China Flashcards
China thought they were the —– kingdom
Why?
They thought they were the Middle Kingdom because they thought the gods were above them and everyone else was below them
China were by far the most isolated of any ancient civilization
True or False
True
Geographic Barriers -
China was basically full boxed in by these features
West - Tian (Tien) Shan Mountains
South West - Himalaya Mountains
South East - Jungles
North - Gobi Desert
East - Pacific Ocean
What was the most vulnerable natural border? Why? How did China try to combat this?
Being flat, the Gobi Desert was the most vulnerable part of China’s borders, and invaders would come through here - this is where the Great Wall of China was built
Effects of Geography
China developed an ethnocentric view of the world
China became xenophobic as well
These views developed because they rarely saw outsiders
Even when China was invaded by nomadic tribes, the invaders were usually absorbed - cultural assimilation
Major Rivers
Yangtze (Yangzi)
Huang He - “River of Sorrows” or “Yellow River” .
Why is the Yellow River called that?
Loess - Fine windblown yellow soil that settled on the bottom of the river, causing it to flood → “River of Sorrows”
The Shang -
a tribe who controlled an area around the Huang He
The King controlled a small area and princes ruled the other lands for him.
Feudalistic
DECENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT
Social Hierarchy in the Shang dynasty-
priests are not here because religion was less important to the Chinese compared to other civilizations, e.g. India’s culture was all about religion
Royal Family
Noble Warriors
Artisans and Merchants - traded through the silk road
Peasant Farmers - very important; bulk of the population
Why were the merchants less respected than the peasent farmers?
They dealt with outsiders and they were perceived as being too money-oriented without working hard for it—just bartering and blabbing—unlike the peasants.
This did not change the fact that they were still paid more than peasants
Confucianism’s emphasis on learning and politics led to some scorn for those whose lives were dedicated to money making even though the merchants were very important
Religious Beliefs in the Shang Dynasty
China was secular - prioritizing worldly possessions over religion
They were polytheistic animists
Shang Di was the greatest god of the Shang dynasty
Veneration of ancestors
Yin and Yang
Yin and Yang
Worldview developed by Shang and Zhou dynasties
The force of darkness, earth and “female forces” was Yin.
The force of light, heaven, and male forces, was Yang.
These forces were not at war. They needed to be balanced.
Stressed basic harmony for nature, hot/cold, male/female, etc
Philosophy said people should try to relate to this harmony
Provided Unity through some schools in China
Veneration of ancestors
Gods would not listen to the living
Gods would only listen to the spirits of the greatest mortals’ ancestors
As a result, people began to pray to their ancestors for help
At first only the nobility did this. Later it spread to all social classes
Why did only the nobility practice the veneration of ancestors at first?
This was only practiced by higher classes (at first) because a peasant farmer’s ancestors were insignificant themselves, so only important and influential ancestors of people in higher classes could carry out one’s prayers.
They used ——— and ——– (expressed thoughts or ideas)
pictographs
ideographs
To predict the future, priests would use-
Oracle Bones - the bones of small animals or shells
They would ask their ancestors a question
They heated the bones/shells until they cracked and would base the answer on the patterns
Writing
Difficult to learn
Used pictographs and ideographs
10,000 characters
Only the wealthy could read at first
They developed calligraphy
What did writing do for China?
The written word unified China, because they could always understand each other
China takes up a huge area, which leads to many different dialects forming. Spoken dialects were often unintelligible to speakers of different ones
“Mandate of Heaven” -
The god-given right to rule
Used by the Zhou as an excuse to overthrow the Shang
Dynastic Cycle - rise and fall of dynasties
As long as rulers were good, they were supported by heaven
If they became corrupt or weak, heaven would withdraw its support
This could be seen in floods, famines, etc.
Eventually a new ruler would take over
Feudalism
Wherein fiefdoms employ hierarchies and stratification to maintain order.
Local lords owned their own lands but owed support to the king.
Feudalism is a decentralized system
Silk making
By 1000 B.C. they had learned how to make silk from the cocoons of silkworms.
Women were responsible for the long process.
