9 china’s flourishing 1100 bc.–ad...

Confucius is born.

551 B.C.

Liu Bang founds the Han dynasty.

202 B.C.

Han dynasty falls.

A.D. 220

Explorer Zhang Qian returnsfrom the West.

126 B.C.

600 B.C. 300 B.C. A.D. 300A.D. 1

9C h a p t e r

1100 B.C.–A.D. 200

China’s FlourishingCivilization

> Uniformity The Qin and Handynasties establish and maintain astrong central government.Section 1

> Innovation The Chinese formulateethical philosophies and make scientific and technologicaladvances. Section 2

> Cultural Diffusion Traders carryideas and products along the SilkRoad. Section 3

SThetoryteller

Whom do you agree with in the following conversation,

dating from the 500s B.C.? What is right, or “straightness,” in

this case?

The Governor of She said to Confucius: “In our village

there is a man nicknamed Straight Body. When his father stole a

sheep, he gave evidence against him.” Confucius answered, “In

our village those who are straight are quite different. Fathers

cover up for their sons, and sons cover up for their fathers.…”

This conversation involves a conflict between law and

family. Confucius’s view—that family should always take prece-

dence—reflects an attitude toward families that was dominant

in Chinese culture for a long time.

How did the ideas of Confucius and other Chinesethinkers affect behavior in Chinese society for centuries?How have their ideas influenced China’s development andits relationship with other parts of the world?

Historical Significance

218

Chapter Themes

Chapter 9 China’s Flourishing Civilization 219

Chinese inventions and discoveriesinclude many “firsts” such as printedbooks, the compass, and gunpowder.Choose one Chinese invention or discov-ery reported in this chapter and write ashort research report on its early history.

Your History Journal

The Great Wall of China at Huang Ya Guan, a view of a section ofthe 4,000-mile-long wallHistory

Visualizing

Chapter Overview

Visit the World History: The Human ExperienceWeb site at worldhistory.ea.glencoe.com andclick on Chapter 9—Chapter Overview to preview the chapter.

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/worldhistory/whthetea2003/content.php4/599/1

Around 1100 B.C., the Chinese peoplewere fashioning ideas that wouldresult in a unique civilization. From

then until the A.D. 200s, the Chinese lived underthree dynasties, or ruling families—the Zhou(JOH), the Qin (CHIN), and the Han (HAHN). Thefirst of these, the Zhou, ruled the nation for morethan 800 years, longer than any other Chinesedynasty.

The Enduring ZhouThe Zhou conquered the last Shang dynasty

king around 1028 B.C., claiming the Mandate ofHeaven, or heaven’s approval. They called theirking the Son of Heaven, saying that the Shang hadlost the mandate by ruling poorly.

Eventually, the Zhou held a vast realm. To con-trol their holdings, Zhou kings set up an agricultur-al system in which nobles owned the land andpeasants worked it. They appointed their relativesto govern, giving each one a city-state.

Each local lord had total authority on his ownlands and built his own army. At first all the lordspledged allegiance to the Son of Heaven. In time,though, some grew strong enough to challenge theking’s authority.

In 771 B.C. the Zhou suffered a severe defeat ina conflict with their enemies. After that, politicalpower fell increasingly to local nobles. In the nextcenturies, the nobles fought small wars until by the200s B.C., several city-states were locked in a strug-gle that ended the Zhou era.

Even though Zhou rulers lost their power, theZhou are remembered for many technologicaladvances. During the Zhou period the Chinesebuilt roads and expanded foreign trade. Theyobtained horses from western nomads, forming a

> Terms to Definecavalry, civil service, mandarin

> People to MeetQin Shihuangdi, Liu Bang, Wudi, ZhangQian

> Places to LocateGreat Wall of China, Silk Road

Wudi becomes the sixth Han emperor.

141 B.C. Zhou political powerbegins to decline.

771 B.C.

Qin Shihuangdifounds the Qindynasty.

221 B.C.

1000 B.C. 500 B.C. A.D. 500A.D. 1

Seeing the Marquis Chao of Han asleep onthe cold floor, the keeper of the royal hat coveredhim with a robe. Upon awakening, the marquisdemanded to know who had covered him.Learning the keeper of the hat was responsible, themarquis punished the keeper of the robe for failing

to perform his duty. Then hepunished the keeper of the hat forundertaking tasks not his to per-form. The trespass of one officialupon the duties of another wasconsidered a great danger.

—adapted from Basic Writing ofMo Tzu, Hsün Tzu, and Han FeiTzu, reprinted in The GlobalExperience: Readings in WorldHistory to 1500, 1987

S e c t i o n 1

Three Great Dynasties

SThetoryteller

220 Chapter 9 China’s Flourishing Civilization

Late Zhoujade dragon

Read to Find Out Main Idea China made major advancesunder the Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties.

prevented local lords from becoming strongenough to challenge the power of the central gov-ernment—the problem that had led to the downfallof the Zhou.

The First Emperor made other changes to fur-ther centralize his control. He devised a system ofweights and measures to replace the various sys-tems used in different regions. He standardizedcoins, instituted a uniform writing system, and setup a law code throughout China.

Qin had grandiose plans for his empire, and heused forced labor to accomplish them. Gangs ofChinese peasants dug canals and built roads.


Court MagicA court magician made apotion for Wudi, claiming

that it would give immortality. Before the emperorgot the potion, a scholar drank it. The scholar wasimmediately sentenced to death but told Wudithat, if the potion was genuine, Wudi would notbe able to kill him. If the potion was a fake, hehad done no harm. Wudi had to agree. Needlessto say, the scholar had exposed a fraud.

SHANG DYNASTY 1700–1000 B.C.

ZHOU DYNASTY 1028–256 B.C.

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QIN DYNASTY 221–210 B.C.

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Early Chinese Dynasties

Claiming the Mandate of Heaven, the Zhou conquered the Shang dynasty, establishing a powerful rule that lasted for nearly 800 years. Region Which dynasty extended its control over the largest amount of territory? Why was it able to expand so far?

MapMapStudyStudy

cavalry, or group of mounted warriors, along withhorse-drawn chariots. The Zhou also added a dead-ly weapon: the crossbow. They further elaboratedthe system of picture writing begun by the Shang, asystem that is the ancestor of modern Chinese writ-ing. Under the Zhou, iron plows were invented,irrigation systems were developed, and flood-con-trol systems were initiated. These and otheradvances led to population growth, and Zhou Chinabecame the world’s most densely populated country.

