Students will be able to: describe China, with emphasis on the development of

an empire and the construction of the Great Wall describe the impact of Confucianism, Taoism and

Legalism

Essential Questions: Why was the Great Wall of China built? What were contributions of classical China to world

civilization Why were Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism

important to the formation of Chinese culture

Locate and label the following places on your map: Yangtze River Huang He River Himalaya Mountains Yellow Sea South China Sea Taklimakan Desert Gobi Desert Han Dynasty in 220 C.E. (including it’s area of influence) Great Wall of China

Zhou Dynasty 1045 B.C.E. – invade China Use Mandate of Heaven

and Feudalism

Conflict 700 B.C.E.- Feudalism

breaks down 700 B.C.E- 453 B.C.E-

Warring States period

Need for order Led to questioning what

was the best way to keep order in society

Three Philosophies: Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism

1st Confucius Sour look Life was sour Present was out of step with the

past

2nd Buddha Bitter look Life was suffering

3rd Lao-Tse Smiling World was teacher of valuable

lessons Natural result of living

harmoniously was happiness Life when understood is sweet

not sour and bitter

Kongfuzi- Confucius 551 B.C.E.- 479 B.C.E. Saw rulers needed to govern

wisely Changes needed for peace

Teachings Goal: peaceful and just society Society best when all people

acted properly Code of politeness

Still used in China today 5 basic relationships:

Ruler-subject Husband-wife Father-son Older sibling- younger Sibling Friend- friend

Respect of Elders and ancestor worship

Teachings continued Belief that all humans are good,

not bad Authority figures must set good

examples Do not do to others what you

would not want done to you

Influence of Confucianism The Analects Han Dynasty

Civil servants hired for ability instead of birthright

Civil service exams Influenced Chinese culture

Respect for elders Proper behavior Love of scholarship

Laozi (Lao-Tzu) Author of Dao De Jing (The Classic

of the Way and its Power) Legend? 500s B.C.E. ?

Teachings Ancient idea of the Dao, or “the

way” The force that gave order to the

natural universe People gained happiness and

peace by living in harmony with nature

Nature full of opposites Yin/Yang Follow nature by meditation Accept whatever comes Must discover on your own

Government should interfere the least

Influence Encouraged rulers to

govern less Influence on Chinese

culture Humility Simple life and inner peace Harmony with nature

More significant impact on Thought Writing Art Developed into a religion

Hanfeizi 280-233 B.C.E. Prince of a royal family Book called Hanfeizi

Teachings Based on idea that people are

naturally selfish Pursue self-interests

Not enough for rulers to rule by example

Strict laws Harsh punishments People that critize government

should be banished Rulers should have absolute

power Trust no one, even family

Influence Qin Dynasty used Legalism to

build a strong central government

Adopted strict policies

Confucianism Daoism Legalism

Social order, harmony, and good government should be based on family relationships

Natural order is more important than the social order

A highly efficient and powerful government is the key to social order

Respect for parents and elders is important to a well-ordered society

A universal force that guides all things

Punishments are useful to maintain social order

Education is important to both the welfare of the individual and society

Human beings should live simply and in harmony with nature

Thinkers and their ideas should be strictly controlled by the government

Replaced Zhou Dynasty in third century B.C.E.

Shi Huangdi “First emperor” 221 B.C.E. Defeated invaders and crushed

internal resistance Doubled China’s size

Wanted to unify China Had to crush political opposition Policy of “strengthening the trunk

and weakening the branches” All nobles families forced to live in

the capital city Seized their land, created 36

administrative districts Silenced opposition by murdering

hundreds of Confucian scholars Burned “useless” books Established an autocracy-

government in which ruler has unlimited power

Highway network of 4,000 miles

Peasants forced to work on roads

Trade blossomed Merchants became a new

prominent class

Uniform standards for Writing

9,000 approved characters Law

Detailed laws and punishments Currency

Metal coins of bronze or gold Hole in center

Weights and Measures Measuring cups Standardized weights

Irrigation projects increased farm production

Qin Dynasty unpopular Harsh taxes Repressive government

Zhou Dynasty had built small walls to discourage attacks from invaders

Focused on northern border Migratory invaders raided Chinese

settlements from the North

Shi Huangdi wanted to close gaps and unify wall 1,400 miles

Used 100,000s of peasants to build

Die or build wall Difficult conditions Thousands died Wall worked

Peasants rebelled three years after Shi’s son took control of the Dynasty

One of the leaders of the rebellions from the land of Han marched on capital in 202 B.C.E.

Would lead to the Han Dynasty

Afraid of dying Wanted to be immortal Searched for magic potion

Xian, China Emperor’s tomb Terra cotta army Discovered in 1974 C.E.

After years of civil war, Liu Bang declared himself emperor of the Han Dynasty in 202 B.C.E.

Liu Bang A rebel who had gained control of

the Han kingdom and conquered the Qin army

Han Dynasty divided into two periods

Former Han (ruled 2 centuries) Later Han (ruled 2 centuries)

Han Dynasty was so influential that the Chinese people still refer to themselves as “People of the Han”

Running the Han Dynasty Liu Bang re-established

centralized government Turned away from Legalism

Liu Bang died in 195 B.C.E. His son became emperor but real

power belonged to his mother Empress Lü

Outlived her son and retained power by naming infants emperor

Wudi, great-grandson of Liu Bang, became emperor in 141 B.C.E.

Called Martial Emperor because he expanded the empire through war

Defeated a band of nomadic raiders

Secured the northern border Colonized the northeast

Established a centralized government

A central authority controls the running of a state

Hundreds of commanderies

Local officials of provinces, reported to central government

Lowered taxes Softened harsh

punishments, moved away from Legalism

Civil service system Civilians obtain

government jobs by taking examinations

Involved testing knowledge of the teachings of Confucius

Paper was invented in 105 B.C.E.

this made books cheaper and education spread

Also expanded Chinese bureacracy

More efficient plow, collar harness, iron tools, the wheelbarrow, watermills to grind grain

Government had monopolies on salt mining, iron forging, coin minting, alcohol brewing

Monopoly: complete control over the production and distribution of certain goods

Doctors discovered a type of wine that could be used as an anesthetic

Invented the seismography, which detects earthquakes, and the magnetic compass

Contributions of Classical China (SOL)

Civil Service System

Paper

Porcelain

Silk

Expansion of the Han Dynasty meant the population expanded with new “foreigners”

To unify the region, the government encouraged assimilation

Process of making these conquered peoples part of the Chinese culture

Assimilation process included:

Sending Chinese farmers to settle new areas

Encouraged intermarrying Set up schools Had writers document

“history” of China

The gap between rich and poor increased due to land taxes

A series of inexperienced emperors replaced one another from 32 B.C.E. to 9 C.E.

A great flood left thousands dead in 11 C.E.

Rebellions occurred

Brief period between Han Dynasty periods

Later Han Dynasty Ruled for another 200 years

In 220 C.E. the Han dynasty dissolved into three rival kingdoms

Students will be able to: describe China, with emphasis on the development of

an empire and the construction of the Great Wall describe the impact of Confucianism, Taoism and

Legalism

Essential Questions: Why was the Great Wall of China built? What were contributions of classical China to world

civilization Why were Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism

important to the formation of Chinese culture