china pt 1 Flashcards
Confucius/Analects
born to Kong family in Qufu. Born to father of the lowest ranking nobility.
-Tutored young men on the art of ruling. Called China first private thinker.
-Analects means ‘ Discussions and conversations’ orally transmitted.
-Book assumed its shape first century BCE. The analects are recorded conversations. Used short sentences as a reference for longer discourses in the analects.
-Confucious taught how to behave virtuously and how to govern and rituals.
Mencius
-active ca 320 BCE. Studied Confucius teachings at a young age.
- Believed men were born good but could lose their qualities over time using his example of bull mountain being deforested.
- Wanted China unified under a competent ruler. Felt because of peoples good nature could select their new ruler.
-Thought if the ruler served their subjects they would gain their support.
-Liked the well field system tic tac toe grid where each family had their plot, and the center plot was for the ruler.
Shang Yang/Lord Shang
-361 BCE prime minister initiated reforms to build a strong legalist state.
‘Book of Lord Shang’ his polices strengthened the Qin state. Disdain for the past. Rejected Confucius values.
- Established population registrations which held each group of 5 or 10 responsible for each other. Able age men had to preform military service and pay taxes.
-Credited with establishing private ownership of land.
King Zheng(Shi Huangdi)
Qin ruler. 259-210 BCE. Chinas first emperor.
-At 22 took power into his own hands. Created title First August Emperor.
-Required 6 defeated kings move to his capital. Toured empire 5 times.
Emphasizes farming as the mainstay of the economy.
- Circular coins became the standard. Divided territories into regions. (42). Then divided into counties which replicated the central government
government divided into Three civil matters with taxation and registration of the population, military affairs, and the supervision of governmental officials.