The Mighty QinMeanwhile, several small states were strug-

gling for control in China. Among them was a stateon the western border ruled by the Qin. By 221 B.C.,the Qin had wiped out the Zhou and conquered therest of northern China, uniting much of the nationunder a strong central authority for the first time.Westerners would later call the nation China afterthe Qin, whose first ruler added the titleShihuangdi (SHUR•HWONG•DEE), or FirstEmperor, to his name.

A tireless ruler, Qin Shihuangdi set out to cre-ate a government directly under his control. Hereorganized the empire into military districts,appointing officials to govern them. This system

The Great WallTo Qin, one building project seemed especially

urgent—shoring up China’s defenses to the north.Earlier rulers had built walls to prevent attacks bynomadic invaders. Qin ordered those walls con-nected. Over several years some 300,000 peasantstoiled—and thousands died—to complete themore than 4,000-mile-long (6,437 km) wall. Rebuiltby later rulers, the Great Wall of China standstoday as a monument to Qin’s ambition and to thepeasants who carried out their emperor’s will.

Qin’s Strict RuleQin Shihuangdi imposed a new order on

China. He ended the power of the local lords bytaking land from many of them and imposing a taxon landowners. He appointed educated meninstead of nobles as officials to run his government.

Qin even imposed censorship, clamping down onscholars who discussed books and ideas. In 213 B.C.he ordered all books burned except those about “prac-tical” subjects like agriculture, medicine, and magic.In this way he hoped to break people’s ties to the pastso they would not criticize the present. About 460scholars resisted and were executed.

Qin’s subjects saw him as a cruel tyrant whohad lost the Mandate of Heaven. Nobles wereangry because he had destroyed the aristocracy;scholars detested him for the burning of books; and peasants hated his forced-labor gangs. In 210 B.C. Qindied, and soon the dynasty itself came to an end. Evenso, the rule of the Qin established foundations forthe Chinese state that would last 2,000 years.

The Glorious HanIn 207 B.C. Liu Bang (LYOH BONG) overthrew

the Qin. A military official from a peasant back-ground, Liu defeated his most powerful rival in 202B.C. and declared himself the emperor of a newdynasty, the Han. The Han governed China untilA.D. 220, more than 400 years. The Han emperorsused Qin forms of centralized power, but withoutthe harshness of Qin rule. Han China rivaled theRoman Empire in its power and achievement.

Advances Under WudiThe Han dynasty reached its peak during the

reign of Wudi (WOO•DEE), who ruled from 141B.C. to 87 B.C. Wudi, one of the most talented anddynamic rulers in Chinese history, personallysupervised all aspects of his government.

An ambitious ruler, Wudi extended his empire.He sent huge armies against nomadic invaders andother non-Chinese peoples. He conquered lands tothe north, including Korea and Manchuria, southinto Southeast Asia, and west to northern India.

In 139 B.C. Wudi sent out an expedition led byZhang Qian (JAHNG CHYEN), a general andexplorer. Thirteen years later, Zhang staggeredback. His troops had been nearly wiped out by bar-barian attacks, and the general had endured morethan 10 years of captivity.

Zhang brought back amazing tales heard on histravels. He told of a great empire to the west, withhuge cities full of people “who cut their hair short,wear embroidered garments, and ride in very smallchariots.” Zhang, who was describing Rome, gaveHan rulers their first hint of another civilization asadvanced as their own.

Wudi’s new interest in the West, fed by news ofZhang Qian’s explorations, led to the expansion oftrade routes later known as the Silk Road. Windingpast deserts and through mountain passes, the SilkRoad linked East and West. It allowed traders toexchange China’s fine silk for Middle Eastern andEuropean products, such as gold, glassware, andwool and linen fabrics.

Pax SinicaUnder the Han, China enjoyed a 400-year period

of prosperity and stability, later referred to as thePax Sinica (PAHKS SIH•nuh•kuh), the ChinesePeace. The Pax Sinica coincided with the PaxRomana in the West.

During the Pax Sinica, Wudi adopted an eco-nomic policy designed to prevent food shortagesand high prices. Government agents stored surplusfood during years of plenty and sold it when har-vests were poor. Under this system, China was ableto feed its growing population.

Before Wudi, emperors had chosen as their offi-cials members of their families or of the aristocracy,a practice that led easily to corruption in govern-ment. Wudi wanted talented people to govern, andso he initiated changes. He asked people to recom-mend candidates, who then took long, difficultwritten examinations. After an official “graded” thetests, the emperor evaluated the results andappointed those with the highest scores.


Student Web Activity 9

Visit the World History: The Human Experience Web site at worldhistory.ea.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 9—Student Web Activities for an activity relating to the Han dynasty.

http://www.glencoe.com/qe/qe47.php?&st=599&pt=2&bk=18


Acaravan of men andmules walk a trailthat once formed partof the old Silk Road, a

network of paths cutting acrossAsia from the Pacific coast ofChina to the Mediterranean Sea.The route, first traveled many years before theChristian era, was the passageway not only for Chinesesilk but for a great range of products including jade andfruit, ideas and paintings. Today it is still possible tosee how poles and rocks created the actual highwayover which goods moved throughout many centuries—before ships, trains, buses, and airplanes replacedmules and packs.

You can trace thelength of the trip on theaccompanying map. Atrader setting forth fromthe Chinese city ofNanjing would soon leaveChinese territory and enter

a world of Muslim ethnic groups and treacherous ter-rain. The trail loops south and north of the scorchingTakla Makan Desert and rises high through mountainpasses across the Pamir Mountains. The whole trip wasfar too long for a single caravan to undertake. Instead,Chinese or Persian merchants dealt with central Asianmiddlemen from lands such as Afghanistan andTurkestan. �

Silk Road�

PICTURING HISTORY

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Wudi’s examinations evolved into the civil ser-vice, a system that, in theory, allowed anyone withability to attain public office. In practice, the systemfavored the wealthy, for usually only they couldafford to obtain enough education to pass the exams.

