Classical+China

2.1 Shi Huangdi Leader Analysis Sheet Prior to Shi Huangdi ascending to power in 221 BC, China was a **socially, politically, and economically fragmented society** with several competing factions. Inter-community trade was limited, and political infighting was more common than not. In fact, this period in Chinese history was aptly named “The Era of Warring States.” || Shi Huangdi sought to unite China under one ‘stable’ rule. He also aimed to reform the Chinese power structure; instead of relying on a ‘feudal’ system, Huangdi **centralized** power so that he was able to make more executive decisions. || Although Shi Huangdi proved to be a **tyrant**, he **managed to unite a nation** that faced severe political turmoil. His “crisis management” style led him to be brutal during his regime, forcing peasants to begin construction of Great Wall of China, and imposing exorbitantly high taxes. Still, he was also able to introduce some form of **bureaucracy** to China, ordering its first ever **census**, and helping to **standardize its coinage**. || Huangdi was able to create a centralized government, just barely capable of maintaining political and social order. People benefited from being part of a larger Chinese community, but it came at the cost of a wholly r**epressive government**. || Long-Term Effects Shi Huangdi’s **Qin dynasty** was not able to sustain its rule for more than **eleven years** because of his oppressive methods; instead, within a decade of the fall of the Qin, a new more enduring regime, called the **Han dynasty**, was able to claim power through a peasant’s revolt. || Shi Huangdi: Like a boss!
 * Name of Leader: **Shi Huangdi** ||
 * Lifespan: **259-210 BC** || Title: **Emperor** ||
 * Country/region: **China (Qin Dynasty)** || Years in Power: **221 BC – 210 BC** ||
 * Political, Social, & Economic Conditions Prior to Leaders Gaining Power
 * Ideology, Motivation, Goals:
 * Significant Actions & events During Term of Power
 * Short-Term effects:

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2.2 Overview of Confucianism

//Main Idea//: **Confucius**, who was a scholar during a period of turbulent period of Chinese history, attempted to restore social order in China with a philosophy that emphasized **obedience**, **personal virtue**, and **adherence to a delicate balance of personal relationships**.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//Summary//: Confucius was a scholar that sought to restore social and political order in China through a philosophy that emphasized obedience, personal virtue, and adherence to a delicate balance of personal relationships. In the **Analects** (written by the students of Confucius himself), relationships between children and parents, subjects and rulers, husbands and wives, siblings, and friends were discussed. For instance, people were expected to uphold the ideals of filial piety, even if the parents of children were thought to be ineffectual; this same respect was shown by Chinese subjects to their rulers. In Confucianism, a code of conduct was followed: "Respectfulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes laborious bustle; carefulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes timidity; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination; straightforwardness, without the rules of propriety, becomes rudeness." Nevertheless, this did not damper the Chinese people in their search and discovery of knowledge - Confucianism encouraged them to be naturally curious.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//Why Confucianism was the best philosophy for China following the Era of Warring State//s: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Era of Warring States, a traumatic period of Chinese history that included political turmoil and intense sectional rivalry, was not a tenable model for Chinese political organization in the future. Different political factions did not adhere to a centralized chain of command, and infighting between states was common. This was why Confucianism was best remedy for this chaos; it encouraged subjects to be obedient and patient with figures of authority (which included both family members and government officials), but also kept leaders in check by similarly discouraging abuses of power and greed. This life philosophy also promoted highly centralized and highly organized bureaucracy, the main tool employed by the Han dynasty to maintain peace and order for some 400 years.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px;">**Later portrait of Confucius,**
 * from the provincial museum of Shandong, China.** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 11px;">**http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/china/philosophy/confucius.htm**

