CLASSICAL CHINA
Western Zhou:1027-771 BCE
THE ZHOU DYNASTY: 1122-256 B.C.E. • The rise of the Zhou • The last Shang king was toppled by the Zhou. • Political organization • Used princes and relatives to rule regions • Mandate of Heaven created
“T’ien Ming” The Mandate of Heaven • The leader must lead by ability and virtue. • The dynasty's leadership must be justified by succeeding generations. • The mandate could be revoked by negligence and abuse; the will of the people was important.
A new dynasty comes to power. The emperorreforms the govt.& makes it moreefficient. Start here Emperor isdefeated !! Lives of common people improved;taxes reduced;farming encouraged. TheDynasticCycle Rebel bands findstrong leader whounites them.Attack the emperor. Problems begin(extensive wars,invasions, etc.) Poor loserespect for govt.They join rebels& attack landlords. Taxes increase;men forced towork for army.Farming neglected. Droughts,floods,famines occur. Govt. increasesspending; corruption.
FAMILY • Veneration of ancestors • Belief in ancestors' presence, continuing influence • Filial Piety-respecting elders and parents • Patriarchal society – men in control
THE FALL OF THE ZHOU -Iron weapons helped regional authorities to resist the central power. Territorial princes became more independent. • Nomadic invasions • Warring States Period (403-221 B.C.E.) • Rise of Qin state
UNIFICATION OF CHINA • The Qin State and Dynasty • Organized a powerful army equipped with iron weapons • unified China in 221 B.C.E. • Legalism used • Qin Shi Huang-di • King of the Qin proclaimed himself First Emperor, 221 B.C.E. • Established centralized imperial rule • Held sons of nobles as hostages; demolished nobles castles • Project of connecting and extending the Great Wall in order to protect against invasion.
QIN STATECRAFT • Cruel Repression of resistance. Burned non-traditional books. • Standardization: • laws, currencies, weights, measures, writing • The collapse of the Qin dynasty 206 BCE • Cruelty generated ill will among people (Tomb of Emperor-Terracotta soldiers and army to protect him 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses)
Basic Facts about China • China’s major money maker in ancient times was silk. • Invented paper, chopsticks, gunpowder, matches, compass, and umbrella • Art consisted landscape paintings done on tapestries • Ancient China mix of extreme wealth and poverty
TRADE AND COMMERCE • Iron metallurgy • Silk textiles • Paper production • Porcelain production • Silk Road established for trade • Grand canal will be built later so trade could occur between north and south China.
HAN TROUBLES • Social tensions between the poor and rich • High Taxes • Rebellions occurred • weakened • Rule through large families, gentry • Rise of Eunuchs in government as new source of power • Collapse of the Han– 220 CE • Factions at court paralyzed the central government • Han empire dissolved • China was divided into regional king
THE HAN DYNASTY • Liu Bang • Restored order, established dynasty, 206 B.C.E. • Early Han policies • centralized rule like Qin but not Legalist. • Han centralization • Built an enormous bureaucracy/civil service to rule the empire • Continued to build roads and canals
CLASSICAL INDIA FROM THE MAURYANS TO THE GUPTAS
RISE OF MAURYAN EMPIRE • Western Intrusions • Intrusions of Persians (520 B.C.E.) and Alexander (327 B.C.E.) • Chandragupta Maurya • The founder of the Mauryan empire • Chandragupta's empire embraced all of northern India • Chandragupta's government • Government procedures devised by Kautalya, the advisor of the empire • The political handbook, Arthashastra, outlined administrative methods (next slide)
ASHOKA • AshokaMaurya (reigned 268-232 B.C.E.) • Chandragupta's grandson, • The high point of the Mauryan empire • Policies of encouraging agriculture and trade • Converted to Buddhism • Built roads, hospitals, temples. • Decline of the Mauryan Empire • Ashoka died in 232 B.C.E. • Suffered from economic difficulties • The empire collapsed by 185 B.C.E.
THE GUPTAS • The Gupta Dynasty • After Mauryans, India was controlled by regional kingdoms • Chandra Gupta won control and created Gupta dynasty • Supported revival of Hinduism • Golden Age • Developed concept of zero • Infinity • Decimal system • Arabic numerals • Gupta decline • Invasion of White Huns weakened the empire • After 500 C.E., Gupta dynasty ruled in name only • Large regional kingdoms dominated political life in India
