Unit 3 - China

Unit 3 - China

Zhou Dynasty and the Three Chinese Philosophies

Warm-Up

• 1. Silently enter class.• 2. Copy homework

into agenda.• 3. Restroom/Water• 4. Complete quiz.

You need to use you maps….but not your notes!

China’s Geography Quiz

1. I am a mountain range which separates China from India.2. I am a desert separating China from the Huns.3. I am a river in northern China

where early civilization began.4. I am a man-made physical

feature which increase trade and wealth for China.

5. I am the sea that the Yangtze River empties into.

Warm-Up• Which of the following approaches do you think would be the most

effective in dealing with school violence such as fighting and bullying? Explain your answer using complete sentences.

• Approach 1: Assign violent students a “big brother” or “big sister” who is a respected older student in another grade. The big brother or sister would teach the student how to behave properly.

• Approach 2: Allow students guilty of fighting or bullying to go unpunished, hoping that they will eventually learn from their mistakes and correct heir behavior.

• Approach 3: Have school authorities publish the rules for unacceptable behavior and assign harsh punishments for violating those rules. For example, “students caught fighting will be expelled (kicked out of school)”.

Zhou Dynasty

• After overthrowing the Shang Dynasty, the next line of rulers was the Zhou (joh) Dynasty.

• It lasted from about 1045 BCE to 256 BCE. • To justify their conquest, they claimed that

they had been given the “Mandate of Heaven”, a divine right to rule, or the gods chose them to rule.

Mandate of Heaven• According to this belief, Heaven was a power that

controlled human destiny. The king was the son of Heaven.

• As long as the king governed his people well, Heaven gave him the right to rule. If the king did not govern well, Heaven would send signs of its displeasure, such as earthquakes and floods. When the king lost the support of Heaven, others had the right to overthrow him!

• Interesting!! What might this cause?

Life Under Zhou

Life Under Zhou• Early Years: stability

– The Zhou increased the stability of the government. The king owned all the land and had nobles control the land in exchange for fighting enemies who threatened the king.

• Later Years: Conflict– By the 700’s BCE, this system

was starting to break down. The lords became more and more powerful. Eventually, the power of some lords rivaled that of the king.

Creative Thinkers• Such political unrest led

Chinese thinkers to ask important questions about human nature and how best to govern.

• Some rulers hired scholars to advise them on how to create order and increase their royal power.

Three Thinkers

• Confucianism– Is based on the teachings of Confucius (kuhn-FYOO-

shuhs) = 551 to 479 BCE• Confucianism: Respect for family, hard work and education

• Daoism or Taoism– Is based on the teachings of Laozi (low-dzuh) = late 500s

BCE• Taoism: Keeping your life simple

– Legalism– Is based on the teachings of Hanfeizi (hahn-fay-dzoo) =

280 to 233 BCE• Legalism: All power to the legal ruler

Use the chart below Confucianism Daoism Legalism

Founder

What is it?

Influence UponZhou Dynasty?

Saying

Confucianism – a Chinese philosophy that emphasizes proper behavior

• Confucius taught his followers that peace and order depended upon proper behavior. He deeply respected Chinese traditions such as reverence for ancestors and learning.

• Those in authority must lead by example. They should be kind, honest, wise, and faithful.

• Those lower in status must respect and obey those who are above them in status.

The Influence of Confucianism

• Rather than hire the sons of the wealthy nobles, Confucianism eventually led leaders of the Han Dynasty to hire civil servants (a person who works for a government) based on ability and tested knowledge.

• The teachings of Confucius had a major influence on Chinese culture. Values such as respect for elders, proper behavior, and love of scholarship (learning) became deeply woven into Chinese society.

Confucianism

• Confucius said to his followers: “The gentleman first practices what he preaches and then preaches what he practices.”

• Confucius said to his students: “Shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, say that you know it; when you do not know a thing, admit you do not know it. That is knowledge.”

Daoism – a Chinese philosophy that emphasizes living in harmony with nature• Daoism was based on the ancient Chinese idea of the Dao

(dow), or “the Way”. Dao was the force that gave order to the natural universe. Daoism taught that people gained happiness and peace by living in harmony, or agreement, with the way of the universe. Harmony could be reached by balancing yin (night) and yang (light), the opposite forces of nature. Like – good and bad, pretty and ugly, pleasure and pain.

• To gain harmony one needed to live a simple life of quiet meditation. People should accept whatever comes, like a blade of grass that bends when the breeze blows.

• Too many laws and social rules conflict with these teachings, which is why they say the best rulers were those who ruled least.

Influence of Daoism

• To gain harmony one needed to live a simple life of quiet meditation. People should accept whatever comes, like a blade of grass that bends when the breeze blows.

• Too many laws and social rules conflict with these teachings, which is why they say the best rulers were those who ruled least.

• Daoism encouraged rulers to govern less harshly. But Daoism actually had more influence on Chinese thought, writing, and art.

Daoism

“If you do not want your house to be molested by robbers,

Do not fill it with gold and jade.

Wealth, rank, and arrogance add up to ruin,

As surely as two and two are four.”

“When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.”

Legalism – a Chinese philosophy that emphasizes strict obedience to laws.

• Legalists believed that people were born bad, were naturally selfish and will always do what they want when they want.

