Ancient China

1
Ancient China
2
The Land and its Challenge

• The Geography of China
• Historical China was smaller than present day
  China.
• Northern China is colder, flatter, and more arid
  than the south.
• The Yangzi River is the central feature of
  southern China.
• Mountains and deserts separated China from other
  early civilizations.

3
Neolithic China
4
Chinas Earliest Civilizations, to 1050 B.C.E.

• Chinese Myths and Legends
• According to Chinese mythology, a series of
  brilliant individuals made contributions to the
  advancement of Chinese society.
• These legends reveal much about what educated
  Chinese thought defined China and its history.
• The early Chinese conception of history and
  cosmology was more human-centered than that of
  other major civilizations.
• Technology played a major role in defining
  Chinese civilization.
• A number of different cultures played a role in
  the development of Chinese civilization.

5
Peking Man (750,000 500,000 BCE)
Sinanthropuspekinesis
6
Yellow River Civilization
7
The Neolithic Age

• Agriculture was practiced in China from about
  10,000 B.C.E.
• Between the fifth and the third millennia B.C.E.,
  distinct regional Neolithic cultures emerged.
• In time, Chinas Neolithic cultures came to share
  many practices and beliefs.

8
Neolithic Pottery
3000 BCE to2000 BCE
9
The 4 Old-World River Valley Cultures
10
Pan-Gu Mythical Creator of the Universe
11
Chung Kuo(The Middle Kingdom)
12
Hsia Dynasty 2205-1027 BCE
13
Yu, the Great Founder of the Hsia
14
Huangdi Emperor

• The Yellow Emperor.
• Legend has it that he ruled for over 100
  years.
• Associated with the invention of wheeled
  vehicles, ships, armor, pottery, and
  silk-making.

15
Emperor Fuxi

• Mythical Hsia ruler.
• Taught the Chinese how to read and write,
  according to legend.

16
Hsia Plaque, 1700 BCE
17
Shang Dynasty 1766-1027 BCE
18
The Shang Dynasty (ca 1500-ca 1050 B.C)

• Sometime after 2000 B.C.E. the Shang Dynasty
  emerged in the north China plain.
• The Shang was a central power, allied with some
  local powers and at war with others.
• Shang kingship was based on military power and
  the kings priestly role.
• Shang palaces were magnificent, but nothing of
  them remains today.
• The Shang kings had sufficient authority and
  resources to mobilize large numbers of people for
  their military campaigns and construction
  projects.
• Shang society was highly stratified.
• The royal family and aristocracy lived in large
  houses.
• Shang farmers were essentially serfs.

19
Bronze Age Empires
20
Shang 1523-1028 BCE
21
Oracle Bones
22
Oracle Bones Calendar
23
Writing

• The Chinese writing system was perfected during
  this period.
• Writing facilitated the development of a
  bureaucratic state.
• Chinese script was logographic.
• This restricted literacy to a tiny elite.
• Chinas logographic writing system had important
  advantages.
• Many of Chinas neighbors adopted the Chinese
  script.

24
The Evolution of ChineseWriting during the Shang
Pictographs
Semantic-Phonetics
25
Axe Scepter 1100 BCE - jade
Ceremonial Dagger 1028 BCE
26
Bronzes

• During the Shang period, bronze had an important
  place in ritual.
• Modern scholars disagree about the significance
  of the decoration on Shang bronzes.
• Bronze making spread beyond the territory
  controlled by the Shang kings.

27
ShangUrn
28
Shang Bronzes
29
Ritual Wine Vessel bronze, 13c BCE
30
Zhou Dynasty 1027 - 256 BCE
31
The Zhou Dynasty (ca 1050-256 B.C.E.)

• Zhou Politics
• The Zhou of the Wei basin conquered the Shang
  Dynasty in the eleventh century B.C.E.
• They assimilated well with the Shang.
• The Zhou originated the political concept of the
  Mandate of Heaven.

32

• Early Zhou rulers established a decentralized
  system of government.
• By 800 B.C.E. Zhou territory was divided into
  approximately 200 domains.
• In such a system, the control of the king was
  always tenuous.
• As new border states emerged, they eventually
  defeated the Zhou king in 771 B.C.E.
• Over time, China descended into a period of
  constant fighting known as the Warring States
  Period (403-221 B.C.E.).

