Chinese Civilization

CHINESE CIVILIZATION

Will Lyman, Jacoby Henderson, Amber Davis, Chelsea Davis, De’Von Johnson, Osman Khan, Cristina Rios

Political Rulers

Qin Shi Huang: After ruling for over 20 years, the Qin ruler assumed the name

Shi Huangdi. He started his reign by stopping the internal battles that had

decreased China’s strength. His next step was to defeat invaders and eliminating any

resistance in China to his rule Victories over invaders doubled China's size. He acted decisively to elimanate any political opposition to

him in China He introduced a policy called "strengthening the trunk and

weakening the branches" to eliminate the power of rival warlords.

He commanded that all the noble families of China to live in the capital city where he can watch them.

Political Rulers

After seizing the noble families land he carved china into 36 administrative districts.

To prevent criticism he and his prime minsister, named Li Su who was a Legalist philosopher, murdered hundereds of Confucian scholoars.

They also burned books with the works of Confucian thinkers and poets who disagreed with the Legalists'.

Shi Huangdi had established an autocracy which is a governement that has unlimited power and uses it in an arbitrary manner.

Shi Huangdi's made a program of centralization in which it made a highway network of more than 4,000 miles.

This program he made also included setting the samed standards throughout China for writing, law. currenty, and weights and measures.

During his rule irrigation projects increased farm production

Political Rulers

The new road system had let trading blossom. Despite these advancements the Qin regime were unpopular

due to the harsh governement and no human freedom. Earlier, Zhou rulers had erected smaller walls to discourage

attacks by northern nomads but Shi Huangdi determined to close the gaps and extend the wall which is now known as the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China almost covered the length of the empire's border.

The Qin Dynasty lasted for only a short time period. Peasants had rebelled only three years after Shi Huangdi

son's was declared emperor. The peasants marched into the capital city and gave way to

the Han Dynasty.

Political Rulers

Mandate of Heaven: Around 1027 B.C, people called the Zhour

overhrew the Shang and made their own dynasty

To justify their objective the Zhou leaders had declared that the final Shang king had been such a poor ruler that the Gods had taken

away Shang's rule and gave it to the Zhou. This justification grew over time into a

broader view that royal authority had came from heaven and had told them to do this.

Political Rulers

A just ruler had a divine apporoval over things which is known has the Mandate of Heaven.

A foolish or evil king could lose the Mandate of Heaven and lose the right to rule along with it.

The Mandate of Heaven had become the central to the Chinese view of the government.

Bad events such as floods, riots, etc. might be signs from the ancestral spirits that they are displeased with the King's rule. If this happens then the Mandate of Heaven may pass to another noble family.

The Mandate of Heaven is the Chinese explanation for rebellion, civil war, and the rise of a new dynasty.

Dynastic Cycle: What the Chinese call the

Mandate of Heaven is what we consider as the Dynastic Cycle.

The Dynastic cycle is a chart shown below

HONORS WORLD BOOK AS SOURCE for the Qin stuff to dynastic cycle

Political Rulers

Political Rulers

Han Dynasty- "Golden Age" - After the Qin dynasty China was reunited

under the Han dynasty. -Poetry, literature, and philosophy flourished

under the reign of emperor Wudi. -Wudi established Confucianism as the basis

for correct official and individual conduct and the educational curriculum.

-Under Wudi China regained control of territories which were conquered in the Qin dynasty.

Political Rulers

-The conquest of Ferghana and neighboring regions in 101 B.C., which allowed the Han to seize a large number of the "heavenly" long-legged horses valued for cavalry maneuvers, also gave China control of the trade routes running north and south of the Taklamakan Desert.- China traded silk and gold for wine, spices, woolen fabrics, grapes, pomegranates, sesame, broad beans, and alfafa.

- This Dynasty is seperated into two major periods called Western Han and Eastern Han.

-Dispute among factions contributed to the end of the Western Han period.

-After a generation China flourished again in the Eastern Han dynasty period.