• Rulers could create order in society only through strict laws and enforce them, either with rewards for good behavior or with harsh punishments for bad behavior.

Influence of Legalism

• To prevent being overthrown, rulers needed absolute or total power backed by a strong military. Rulers should trust no one, not even their own families.

• People were forbidden to criticize the government. Anyone caught doing so was severely punished. Many people were put to death for disloyalty and other crimes. Others were banished to the far north or imprisoned or tortured.

Legalism

“He who trusts others

will be controlled by others.”

Review

•Review Key Concepts•Explain their effects upon the Zhou people.

Review and Discuss• 1. A student knows that they are

failing a class. Students from each of these doctrines know they will be in trouble when their parents find out. How do they handle this situation?

• 2. A student's friends smoke and are trying to get them to start. How do they handle this situation?

• 7. A student sees an opportunity to take something they have really wanted, without being caught. How should that student act?

• 1. Read the three scenarios on the left.

• 2. As a group determine how each philosophy would probably respond to the three situations.

• 3. Use the cards in the baggy to “put the puzzle together” on how the philosophies respond the scenarios.

To questions 1, 2, & 7 in handout above. Confucianism Daoism Legalism1. Inform parents. Apologize for not living up to standards expected; promise to try and do better

1. Not worry about it and hope the problem will go away. (Taoists more probably would try to recognize why they are failing, and do something to change their behavior if it would make them happier.)

1. Inform parents, expect and accept punishment.

2. Inform whoever was smoking that their behavior was wrong, report this action to the principal, avoid these people until they corrected their wrong doing.

2. Announce pleasantly that smoking would make them unhappy because its bad for your health.

2. Inform the principal.

7. Would not take it. It's against the rules.

7. Would not take it. They would have feelings about it that might complicate their life.

7. Would not take it. It's against the law.

To questions 1,2, and 7

Confucianism Taoism Buddhism Legalism1. Inform parents. Apologize for not living up to standards expected; promise to try and do better

1. Not worry about it and hope the problem will go away. (Taoists more probably would try to recognize why they are failing, and do something to change their behavior if it would make them happier.)

1. Try to improve. If they don't improve, accept punishment gracefully.

1. Inform parents, expect and accept punishment.

2. Inform whoever was smoking that their behavior was wrong, report this action to the principal, avoid these people until they corrected their wrong doing.

2. Announce pleasantly that smoking would make them unhappy because its bad for your health.

2. Help them to try and stop smoking.

2. Inform the principal.

7. Would not take it. It's against the rules.

7. Would not take it. They would have feelings about it that might complicate their life.

7. Would not take it. Respect other people's property.

7. Would not take it. It's against the law.

• 3. A student has just found $20 in the hall. What should they do?

• 4. A student's parents have just spent a lot of money on a new outfit. The student has been playing around and has gotten ink all over it. What should they tell their parents, or should they?

• 5. A student really likes a new student in school, but all the other students are making fun of the new student's clothes. How should the first student act?

• 6. A student knows that an older brother or sister is cheating on tests. How should the student act?

Think About This - A

• Think about the three Chinese Philosophies. Where in your life do you have these philosophies? What is the “thing”? What is the philosophy? Why? Prove it. Do you like it? What changes would you make to it? Why?

• Examples to help you think• At home The government You homework• A teacher’s classroom A t.v. show• Your sports team A video games Parents

Think About This - B

• Think about the three Chinese Philosophies. Pick something that one of the Chinese philosophies should be used to make it better. What is the thing? What is it like? What is the philosophy you would use? Why? How will this “thing” become better? Why? Be sure to use all three philosophies in different situations?– Examples to help you think.– A classroom Your family Your homework– The government A t.v. show– A sports team A video game

Independent Activity• A. Match up people (teachers, students, friends, parents, musicians, actors, etc.) with each

Chinese Philosophy. What qualities make them match up to the philosophy? Why do you think they are the way they are? Prove this with several examples/facts.

• B. Choose various situations (war, protests, poor economy, financial prosperity, peace, classroom, sports team, musical group, etc.) in which each Chinese Philosophy would work best in. Why would the theory be most beneficial or harmful? Provide several examples/facts to support your idea.

• C. You are an advisor to the emperor of China. He relies upon you greatly to help in making decisions for China. You receive many benefits by being the advisor. Design a how-to guide on utilizing one of the ancient Chinese philosophies. Include rules, procedures, consequences, benefits, etc.

• D. Imagine you went back to the time of the Zhou Dynasty. Which ancient Chinese philosophy would you most want to be a part of? Why? What would life be like? Would life improve? Which ancient Chinese philosophy would you least want to be a part of? Why? Provide several examples to support your beliefs.

• ***For each activity provide your key vocabulary terms to assist you in the support of your ideas. Include any visuals or symbols to help explain your thoughts.***

Homework• 1. Think of a situation that someone may find themselves

in.• Example – cheating, pulled over by police, bullying, losing a

game, child having a temper-tantrum in public, etc.• 2. Ask a member of your family how and why they would

respond if facing the situations you created in class. Write down your responses in complete sentences.

• 3. Thank your family for their help. Privately, try to determine if their response and their reason for that response would best fit the expected behavior of a Daoist, a Confucianist, or a Legalist.