Only nobility could afford these
The silk became China’s most valuable export
The trade route between China and the Middle East was called “The Silk Road”
They tried to keep the process of silk making a secret
Ideas also traveled through the silk road
Books
China had the first paper allowing them to create books
The Chinese made the 1st books under the Zhou
I Ching and the Book of Songs are very famous works
Confucius and his teachings
Born Kong Fuzi
a wandering scholar who wanted to restore peace and order to China after the fall of the Zhou kingdom, he took a lifelong quest to do so
He believed he was a spokesman for Chinese tradition and emphasized personal virtue which he thought would lead to a solid life
Confucius is known as the first teacher in China who wanted to make education broadly available and who was instrumental in establishing the art of teaching as a vocation. He also established ethical, moral, and social standards that formed the basis of a way of life known as Confucianism
Believed in a divine order, but was very vague about it
Confucianism prioritized manners and politeness as well
Art, calligraphy, music were important
The Analects
A collection of Confucius’s thoughts/ideas written after his death by his students
His main concern was not religion (secular). He cared more about social order and good government.
Five relationships in Confucianism
Confucianism was based on Status, “do unto others as your status and theirs dictate”
Husband to wife
Father to son
Ruler to subject
Older brother to younger brother
Older friend to younger friend
Finish the Confucius quote, “Harmony comes when”-
people accept their place in society”
Everyone has duties based upon their ——– according to Confucianism
position
Filial piety in Confucianism -
respect for parents and elders (specifically elders in your family). This was his main idea.
Confucianism was based on Status, “do unto others as your status and theirs dictate”
Confucius Government
He believed that people were good by nature
The best ruler would be a “good” (virtuous) man who led by example (Idealized strong rulers)
Education was the most important factor that would make China strong
Advocated by a highly educated, patriarchal society that was responsible for the well-being of the people in the state
Rulers should emulate these positive characteristics: humble, kind, etc.
System also emphasized restraint and carefulness when it comes to children socialization
Urged a political system NOT based on birth
Legalism
Founded by Han feizi (233 BC)
People are bad by nature
The ruler must be harsh & strict to keep order
Han feizi grew up during the period of warring states
Made to solve social problems
Confucian façade + legalist strong arm tactics
Disdained Confucianism, in favor of authoritarian ruling
Very practical, did not favor things like education and courtesy and dismissed them as frivolous
Not as popular as Confucianism
Daoism/Taoism
WAS a religion as opposed to Legalism and Confucianism
Founded by Laozi (540 BC)
“Govt. was the cause of many problems” (NOT anarchists)
The best Govt. governed least
Symbol was the yin and yang
Daoist harmony with nature is achieved best through frugal living (frugal=you don’t have a lot of stuff, similar to Ascetics beliefs)
Very non secular, more focus on magic and mystery, Confucian priests disagreed with this
Later on, Daoism adapted to include loyalty in its beliefs, increasing its compatibility with Confucianism
first to upper class who wanted spirituality ***were disliked by Shi Huang Di
Could not leave China because too smart. Had to write a book. Then buffaloed into the sunset-
Laozi
The Way of Life book-
Tao Te Ching
an important book written by Laozi
Dao =
“The Way” of the universe
If you know it, you never speak of it
It stressed yielding or giving in - avoid conflict
To avoid conflict, Daoists would often-
become hermits, surrounded by nature and isolated from the rest of the human world. As a result of this, Daoism became an animistic religion.
“They were not cowards, but they were strong like water”
Daoist priests -
experimented with alchemy, trying to transform ordinary metals to gold💀
They were respected / scientists / priests
Ordinary life became a blend of
Confucianism and Daoism
Buddhism in China
It was rejected at first (xenophobia)
People liked the idea of salvation and an end to suffering
Eventually it was accepted and spread throughout China in a modified form - Mahayana (the easy form).
First Emperor -
Shi Huangdi (Qin Dynasty)
China is named after the
Qin (pronounced chin) dynasty
Changes under Qin Dynasty-
(221-210 BC)- remember this or ur cooked
this is a turning point in China’s history being the first time it became centralized.
Abolished Feudal states & divided China into military districts
Forced nobles to live in the capital
Peasants continued to pay high taxes
Shi Huangdi had vanquished all his rivals and promised to restore China, but was a tyrant (Undid power of regional leaders)
Worked to undo the alliance-based political system of China as he realized it was the fatal flaw keeping dynasties from continuing
Rejected some formal culture
Extended territory south towards Vietnam and Hong Kong
Why were nobles forced to live in the capital?
This was done to keep a constant watch on nobles, who he distrusted.
