Classical+China

1) Leader Anaylisis Leader Analysis Sheet

The state of China prior was not very good. China prior to this dynasty was helmed together by their rulers using a political system based on treaties, through marriage and deals. The conditions of the people were also not so great. It was known as China’s feudal Era. ||  ||  He was motivated to stay in power in China forever. He drank Mercury once, thinking it would help extend his life longer, ultimately which led to his death. He was a tyrannical dictator who killed anyone who opposed him, for power. He was motivated to help unite China, and expand his rule to most if not all of the known Chinese world. Later in his life, Qin Shi Huang feared death and desperately sought the fabled elixir of life, which would supposedly allow him to live forever. He was obsessed with acquiring immortality and fell prey to many who offered him supposed elixirs. The First Emperor of the Chinese unified states was almost always portrayed as a brutal tyrant who had obsessive fear of assassination. Qin Shi Huang reformed politics, economy and culture. In politics, he abolished the hereditary vassal enfeoffment system and established prefectures and counties, ruled directly by the emperor. Based on the original rules of the Qin State, the emperor adopted some regulations of other rival states to form a workable law of the Qin Dynasty. In economy, he claimed that both the agriculture and commerce were very important. People should have them developed together. Besides, tax system began to function and coinage and metrology were all standardized. In culture, the emperor unified the Chinese characters in writing, which promoted the development of the Chinese culture. However, he also suppressed scholars who were not to his liking. Consequently, many scholars involved were killed in Xianyang. Extremely severe penal codes. For example, if one person was guilty, he would be killed along with his family, his extended families as well as his fellow classmates, villagers, teachers, friends and acquaintances. Burden people with endless demands in wars, building of the Great Wall and building of his Mausoleum, Terra Cotta Army, palaces and roads. Burnt almost all classic books, excluding those of medicine, divination and agriculture. Ordered to bury 460 scholars alive. Confiscated all weapons from the general public. Forced people (especially rich people) to migrate to the newly built capital Xianyang (next to Xian). ||  ||  He ordered the unification of Chinese characters, currency, weights and measures, not only benefited economic development and cultural exchanges, but have had a strong and long-lasting influence on China. He was the pioneer in implying legal system in Chinese history. He ordered the construction of road system which eventually played an extremely important role in ancient transportation and economic exchanges. He standardized the length of the axles of carts, so every cart could run smoothly in the ruts of the new roads. He ordered the building and restoration of the Great Wall of China. The empire was then divided into 36 commanderies, later more than 40 commanderies. The whole of China was now divided into administrative units: first commanderies, then districts, counties and hundred-family units. After the unification of China, with all other schools of thought banned, legalism became the endorsed ideology of the Qin dynasty. Legalism was basically a system that required the people to follow the laws or be punished accordingly. ||  ||  He was able to help reconstruct the governments and major aspects of the Chinese ways of life. He set many new views on aspects of life and had a great influence on future Chinese developments. || Long-Term Effects:  He expanded China’s borders, and thus became the first ruler of an entire united Chinese nation. ||
 * Name of Leader: Shi Huangdi ||   ||
 * Lifespan: 201 B.C.E- 210 B.C.E ||  Title: Emperor  ||
 * Country/region: China ||  Years in Power: 9 years  ||
 * Political, Social, & Economic Conditions Prior to Leaders Gaining Power:
 * Ideology, Motivation, Goals:
 * Significant Actions & events During Term of Power:
 * Short-Term effects:

