Classical+China

Classical China *__Side Notes__* **Dynasties**: -Shang: nt much b/c its very early -Zhou (Jo): weak central gov’t (Fed. System)à era of warring states -Qin (Chin) : powerful ruler -Han: 400 years of rule (comparison to Rome) *study for AP test* -living b/w Y & H rivers: Middle Kingdom -Only men that were Eunoch (testicles removed) - centralized gov't
 * Classical Civilization: China**

Philosophies : -Legalism -Daoism -Confucianism

1. Leader Analysis

** ESPIRIT Chart ** You must include main ideas and details in each category

Civilization/Nation/Group_ __Han China__

Time Period202B.C.E.-220 B.C.E.

Daoism: Daoism really took a toll on many people in the upper classes, many who had an interest in elaborate spirituality. Daoism was crucial for Chinese civilization. Daoism would later be joined together with strong Buddhist influences from India which guaranteed that China would not be united by a single religious or political system. Legalism: An alternate system of political thought, which was thought up and used by the Qin and early Han periods. They disdained Confucianism virtues in favor of an authoritarian state which was ruled by force. The human nature provided by the legalists was evil and required a lot of restraint and discipline. The army would control the states while the people would labor. Confucianism: Confucianism was the beliefs that were based off of the beliefs of Confucius, one of the most followed and respected Chinese philosophers of that time period. Confucianists did not seek popular loyalty. The major elements of Confucianism included a taste for ritual, self-control, and polite manners which even spread past the upper classes. During the classical period polytheistic beliefs focused on the spirits of nature which was believed throughout the peasant class. ||
 * E ||  The Han dynasty lasted for over 400 years, after the fall of the Qin dynasty. Early Han rulers, like many dynasties of early China expanded their territory into Korea, Indochina, and central Asia. The Han also, expanded the powers of the bureaucracy. By using the government system of bureaucracy, it allowed China to become the largest political system in the entire classical world. Han China was also a time of great agricultural prosperity. Before the collapse of the Han dynasty, China had established distinctive political structures and cultural values of unusual clarity, which was capable of surviving three centuries or renewed confusion. Ox-drawn plows were introduced around 300 B.C.E. to help with agricultural advancements.  ||
 * S ||  China relied greatly on tight knit patriarchal families. Many individual family members were linked to other family members in extended family networks that included brothers, uncles, and any living grandparents. Family authority was also enhanced by the wealthy land-owning families by the practice of ancestor worship. (“Rituals that were devoted to important forebears who had passed into the spirit world.) They also traded food which ranged from wheat and rice. Because of the growing rate of trade, merchants even sponsored commercial visits to India.  ||
 * P ||  The government of the Han dynasty linked to formal training, which emphasized the values of Confucian philosophy. Even thought Han China lasted for over 400 years, the quality of Han rule declined after about 2 centuries. They began having problems, because their central control weakened, and they had to deal with invasions from central Asia’s nomadic tribes, such as the Huns, who had been threatening China’s northern borders until they eventually overturned the whole dynasty completely.  ||
 * I ||  Trade became really important during the Han dynasty. Most of their trade was based on luxury items for the upper classes. These items that were traded were made by skilled artisans in the major cities. Some items that were traded were different kinds of silks, jewelry, leather goods, and furniture. They also traded food which ranged from wheat and rice. Because of the growing rate of trade, merchants even sponsored commercial visits to India.  ||
 * R ||  One of the most famous rulers of the Han dynasty Wu Ti, was a great supporter of Confucianism, which reversed the Qin dynasty’s religious views. The Han people saw Confucianism as a vital supplement to formal measures on the government’s part. Shrines were even established to show the worship of the ancient philosopher as a god. (Speaking of Confucius). The peasant class didn’t worship their ancestors like the upper classes did.  ||
 * I ||  The Chinese view of science was to determine how nature worked. We can relate China’s belief of Daoism to their views on science because Daoism is known to be the “way of nature”. They both connect, because they both center themselves on nature. The three major philosophies of the Classical China time period were: Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism.
 * T ||  Ox-drawn plows were introduced around 300 B.C.E. to help with agricultural advancements. Under the Han, a new collar was invented for draft animals, allowing them to pull plows or wagons without choking. (This method did not become available to other parts of the world until many centuries later.) They also, introduced Chinese mining such as pulleys and winding gears that they used to bring materials up to the surface. Iron tools such as lamps also became a common appliance in many households. Under the Han rule, the first ever water powered mills were introduced to further China’s gain in manufacturing. The Han’s also invented paper which was a major boom to the society and government the emphasized the bureaucracy.  ||