Social Structure

     http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Tang/tang.html ·         http://www.yutopian.com/history/tang.html ·         Honors World History Textbook 1.       During the Tang dynasty the power long held by the old

aristocratic families began to fade.  A new upper class began to form from the scholar officials and their families.  This class of well to do people was known as the gentry.  Land ownership was formerly a source for power. However the Gentry acquired power through education and by holding civil service positions.  The class below the gentry was sort of an urban middle class.  People in this class had the following occupations: merchants, shopkeepers, skilled artisans, minor officials, ect.

2.       The lowest class which sat even below the urban middle class consisted of common laborers, servants, and soldiers. 

3.       Separated from the cities of ancient China were the poorest citizens.  They were groups of peasants living on the countryside.  They often fought with wealthy landowners violently for many centuries.

Religion/Faith

Buddhism-Founder: Siddhartha GautamaFour Noble Truths:1. Life is filled with suffering and sorrow2. All suffering is caused by selfish desires for temporary

pleasures3. The way to end all suffering is to end all desires4. Follow the Eightfold Path to attain enlightenment and

overcome desiresEightfold Path: the guide to behavior- following leads to

NirvanaNirvana: release from selfishness and painBuddhists believed in reincarnation

Religion/Faith cont.

Daoism-Founder: LaoziNatural order (relationships amongst living things) above

social orderDao “the way”- universal force that guides all things;

encourages living according to “natural rhythms”Understanding for nature scientific contributions ( alchemy,

astronomy, medicine) Legalism-Founders: Hanfeizi and Li SiPowerful and efficient govt. order in societyRewarded the good/ punished the bad (stressed more than

rewards)Control ideas and actions

Religion/Faith cont.

Confucianism- *not official religion, accepted principles of wrong and right

Founder: ConfuciusRestoration of China based on five relationships:1. Ruler & subject2. Father & son3. Husband & wife4. Older & younger brother5. Friend & friendStressed filial piety- respect for parents and ancestors;

honoring memoriesBureaucracy- trained civil service; those that run the govt.Four virtues (courteous, punctilious, just, generous)

Technology

The system of weights and measures was used about 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. Supposedly , the Yellow Emperor established the measurement unit called "wuliang"

The earliest measurement units were not accurate at all. The limbs of the human body were used to measure length. The length of a forearm was considered as one chi, and the length of a finger was considered as one cun. And the amount a hand could hold was called a "ju" (handful), and the amount two hands could hold was called a "yi" (double handful).

Technology cont.

During the time of Yu the Great, measurement units were standardized by using celebrities’ (limb lengths) and were officially units of measure. With the start of exchanging valuables, weights and measures became more and more standardized.

In the Warring States Period, metal instruments were widely used in all areas as measurement units. When Emperor Qinshihuang unified the country, he made all measurement units unified.

http://history.cultural-china.com/en/56History2758.html

Technology cont.

http://history.cultural-china.com/en/56History2758.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/9171.htm

Economy/Trade

Silk Road: Most well known trading route in China Trade in silk grew under the Han Dynasty ( 202 BC

- AD 220) in the first and second centuries AD The Chinese originally traded silk internally in the

empire Caravans from empires interior would carry silk to

western edges of the region. Chan Ch’ien came up with idea to expand silk

trade to lesser tribes and forge alliance with these Central Asian nomads.

Economy/trade cont.

The route grew from the rise of the Roman Empire because China gave silk to the Roman-Asian government as gifts.

It was 7000 mile route and it spanned China, Central Asia, Northern India, and the Parthian and Roman empires.

It connected the yellow river to the Mediterranean sea and passed through Chinese cities such as Kansu and Sinkiang and present day countries Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

Northwestern who lived near the Ganges River played prominent roles such as middlemen in the China-Mediterranean silk trade

The Northwestern Indian’s understood that silk was a lucrative product of the Chinese Empire.

The trading relationship between China and India grew stronger with increased Han expansion into Central Asia.

The Chinese would trade their silk for precious metals and stones like jade, gold, and silver and the Indians would trade the silk they received from China to the Roman Empire.

