Chinese Philosophies and Empire

Question 1

Kung Fu Tzu

Answer 1

Founder of confucianism
Originally a royal advisor but became a teacher (advised the advisors)

Question 2

Confucianism

Answer 2

Based on the teachings of Kung Fu Tzu as told in the Analects.
Teachings:
-reciprocity + service
-family is the base of society (order+ respect)
Good government should have:
Moral rulers
Be orderly and non violent
Control people via morals+ decorum (shame) rather than laws and punishment

Question 3

Laozi

Answer 3

Founder of Daoism

Question 4

Daoism

Answer 4

Dao= “the way of nature”
teaches people to with the flow. becomes a philosophy of consolation for rulers when things start to go bad (as in the rulers use it as an excuse to not fix things they screwed up).
A good Daoist ruler is:
Hands-off

Question 5

Legalism

Answer 5

Human nature is selfish; we like rewards & dislike pain+punishment

Good legalist governments are:
Authoritarian
Have strict laws that hand out punishment and rewards
Tolerate intellectual dissent

Question 6

I-Ching

Answer 6

Book of divination. People would toss a bunch of coins threaded on a string and this book would tell you what to do based on how the coins fell.

Question 7

Yin and Yang

Answer 7

Belief that harmony can be found found by balancing opposites.
Push and Pull
Dark and Light
Feminine and Masculine

Question 8

Qin Dynasty

Answer 8

Founded by Qin Shi Huangdi. Super short- only lasted as long as he was alive.

Legalist administration centralized gov
Shift from a feudal aristocracy to a loyalty and merit based bureaucracy (aka nepo babies get replaced by competent government workers)
Standardized writing measurement coins and axels
Nobles ordered to move to capitol (Keep your enemies close vibes)
Persecution of Confucian teachings
Built Great Wall

Question 9

Han Dynasty

Answer 9

Founded by Liu Bang
Standing army 300,000-1000000 people
Gov monopoly (iron salt liquor)
Silk road
Confucianist administration (civil service exams)
Brought back Confucian values (5 relationships)
Increased innovation (anesthesia, sisemograph)
Gradual migration from north to south
China (b/c xiongnu + yellow river changing)

Question 10

Tang Dynasty

Answer 10

Reliance on civil service exams went up

Arts and tech innovation: wood block printing, ceramics, medicine

Question 11

Sui Dynasty

Answer 11

Standing army
Land given to veterans –> loyalty +colonialism

Built Grand Canal

Question 12

Qin Shi Huangdi

Answer 12

Founder of Quin dynasty; made
China an empire; Legalist
Tomb in Xian has 1,000’s of terra cotta sculptures Accomplishments:
-protected people from barbarians (aka Xiongnu) by guilding the Great Wall
-created commanderies (administrative units) to consolidate his control
-ordered nobles to move to capital
-burned confucian texts + killed confucian scholars

Question 13

Sima Qian

Answer 13

Han Dynasty Historian
Considered “father of Chinese history”
Dedicated- chose castration> death to finish his work
Wrote “records of the historian”
5 parts:
Basic Annals
Chronologies
Treaties
Hereditary houses
Memoirs

Question 14

Ban Zhao

Answer 14

Was a women + educated
Wrote “Admonitions for Women”
Book was by women for
Women advising them on virtues
+ appropriate behavior
7 sections: humility, resignation, subservience, self-abasement, obedience, cleanliness, + industry

Question 15

Great Wall

Answer 15

20 ft tall, built from pounded earth in the Qin Dynasty in order to protect the China from northern barbarians (Xiongnu). Most of the wall was made up of smaller walls that existed before this, so this project was about connecting them

Question 16

Grand Canal

Answer 16

Project built to make trade easier between north and south china

Question 17

Silk Road

Answer 17

Trade route that connected China to Europe. Super profitable because sof silk trade

Question 18

Civil Service Exams

Answer 18

A way to select bureaucrats/admins and ensure that they are knowledgeable (meritocracy)

Exams were based on the memorization of Confucian classics

Question 19

Daodejing

Answer 19

Written by Lao Zi
Book of daoist philosophy

Question 20

The Analects

Answer 20

Collection of the teachings of Confucious; written by his students in verse form with 497 verses
Mostly focused on societal issues rather than spiritual issues

Question 21

Li Si and Han Fei Tzu

Answer 21

Co-founders of the legalist philosophy

Question 22

Xongnu

Answer 22

Nomadic people from north china considered barbarians by the Chinese. would frequently raid Chinese towns, rode horses, great archers

Question 23

Liu Bang

Answer 23

Founder of Han dynasty
Former peasant >general>emperor
Rebelled against Qin Shi Huangdi’s son and became emperor after the overthrow

Question 24

Wudi

Answer 24

Emperor who founds the Imperial Academy

Why?
To ensure anyone he choses to serve him may be taught Confucianism

Question 25

Commanderies

Answer 25

Administrative units created by Qin Shi Hunagdi (total of 40) to consolidate his control over China
Each staffed by:
A civil official
A military authority
An inspector (emperor’s spy)
Marks a shift from feudalism–> bureaucracy/meritocracy

Question 26

Eunics

Answer 26

Castrated men who served the emperor
Why?
Could be trusted around woman + also not to make decisions bc their family
Often sources of court intreaged infighting

Question 27

Mandate of Heaven

Answer 27

Spiritual blessing given to emperors allowing then to rule; may be revoked. Used to justify and validate regime changes

Rulers would get blessing if: they acted as a proper spiritual intermediary, performed rites, rituals, maintained order, and protected the empire from threats

Would loose blessing if they had weak administration, natural disaster, internal rebellion, outside invasion