Classical China Terms – Feel free to add images

(1029 B.C.E.-258B.C.E.) ||  Despite how long the dynasty lasted for a long period of time, they only flourished until around 700 B.C.E. due to frequent invasions from bordering nomadic tribes. The Zhou also, did not have a strong and powerful government; instead they relied through ruling through alliances with regional princes and many noble families. One success of the Zhou dynasty was that they extended Chinese territory from the Huangde to the Yangzte. This expansion provided rich agricultural lands where they grew wheat in the north, and rice in the south. Their major language became Mandarin. Many oral epics and stories in Chinese gradually recorded in written form, which was aided in the development of a common cultural currency. ||
 * Shi Huangdi ||  A ruler who was known as a brutal, but effective leader. He actually understood that China’s major problem could be found in the regional power of the aristocrats, which throughout his rule he tried to undo. He organized China’s provinces by appointing a bureaucrat to each of the provinces, after he ordered the nobles to leave their feudal states so he could take them over. Since Huangdi wanted complete power, he was careful on how he selected his officials. He would pick them from nonaristocratic groups so that they would owe him their services, and he knew that they would not try to overthrow him and develop their own independent bases.  ||
 * Qin ||  Was established in 221 B.C.E. which followed the fall of the Zhou dynasty. This dynasty featured brutal rulers, such as Shi Huangdi, who was the reason why the Great Wall was built, and saved China from many more nomadic tribe attacks. The Qin dynasty was also responsible for a number of innovations in Chinese politics and culture. Shi Huangdi ordered a national census which provided data for the calculation of tax revenues and labor service. This helped to strengthen their government. The Qin government furthered agriculture, sponsoring new irrigation projects, and promoted manufacturing, on items such as silk.  ||
 * Han ||  The Han dynasty last 400 years, until 220 B.C.E. Many Han rulers, built off their administration from that of the Qin dynasties. However, the Hans tried to reduce the brutality during that period of time. The Han rulers eventually extended Chinese territory so far, that they even pushed into Korean territory. One of the greatest Han rulers was Wu Ti (140-87 B.C.E.), who enforced peace throughout the much of the continent of Asia.  ||
 * Zhou
 * Great Wall ||  Emperor Shi Huangdi built this wall in order to protect his nation from outside invasions. The Great Wall stretched over 3000 miles, which was wide enough for chariots to travel along it. This wall was built by forced labor, handpicked from the peasants by the bureaucracy.  ||
 * Daoism ||  A second major religious philosophy which was produced during the Classical China period. Daoism really took a toll on many people in the upper classes, many who had an interest in elaborate spirituality. Daoism was crucial for Chinese civilization. Daoism would later be joined together with strong Buddhist influences from India which guaranteed that China would not be united by a single religious or political system.  ||
 * Confucianism ||  Confucianism was beliefs that were based off of the beliefs of Confucius, one of the most followed and respected Chinese philosophers of that time period. Confucianists did not seek popular loyalty. The major elements of Confucianism included a taste for ritual, self-control, and polite manners which even spread past the upper classes. During the classical period polytheistic beliefs focused on the spirits of nature which was believed throughout the peasant class.  ||
 * Legalism ||  An alternate system of political thought, which was thought up and used by the Qin and early Han periods. They disdained Confucianism virtues in favor of an authoritarian state which was ruled by force. The human nature provided by the legalists was evil and required a lot of restraint and discipline. The army would control the states while the people would labor.  ||
 * Bureaucracy ||  A successful kind of government that was established during the Qin and Han dynasties. Because of this powerful and successful system, China had the largest political system in the classical world. Even though the structure of bureaucracy would change after the classical period. However this system never had to go through any fundamental overload.  ||

