Artisans (unproductive)

Qin/Chi’n Dynasty:• Social life::

• Family was the basis of the society• Emphasis on filial piety- loyalty of children

towards parents as the cornerstone of the society

• Women in Chinese society were considered less members of the society• When a woman married she was

dominated by her husband, grandfather, father and mother-in law

• Women faced many authorities- which limited the achievements of women

Qin/ Chi’n Dynasty:• Achievements:• Standardized measurements and money (use of

coins)• Improved communication and transport with a

network of roads• Introduced legalism philosophy-• Built the great wall of China which stretches

1500 miles (one of the wonders of the world)• Utilized forced labour for enormous projects• Imposed heavy taxes on peasants• Banned private ownership of books

•

CHINESE PHILOSOPHY

Confucianism • Started during warring states (403-221BC) – Zhou

dynasty • Means of transforming the violence and conflict

into stability• Founded by K’ung Fu Tzu/Master K’ung/Confucius

• Teacher not a religious leader• Educated in political life and was a scholar and

adviser of feudal lords• Concerned civil morality- how people should

live, behave towards each other & good government

• As a state person hope to put his ideas for reforming the state into practice

• Left the job after his effort failed and founded the 1st private school in China

•

Confucianism • Five basic relationships:

• Ruler and subjects, • Father and son, • Husband and wife, • Older and younger brothers,

• Members of a community • Believed that each person must adopted the

real ideas of jen (humanity)• People are fundamentally good• Reform state:

• Virtues - courtesy, generosity, good faith, hard work & kindness

Confucianism • People should respect one’s social superiors-

elders and ancestors• Purpose of government & rulers - Care for

people• State be governed by aristocracy of the talent

and not birth• Knowledge was the key to happiness and

successful conduct• Utopia- re-division of the land was not possible• As a pacifists- declared that a true gentleman is

a man of wisdom & virtue whatever his social origin

Legalism • Founded by Han Faizi (233BC)• People are fundamentally bad- (Machiavellian

idea), evil, selfish & untrustworthy by nature• People are motivate by greed & fear• Government:

• Wealthy & powerful state with absolute ruler who will control unruly people with harsh laws & cruel punishments

• Concern- power & wealth not welfare• Peoples lives shaped by interest of the state

• Rulers reward those who conform and punish those who do not

Legalism • Rulers could not rule by moral example

• People could not be trusted to be good, instead rulers must derive power from strict laws & force

• Occupation:• Agriculture and wars• No Formal education:

• Study of history, classical or philosophy- make people think become discontent & rebellious

• Appointments:• Legalist administrators & promotions merit• Policies that would keep the whole nation

productive at work for the good of the state

Taoism/Daoism • Lao, Keeper of archives in the state of Zhou• Dao-means way (way of virtue and nature)• Individual is important-

• Individual seeks harmony with the universe renouncing all artificial connections

• Government • Out of harmony with nature and the ultimate• Believed that government interference &

source of iniquity and that if people were left to live by intuition they would live in harmony

• Purpose of the government was to promote human happiness

Taoism/Daoism • Emphasized virtues:

• Do nothing (humble, meditate) but get in line with nature, universe and the ultimate (Dao)

• Avoid pursuit of wealth, political power & learning

• Best society is the simple preliterate society life synchronized with rhythms and nature• Fishing than work• Confucius and Legalist worked to change

things never worked

• Nature made of Yin and Yan• Yin- female• Yan- Male• Complement each other

Contributions: • sounds but for an entire word Philosophy-

Confucianism, taoism, and Legalism• Government- feudalism• Social institution-

• Filial piety that is where the loyalty and respect of children towards the parent is the cornerstone of the family

• Economy-• Large-scale framing and labor-intensive

farming

• Writing-means of communicating with spirits

• Each character stands not for alphabetical