Why did peasants continue to pay high taxes?
Nobles were more powerful and could pose a risk to a king’s power if displeased, so peasants, who had no power, paid high taxes
How did Shi Huangdi help the economy -
roads, canals, coinage, weights & measures
Made sure everyone’s wagon wheels were the same distance apart
had a national census to determine the empire’s resources and made many other advancements
Uniform written language
Irrigation projects
Promoted manufacturing – silk
How did Shi Huangdi crackdown on dissent-
people who oppose to orders
He imprisoned or killed anyone who was a critic of his plans
Most critics were nobles/thinkers
Books were burned and banned with the exception of books on:
Agriculture
Medicine
brutal but effective
Great wall
also called the wall of (10,000 Li - 1 Li is about ⅓ of a mile for reference
Shi Huangdi did not finish the wall - many other rulers continued the project
All the walls of villages were joined together
It was 25ft high, paved with a road on top, ~3000 miles long
Mongols could absolutely overcome defenses and get over the wall, but their most important asset in their invasions were their horses, which could not get over the wall
Did not always keep invaders out, but it did show how strong the emperor
Kept China divided from nomads in the north
Collapse of Qin Dynasty
After Shi Huangdi died, his son was immediately revolted against successfully, giving rise to the Han dynasty
People were tired of harsh policies, high taxes, and conscripted (forced) labor.
Liu Bang became the leader of the Han Dynasty - took the title Gaozu (revolts broke out and one peasant leader came out on top, making the Han dynasty)
Terracotta warriors, made to protect Shi Huang di in after life
Qin extends very far down. Furthest of most dynasties.
How did Shi Huangdi divide China into military districts?
appointed his own rulers to rule large provinces, he was very careful in these selections as to make sure these regional rulers would not rise up against him (selected from non aristocratic groups – allegiance)
armies crushed any rebellion or resistance
The Confucian Social System:
China consisted of three main social groups:
The land owning aristocracy, educated bureaucrats or mandarins
Peasants, urban artists, labor jobs
Beneath the peasants were a group called the “mean” people
The Mean people→identified as people without meaningful skills; included artists, performed rough transport, and other unskilled jobs and suffered from the lowest possible status
Mean people were punished more harshly than than other groups for crimes
These people were required to wear green scarves
Economics of the Zhou Dynasty
Iron Metallurgy - 500 B.C.
This leads to an increase in production and commerce
The Zhou introduced a system of money
They built roads and canals to help trade and connect people
Economic growth → population growth and expansion
Zhou Dynasty Agriculture
People grew wheat in the north and rice in the south
Successful in agricultural communities
Zhou Dynasty Government
Zhou kingdom dominated China for centuries (800 years)
Expanded territory of China
Did not establish a powerful government, ruling through alliances with regional royals as a replacement
Rulers lacked the means to directly control their territories because of the arrangement of their alliances
Princes received land for troops/tax
The family members and supporters were each given a piece of land to rule, this system was unreliable because it depended on the loyalty of these supporters which can shift and change
Eventually local leaders ignored central gov’t
This very issue was the final step in the decline of the Zhou dynasty
Contributed to higher focus on central government by connecting their rulers to the heavens, this remained a key aspect in future Chinese politics
Promoted linguistic unity
Transportation/communication difficult – hard to govern
Extended territory to “Middle Kingdom”
Fall of Zhou Dynasty
Decline cause by nomadic invasions and political infrastructure declining
When the kingdom fell, opportunity arose for many rival city-states, they competed to be the next ruling kingdom for some time, it was a period of social and political turmoil
This left China vulnerable to outsiders and nomads raided their farms, many of whom assimilated into Chinese culture
After the Zhou fell, Chinese traditions were restated and solidified, as they were being challenged, this led to a successful and continuous culture
Overall Pattern of Rule in China
Dynasty, family of kings – create strong politics, economy
Dynasty grew weak, taxes declined
Social divisions increased
Invasion or internal rebellion
Another dynasty emerged – general, invader, peasant rebel
China emerged with an unusually well-integrated system in which government, philosophy,
economic incentives, the family, and the individual were intended to blend into a harmonious whole.
Because that was good information.
