Classical+China

Leader Analysis Sheet
 * 1) Qin analysis [[file:Leader_Analysis_Sheet.doc]]

China ||  Years in Power 221-202 B.C.E. ||  The Zhou empire extended the Chinese territory: Middle kingdom  Asserted that heaven had transferred its mandate to them.  Banned human sacrifice.  They promoted the use of only one language called mandarin Chinese  Idea of central government to control the vast territory  Weak central government: feudal system  Era of the warring states after this dynasty falling ||   Eunoch: people who would not try to take out the power   He allowed only 3 types of books to exist: legal, medical, math   ||  Against Confucianism  Aristocrats could not have any kind of power.  Extension of the Chinese territory up to the south  To sponsor new irrigation projects, to promote manufacturing.  Thinking was likely to be subversive to his rule.  Harsh dictatorship ||   ||  Construction of the Great wall  Standardized coinage, weights, and measures  Chinese written script uniform  Promoted manufacturing of silk cloth  Set up a large army  Built his own tomb  Attacked intellectuals to get them to pay high taxes to support military expansion. ||   Eliminated his opposition ||  Taxes to support military expansion  Forced labor (used to build the Great wall)  ||  Long-Term Effects  Established a successful kind of government: central authority  The assignment of bureaucrats, selected by the emperor (like governors)  Single law code  Uniform tax system ||
 * Name of Leader: Qin Shi Huangdi ||   ||
 * Lifespan: 259-210 B.C.E. ||  Title: “the First Emperor”  ||
 * Country/region:
 * Political, Social, & Economic Conditions Prior to Leaders Gaining Power
 * Ideology, Motivation, Goals:
 * Significant Actions & events During Term of Power
 * Short-Term effects:

> > ** ESPIRIT Chart ** > You must include main ideas and details in each category > > __ Civilization/Nation/Group _ Han China_  __ > > Time Period__ >  Food exchange between wheat and rice-growing regions >  Copper coins began circulation > > > > > > || > || S  ||   Considerable gaps developed between upper class and the masses. >  Social structure: landowning aristocracy and the educated bureaucrats, next the laboring masses and on the bottom, the mean people (those with ought meaningful skills) >  The mean people were more harshly punished by their crimes. >  Patriarchal order >  The family was the center of a well-organized society and government >  Women, though subordinate, had their roles and could gain power through their sons and as mothers-in-law of the women brought into the family. >  Strict primogeniture: the oldest male child would inherit property and position (from the humblest peasant to the emperor) >   || > ||  P  ||   Expanded power of the bureaucracy. >  Established examinations for the bureaucrats: Chinese literature and law >  Not a highly militaristic state: more focused on crime and legal disputes >  Structure: all-powerful emperor, trained scholar-bureaucrats, and families that also emphasized the strong principle of authority >  Government played an important role in promoting Confucianism >  Government also sponsored public works, including irrigation and canal systems >  Regulated agricultural supplies by storing grain and in harvest times to control price increases >  Central government taxed its subjects and also required some annual labor on the part of every male peasant >   || > ||  I  ||   Very isolated >  They saw the world in terms of their civilization surrounded by barbarian people >  No need nor desire to learn from other societies >  No particular desire to teach the rest of the world, either >  Some Buddhism from India might have influenced religion and artistic styles >  Might also had some trade routes to India  || > || R  ||   Major beliefs: Confucianism and Daoism >  Confucianism easily blended with the high value of literature and art among the upper classes >  Confucianism related good government with good behavior from the leaders and people >  Daoism was more into the magical and secret world >  Daoism provided many Chinese with a host of ceremonies designed to promote harmony with the mysterious life force >  Although Confucianism and Daoism were not the only intellectual products of the time, they were the most relevant  || > || I  ||   Art was very decorative: calligraphy itself became an important art form >  Research in astronomy and the maintenance of historical records >  Chinese astronomers had developed a calendar by 444 B.C.E.  >   They also calculated the movement of planets like Saturn and Jupiter >  Chinese focus on science contrasted with the more abstract Greek approach of science > > > > > > || > || T  ||   Agricultural implements improved steadily: technologies that helped increase the size of the population; smaller amounts of land could support more families >  New collar was invented for draft animals, allowing them to pull plows or wagons wit Hough choking >  Iron tools and lamps were widely used >  Water-powered mills were introduced >  Paper was invented  ||
 * 1) ESPIRIT on Han China [[file:ESPIRIT Han china.doc]]
 * E ||   Trade became increasingly important: focused on luxury items for the upper class, produced by skilled artisans (like silks, jewelry, leather good and furniture).