The civil service system made scholars the mostrespected members of society. A new class of edu-

cated civil servants, called mandarins, controlledthe government and would do so until the early1900s.

After Wudi’s reign, Han power declined untilthe dynasty eventually fell in A.D. 220. However,Han achievements in government, technology, sci-ence, and the arts were lasting.


Main Idea1. Use a chart like the one below

to list China’s major advancesunder the Zhou, Qin, and Handynasties.

Recall2. Define cavalry, civil service,

mandarin.3. Identify Qin Shihuangdi, Liu

Bang, Wudi, Zhang Qian.Critical Thinking4. Analyzing Information Did

Wudi’s civil service system

offer equal opportunity to allpeople in the Chinese Empire?Give reasons from the text foryour answer.

Understanding Themes5. Uniformity How did Qin

Shihuangdi politically uniteChina?

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The Han Dynasty 202 B.C.–A.D. 220

The Han dynasty stretched from northern India into Manchuria and south into Southeast Asia. Region What natural features isolated China from the rest of the world?

MapMapStudyStudy

Zhou Qin Han

SECTION 1 ASSESSMENT


During the late Zhou era, scholars soughtsolutions to the problems of politicalbreakdown and social disorder that

were paralyzing China. Their efforts led to the riseof major philosophies, such as Confucianism,Legalism, and Daoism. These philosophies dealtvery little with the supernatural or with eternal life;instead, they focused on life in this world and howit should be lived. By the latter part of the Handynasty, between A.D. 50 and A.D. 100, Buddhismhad reached China, and the Chinese blended itsinsights with those of Confucianism and Daoism.

ConfucianismChina’s most influential scholar was Kongfuzi

(KOONG•FOO•DZUH), known in the West asConfucius. Born about 551 B.C. to a peasant family,Confucius at first sought a political post but laterbecame a teacher. In his teachings, Confucius statedthat social harmony and good government wouldreturn to China if people lived according to princi-ples of ethics—good conduct and moral judgment.When a student asked Confucius for a single wordthat could serve as a principle for conduct, heresponded: “Perhaps the word reciprocity will do.Do not do unto others what you would not wantothers to do unto you.” This rule is similar to afamiliar teaching of Judaism and Christianity,sometimes called the Golden Rule: “Do unto othersas you would have others do unto you.”

The Five RelationshipsConfucius stressed the importance of moral

behavior in five basic relationships: ruler and sub-ject, parent and child, husband and wife, old andyoung, and friend and friend. A code of proper con-duct governed each of these relationships. Forexample, rulers had a duty to rule justly and to set

Daoism emerges as a major Chinese philosophy.

c. 500 B.C. Buddhismbecomes a popular religion in China.

c. A.D. 400

Confuciusbegins to teach.

c. 522 B.C.

500 B.C. A.D. 1 A. D. 500

> Terms to Defineethics, filial piety, yin and yang

> People to MeetConfucius (Kongfuzi), Laozi

One of the duties of Prince Wei-hui’s cookwas to slaughter cattle for the royal table. Whenhe performed this task, all his movements wereharmonious, like a dance. The prince was amazedand asked his servant how he was able to do suchheavy work so effortlessly. The cook explained,“What your servant loves is the Tao, which I haveapplied to the skill of carving. I work with mymind, and not with my eyes.” In this way, the

toughest cuts yielded easilybefore his skill. He hadlearned how to nurture his

spirit while maintaining hislivelihood.

—adapted from A SourceBook in Chinese Philosophy,reprinted in Lives and

Times: A World HistoryReader, James P. Holokaand Jiu-Hwa L.Upshur, 1994

S e c t i o n 2

Three Ways of Life

SThetoryteller

Confucius

Read to Find Out Main Idea China’s philosophic idealshelped to shape its government.

an example of right living. In return, subjectsshould be loyal and obey the law.

The most basic relationships, however, con-cerned the family. Confucius cared especially aboutfilial piety, or children’s respect for their parentsand elders. For Confucius, the family representedsociety in miniature. He said:

The superior man spreads his culture tothe entire nation by remaining at home….The teaching of filial piety is a preparationfor serving the ruler of the state; the teach-ing of respect for one’s elder brothers is apreparation for serving all the elders of thecommunity; and the teaching of kindness inparents is a training for ruling over peo-ple….When individual families havelearned kindness, then the whole nationhas learned kindness.

After Confucius died in 479 B.C., his teachingswere collected in a work called the Analects. Duringthe Han dynasty, Confucian ethics provided thebasis for the civil service system. They would con-tinue to shape Chinese society and governmentuntil the early 1900s.

CON

NECTIONS

CO

NNECTIONS

Contrast the workings of ancientand modern seismographs. Then,examine the differences in ancient Chinese and modern views about thecauses of earthquakes.

People in Han China believed thatearthquakes were caused by angry spiritsexpressing their displeasure with society.Scholars studied quakes closely in hope offinding a divine message.

In A.D. 132 Zhang Heng invented theworld’s first seismograph, an instrument for

detecting and measuring earth-quakes. Zhang’s device resem-bled a domed, cylindrical urn.Each of eight dragons aroundthe top held a ball in its jaws. Atthe base of the urn sat eighttoads with upturned heads andopen mouths, each directly

under a dragon.When a tremor occurred, a mechanism

caused one of the balls to fall into a toad’smouth. This action showed that somewherean earthquake was taking place. The side ofthe seismograph where that toad was sittingindicated the quake’s direction. As the ballpopped into the toad’s mouth, the loudness

indicated the tremor’s strength.Today we know that shifting in the

earth’s crust causes earthquakes. This move-ment sends seismic waves across the earth’ssurface much as dropping a pebble in a pondsends ripples across water. Modern seismo-graphs have sensors that can detect groundmotions caused by seismic waves from bothnear and distant earthquakes. The sensorsproduce wavy lines that reflect the size ofseismic waves passing beneath them.Impressions of the waves are registered onpaper, film, or recording tape, or are storedand displayed by computers.

LegalismOpposition to Confucian ideas, however, came

from scholars known as Legalists. Legalism, astheir philosophy was called, rejected the Confucianidea of learning by example. Instead, it emphasizedthe importance of strict laws and harsh punishments.

