The Dynasties of China

1
The Dynasties of China

• Steve Balaski
• Kathy Boran
• Renee Crow
• Sendjaja Tjajadi

2
Overview

• Time span of the dynasties
• 21st century B.C. thru
• 1911 A.D.
• Almost 4000 years
• Over 30 different dynasties
• We will present 13 of the most important one.

3
Xia Dynasty(21st until 16th B.C.)

• First prehistoric dynasty
• Excavations made at Anyang, Henan in 1928
• Evolutionary stage between
• Late Neolithic culture
• Hunter gatherers
• Stone tools
• Chinese civilization
• Agricultural communities
• Silk and pottery

4
Shang Dynasty(17st until 11th B.C.)

• Cradle of Chinese civilization
• Based on agriculture
• Developed a writing system
• High level of civilization bronze workmanship
• Ruled by kings
• Cities were centers of glittering court life
• Court rituals honoring ancestors
• Slaves buried alive in royal tombs

5
Zhou Dynasty10th until 2nd century B.C.

• Capital at Hao (near Xian) in Wei Valley
• Ruled much of China north of Yangtze river
• Extended Shang culture
• Early rule Feudal
• Decentralized control based on family ties
• Later City States
• Central control over local governments
• Impersonal political and economic institutions
• Culture philosophy, poetry and prose

6
Qin (221 until 207 B.C.)

• Achievements
• Standardized language Writing
• Standardized currency
• Standardized measurements
• Public Works
• Great Wall
• Roads Irrigation canals
• Leader Shi Huangdi

7
Western Han (206 B.C.- 9 A.D.)Eastern Han
(25-225 A.D.)

• Achievements
• Silk Road
• Better ToolsIron
• Agriculture
• Crop Rotation
• Education
• Paper and Porcelain

8
Xin (9 - 24 A.D.)

• Brief Interlude
• One Family Member had too much power
• Introduced Imperial Seal

9

• Three Kingdoms
• (220-280 A.D.)
• Western Eastern Jin
• (265-315 A.D.)

Southern Northern (420-588 A.D.)
10
Sui Dynasty (581-617)

• Reunified China in 589
• High Taxes and Compulsory Labor
• Completion of the Grand Canal (connect Yellow and
  Yangtze/ Beijing to Hangzhou)
• Campaign against Korea in the early 7th century
• A lot of revolts and assassinations

11
Tang Dynasty (618-907)

• High point of Chinese civilization (comparable to
  Han Dynasty)
• Golden age of literature and art
• India and Middle-East relations stimulated
  creativity
• Buddhism (from India) was widely promoted
  (Confucius era)
• Block printing was invented

12
Tang Dynasty (618-907) Contd

• Better government system
• Civil service examination and other competitive
  entrance procedures (why?)
• Independent from aristocracy and warlords (why?
  How?)
• Scholar-officials (who? duty and privileges?)
• Fragmentation of China (5 north dynasties, 10
  south kingdoms)
• Economic, politic, societal reasons Arab wars
• North invaders

13
Song Dynasty (960-1279)

• 2 Phases Northern (960-1127) and
• Southern Song (1127-1279)
• Centralized bureaucracy (more power on emperor)
• (regional governors ? centrally appointed
  officials)
• City developments (admin., trade, industry,
  maritime commerce)
• Mercantile class
• Printing and education spread
• Private trade grew
• Market network grew
• The Neo Confucius Philosophy (by Zhu Xi) ?
  inhibited pre modern societal development

14
Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)Mongolian Rule

• Kublai Khan
• Established the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368
• Moves Capital to Bejing
• Marco Polo visits Bejing
• Drama and novels are developed

15
Ming Dynasty (1368 -1644)

• Construction of the Forbidden City
• Completion of the Great Wall
• Ocean voyages as far as Africa by Zheng He

16
Ching Dynasty (1644 1911)

• Expansion and unification
• Opium Wars
• Boxer Rebellion