Compare Qin to Han Govt
Qin stressed unquestioned central authority
Han – expanded bureaucracy
Political framework in China
Strong local units remained, but power diminished:
a. Relied on patriarchal families
b. Ancestor worship linked families
c. Village leaders helped coordinate farming/harvesting
Single law code
Universal tax system
Central authority appointments – not based on local government nominations
Huge bureaucracy in Han Dynasty –
130,000 bureaucrats
Civil Service tests
Scholar bureaucrat
Not exclusively upper class rule - occasionally lower class recruited
Rulers often could be controlled by bureaucrats
Who were the most tightly governed people in Han?
Rulers were administered by trained scholars
Father unquestioned power – passed down from ancestors
Harsh punishments to put down rebellion
Government traditions in China
Not heavily militaristic – not a huge need
Promoted intellectual life – not the Qin
Active in economy
a. Organized production of iron/salt
b. Han tried storing grain for bad harvests
c. Sponsored public works – canals/irrigation
Technology made China difficult to control, so they decided-
Torture and execution used to keep obedience
Taxed
Annual labor
Invaders –
Huns
couldn’t create better system for governing – kept bureaucrats
Religion relation to politics in China
earthly life/obedience more important than speculating about God
harmonious earthly life – prevent excess
traditions
a. Ancestor ceremonies
b. Special meals
c. Politeness at meals – tea ceremonies/chopsticks ** ceremony helps unite people
Polytheistic beliefs –
Appealed to peasants
Spirits of nature
Ancestors
Chopsticks began to be used at the end of the-
Zhou dynasty, it showed politeness, soon after, drinking tea was introduced
Intellectual culture in Han
Five Classics
Art forms
Five Classics –
speeches, songs, poems, etiquette, political materials (Poetry was the mark of an educated person)
Art forms in China
Calligraphy
Chinese artists, pottery, carved jade ***very detailed and intricate work;
No monumental buildings – except palaces/Great Wall
Chinese artists painted, worked in bronze and pottery, carved jade and ivory, and wove silk screens
Science-
Calculated motion of planets 1500 years before Copernicus
Medicine – anatomical research – proper hygiene for longer life
Astronomy- this helped them create a calendar - 365 ¼, they got the quarter
Calculated movements of Saturn and Jupiter and observed sunspots
The point of Chinese astronomy was to make celestial events predictable as part of the larger picture of Chinese beliefs of unison between heaven and earth
Invented a seismograph to measure earthquakes
Studied mathematics in music, leading to advancements in acoustics
Why were there no monumental buildings – except palaces/Great Wall?
No singular religion
Confucianism against temples soaring to heaven
Science – practical work – not imaginative theorizing
Mandarins –
educated bureaucrats + landowning aristocracy
Literacy in China
The difficulty of becoming literate symbolized these gaps as upper class Chinese enjoyed a culture that the lower classes could not
Chinese peasants depended on cooperation especially in the southern rice region
Gaps developed between -
China’s upper class and farmer peasants
In the southern rice region, property was typically owned by -
the village or extended family as opposed to a single person
Social status was -
passed down from generation to generation, but sometimes there was a skilled and talented enough lower class person to be given access to education and rise in the class system
Land owners –, peasantry the rest
2%
“mean” people –
lowest status – like India’s untouchables
Trade became important during the-
Zhou and particularly Han dynasties
Much trade focused on -
luxury items for the upper class: silks, jewelry, leather goods, and furniture.
Who produced the silk in China?
These goods were produced by silk artisans in cities
What was a key factor in facilitating trade?
Copper coins began to enter the trading scene which facilitated trade
Which two regions heavily traded with one another?
Food exchange between wheat and rice growing regions
The Chinese made considerable agricultural developments:
Ox-drawn plow/collar for animals
Iron mining – pulleys and winding gear
Production methods advanced – water powered mills
Paper invented – needed for bureaucracy
Technological Advance – (key takeaway bullet point from sterns)
Technological Advance – practical usage – remained agricultural**China’s technology was the key to its economic success
Which Dynasty invented water-powered mills and paper?
Under the Han dynasty the first water-powered mills were introduced, and paper was invented
Han Dynasty Govt
Legalistic at first but had many confucian advisors (They had to start off as Legalists to avoid a public perception of being weak, leading to them being overthrown)
Emphasized Confucian philosophy
Kept centralized power of Qin, but reduced repression
The Most famous Han ruler was Han Wudi
Han rulers founded the largest, most effective, longest bureaucracy
He helped the economy by building roads and canals
The Han dynasty, and every dynasty that came after it, was a -
confucian dynasty.