Legalism developed from the teachings ofHanfeizi (HAHN•FAY•DZEE), a scholar who livedduring the 200s B.C. According to Hanfeizi, humanswere by nature evil and required a strong, forcefulgovernment to make them attend to their duties.Because of its justification of force and power,Legalism was favored by many nobles and becamethe official policy of the Qin dynasty that unifiedChina during the 200s B.C. Legalism later gave wayto Confucianism. However, Legalism’s influence wasreflected in the harsh laws and punishments ofteninflicted on China’s peasant population.

DaoismIn spite of their differences, Confucianism and

Legalism both stressed the importance of an orderlysociety. Another philosophy called Daoism, however,


Zhang Heng’s seismograph

Measuring Earthquakes

emphasized living in harmony with nature. Daoismrejected formal social structures and the idea thatpeople must fill specific roles in society.

Daoist IdeasDaoism traced its origins to the teachings of a

scholar named Laozi (LOW•DZUH), who isthought to have lived sometime around the 500sB.C. Laozi’s ideas were recorded in the Dao De Jing,a Chinese classic. His followers, known as Daoists,believed that people should renounce worldly ambi-tions and turn to nature and the Dao, the universalforce that guides all things. They used examplesfrom nature to describe how one follows the Dao:

The highest good is like water.Water gives life to the ten thousand things

and does not strive.It flows in places men reject and so is like

the Dao.In dwelling, be close to the land.In meditation, go deep in the heart.In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.In speech, be true.In ruling, be just.

By emphasizing harmony with nature, Daoistsdeeply influenced Chinese painting and poetry.

Daoist simplicity seems to oppose Confucianformalism, but a person could be both a Confucianistand a Daoist. Confucianism provided the pattern forgovernment and one’s place in the social order, andDaoism emphasized harmony within the individ-ual attuned to nature. Because the emphasis of eachwas different, a person could easily be both.

Yin and YangA Chinese theory related to Daoist ideas was

the concept of yin and yang, the two opposingforces believed to be present in all nature. Yin wascool, dark, female, and submissive, while yang waswarm, light, male, and aggressive. Everything hadboth elements. For harmony the two elements had


Main Idea1. Use a diagram like the one

below to show what ideas ofConfucianism and Legalismshaped China’s government.

Recall2. Define ethics, filial piety, yin

and yang.3. Identify Confucius, Laozi.Critical Thinking4. Making Comparisons

Compare Confucianist andDaoist ideas and ways of life.

Understanding Themes5. Innovation How did the

concept of yin and yang helpthe Chinese people reconcileopposing ideas in the thoughtof Daoism that seemedopposed to Confucianism?Explain.

Laozi on his buffalo. Guimet Museum,Paris, France. How did the teachings record-

ed in the Dao De Jing influence Chinese arts and poetry?

Art&History

to be in balance. Human life and natural eventsresulted from the interplay between yin and yang.

The concept of yin and yang helped theChinese reconcile seeming opposites—like Daosimplicity and Confucian formalism. It also helpedthem accept Buddhist ideas brought to China bymonks and traders from India.

BuddhismBuddhism reached China just as the Han

Empire was collapsing, and its emphasis on per-sonal salvation in nirvana appealed to many peopleseeking an escape from suffering. Confucianistscould follow its Eightfold Path, and Daoistsadmired its use of meditation. By the A.D. 400s,Buddhism was widely embraced in China.

Confucianism

Chinese Government

Legalism


Confucian values governed all aspects ofpersonal and social life in Han China.“With harmony at home, there will be

order in the nation,” Confucius had said. “Withorder in the nation, there will be peace in theworld.” And indeed, the family was supreme inChinese society. It was the focus of life, boundtogether strongly by mutual love, loyalty, anddependence.

Family LifeThe members of a Chinese family of the Han

era lived and worked together. In an ideal familyevery member knew his or her role and the dutiesthat went with it.

RelationshipsFamily members did not relate to each other as

equals; instead, the family was a strict hierarchy,organized into different levels of importance. Theoldest male in the home, usually the father, wasdominant. Next in rank was the oldest son, fol-lowed by all the younger sons and all the females.The mother came before the daughters, and final-ly—at the bottom—the youngest daughter or child-less daughter-in-law. Each family member expectedobedience from those who were further down inthe hierarchy, and each obeyed and respected thosewho were above.

Family RulesStrict rules governed the relationships between

husbands and wives, parents and grandparents,uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters, and otherrelatives. Each family member knew his or herplace and understood its duties, and each was care-ful not to bring dishonor on the family by failing inthose duties. Moreover, the duty to family membersdid not stop at death; all were expected to payrespect to departed ancestors.


> Terms to Definehierarchy, extended family, nuclear family, acupuncture

> People to MeetSima Qian

Chinese begin poems in the Book of Songs.

1000 B.C.

Chinese invent paper.c. 100 B.C.

Chinese astronomers record appearance of Halley‘s comet.

240 B.C.

1000 B.C. 500 B.C. A.D. 1

Wu Phu was a physician, trained by Hua Tho,an outstanding medical theorist. Hua Tho impressedupon his pupils the importance of physical exerciseas a means of obtaining good health. He comparedan exercised body to running water, which neverbecame stale. “When the body feels ill,” he coun-seled, “one should do one of these exercises. Afterperspiring, one will sense the body grow light andthe stomach will manifest hunger.” There was meritin those recommendations. Wu Phu had carefullyfollowed his master’s regimen, and although he waspast ninety years of age, his hearing, vision, andeven his teeth were all still excellent.

—adapted from“Hygiene andPreventiveMedicine inAncient China,”reprinted inReflections on WorldCivilization, editedby Ronald H.Fritze, James S.Olson, and RandyW. Roberts, 1994

S e c t i o n 3

Society and Culture

SThetoryteller

Acupuncture chart

Read to Find Out Main Idea Many scientific and techno-logical breakthroughs took place in earlyChina.

Typical homes in Han China did not have theextended families, or families of many generationsliving together, that would later be typical. Rather,they had what we call today nuclear families, eachconsisting of parents and their children. The fatherassigned his children’s careers, determined theireducation, arranged their marriages, meted outrewards or punishments, and controlled the familyfinances. The family also provided support formembers who themselves could not contribute—the aged, the young, the sick, and even the lazy.