Economy/trade cont.

The trading relationship between China and India grew stronger with increased Han expansion into Central Asia.

The Chinese would trade their silk for precious metals and stones like jade, gold, and silver and the Indians would trade the silk they received from China to the Roman Empire.

Silk was an expensive import for the Roman Empire since its trade from India to Central Asia was controlled by the Parithian Empire

Trading silk had a minor role in China Trading silk increased the number of foreign merchents

present in China in the Han dynasty which exposed many cultures and religions to China

By 760 AD during the Tang Dynasty the silk trade had declined

Economy/trade cont.

It had revived tremendously under the Sung Dynasty around the time that China became dependent on the silk trade

The chinese traded silk for medicines, perfumes, and slaves also with precious stones.

By the end of the fourteenth century travel and trading along this road had declined.

http://library.thinkquest.org/13406/sr/ The silk road is an achient international trade route This road bridged the cultures of China, India, Persia, Arabia, Greek

and Rome. it was used for around 1,600 years The road begins in Chang'an and reaches Dunhuang where it divides

into three parts called the Southern Route, Central Route, and the Northern Route. These three routes extended as far as Pakistan, India, and even Rome.

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/silk-road/

Economy/Trade cont.

Chinese Civil service: The Chinese Civil Service is an adminstrative system

of the traditional Chinese government in which the members are selected in a competitive examination.

This system gave the chinese empire stability for over 2000 years and it also provided one of the major outlets for social mobility in Chinese society.

The Qin Dynasty had established this system first The Qin dynasty needed this because it established the first Chinese Bureacratic Empire

Chin abolished this system This system is a civil-service system

Economy/Trade cont.

The Han dynasty established an university to train and test officials

The Sui dynasty improved the Han’s system to be more a method of official recruitment

The Sui Dynasty also started that officials of a prefecture must be appointees of a central government.

The Tang dynasty created schools where scholars could pursue their studies. The Song Dynasty is considered when the Civil Service exam reached its highest point

In the Ming dynasty the Civil service exam reached its final form in where the next dynasty, the Quing Dynasty, copied the exam exactly.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/112424/Chinese-civil-service

Writing System

Earliest Chinese Writing The earliest form of Chinese writing is

called Oracle Bone Script, and it was used between 1500 and 1000 BCE.

This script was etched into turtle shells and animal bones, which were heated until cracks would appear.

The invention of block printing started in the Tang dynasty (618-906) between the 4th and 7th century AD.

Writing system cont.

They were first used to write small Buddhist text and religious writings.

The Chinese writing system is made up of thousands of elaborate “characters” that represent words and phrases. This is the primary writing system for millions of people.

This writing style started 3,500 years ago and has evolved and changed overtime. This has become the longest continually used writing system in the world.

An extremely common and complex feature of early Chinese writing is the constant use of “rebus writing”. This is when the symbol for one word is used to write another word with a same or similar sound.

The Chinese also used “polysemy” which means one word or symbol is used for one word with vastly different sounds, but similar meanings.

City Structure/Architecture Architecture and City Structure The Chinese have large and extravagant temples, and

beautiful palaces that have extremely detailed roofs that are never duplicated.

Chinese structure is based on symmetry and balance, and all buildings follow this principle to structure on an axis.

The space given to each person in a home or building, reflect social and ethical status or hierarchy.

The Forbidden City in Beijing is a moated palace with religious sects within the moat. This was also built in the Qin dynasty.

The Forbidden City holds many treasures and great art. There are many animal statues used to stand guard outside, and

they are placed around the city in particular places for protection against evil spirits.

They are also just used for decoration.

China Landmarks

Chinese Landmarks The Great Wall of China was originally created to defend their

country against the invading Mongols, under the Qin Dynasty. The northern nomadic tribes were blocked from China so they

wouldn’t steal property and return back to their homeland. The Terracotta army consists of 7,000 life size and elaborate

horses, chariots and warriors. They were made from earth and clay alone.