Han Wudi built large storage bins for grain-
This was a “cheat code” for the mandate of heaven - if there was a natural disaster, famine, etc. He ideally would not be overthrown because the stored grain would prevent mass starvation.
Han Wudi created a Govt. Monopoly on —- and —-. Why?
salt/iron
Salt was essential to preserving meat and other foods
Iron was essential to farmers and warriors
This gave them an income other than taxes
Han Dynasty Expansion-
Wudi was AKA “the warrior emperor”
He expanded the empire greatly
He made alliances with nomads around China
Extended borders – opened trade to India, Mediterranean
How did Han Wudi make so many nomad buddies?
He would marry off high-ranking women to barbarians to make strategic alliances - barbarians would be assimilated, which expanded the empire
The chinese would later refer to themselves as, -
“sons of Han”
Scholar Officials in Han Dynasty
Confucianism was the official belief system
Scholars ran the bureaucracy
Exams
People should get jobs on merit, not status - avoided nepotism
Any man could take the tests (in theory, but most peasants could not read)
These tests made sure Confucianism scholars were in important positions
Han Achievements (Golden Age) FIND
Technology (The Han dynasty made a lot of money from their superior technology)
China was the most advanced in the world at the time
Medicine
Arts
Why were China so great in their achievements?
This was due to their isolation/great natural protection, which allowed them to focus on progress and invention.
What lead to the decline of the Han Dynasty?
Invaders from the north came into China - Huns
Govt. became weak, corrupt (after being great at first)
China became divided
220 – 589 CE China in chaos
Women in the Han Dynasty
Women did not take any tests for Govt. jobs
Despite this, rich women were tutored and often well-versed in many fields.
They were taught to respect others.
Subordinate to men – to be less than someone
Women in Patriarchal Societies
Had a downgraded status
Societies based upon an assumption that men ran everything
As society increased in complexity, women’s status lowered further
Marriages were also patriarchal, the wife served her husband
Patriarchy became popular as a result of decrease in need for women’s labor from hunter-gatherer societies
Women had behind the scenes influence with emotional power over the family in some cases
Women also formed networks within the family
Family life in China–
father unquestioned leader
“There are no wrongdoing parents”
Strict control of emotions
Home training ground for personality
Women gained power through sons/mother-in-laws to women brought in
Power to oldest son, boys over girls
In practice parents could punish disobedient children freely
Law would not punish a parent who injured or even killed their child, but a child who attacked their parents would be severely punished
How Chinese Civilization Fits Together –
Chinese wholeness – not a divided society
“China’s politics and culture meshed readily, especially around the emergence of a Confucian bureaucracy.”
Chinese technology, religion, philosophy, and political structure evolved with very little outside influence
Though China had trade routes to India and the Middle east, most Chinese people saw the world in terms of a large island
surrounded by barbarian peoples
Chinese were very proud of their culture and had no desire to learn from others
One of the only times China used ideas from other cultures was when buddhism spread to China
Theme of isolation – surrounded by barbarians – can’t learn anything from outsiders
Confucius saw the government as basically an extension of -
family relationships
Although Daoism and Confucianism blended, how did they conflict?
They had conflicting rudimentary beliefs. This conflict included both groups disdaining each other, sometimes Daoist divine will disturbed politics.
China investigators-
Believed in torturing many criminals and a “good-cop, bad-cop” routine was used effectively
The overall wholeness of China accounts for some of its -
advancements despite its isolation
After the spread of China’s inventions, they contributed to the development of-
Japan, Rome, the Middle East, and England
Best trading product out of China
Their high quality silk
Trading silk and other luxury products caused a trade network to sprout up in Asia called the -
Silk Road
Trade was lively, creating -
sea routes in the Indian Ocean
What are some aspects of Chinese society that can tell us how they worked?
The physical layout of ancient chinese cities and empires can tell us a lot about how they worked
It was a strong belief to ——- those in power
respect
For the ending philosophical and overviews of China from the textbook, ultimately just remember to —-
glaze
There’s extra textbook practice questions.
Good Luck!
Han Art
Records tell us how great they were in art
Many paintings of landscapes
Han Medicine
Medicine
Diagnostic skills
Acupuncture
