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China: A Brief Background Introduction. Early China in Eastern Hemisphere Context . Chinese Agriculture = c. 4000 BCE; Chinese Civilization = 1766 BCE. Early Traditional Chinese Yin/Yang Values.
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Early China in Eastern Hemisphere Context Chinese Agriculture = c. 4000 BCE; Chinese Civilization = 1766 BCE
Earliest Chinese Civilization: Warrior Aristocratic Rule in Shang (1766-1122 BCE) and Western Zhou (1122-700s BCE) Oracle Bones War Chariot
Shang Oracle Bone on Lady Hao’s Childbirth Que divined: Lady Hao will give birth and it will be good Prognostication: The King read the cracks and said: “If it be on a ding day that she give birth, it will be good. If it be on a geng day that she give birth , it will be prolonged auspiciousness.” Verification: [After] thirty-one days, on jiajin, she gave birth. It was not good. It was a girl
Early Zhou Continue Shang Aristocratic Ways, But Late Zhou (770 – 200s BCE) China Really Divided into Warring States
Late Zhou = Roots of New, Classical China • Great Thinkers try understand what makes best world: • Legalists say must have harsh rule for order • Daoists say small or no government best • Confucius says rule by excellent men, for sake of all, is best (eventually becomes China’s ruling belief – but not for several centuries) • All assume patriarchal family, some male dominance
Basic Confucian Ideas • Ruler & state should serve all the people • Educated gentlemen make the best officials • Peasants are foundation of state; craftspeople are OK; merchants have little value • Women should submit to men
Qin Shi Huangdi Unifies, Rules China 221-210 BCE • Marks end of aristocrat-dominated era Early Chinese Civilization • Creates unified bureaucratic-centered state – needed to end wars among small states, be able withstand nomad attacks • Later Scholars say fell because of its harsh Legalist philosophy
Han China Follows Qin, Adopts Confucianism as “Good” Ruling Philosophy
Confucian Era Lasts 2000+ Years Han Era, 206 BCE – 220 CE (Era of Disunity = 220 – 581) Tang Era, 618 - 906 Song Era, 960 - 1276 (Mongol Conquest Era = 1200s – 1368) Ming Era, 1368 – 1644 Qing Era, 1644 - 1911
Confucian China = Increasing Urbanism, Prosperity, Arts, Culture
Tang Era Elite Women: Some Freedom of Movement, Public Beauty
Women Increasingly Constrained: Footbinding (10th–20th C CE)
Interesting Note: Qing (Manchu – 1644-1911) Shoes Look Bound, But Aren’t