The warriors were created because of Qin Shi Hong’s belief in the afterlife, and his army was going to be reborn and come back to Earth again. These warriors were created after Qin passed away. They were meticulously made with each having individual features, hairstyles, facial expressions, and attire.

Law Codes/Legal System

Ruled by dynasties: a series of rulers from a single family

In dynasties, the superior is the emperor Confucianism & Legalism:Confucianism laid foundation for govt. and social

order- bureaucracyLegalism suggested govt. control ideas and actions

of people Autocracy: Introduced by Shi Huangdi during Qin DynastyA govt. that has unlimited power and uses it in a

irresponsible and unreasonable manner

Role of Women

Women in Confucian China Confucianism was founded by Confucius in (770 B.C.

- 476 B.C.), and was developed by Mencius, and was called The Way of Confucius and Mencius.

Confucianism was an androcentrism when women have no dignity and human rights. According to Confucianism, women had to obey their fathers when they were not married, and obey their husbands after in the marriage and to obey their sons. Morality, proper speech, modest manner and diligent work were basic qualities they had to have. When women were barren, disobedient, talkative, jealous, heavily sick, or in adultery and theft, they would be divorced no matter what the reasons were.

FROM: http://www.china-travel-tour-guide.com/about-china/confucianism.shtml

Roles of women cont.

The majority of women in china at this time would be peasants who would work in the fields and do all the domestic work as well. Many women would work as servants.Most women would expect to be married, and they were generally expected to be obedient to their husbands. Having children was very important and children were taught to respect both their parents, and at that time a mother of a family had a position of great honor and respect.Middle-class and upper class women were sometimes very well educated, and some women became well-known as writers and artists. A few upper-class women gained positions of power, and were very successful.

General Geography

The yellow river is the second longest river in china .

The yellow river has devastated lands around it.

It’s also one of the major rivers that flow from the mountainous west to the Pacific Ocean

Military

 Calvary is a private company categorized under churches temples and shrines.

China started fighting for own protection

China vows to further military cooperation with Egypt

According to Buddhism, how can one achieve peace in the life on Earth? To achieve peace, Buddha says

you must let go of all desires and earthly wants. Living your life according to the Four Noble Truths will also help.

What is an autocracy and during what dynasty was it established? The Qin dynasty brought about the

idea of autocracy. This is when a govt. rules over everything and dose so in an irrational fashion.

What was the earliest form of Chinese writing called? The oracle bone script was the first

form of writing and it was etched into turtle shells and animal bones.

http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/male_turtles_cant_stand_the_heat/

Why was the Great Wall of China built? The Great Wall of China was built to

defend their country against the invading Mongols, under the Qin Dynasty; And to not allow items to be stolen from China.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22079885@N02/2954192396/

What are the two reasons animal statues are placed around China? Statues are placed around China are

one for protection against evil spirits, and they are also just placed around for protection.

http://www.laputanlogic.com/articles/2004/11/index.html

Which religion is not an official religion?

In ancient China Confusionism is not an official religion, but more an interpretation of guidelines, rules to live by and principals.

http://www.thespiritualsanctuary.org/Confucianism/Confucianism.html

What kind of government was China ruled by? In ancient China the Chinese people

were ruled by powerful dynasties, that conquered for many years because a dynasty is within the family. The emperor is a responsibility passed down through a family, and will rule as long as possible.

http://qwickstep.com/search/the-emperor-of-china.html

Who in the Chinese family would do all the domestic work and work in the yard?The women of the house would be

doing all of the hard labor, and contributing in keeping the house in order. The women were an obedient people, and were peasants to their male superiors.

http://www.blog.skaarpictures.com/labels/China.html

What is the total length of the yellow river? The total length of the yellow river is

5,464 kilometers

http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2006/10/yellow-river-turns-red-in-northwest-china-pti/

Does china have a strong military?

China is trying to catch up by modernizing its weapons in the last twenty years, is considered a strong military in the East Asia region.

http://www.newworldorderwar.com/tag/new-world-order-news/