2) Summary/ Main Idea of Confucinism Kevin Schlegel    Period 2    9/16/10    Summary/ Main Idea on Confucianism    Many Chinese philosophies were favored and accepted by areas in the Chinese world, due to their ideas and founding’s. One widely accepted philosophy was Confucianism. Confucianism was a philosophy **that stressed the importance of virtue and the development of moral perfection.** The ideas of relationships were stressed between those of the ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, elder brother and younger brother, and friend and friend. Only by fixing these relationships could China regain peace and order. The logic behind Confucianism was based on humanity. One logical way to represent this was the golden rule "do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you." Social harmony was the great goal of Confucianism, therefore results in part from every individual knowing his or her place in the social order, and playing his or her part well. Acting as a gentleman was also a widely needed thing. Gentlemen were expected to; cultivate themselves morally, show filial piety and loyalty where these are due, cultivate humanity, or benevolence. Confucianism believed there should be no distinction between class for that matter, and that by following his teachings, society would be able to expand and be more humane. Often rulers used a mix of Confucianism and Legalism, as their ruling doctrines. I believe that Confucianism would work immediately following the warring states era. This era had war and other malicious things happening. By following the roles of Confucianism, after this war type era people would be able to understand how to achieve humane peace. This peace would allow for easier and stable rule, without the fear of people revolting against any new ruler who would assume the throne, or desire change in society. 3) ESPIRIT CHART Han China ** Kevin Schlegel, ESPIRIT Chart ** You must include main ideas and details in each category

Civilization/Nation/Group: Han China

Time Period: 206 BCE – 220 CE

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 * E || -The Han Dynasty inherited the //ban liang// coin type from the Qin.

-In the early Western Han, a wealthy salt or iron industrialist, whether a semi-autonomous king or wealthy merchant, could boast funds that rivaled the imperial treasury and amass a peasant workforce of over a thousand. This kept many peasants away from their farms and denied the government a significant portion of its land tax revenue

-Liquor was another profitable private industry nationalized by the central government in 98 BCE.

-By 110 BCE Emperor Wu also interfered with the profitable trade in grain when he eliminated speculation by selling government-stored grain at a lower price than demanded by merchants.

-Traded with Romans, the Middle East, and India

-Standardized currency, weights, and measures

-Intricate public works

-Annually taxed money and manual labor

-Rise in population during this period helped the economy strive, with urbanization and growth in trade and industry

-China tried to monopolize their production of iron and salt, which became the biggest products of the economy.

-Trade focused on luxury itemsfor the upper class, produced by artisans, such as silks, jewelry, leather goods, and furniture.

-Food exchange existed between rice and wheat growing regions.-Copper coin circulation contributed to trade, and sponsered visits to India. ||
 * S || -In the hierarchical social order, the emperor was at the apex of Han society and government. Ranked immediately below the emperor were the kings. The rest of society, including nobles were lower than kings and all commoners excluding slaves belonged to one of twenty ranks

-Each successive rank gave its holder greater pensions and legal privileges. *The highest rank, of full marquess, came with a state pension and a territorial fiefdom. Holders of the rank immediately below, that of ordinary marquess, received a pension, but had no territorial rule.

*Officials who served in government belonged to the wider commoner social class and were ranked just below nobles in social prestige. The highest government officials could be enfeoffed as marquesses.

*The farmer, or specifically the small landowner-cultivator, was ranked just below scholars and officials in the social hierarchy. Other agricultural cultivators were of a lower status, such as tenants, wage laborers, and in rare cases slaves. Artisans and craftsmen had a legal and socioeconomic status between that of owner-cultivator farmers and common merchants.

*State-registered merchants, who were forced by law to wear white-colored clothes and pay high commercial taxes, were considered by the gentry as social parasites with a contemptible status. These were often petty shopkeepers of urban marketplaces; merchants such as industrialists and itinerant traders working between a network of cities could avoid registering as merchants and were often wealthier and more powerful than the vast majority of government officials.

-Wealthy landowners, such as nobles and officials, often provided lodging for retainers who provided valuable work or duties, sometimes including fighting bandits or riding into battle. Unlike slaves, retainers could come and go from their master's home as they pleased. Medical physicians, pig breeders, and butchers had a fairly high social status, while occultist diviners, runners, and messengers had low status.

-Various cases for rape, physical abuse and murder were prosecuted in court. Women, although usually having fewer rights by custom, were allowed to level civil and criminal charges against men. While suspects were jailed, convicted criminals were never imprisoned. Instead, punishments were commonly monetary fines, periods of forced hard labor for convicts, and the penalty of death by beheading. Early Han punishments of torturous mutilation were borrowed from Qin law. A series of reforms abolished mutilation punishments with progressively less-severe beatings by the bastinado.