> > > > > Key terms: China Classical China Terms – Feel free to add images


 * Shi Huangdi ||  The warrior who dethroned the Zhou dynasty from power in about 201 B.C.E. and within 35 years made himself the sole ruler of China. Was a brutal leader, but effective given the circumstances of internal -mostly political- disorder. He took control of the feudal estates ruled by the aristocrats. Appointed governors to rule the large provinces.  ||
 * Qin ||  Imperial dynasty that brought to an end the centuries of strife.  ||
 * Han ||  Dynasty that ruled China for every 400 years. Saw the consolidation of the Chinese civilization. Rounded out China’s basic political and intellectual structure. Although followed the centralized-style government that the Qin used, sought to reduce the brutal repression.  ||
 * Zhou ||  Dynasty that lasted from 1029 to 258 B.C.E. Extended the Chinese territory all the way to the Yangtze River valley. Promoted linguistic unity, beginning the process by which the mandarin Chinese would prevail all over the Middle Kingdom.  ||
 * Great Wall ||  Built by Shi Huangdi, it extended over 3000 miles, wide enough for chariots to move along its crest. It was meant to guard the territory against outside invasions and to protect his own expansionist drives.  ||
 * Daoism ||  Religious philosophy. It arose roughly at the same time Confucianism did. Embraced traditional Chinese beliefs in nature’s harmony and aaded a sense of nature’s mystery.  ||
 * Confucianism ||  Confucianism is an ancient Chinese philosophy taught by a scholar named Confucius. During his time, china was going through political and social instability, and he believed that it was because of the breakdown of China’s social foundation. Confucius’ ideas were not well accepted at the beginning, so he spent most of his life teaching. Although he did not leave books with his teachings, his students recorded them and made the //Analects,// which describe his philosophy. Confucius’ teachings included arguments about the filial piety, propriety, ideal government and the superior men.  ||
 * Legalism ||  Alternate system of political thought, during the Qin and Han periods. Disdained confucian virtues in favor of an authoritarian state that ruled by force. Human nature was evil and required restraint and discipline. The army would control and the people would labor.  ||
 * Bureaucracy ||  During Shi Huangdi time, he took power away from the aristocrats that ruled over the feudal states, and appointed the bureaucrats to rule the new provinces. They exercised military and legal powers in the name of the emperor.  ||

SUMMARY

__ CLASSICAL CHINA  __ Chinese civilization was one of the greatest civilizations in the classical period. This civilization developed certain characteristics that made it able to leave a great legacy. Chinese most focused on politics. Their political system was based on royal families, or **//dynasties//**//,// that ruled during a certain time. There were three remarkable dynasties: the **//Zhou, the Qin and the Han.//** The Zhou became characteristic because of their extension to the Yangtze River valley, were the **//Middle Kingdom//** settled. They also promoted the Chinese unity, culturally speaking. He also provided a single law code for the empire, and a uniform tax system. The Qin also promoted linguistic unity, to eventually have only one standard spoken language. The next dynasty ruling was the Qin. Its first emperor, **//Shin Huangdi,//** was a harsh ruler, but he contributed in many ways to get classical China into shape. He centralized the government, so that the weak feudal system that the Zhou used disappeared, and all the issues had to be directly with the emperor and the governors that he appointed. He also built the **//Great Wall//** that protected the northern border against outside invasions. Though many the advances, this dynasty lived a short time. The next dynasty, and that lasted over 400 years, was the **//Han//** dynasty. The Han kept on the idea of the central government, but not a highly militaristic state. It was highly influenced by the philosophy of Confucianism. It also played an important role in sponsoring public works, like the irrigation systems. The economy was based on trade, focused on luxury items, including silks, jewelry, leather, good and furniture, for the upper classes, produced by skilled artisans. The **//silk road//** was a very important trade route that connected China with India and other parts of the middle east. Society was patriarchal. They also believed in strict primogeniture. The oldest male child would inherit property and position. The **//mean people//** were at the top of the social pyramid, and were those without meaningful skills. China was a very isolated society. Despite its relationships through the silk road, they did not have the need to teach other civilizations about their way of life. In religion, Chinese beliefs relied on the good ethics of Confucianism and Daoism.