Daoism was the second most powerful philosophical belief, to Confucianism, during the Classical China time period, which centered itself on the “way of nature”.

Daoism Main Idea: A second major religious philosophy which was produced during the Classical China period. Daoism really took a toll on many people in the upper classes, many who had an interest in elaborate spirituality. Daoism was crucial for Chinese civilization. Daoism would later be joined together with strong Buddhist influences from India which guaranteed that China would not be united by a single religious or political system. Daoism centered itself on the “way of nature”. Classical China Summary:  Classical China was a time full of successes, however, they still has their downfalls. One major success of the Chinese was the beliefrs of Confucianism and Daoism, which spread throughout the civilization. Everybody in China believed in the same two philosophies, which made it an easier civilization to govern. The Chinese had a very set in stone government. They had a type of civilization, which was ruled by a single emperor, and they were generally ruled by dynasties of emperors. A dynasty is a group of rulers who followed the exact same way of ruling, The dynsties were generally ruled by members of the same family. For example if an emperor died, and had a son the son would then come into power. One of the most successful dynsties of Classical China was the Han dynasty. During this period of time,Han rulers actually extended Chinese territory so far, that they pushed into Korean territory. One of the greatest Han rulers was Wu Ti (140-87 B.C.E.), who enforced peace throughout the much of the continent of Asia. This time of peace brought great prosperity to China. Wu Ti was also worked hard to urge the support of Confucianism. He even had shrines to Confucious built in order to promote the worship of him as an ancient god. Also, by having a set government it was easier to control trade with other civilizations of the time. Since the Silk Road began in China, they had an advantage in the trading worl. The Silk Road had begun in Chine but stretched all the way through Asia. One of the most powerful emperors of the Qin dynasty was Shi Huangdi. During his rule, he built the Great Wall, which is still standing in the present day world. The Great Wall was built as a way to keep invaing nomadic tribes out. This wall was built completely by forced laborers who were chosen by the central bereaucracy. One of the major downfalls in Classical China was the downfall of the Zhou dynasty. Two of the major reasons to why the Zhou dynasty fell apart were constant invasions from nomadic tribes such as the Huns, and the second reason is that they never set up na structured government. China was also a complete patriarchal society where the men were supreme to the women. China was a region that practiced the powerful example of male supremecy. Leader Analysis Sheet

Shi Huangdi ||
 * Name of Leader:
 * Lifespan: 259-210 BCE || Title: Chin Shi Huangdi ||
 * Country/region: China || Years in Power: 35 ||
 * Political, Social, & Economic Conditions Prior to Leaders Gaining Power


 * After the collapse of the Zhou dynasty, the Qin dynasty came into power.
 * Baned human sacrifice
 * developed a weak feudal system
 * he asserted and tried really hard to have heaven transfer its mandate to him
 * wanted to be in complete power
 * understood that China's problems lay within the aristocrats
 * Ideology, Motivation, Goals:
 * Ideology, Motivation, Goals:


 * performed a harsh dictatorship
 * against confucianism
 * wanted to remain the supreme ruler of China
 * ordered a national census, which then provided data for tax revenues and labor service. ||
 * Significant Actions & events During Term of Power


 * Built the Great Wall of China in order to extend Chines territory
 * the Great Wall, extended over 3000 miles.
 * burned books ||
 * Short-Term effects:

a dictator but also, the first emperor of China || Long-Term Effects started the basis for Chinese culture ||