Download - Imperial China
The Age of Chin and Han220 B.C.E-220 C.E.
Imperial China
Marked by fragmentation, dictated by geography.
Compact in Northeastern China.
Shang and Zhou Range
Decentralized Zhou, saw rival states vying for the very thing the Zhou created, the Mandate of Heaven.
The Qin state from the Wei Valley emerged as victorious.
Warring States
Qin ruleMarked by rigid centralization.Emphasis on Legalist political ideology.Totalitarian structureCrackdown on Confucianism
Eliminate all rivals centers of authority.Coping with:1. Landowners: abolished hereditary land
ownership by eldest son.2. Gain strength amongst poor: abolish
slavery. Tried to create a free peasantry.Complete Standardization: everything from
coins to music.More prominently: standardized writing and
laws.
Qin Politics
Started Great WallBuilt thousands of miles of roadsFacilitated military transportation.Uniform law codeStability
Qin achievements
As marked by his opulent tombdied in 210 B.C.E.
Myth of the “first emperor”The dynasty died with him in 206 B.C.E as
other Qin emperors couldn’t even take their place as the state erupted in rebellion.
Qin Collapse
Liu Bang a former peasant outlasted his rivals and claimed the Mandate of Heaven.
Hallmarks of the HanReject excess of the QinReject errors of Qin legalismRestore institutions of the pastCombined the objectives of Legalism with the
“tone” of Confucianism.Emphasized a strong rigid administration, ably
staffed.
Foundation of Han
First 80 years to reconsolidate after Qin.Remaining time focused on expansion.Greatest expansionist: Emperor Wu
Han History
Chang’anThick pounded walls
surrounded the city.Built near a fertile
plain.Bustling city of over
200,000 residents.Became a model of
urban planning.
Han PoliticsEmperor: the “Son of
Heaven”Was regarded as
divine on earthWord was lawFailure to govern
demonstrated a loss of divine confidence.
Similar to Egypt.
Central GovernmentRun by a Prime Minister and civil service
director.Had a cabinet style structure.Federalist in nature in that it was a tiered
structure.Central Government rarely impacted peoples
daily lives.
Rise of the GENTRY: a class of ruling scholars.
Part of a class warfare against the aristocratic class.
Similar to the Roman equites. This group was protected and respected.
Han Social Class
Role of Confucianism: Provide a system for training officials to be:
Intellectually capableMorally worth
Set a code of conduct to measure performanceFormal university to train at Chang’an
Civil Servants advanced through the system and grew in power and influence. In time this became the new aristocracy and target for Chinese youth.
Gentry, Confucianism, and Government
Became very popular to the common people, as Buddhism did during Mauryan India.
Daoism ephasized the search for the “dao” that elusive concept that means “path to nature” and harmonizing with it.
Despite its passive nature, Daoism began to become very skeptical. One aspect of its skepticism was the nature e of social order in China.
Urged denial of ambition, acceptance of the world’s disorders, and the following of natural instincts.
Han Age Daoism
Technology has always been a Chinese strengthFirst developed Bronze (1500 B.C.E) and Iron a
millennium later. By the time of Rome’s height, the Chinese were the masters of Iron.
Developed:CrossbowChariotsWatermills for running waterHorse collar (Europe)Large scale wall buildingRoads and couriersSilk
China: Center of Technology
The Silk RoadFervor for Chinese Silk as
well as improved security and transportation opened up a legendary trade route.
Over the centuries, many important scientific and technological innovations migrated to the West along the Silk Road, including gunpowder, the magnetic compass, the printing press, silk, mathematics, ceramic and lacquer crafts
Likely arrived in China around the same time as the Silk Roads began to explode.
Posed problems for the Chinese, in many of the same ways that the Romans experienced problems with the advent of Christianity.Political obstacle to the direction of the “Son of
Heaven principle”Principle of “seclusion” ran contrary to the Chinese
tradition of Family.Different from the teachings of Confucius and the
established norms of Chinese society.Grew in popularity as chaos began to disrupt the Han
Dynasty—it became a political threat.
Buddhism in China
As barbarians consolidated rule in China, so did Buddhism grow.“ We were born out of the marches and though
we are unworthy, we have complied with our appointed destiny and govern the Chinese as their prince…with Buddha being a barbarian god, this is the very one we should worship.”
Buddhism provided a clear network of refuge for the desperate and a vision of salvation
Dharma began to become known as “Dao”Pure land Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhism in China
Respected minister who undertook a complete overhaul of land reform.
In 9 C.E he claimed the Mandate of Heaven.“The Socialist Reformer”Land limits, large estates broken up and
redistributed, and the landless given land.
Political Upheaval: Wang Mang
A result of the failure to address land distribution
Renegade peasants in distinctive headwear disrupting trade as a result of hopelessness.
This didn’t destroy the empire, it did weaken them…outside invaders, namely the Xiongnu, epidemic diseases and political unrest will succeed where the Yellow Turbans failed.
Yellow Turban Uprising