Chinese History

Huang He River

Shang Dynasty1700-1027 BCE

Oracle Bones

Zhou 1029-258 BCELongest Dynasty

Mandate of Heaven

The Zhou justified taking over from the Shang by saying that they had lost divine approval to rule

Zhou Dynasty1029-258 BCE

Leaders/Traits• Walled cities• Trade routes between

cities• Feudalism • Agriculture

Philosophy• Daoism

• Laozi• 500’s BCE

• Confucianism• Mencius• Chaotic government• 522 BCE

What is Changing?

What is Staying the Same?

Qin Dynasty221-206 BCE

Shi HuangdiFirst Emperor

Unifies China as one empire Ruthless—Totalitarian

Legalism adopted Territorial Expansion 214 BCE Book burning-213 BCE

WHY??? Standardized weights and measures Single money system Uniform writing system Postal system

Why does one currency, language, and standards of weights and measures help to unify???

Qin Continued Massive building projects

Massive roads and canals made travel easier Great Wall

Bankrupted China Farmers forced to work as part-time soldiers and builders

Pottery Army-210 BCE Forced labor

Agricultural Changed laws so that powerful lords didn’t get land

End of Primogeniture Peasant farmers could own land

Still attacked by Mongols from north Trade/merchants

What is Changing?

What is Staying the Same?

Qin Legacy• Ruling family fell but

• Bureaucracy continued• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBCAlZPF0D0

• Empire continued• Tradition of centralized imperial rule continued

Han Dynasty202 BC-184 CE

Liu Bang202-195 BCE

• Xiognu Confederation threatens from north

• Commoner• Founder of Han Dynasty

• Centralized government• Education system• Encouraged non-governmental people

to practice Confucianism and Daoism WHY???

• Ends prohibition against books• Combines Legalism and Confucianism

• Retains draft and forced labor for public works

Qin Dynasty Han Dynasty

Emperor Wudi [Wu-ti]140-87 BCE

Sixteen when he came to the throne• Reigned for more than 50 years

• Two policies—centralization and expansion• Beginnings of Chinese Civil Service-tests • State monopolies on essential goods- salt, iron,

and liquor• Foreign Wars=territorial expansion• Imperial bureaucracy expanded and standardized

• Relies on Legalist principles• Confucian=official philosophy

• Schools only taught Confucian thought• Land Distribution—fiefdoms

• 138 BCE Wu Ti sent diplomatic expedition to Central Asia to try to find allies against the Hsiung-nu (Huns).

• RESULT: Chinese leaders

became aware of other nations and cultures to the west -- India, Persia, and somewhat of the Roman Orient. Eventually, this would lead to the Silk Road.

121-119 BCE: Hsiung-nu driven north of Gobi desert.• Great Wall is extended to the Jade Gate. • Colonists are sent to Kansu. • Silk Road opens between China and the Parthian Empire.

• 108 BCE: Korea conquered• 87 BCE: First general history of China written

Expansion of the Empire

• Papermaking• 100 BCE

• Wheelbarrow• Foot stirrups• Acupuncture• Movable type• Horse collar• Two bladed plow

Later Han Dynasty: 25-220 CE

• c. 25: Buddhism introduced to China.

• 74-94: States of Turkistan submit to Chinese authority.

• 89: Hsiung-Nu submit to Chinese authority.

• 166: Traders from the Roman Empire arrive in Tonkin

Tonkin

Diplomatic Ties Begin• Zhang Qian successively sent envoys to other

kingdoms including Parthia and India where they were welcomed.

• When a Han envoy reached Parthia, its king sent 20,000 cavalrymen to welcome him on the eastern frontier.

• At the same time, the kingdoms sent their own envoys to Han. From then on, the diplomatic missions were dispatched regularly along with commercial trading.

• The traffic on the Silk Road began to flourish as never before.

The Silk Road• Once the trade route was opened up, it benefited

people and governments from all sides.

• The Chinese imported horses, cattle, and furs and hides from Central Asia, while the Central Asians obtained silk from China.

• Cucumbers, walnuts, sesame, alfalfa and pomegranates were introduced to China during the Han period as well as grapes that served as a new material for the Chinese to make wine.

Decline of HanExternal

• Surplus wealth depleted• Long borders• Cost of defense staggering• Agricultural colonies in central

Asia• Borders overrun

• Technology gap with neighbors closing

Internal

• Epidemic diseases• Decline in population• Decline in economy

• Loss of trade• Oppression• Class divisions led to Peasant revolts

• Yellow Turbans [Late Han]• Weak leaders

• Faction fighting at court• Poor harvests

• famine• Confiscation of land and increased

taxes to pay for defense and colonies• Discouraged investment in trade and

manufacturing