No doubt the system offered many opportuni-ties for exploiting those further down in the hierar-chy. Nevertheless, few fathers were tyrants. Likeother family members, they practiced ethical prin-ciples of kindness and compassion, either from gen-uine love or from fear of the disapproval of othersand the scorn of their ancestors.

Status of WomenUnder the Confucian social system, women

were subordinate to men. Confucius himself hadlittle regard for women, saying, “Women and une-ducated people are the most difficult to deal with.”

Girls began life subservient to their fathers andbrothers. Later their husbands and in-laws weretheir superiors, and eventually even a mother cameunder the authority of her own sons. Parents val-ued baby girls far less than baby boys. A poor fam-ily had to work hard to raise and support a child,and if that child was a daughter, she left home tobecome part of her husband’s family as soon as shemarried.

Some women were able to gain respect inChinese homes. With marriage and motherhood,they became revered. Other opportunities forwomen, such as education, were limited. In spite ofConfucianism’s predominance, women fared farbetter under the Han than they would in later cen-turies. They could inherit property, even own itafter they married, and they could remarry after ahusband’s death.

Society and EconomyChinese society consisted of three main classes:

landowners, peasants, and merchants. Landowningfamilies were wealthy. They lived in tile-roofedmansions with courtyards and gardens. They sur-rounded their homes with walls to protect themfrom bandits. They filled their rooms with fine fur-niture and adorned them with silk wall hangingsand carpets. Wealthy families feasted on a rich varietyof foods.

The landholders’ wealth was generally limited,however, and families rarely kept their holdings for

more than a few generations. When a family’s landwas divided, it went to all the sons, not just the old-est, with the result that in time individual landown-ers had less and less property.

Probably 90 percent of the Chinese people werepeasants. The wealth that supported the lifestylesof the rich was gained from the hard labor of thepeasants who cultivated the land. Unlike Westernfarmers, who usually lived on the land theyfarmed, most Chinese peasants lived in rural vil-lages and worked fields outside their mud walls.Their homes were simple, and they ate a plain dietthat featured millet, rice, beans, turnips, and fish.

The peasants raised livestock and toiled longhours in the grain fields. They faced constantthreats from floods and from famines. As rent forthe land, peasants turned over part of their produceto the landowner. The government required themto pay taxes and to work one month each year onpublic works projects such as road building. Intimes of conflict, peasants were drafted into thearmy as soldiers.

At the bottom of the social hierarchy were mer-chants—a group that included shopkeepers,traders, service workers, and even bankers. Themerchants lived in towns and provided goods andservices for the wealthy. In spite of the great wealththat many merchants accumulated, Chinese societygenerally held them in contempt. Confucianismtaught that the pursuit of profit was an unworthypastime for the “superior” individual. Merchantswere not allowed to take the civil service examina-tions and enter government service.


Greece

Aesop’s Fables

Greece, c. 500 B.C.

A collection of stories told by an enslaved Greek named Aesop features animals who talk and act like people. Each of Aesop‘s fables ends with a proverb that teaches a moral. For example, the proverb “The Tortoise and the Hare” teaches that slow and steady wins the race. Aesop‘s fables were not written down until nearly three centuries after his death.

AROUND THE

For all the people in Han society except mer-chants, the civil service system provided opportunitiesfor advancement, though the expense of educationblocked most of the poor from competing. Still,poor but talented individuals sometimes rose topositions of power and influence.

LiteratureAlthough the Qin burned thousands of books,

many survived in royal libraries and secret private col-lections. Particularly prized was a collection of bookscalled the Five Classics, some of which were writtenbefore Confucius. All candidates for the civil servicewere required to master them. No better example isrecorded of the Chinese reverence for history.

The oldest of the Five Classics, the Book ofSongs, preserves 305 of the earliest Chinese poems,written between 1000 B.C. and 600 B.C. The poemsdeal with political themes, ritual, and romance.Many seem modern, with their everyday topics

and simple, concrete imagery—this one, for example:

Near the East GateYoung women goLike so many clouds all day.Like drifting cloudsA thought of themSoon blows away.

There. White robeand a blue scarf—she makes my day.

Near the Great Tower and WallGo slender girlsLike reeds by river’s edge:Like bending reedsA thought of themSoon passes by.

The Book of Documents records political speechesand documents from early in the Zhou dynasty,

of theof the

Han ChinaThe Han dynasty was a golden

age of Chinese history. Importantpolitical, economic, and culturalchanges took place.

230

Wudi’s examinationsdeveloped into a civilservice system, leadingto a wealthy class ofmandarins who con-trolled the government.

including the earliest statement of the Mandate ofHeaven. The Book of Changes presents a complex sys-tem for foretelling the future and choosing a courseof action. In Spring and Autumn Annals Confuciusreported major events that occurred in the state of Lubetween 722 B.C. and 481 B.C.

The Five Classics were thought to carry solu-tions to most problems. Officials studied themclosely to find support for their positions, such asthe conduct of political leaders. Accounts of solareclipses, meteor showers, and droughts were usedto show what terrifying events and disasters couldbefall poor political leaders.

Another great collection of books, the ThirteenClassics, included the Analects—Confucius’s say-ings compiled by his students after his death. Manyappeared as answers to questions. For example,Confucius was asked about the gentleman, or the“superior man.” Among other replies he gave thisone: “What the gentleman seeks, he seeks withinhimself; what the small man seeks, he seeks in others.”

The Han Chinese encouraged literary pursuitsand made literature available to everyone. An espe-cially valuable work produced during the Handynasty period was the Historical Record. Written bySima Qian during the reign of Wudi, it is the firsttrue history of ancient China.

Science and TechnologyBesides literature and philosophy, China made

major contributions in science and technology. Bythe 300s B.C., Chinese astronomers had calculatedthe length of the solar year as 365 days. Theygazed through bronze tubes equipped with adevice that divided the sky into measured seg-ments, allowing them to make accurate measure-ments. They kept valuable records of solar andlunar eclipses and comet sightings. In 240 B.C.Chinese astronomers recorded the appearance ofthe object that would later be called Halley’scomet—many centuries before Halley’s birth.

REFLECTING ON THE TIMES

1. What art forms developed in Han China?2. What do the arts shown here reveal about

upper-class life in Han China?

Fine Han bronze ware, produced during 400 years ofprosperity, served wealthylandowners and merchants.