33
Western Zhou 1027-771 BCE
34
Eastern Zhou 771-256 BCE
35
Ritual Food Vessel, bronze 11c BCE (Western
Zhou)
36
Pendant of a Dancer - jade 3c BCE (Eastern Zhou)
37
Ritual Wine Vessel 4cbronze, silver, gold,
copper
38
Zhou Coins - bronze
39
Tien Ming
The Mandate of Heaven

1. The leader must lead by ability and virtue.
2. The dynasty's leadership must be justified by
   succeeding generations.
3. The mandate could be revoked by negligence and
   abuse the will of the people was important.

40
A new dynasty comes to power.
The emperorreforms the govt. makes it
moreefficient.
Start here?
Lives of common people improvedtaxes
reducedfarming encouraged.
Emperor isdefeated !!
TheDynasticCycle
Problems begin(extensive wars,invasions, etc.)
Rebel bands findstrong leader whounites
them.Attack the emperor.
Taxes increasemen forced towork for
army.Farming neglected.
Poor loserespect for govt.They join rebels
attack landlords.
Govt. increasesspending corruption.
Droughts,floods,famines occur.
41
Zhou Society

• Early Zhou society was based on aristocracy.
• By the middle of this period, cities had been
  founded all over China.
• During the Warring States period the old
  aristocratic society was undermined by
  competition between the states and advances in
  military technology.
• Social mobility within the elite also increased
  during this period.
• Peripheral territories began to participate in
  the culture of the Central States.

42
The Golden Age of Chinese Philosophy

• Confucius and his Followers
• Confucius (traditional dates, 551-479 B.C.E.)
  spent most of his life teaching the sons of the
  aristocracy.
• Confucius believed that the family was the basic
  unit of society.
• A Confucian gentleman was a man of integrity,
  education, and culture.

43

• The Confucian gentleman used these qualities to
  serve his ruler.
• The ultimate Confucian virtue was ren.
• Confucius emphasized the importance of study.
• Mencius (ca 370-ca 300 B.C.E.) and Xunzi (ca
  310-ca 215 B.C.E.) were the most important of
  Confucius followers.
• Mencius spent much of his life trying to convince
  rulers to adopt his ideas.
• Mencius believed that human nature was
  fundamentally good.

44

• Xunzi believed that people are born selfish and
  only acquire morals through study and ritual.
• Xunzi applied his experience working in the court
  of his home state to his philosophy.
• The Confucian vision of the family is still
  central to Chinese thinking today.

45

• Mozi
• Mozi (ca 450 B.C.E.) challenged Confucius ideas,
  arguing that rulers should choose their advisors
  on the basis of merit.
• Mozi believed that all ideas should be evaluated
  on the basis of utility.
• Mozis vision of the merit principle and his
  critique of extravagance were eventually absorbed
  into Confucianism.

46
Daoism

• In contrast to Confucians who focused on human
  action, Daoists focused on the natural order as a
  whole.
• The two major sources of information about early
  Daoism are the Laozi and Zhuangzi.
• According to Daoism, almost all purposeful
  actions are counterproductive.
• Although Daoism can be seen as a response to
  Confucianism, many Chinese were attracted to
  aspects of both systems of thought.

47
Legalism

• Legalists argued that strong government depended
  on clear and effective laws, not on the moral
  status of rulers.
• Under the leadership of its chief minister Lord
  Shang (d. 338 B.C.E.), the state of Qin adopted
  many legalist principles.
• Han Feizi (d. 233 B.C.E.) promoted legalism in
  the decades following Lord Shangs death.
• Legalists sought to constrain officials and
  regulate the common people.
• Legalists discouraged public debate and private
  opinion.

48
Yin and Yang

• The previously discussed philosophies had
  important long-term consequences for Chinese
  history. They were not, however, the only schools
  of thought in the late Zhou period.
• Theorists about the concepts of yin and yang
  deserve special mention.
• Recent study has also uncovered records that shed
  light on the importance of popular religion to
  the development of Chinese early thought.