2.3 ESPIRIT Chart - Han China

Civilization/Nation/Group: Han China

Time Period: 206 BCE - 210 CE

- Luxury items were created for the upper-classes (**silks, jewelry, leather goods, furniture**) and food exchange was common between **rice-growing** and **wheat-growing** regions of China - Output of **t****ools, porcelain, and textiles** increased considerably || - 3 distinct social classes formed: **bureaucrats and landlords, peasants, and mean people** - Women were still considered subordinate || - By end of Han dynasty, **130,000 bureaucrats** (all had to pass civil service examinations) - Power the emperor kept in check by trained and experienced bureaucrats. - Government also expanded its **functions** (allocated money towards scientific research, standardized parts of the economy, and sponsored public works) || - Many merchants (who were looked down upon in Confucian society) made sponsored trips to trade with India - **Improved roads** led to trade with the West (the Silk Road was one of the products of this) || - Some followed the **Daoism** religion, which was based around the forces of nature, and helped to complement Confucian ideals || - **Legalism**, which emphasized restraint and discipline through a powerful state, also had visible effects on Han China, although these were often overshadowed by Confucian influences - Literature, poetry, calligraphy, and pottery were encouraged and thrived under Confucianism || - Made **medical** advances (anatomical knowledge, proper hygiene = better health) - Made strides in **mathematics** (math of music = improvement of acoustics systems, etc) - **Paper** was invented during Han China ||
 * E || - Internal trade was an important feature of the Chinese economy.
 * S || - People behaved according to the principles of **Confucianism** (Analects = roughly equivalent to scripture), which encouraged moderation of behavior, love of wisdom, and respect for superiors (although superiors were also held accountable for how harshly they ruled).
 * P || - The Han dynasty created China’s first e**xtremely efficient government bureaucracy**, led by the values instilled by Confucianism.
 * I || - The Han dynasty was a mostly **peaceful** state throughout its entire history.
 * R || - The Chinese government was more secular than overtly religious; most Chinese (like Confucius) believed in a deity or higher power, but refused to speculate about it.
 * I || - Society was based on teachings of Confucianism, which encouraged obedience and piety.
 * T || - Made strides in **astronomy** (created 365.5 day calendar, predicted the movement of the planets)



Extent of Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD)

2.4 Classical China Terms


 * **Shi Huangdi** || - Pre-eminent ruler during the **Qin dynasty**; took a hard-nosed approach towards Chinese government, instilling harsh laws and exorbitant taxes (but still **m****anaged to unite China in a period of political chaos**) ||
 * **Qin** || - A dynasty that followed the **Era of Warring States**; Was successful in uniting a large portion of China and installing basic bureaucracy, but failed to become an enduring model for the years that followed (disgruntled peasants held revolts after Shi Huangdi’s death) ||
 * **Han** || - The most enduring dynasty of classical China; **furthered bureaucratic methods to create highly centralized Chinese government**… Society during this period rested on the ideals of **Confucianism** ||
 * **Zhou** || - A classical Chinese dynasty that followed the **Shang** (river valley society); **lacked real government centralization** and was **formed by precarious relationships with local landowners**; “Chinese feudal age” ||
 * **Great Wal****l** || - An enormous **3,000-mile construction project** that helped protect China from invasions by **Northern nomads**. Highlighted the **i****solationist sentiment** of China at the time (and in the future to some extent) ||
 * **Daoism** || - A philosophy that compelled people to act according to **forces of nature**; was mostly able to coexist with Confucianism, although tensions arose over exploration of mystical forces ||
 * **Confucianism** || - A philosophy that emphasized obedience and piety through a series of relationships (child/parents, subjects/rulers, etc); in a governmental sense, it **e****ncouraged restraint and moderation with dealing with figures of authority**, creating a stable foundation for the Han dynasty ||
 * **Legalism** || - A philosophy that stated that people were inherently evil and the government was responsible for subduing this “evil” through **competent government officials, and harsh legal punishment**; utilized by Shi Huangdi’s Qin dynasty ||
 * **Bureaucracy** || - A form of government that relied on administrative officials to make informed decisions and carry out the government functions (**record keeping, tax collection, economic intervention**); the main tool employed by the Han dynasty to ensure social and political order for >400 years ||

2.5 Classical China Summary After hundreds of years of political, economic, and social disorder during the **Era of Warring States**, the Chinese were able to create a highly sophisticated, highly successful, but **isolated** society. The first dynasty attempt to unite China under one rule was the **Zhou**, who lacked bureaucratic centralization and and ruled through kind of a 'feudal' system where power was created through relationships with local landlords. After the fall of the Zhou, China entered a period of social chaos until **S****hi Huangd**i's **Qin** dynasty was able to gain and maintain power through the harsh principles of **legalism**. Although he proved to be a tyrant, he was successful in uniting China, beginning construction on the **Great Wall**; people benefitted from becoming part of a larger Chinese community, despite living under a repressive regime.

Following Huangdi's death in 210 BC, a peasant revolt lead to the rise of the **Han** dynasty, which ruled for over 400 years, and left an unmistakeable imprint on Chinese society and culture. China under the Han was governed by the principles of **Confucianism**, which encouraged restraint, moderation, respect, and obedience for people in positions of higher power. A distinct social structure emerged from these teachings, which consisted of 3 levels: **bureaucrats and landlords, peasants, and mean people**. Confucianism during the the Han dynasty also encouraged the creation of a well-oiled **c****entralized government bureaucracy** with administrators responsible for carrying out government functions like collecting taxes and standardizing coinage. This strong foundation lead to advances in astronomy, mathematics, and the medical field. But despite improved trade within China, it still had very little interaction with peoples outside of China, which would be a trend for the next several hundred years.