A terra-cottahorseman fromYang-kia-Wan wascreated as a funer-ary statuette.

231

14

MedicineChinese physicians recognized nutrition as

vital and realized that some diseases resulted fromvitamin deficiencies. Although they did not identi-fy vitamins as such, they discovered and prescribedfoods that would correct some problems. They alsounderstood that many herbs had medicinal value.

Chinese doctors treated ailments and relievedpain with acupuncture, a technique in which theskin is pierced with thin needles at vital points.They believed acupuncture restored the balancebetween yin and yang in a person’s body.

Farming and TransportUnder the Han, many improvements occurred

in agriculture and transportation. Complex irriga-tion systems drained swamps and diverted rivers toquench parched fields. Fertilizing crops helpedfarmers produce enough to feed China’s popula-

tion. Veterinary medicine helped savemany farm animals. New canals andimproved roadways reduced the cost ofdistributing food and spread ideasrapidly.

InventionsMany inventions in ancient China

were vital to life and the economy. Madeby the Chinese since prehistoric times,silk was in great demand as a trade item;its worth was attested to by the name ofone of history’s greatest trade routes—the Silk Road. Caravans carried the pre-cious cargo as far as Rome.

Paper was probably invented by 100B.C., although it was officially credited to

an inventor of about 200 years later. Artisanspounded tree bark, hemp, or rags into a pulp. Bytreating it with gelatin, they could then make paper.Used first for wrapping and clothing, paper wassoon recognized as an ideal writing material.

The invention of paper benefited the bureau-cratic Han government. Its centralized structureresulted in an explosion in the number of docu-ments. Most were written on strips of wood, whichwere fragile and cumbersome to work with. Theuse of paper had many obvious advantages.

Other inventions improved mining and con-struction. Miners, using iron drill bits driven byworkers on seesaw-like levers, drilled boreholes toobtain salt from the earth. Another invention wasthe wheelbarrow, which was first used on buildingsites around 100 B.C.

These are only a few examples from a list ofChinese “firsts,” which also includes the first printedbooks, the earliest technologies for casting bronzeand iron, the suspension bridge, the compass, andgunpowder. Such achievements caused China toremain far ahead of Europe in science and technolo-gy until the A.D. 1300s.


Main Idea1. Use a chart like the one below

to identify the scientific andtechnological breakthroughs in early China.

Recall2. Define hierarchy, extended

family, nuclear family,acupuncture.

3. Identify the Five Classics,Spring and Autumn Annals, theAnalects, Sima Qian.

Critical Thinking4. Making Comparisons

Compare a typical Han Chinese

family with families you con-sider typical of America today.

Understanding Themes5. Cultural Diffusion What

ideas and products fromancient China have becomepopular in the West in recentyears? What factors account for their popularity amongpeople in the West?

Women prepare newly woven silk.Han weavers created beautiful

damasks of many colors. How did Chinese arts and inventions spread to other civilizations?

HistoryVisualizing

Scientific Technological



The saying “He can’t see the forest for thetrees” refers to someone so focused on sep-arate details that he cannot see the entire

situation. Sometimes we face this problem whenstudying history. It is easy to focus on detailssuch as names, dates, and places, thus losingsight of the bigger picture. To avoid this, it isimportant to identify the central issues.

Learning the SkillFirst, skim the material to identify its general

subject. Look for headings and subheadings;often they highlight central issues. A central issuemay also appear in the topic sentence of a para-graph. The other sentences in the paragraph usu-ally explain and support the central issue.

When looking for central issues, ask yourselfthese questions: What is the general topic of thismaterial? What ideas have the greatest emphasis?What main idea holds the details together? If Ihad to summarize this material in one sentence,what would it be?

Practicing the SkillRead the passage about the Book of Changes

and answer the questions that follow.

The Book of Changes—I Ching inChinese—is unquestionably one of themost important books in the world’s lit-erature.… Nearly all that is greatest andmost significant in the three thousandyears of Chinese cultural history haseither taken its inspiration from thisbook, or has exerted an influence on theinterpretation of its text…. Indeed, notonly the philosophy of China but its science and statecraft as well have never ceased to draw from the spring ofwisdom in the I Ching.… Even the commonplaces of everyday life in Chinaare saturated with its influence. In going

through the streets of a Chinese city, onewill find, here and there at a street cor-ner, a fortune teller sitting behind aneatly covered table, brush and tablet at hand.…

1. What is the general subject of the passage?2. Which idea has the greatest emphasis?3. What are some details that support this idea?4. Which sentence states the central issue of the

passage?

Applying the SkillFind a newspaper or magazine article that

interests you. Identify the central issues in thisarticle and summarize them in your own words.

For More PracticeTurn to the Skill Practice in the Chapter

Assessment on page 235 for more practice inidentifying central issues.

Identifying Central Issues

Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking

The Glencoe SkillbuilderInteractive Workbook, Level 2provides instruction and practice in key social studies skills.


CHAPTER 9 ASSESSMENT

Reviewing Facts1. Culture Use a diagram like the one below to

show the organization of classes in earlyChinese society.

2. Culture Identify Confucius and his ideas.3. Government Explain how Mandarins came to

shape China’s government.4. Culture List the five relationships in Chinese

society that were identified by Confucius.5. Culture Describe the Book of Songs, the Spring

and Autumn Annals, and the Historical Record. 6. History Explain why Qin Shihuangdi ordered

the construction of the Great Wall of China.7. Government List the characteristics of China’s

government and politics under the Zhou, Qin,and Han dynasties.

8. Government Analyze how Confucius appliedthe idea of filial piety to governments.

9. Culture Explain why Qin rulers stronglyopposed the teachings of Confucius, thoughHan rulers like Wudi later promotedConfucianism.

10. Technology List three Chinese inventions andstate how they changed Chinese life.

Critical Thinking1. Synthesize Create a time line showing major

events in China from the Zhou to the Handynasties.

Using Key TermsWrite the key term that completes each sentence. Thenwrite a sentence for each term not chosen.

a. acupuncture f. mandarinb. civil service g. yin and yangc. extended family h. filial pietyd. hierarchy i. cavalrye. ethics j. nuclear family

1. An _____________ consists of parents, children,grandparents, and other relatives living togetherin one household.

2. Chinese doctors treated ailments and relievedpain with ________, a technique in which theskin is pierced with thin needles at vital points.