49
(No Transcript)
50
Chinese Philosophies Ethical Codes
51
Confucianism
52
Confucius
551 479 B.C.E. Born in the feudal state
of Liu. Became a teacher and editor of books.
53
Major Confucian Principles

• Li --gt Rite, rules, ritual decorum (Binding
  force of an enduring stable society)
• Ren --gt humaneness, benevolence,
  humanity
• Shu --gt Reciprocity, empathy
• Do not do unto others what you would not want
  others to do unto you.
• Yi --gt Righteousness
• Xiao --gt Filial Piety (Respect your elders!)

54
5 Principle Relationships
1. Ruler
Subject
2. Father
Son
3. Husband
Wife
4. Older Brother
YoungerBrother
5. Older Friend
YoungerFriend
55
Organizing Principles
Status Age Gender
56
Confucian Temple Complex
57
The Analects
The single most important Confucian work.
In Chinese, it means conversation. Focus on
practicalities of interpersonal relationships
and the relationship of the role of rulers and
ministers to the conduct of government.
58
Sayings from The Analects
Knowing what he knows and knowing what he
doesnt know, is characteristics of the person
who knows. Making a mistake and not correcting
it, is making another mistake. The superior
man blames himself the inferior man blames
others. To go too far is as wrong as to fall
short.
59
Stones Engraved with Confucius' Life Stories
60
Confucius' Tomb
61
Mencius

• 372 - 289 B.C.E.
• Disciple of Confucius.
• Starts off with the assumption that people
  are basically good.
• If someone does something bad, education, not
  punishment, is the answer.
• Good people will mend their ways in
  accordance to their inherent goodness.

62
Social Cohesion is Paramount!
The emperor is the example of proper behavior
--gt big daddy Social relationships are based
on rites or rituals. Even religious
rituals are important for SOCIAL, not
religious reasons, acc. to Confucius.
63
Differences in Cultures
INDIA
CHINA
1. Brahmin
1. Scholar-Gentry
2. Kshatriyas
2. Peasants
3. Vaishyas
3. Artisans
4. Shudras
4. Merchants
Untouchables
Soldiers
Imperial Nobility
Domestic Slaves
64
Legalism
65
Han Fei
280? - 233 B.C.E. Han Fe Zi. Lived during
the late Warring States period. Legalism
became the political philosophy of the Qin
Chin Dynasty.
66
Major Legalist Principles
1. Human nature is naturally selfish. 2.
Intellectualism and literacy is discouraged.
3. Law is the supreme authority and replaces
morality. 4. The ruler must rule with a
strong, punishing hand. 5. War is the means
of strengthening a rulers power.
67
Authoritarian
One who favors the principle that individuals
should obey a powerful authority rather than
exercise individual freedom.
The ruler, therefore, cracks his whip on the
backs of his subjects!
68
Daoism
69
Lao Zi Lao-Tzu
Not sure when he died. 604 B.C.E. - ?
His name means Old Master Was he Confucius
teacher?
70
The Dao De Jing
The basic text of Daoism. In Chinese, it means
The Classic in the Way and Its Power. Those
who speak know nothing Those who know are
silent. These words, I am told, Were spoken
by Laozi. If we are to believe that Laozi,
Was himself one who knew, How is it that he
wrote a book, Of five thousand words?
71
Major Daoist Principles
1. Dao Tao is the first-cause of the
universe. It is a force that flows through all
life. 2. A believers goal is to become one
with Dao one with nature. 3. Wu wei --gt
Let nature take its course. --gt The
art of doing nothing. --gt Go with
the flow! 4. Man is unhappy because he lives
acc. to man-made laws, customs, traditions
that are contrary to the ways of nature.
72
The "Dao" Tao
To escape the social, political, cultural
traps of life, one must escape by
1. Rejecting formal knowledge and learning.
2. Relying on the senses and instincts. 3.
Discovering the nature and rhythm of the
universe. 4. Ignoring political and social laws.
73
The Universe of Opposites Find the Balance!
Yin
Masculine Active Light Warmth Strong
Heaven Sun
Feminine Passive Darkness Cold Weak Earth
Moon
Yang
74
The Uniqueness of Daoism
How is a man to live in a world dominated by
chaos, suffering, and absurdity??
Confucianism --gt Moral order in society.
Legalism --gt Rule by harsh law order.
Daoism --gt Freedom for individuals and
less govt. to avoid
uniformity and conformity.
75
What's Your Philosophy of Life?