Zhou Dynasty lasted

from _____ to _____

1029 - 258 BC

(About 800 yrs)

Qin Dynasty lasted 

from ____ to _____

221 - 207 BC

(About 15 yrs)

Han Dynasty lasted 

from _____ to _____

206 BC - 220 AD

(Around 400 yrs)

Mandate of Heaven

The idea that the times of chaos and destruction is a sign that the divine beings are dissatisfied with the current ruler, thus justifing a new emperor

Feudalism

(Zhou Dynasty's way of running the country)

Feudalism is a system of government that exchanges land for taxes and military loyalty

Flaws :

The Emperor isn't able to know everything about the land and people

Control is only as strong as the loyalty

Contributions of the Zhou

- extended area to "Middle Kingdom" (lots of food & production)

- Restrictined primitive actions (ex: sacrifices)

-Creation of the Mandate of Heaven

- Mandarin (united the people under a common language)

Era of Warring States

(402 - 201 BC)

-Leads to/ helps the fall of the Zhou

-Basically a political dispute and division

(the separate provinces begin rebelling against the Emperor)

- Confucius lived during this time

Shih Huangdi

 -First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty

- Known for being very brutal

-Wanted to limit the power of Aristocrats

-Began transition from Feudalism to Bureaucracy 

- Credited for the building of the Great Wall of China

- Attacked culture and intelligent people

(because with intelligence could come rebellion)

Bureaucracy (Definition)

Trained government officials to rule and control areas

Innovations of the Qin

- National Census (Reason = to calculate tax and labor service)

- Standardized coins, weights, measures

- Began the Great Wall of China

-Extended territory

Han Dynasty

- Continued to use the Bureaucracy

- Extended trade (increased contact to India & the Mediterranean)

- Implimentation of the Civil Service Exams

- Popularity of Confucianism increases

Wu Ti

- Major Emperor during the Han Dynasty

- Created the Civil Service Exams

- Ruled during the period of peace (Pax Sinica)

- Supported Confucianism

Pax Sinica

(period of peace in China)

- During the rule of Wu Ti of the Han Dynasty

- Basically a time of peace, prosperity, and stability

- Trade and innovation increase 

Six Dynasties Era/ 3 Kingdoms Era

- Time of Chaos and fragmentation after the Han Dynasty

- Unusual because China has always been "united"

- During this time, Buddhism (Chinese version) was introduced

Political Institutions

- Strong central government

- Qin : stressed unquestionable central authority

- Han : expanded Bureaucracy

Social Institutions

- Relied on patriarchal and hierarchal families

- lived with extended family

- practiced Ancestor worship

Political Arrangement

Emperor

____________________________

 ↓                        ↓                      ↓ 

Bureaucrats

______________________

 ↓                   ↓                ↓ 

Magistrates

______________________

 ↓                   ↓                ↓ 

Families

Bureaucracy (Info)

- 130,000 Bureaucrats

- Has to pass Civil Service Exams

- Scholar-gentry

- Anyone can join, but typically the Upper Class fills the ranks

- Emperors often become the puppets of the Bureaucrats

Government Traditions

- Usually promotes/ emphasizes education and intellectual life in order to refuel the Bureaucracy

- Used harsh punishments

- An active economy

- Sponsered many public works

-Practiced leveling (price control)

Confucianism

- Created by Confucius

- A philosophy that produces a stable society

- Believed that good virtue and honoring the past = a good society

- All values written in the "Analect"

- Became more popular during the Han Dynasty

Limits of Confucianism:

- Did not completely appeal to the lower classes

-Does not have a spiritual aspect

Confucian Values

- Respect the hierarchy

- Moderation (Behave modestly)

- Honor traditions and customs

- Obtainment of wisdom (Should seek wisdom)

- Should be politically active

- Emphasize manners and etiquette

Confucius

- Lived during the Six Dynasties Era/ 3 Kingdoms Era

- Created philosophy called "Confucianism"

Legalism

- Pragmatic, authoritive

- Believed that human nature is evil, so it needs to be restrained

- Believed that a better government is one that rules through force

- Doesn't really become a dominant thought

- Promotes a stable society

- No spiritual aspect

Daoism

- They looked for spirituality, so Daoism emerged

-Promotes harmony and balance

- According to prophet Lao-zi, there is a divine force flowing through all of nature & human life, the Dao

- Goal = to achieve one with the Dao through moderation, frugality, and seeking wisdom

- Doesn't emphasize political involvement