3. A Chinese theory related to Daoism was theconcept of ____________, the two opposingforces believed to be present in all of nature.

4. Confucius taught that individuals should liveaccording to principles of _____.

5. The Chinese cared especially about _________,or children’s respect for their parents.

Many of Confucius’s sayings compiledafter his death are similar to proverbs.Write a set of your own proverbs abouteveryday decisions and situations.

Using Your History Journal

Classes in

ChineseSociety

Self-Check Quiz

Visit the World History: The Human ExperienceWeb site at worldhistory.ea.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 9—Self-Check Quiz to prepare for the Chapter Test.

Building a Database Theteachings of the ancientChinese teacher Confuciusdate back to 479 B.C. Many of his teachings are still practiced in China today. Search theInternet or your local library for additionalinformation about Confucius. Build a databaseof collected Confucian sayings, or analects.Organize analects by headings reflecting differ-ent categories according to Confucius’s princi-ples or ethics. Examples of categories would bea person’s conduct or filial piety.

Technology Activity

http://www.glencoe.com/qe/qe47.php?&st=599&pt=3&bk=18

2. Evaluate Was a strong family structure a posi-tive or a negative influence on Chinese society?

3. Apply How does your society make use of theHan concept of appointing officials by ability?

4. Synthesize How would you respond if yourgovernment adopted the social policies of theQin dynasty?

5. Compare How is Confucianism different fromChristianity and Judaism? How is it similar?

6. Synthesize Think about how merchants wereviewed in Han society and why. How might theUnited States be different if we felt that wayabout merchants?

Geography in History1. Movement Refer to the map below. Buddhism

came to China from which area of the world?2. Location What cities became major Buddhist

sites in China?3. Region What large area was a major stronghold

of Daoism?4. Region What Daoist concepts made it possible

for much of China to accept the teachings ofConfucius, Laozi, and the Buddha into a unifiedbelief system?

H

I MA L A Y A S

Area embracing Daoism

Buddhist missionary activity

Spread of Buddhism

Buddhist sites

O-meiShan

Wanfo-hsiu WutaiShan

Peking(Beijing)

INDIA

TIBET

BURMA

SIAM

Bengal

ANN

AM

From northern India

CHINA

PACIFICOCEAN

Ganges River

Brahmaputra River

Huang He

Chang Jiang

Xi Jiang

Buddhism and Daoism in China


Understanding Themes1. Uniformity What methods did Qin Shihuangdi

use to unify China? What was their impact?2. Innovation How did the ethical philosophy of

Confucius influence Chinese society?3. Cultural Diffusion How did Buddhism reach

China?

1. The Qin tried to control people’s ideas bylimiting the books they could read. Providean example of a modern government thatlimits the information its people receive.

2. All candidates for China’s civil service wererequired to master the Five Classics. Canyou think of literature from our own culturethat everyone should know? Why would itbe difficult for Americans to agree on fiveclassics?

Skill PracticeRead the passage below and answer the questions thatfollow.

Females should be strictly grave andsober, and yet adapted to the occasion.Whether in waiting on her parents, receiv-ing or reverencing her husband, rising upor sitting down, when pregnant, in timesof mourning, or when fleeing in war, sheshould be perfectly decorous. Rearing thesilkworm and working cloth are the mostimportant employments of the female;preparing food for the household and set-ting in order sacrifices follow next, each of which must be attended to. After that,study and learning can fill up thetime.

Book of Changes (I Ching)

1. What is the general topic of this passage?2. What details are offered on this topic?3. Which sentence, if any, states the central issue of

this passage?4. State the central issue in your own words.

CHAPTER 9 ASSESSMENT

236 Unit 2 Flowering of Civilizations

Unit 2

Chapter 5

Plague in Athens

Thucydides is regarded as the first scientific histori-an. In his account of the plague that broke out inAthens in 430 B.C., Thucydides simply presents thefacts, describing the diseases’s symptoms and impacton the city itself.

. . . Externally, the body was not so verywarm to the touch; it was not pale, but red-dish, livid, and breaking out in small blistersand ulcers. But internally it was consumedby such a heat that the patients could notbear to have on them the lightest coveringsor linen sheets. . . .

But in addition to the trouble under whichthey already laboured, the Athenians suf-fered further hardship owing to the crowd-ing into the city ofthe people fromthe country dis-tricts; and thisaffected the newarrivals especially.For since no hous-es were availablefor them and theyhad to live in hutsthat were stiflingin the hot season,they perished in wild dis-order. Bodies of dying menlay one upon another, and half-dead peoplerolled about in the streets and, in their long-ing for water, near all the fountains. . . . thecalamity which weighed upon them was sooverpowering that men, not knowing whatwas to become of them, became careless ofall law, sacred as well as profane. And thecustoms which they had hitherto observedregarding burial were all thrown into confu-sion, and they buried their dead each one ashe could . . .

Between 2000 B.C. and A.D. 500

a number of powerful and influ-

ential civilizations developed in

different regions of the world.

The political systems, religions,

arts, and sciences of these ancient

civilizations continue to influ-

ence the civilizations of the

modern world.

VOCABULARY PREVIEWlivid: discolored

profane: of this world; secular

lamentation: an expression of mourning

✦

For more primary sources to accompany this unit, use the World History Primary Source Document Library CD-ROM.

✦

✦

Thucydides471–c. 400 B.C.

Unit 2 Flowering of Civilizations 237

Chapter 7

Journey to Punt

Around 1480 B.C., Egyptian queen Hatshepsutassumed the title of pharaoh. On the walls of her tem-ple were carved scenes from an expedition she had sentto the land of Punt, which show that the Egyptiansregarded Punt as a holy land.

254. The voyage has been safely made,and the expedition has landed.

Over the Egyptians255. [The arrival] of the king’s-messenger

in God’s-Land, . . . with the army which isbehind him, before the chiefs of Punt; dis-patched with every good thing from thecourt . . . for Hathor, mistress of Punt; for thesake of the life, prosperity, and health of hermajesty. . . .

Over the Puntites257. They say, as they pray for peace:

“Why have ye come thither unto this land,which the people know not? Did ye comedown upon the ways of heaven, or did yesail upon the waters, upon the sea of God’s-Land? . . . Lo, as for the King of Egypt, isthere no way to his majesty, that we may liveby the breath which he gives?” . . .

