The Unification of China
11.13.23 / Pg. 152-157
Search for Political & Social Order
➢ Period of warring states→ chaos during zhou conflict of states (obv)
○ People reflect on life/conflict→ philosophy (confucianism / daoism / legalism)
Confucianism (humans good)
Confucious
➢ Kong Fuzi 1st Chinese political/philoso. thought, tried aristocracy @ Lu, displeased
Confucian Ideas
➢ Analects→ compiling of confucian teachings from his pupils
➢ practical, focused on [political / moral / ethical]→ human relationship
➢ Fill positions w/capable & educated pp, unbiased ruling→ Junzi (higher society/man)
➢ Educated students w/old Zhou texts (book of: songs / rites / history)→ main
curriculum for chinese studies.
Confucian Values
➢ Ren→ kindness/benevolence, diligent & hardworking
➢ Li→ propriety, act according to societal expectations (be nice w/deference toward
elders)
➢ Xiao→ filial piety, respect the head of a household, look/care after in old age etc
○ These traits lead to junzi
➢ State is larger version of family
➢ Main documenters/disciples Mencius (optimistic view) & Xunzi (realistic view/pess)
Mencius
➢ Main speaker for confucian school, emphasized ren, achieved little but legacy goes on
Xunzi
➢ Gov’t admin, emphasized li, believed ppl bad, strong rules,
➢ Fundamentally optimistic, believed humans can have order
Daoism (humans? idc)
➢ Introspection & reflection, (no politics etc)
Laozi & Daodejing
➢ Laozi (thoguh to be many people)→ founder, contribute to daodejing→ sacred texts
○ Most important work Zhuangzi, named after author, summary of daoist beliefs
The Dao
➢ “The way” (of nature etc), resemble H2O, seek harmony w/nature
➢ Retract from political conflict
H Loden 1
The Unification of China
11.14.23 / Pg. 157-161
Doctrine of Wuwei
➢ Wuwei→ disengagement from the world/its proceedings (real)
○ No [advanced edu / personal striving], Yes live [in harmony w/nature / simply]
➢ No grand politics, small enclosed cozy communities
➢ (zhuangzi) Made a mockery of philosophers’ debates
Political Implications
➢ Daoism balance out confucanism, over time possible for people to take political positions
but reflect w/daoism. Both practiced in harmony for societal & self harmony
Legalism (humans bad)
➢ Strict, focused on state, brought order to Period of Warring States
Shang Yang
➢ Shang Yang→ Qin duke, powerful ruler, assasinated later
○ The Book of Lord Shang→ legalist doctrine, (composed by yang + ministers)
Han Feizi
➢ Han Feizi→ confuncian student, well versed in politics & wrote essays on legalism
w/it
Legalist Doctrine
➢ Agriculture & Military important, discourage basic jobs (artisans / edu / philosophy / etc)
➢ Strict legal regimin w/clear rules & severe punishment
➢ Small crime unpunished = large crime = chaos (incouraged snitching lmao)
Unification Of China
Qin Dynasty
Kingdom of Qin
➢ Encourage agri. w/private land, increase pop, overtook other states→ new dynasty
➢ elim hereditary aristocracy (by giving peasants > power)→ Centralized bureaucracy,
‘The First Emperor’
➢ Qin Shihuangdi→ expect long last, fall after 14 yrs, established centralized rule
➢ Capital @ Xianyang, disarmed regional force & destroyed forces to prevent rebellion
➢ Built beginnings of great wall to block out nomads, standardized highways
Book Burnings
➢ Large criticism→ execute ppl & burn books on [philosophy / ethics / history / lit],
H Loden 2
The Unification of China
➢ Loss of knowledge, many burned alive for criticize
Qin Centralization
➢ Standardized [currency / laws / weights & measures / etc]→ tightly knit society
11.15.23 / Pg. 161-165
Standardized Script
➢ Common script / different speech, unified china & kept in unity for centuries
Tomb of the First Emperor
➢ Vast & protected, mercury ‘rivers’, booby traps, army of terracotta soldiers
➢ Vast projects after death→ revolt→ fall
Early Han Dynasty
Liu Bang
➢ Liu Bang→ commander, restore centralization quickly (historian Sima Qian)
➢ Named it Han after native state, 2 periods (Early/Later Han)
➢ Chang’an→ capital, (later Luoyang)
Early Han Policies
➢ Find balance between zhou & qin policies
➢ Kept control w/districts governed by close officials, allotted land to imperial families
○ Expect support from families
➢ Xiongnu nomads invade, no help from imperial family→
○ Centralized rule, took back land, established administrative bureaucracy
The Martial Emperor, Han Wudi
➢ Han Wudi→ well known emperor, focused on [centralization & expansion]
Centralization
➢ Large bureaucracy, officers 4 order in districts, roads & canals 4 trade & communication
➢ Taxes on [agri / trade / craft] / monopolies on Fe & NaCl / supervise liquor industry
Confucian Educational System
➢ Needed large # of educated ppl→ prepare men for gov’t w/confucian principles
➢ Imperial ideology, imperial university (1000’s of students)
Imperial Expansion
➢ Brought [N vietnam / korea] under chinese rule, confucian values influence later societies
Xiongnu
➢ Xiongnu→ nomadic invaders to N, < sophisticated (weapons etc), raided villages &
agile
➢ Modu→ > powerful leader, (ruled from Aral→Yellow), Han attempt pay to pacify→
fail
H Loden 3
The Unification of China
Expansion into Central Asia
➢ Offense against Xiongnu, conquer & expand→ xiongnu weaken, expand trade routes
11.16.23 / Pg. 166-171
From Economic Prosperity to Social Disorder
Productivity & Prosperity during Early Han
Patriarchal Social Order
➢ Emphasized filial piety→ honor parents/elders (related to state)
Ban Zhao, Woman Scholar
➢ Ban Zhao→ famous female scholar, educated, wrote Lessons for Women
○ Emphasized importance of edu. for women
➢ Still believed women should be [obedient / humble / respectful / etc]
Iron Metallurgy
➢ Increased agriculture, lots of tools to cultivate
➢ State controlled cast-iron, fine skills & mass production skills, abundant & cheap, armor
Silk Textiles
➢ Sericulture→ silk-making, expanded thru china (guandong & sichuan)
➢ special way of making silk→ coveted in foreign trade
Paper
➢ Used to use [silk / bamboo / etc], technologically advanced, improve past innovations
Economic & Social Difficulties
➢ Mil’t costly→ raise taxes / confiscate property → lessened manufacturing etc
Social Tensions
➢ Social disparity grow ( clothing / food / etc)→ tensions, displeased
Land Distribution
➢ [Poor harvest / high taxes ]→ sell property
○ Desperate→ go into slavery
➢ Increase wealthy land when sell→ small # of estates own all land
H Loden 4
The Unification of China
Reign of Wang Mang
➢ Wang Mang→ minister who established wave of reform
➢ 2 yr old inherit throne→ Mang take over (as regent), later take over as king
➢ Limit land one can own (based) , redistribute land etc
○ Ill prepared→ confusion + chaos→ poor harvest & famine
Later Han
➢ Abandon Chang’an, capital @ Louyang, rule harshly & restore order & control silk road
Yellow Turban Uprising
➢ Yellow Turban Uprising→ rebellions by poor pop. for greater equality→ weaken han
11.17.23 / Pg. 171-172
Collapse of Han Dynasty
➢ Rich seek increase in influence→ tensions rise→ war/conflict
➢ Conflict + weakness = fall, china divided for centuries
H Loden 5