Over the Vessels265. The loading of the ships very heavily

with marvels of the country of Punt; . . . withebony and pure ivory, with green gold ofEmu, . . . with cinnamon wood, khesytwood, with ihmut-incense, sonter incense,eye-cosmetic, with apes,monkeys, dogs, and with skins of the south-ern panther . . . withnatives and their chil-dren. Never was broughtthe like of this for anyking who has been sincethe beginning. . . .

11.. According to Thucydides, what were the symptoms of the plague in Athens?22.. How did the Puntites react to the arrival of the Egyptian expedition?33.. What, according to the Buddha, is the cause of pain?44.. CRITICAL THINKING: According to the Buddha, how is it possible

to escape pain?

Applications ActivityWrite a first-person account of an event you have witnessed in the same objective style that Thucydides used to write his history.

Interpreting Primary Sources

Chapter 8

The Buddha’s Sermon

Siddhartha Gautama, called the Buddha, achievedenlightenment in approximately 528 B.C. He gave ser-mons in India, but they were only written down afterabout 250 B.C. An excerpt from one of these follows.

(1) Now this, O monks, is the noble truth ofpain: birth is painful, old age is painful, sick-ness is painful, death is painful, sorrow,lamentation, dejection, and despair arepainful. Contact withunpleasant things is painful,not getting what one wishes is painful. Inshort the five khandhas ofgrasping are painful.(2) Now this, O monks, is thenoble truth of the cause ofpain: that craving which leads to rebirth, combined with pleasure and lust,finding pleasure here and there, namely, thecraving for passion, the craving for existence,the craving for non-existence.(3) Now this, O monks, is the noble truth ofthe cessation of pain: the cessation without aremainder of that craving, abandonment, for-saking, release, non-attachment.(4) Now this, O monks, is the noble truth ofthe way that leads to the cessation of pain:this is the noble Eightfold Path. . . .

The Buddha?563–483? B.C.

Standardized Test Practice

Use the map below and your knowledge of history to answer question 1.

1. What is located at approximately 39°Nand 23°E?

A CorinthB A neutral stateC A battle siteD Athens

2. Greek city-states formed the DelianLeague in order to

F create a unified, central government.G promote trade among the city-states.H provide protection against future

Persian attacks.J fund the building of the Parthenon.

3. Plato believed that Sparta’s system ofgovernment was better than the systemof government in Athens. What was hisreason for this conclusion?

A The Athenian government failed todevelop a strong military, leaving thecity-state open to enemy attacks.

B The Spartan government gave citizensfewer rights, preventing civil unrest.

C Athenian citizens spent too much timein government service and did notdevelop a strong trading economy.

D The Spartan government focusedmore on physical strength and fitness,and therefore had a stronger society.

Sparta

AthensCorinth

Crete

Miletus

Pergamum

MacedoniaMacedonia ThraceThrace

IoniaIonia

PeloponnesusPeloponnesus

3838°N

3636°N

4040°N

HellespontHellespont

2424°E 2828°E2020°E

Sparta

AthensCorinth

Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area Projection

0 50

50

100 mi.

0 100 km

Crete

Delos

Rhodes

Miletus

Pergamum

Macedonia Thrace

Ionia

Peloponnesus

Attica

N

E

S

W

38°N

36°N

40°N

Hellespont

AegeanSea

IonianSea

24°E 28°E20°E

Mediterranean Sea

Peloponnesian War

Battle sitesSparta and alliesAthens and alliesNeutral states

Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the followingmultiple choice questions. If you have trouble answering aquestion, use the process of elimination to narrow your choices.Write your answers on a separate piece of paper.

Test-Taking Tip: Eliminate answers thatdon’t make sense. Since Plato believed thatcommunity service was more important thanpersonal goals, you can eliminate answer C.

Test-Taking Tip: Use the map’s legend, orkey, to understand how it is organized. You willneed to estimate to find the approximate gridaddress mentioned in the question. Rememberto double check all the answer choices againstthe information on the map.

Test-Taking Tip: This question is askingfor a cause and effect relationship. Remember,phrases such as as a result of, because, and due to can help you identify this type ofquestion. Look for an answer that has a directrelationship to the Persian Wars.

238 Unit 2 Flowering of Civilizations

Standardized Test Practice

Unit 2 Flowering of Civilizations 239

4. During the Pax Romana, there was anincreased interest in art, literature, andeducation throughout the Roman Empire.Which of the following was most respon-sible for the rise of the Pax Romana?

F The influence of Greek culture on Romanlife

G The elimination of social classes inRoman society

H The rise of the Roman Catholic andEastern Orthodox churches

J A strong economy and relatively fewconflicts with enemy nations

5. In what way is Hinduism different fromJudaism, Christianity, and Islam?

A Hinduism has a set of writings about thereligion.

B Hinduism is generally a polytheisticreligion, while the others aremonotheistic religions.

C Hinduism has had religious leaders andteachers.

D Hinduism encourages physical andmental discipline for religious purposes.

Use the graph below and your knowledge ofhistory to answer question 6.

6. In which of the following ways were India’svarnas similar to social classes in Europe?

F There were far more people in the lowersocial classes than in the higher classes.

G There were only nobles and peasants.H Only the higher classes practiced religion.J People could easily move to a higher

class by marriage or hard work.

PriestsWarriors, Rulers

CommonPeople

UnskilledLaborers

Slaves

Brahmans Kshatriyas

Vaisyas

Sudras

Pariahs

Early India's Social System

Test-Taking Tip: This question is askingyou to compare and contrast. First, think aboutwhat Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have incommon. How is Hinduism different? Sincethe Upanishads are the religious writings ofHindu philosophers, answer A must beincorrect.

Test-Taking Tip: This question requiresyou to draw on knowledge beyond the graph.For example, you will need to remember thatpeople remained in their varna for life. How-ever, other answers can be eliminated bylooking at the graph: answer G states thatthere were two main classes of people inEurope, but there are clearly more than twovarnas on this graph. Therefore, answers Gand J are both incorrect.

Test-Taking Tip: You may rememberthat Pax Romana means “Roman Peace.”Which answer fits best with this information?