-Peasants had no say in the economy usually being self sufficient, but times often they fell into debt and had to become laborers

-A group of "mean" people were the lowest possible social status.

- Social class ladder was Mandarins > Commoners > Mean People ||
 * P || -Under this new form of Legalism and Confucianism, rewards and punishments were still used for common people. However, the administrators were judged based on Confucian principles with the justification for these different sets of standards as they were educated. As a last resort, the ruler could use punishment for both the people and the officials. It was believed that force alone was not a sufficient way to rule and so the emperor needed the help of the Confucianists to guide him morally.

-Han power was based on direct control of people by the state.

-In Han government, the emperor was the supreme judge and lawgiver, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and sole designator of official nominees appointed to the top posts in central and local administrations. Theoretically, there were no limits to his power. However, state organs with competing interests and institutions such as the court conference, where ministers were convened to reach majority consensus on an issue pressured the emperor to accept the advice of his ministers on policy decisions. If the emperor rejected a court conference decision, he risked alienating his high ministers. Nevertheless, emperors sometimes did reject the majority opinion reached at court conferences.

-Below the emperor were his cabinet members known as the Three Excellencies. These were the Chancellor, Imperial Counselor/Excellency of Works, and Grand Commandant/Grand Marshal.

*The Chancellor, was chiefly responsible for drafting the government budget. The Chancellor's other duties included managing provincial registers for land and population, leading court conferences, acting as judge in lawsuits and recommending nominees for high office.

*The Imperial Counselor's chief duty was to conduct disciplinary procedures for officials. He shared similar duties with the Chancellor, such as receiving annual provincial reports.

*The Grand Commandant was the irregularly posted commander of the military and then regent during Western Han. In Eastern Han he was chiefly a civil official who shared many of the same censorial powers as the other two Excellencies.

-The Han Empire, was divided into political units of provinces, commanderies, and counties. A county was divided into several districts.

The emperor sent governors with military and legal powers to govern regions in his name

-Eventually, the emperor developed ministers that were delegated a certain issue finance, justice, military, etc. -Promoted the scholar-bureaucrat -Process limited an aristocratic rule since commoners were occasionally recruit -Depended on tightly knit patriarchial families, where individual families were linked to other relatives in extended family networks that included brothers, uncles, etc. Family authority was enhanced by ancestor worship. -Warrior- landlords were still existent.  -A Han ruler Wu Ti established peace in China territory giving the people a strong sense of nationalism. ||
 * I || -Traded with nations through the Silk Road spreading new ideas and beliefs, like Buddhism,

-Interacted directly with India and the Parthian Empire -Conquered by the Huns, barbarians to the North -Mongolian China, Japan, Korea, and other areas were greatly influenced by classical China -Many trade route opened up between China, to the Middle East, and India, but Chinese did not feel necessity to offer save the periodic threat of invasion. - China adopted the beleife of Buddhism from India by trading a long the silk road. ||
 * R || -Families throughout Han China made ritual sacrifices of animals and foodstuffs to deities, spirits, and ancestors at temples and shrines, in the belief that these items could be utilized by those in the spiritual realm. It was thought that each person had a two-part soul: the spirit-soul which journeyed to the afterlife paradise of immortal, and the body-soul which remained in its grave or tomb on earth and was only reunited with the spirit-soul through a ritual ceremony.

- In addition to his many other roles, the emperor acted as the highest priest in the land who made sacrifices to Heaven, the main deities known as the Five Powers, and the spirits of mountains and rivers. It was believed that the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Mankind were linked by natural cycles of yin and yang and the five phases. If the emperor did not behave according to proper ritual, ethics, and morals, he could disrupt the fine balance of these cosmological cycles and cause calamities such as earthquakes, floods, droughts, epidemics, and swarms of locusts.

-It was believed that immortality could be achieved if one reached the lands of the Queen Mother of the West or Mount Penglai. Han-era Daoists assembled into small groups of hermits who attempted to achieve immortality through breathing exercises, sexual techniques and use of medical elixirs.

-Buddhism first entered China during the Eastern Han and was first mentioned in 65 CE. Liu Ying a half-brother to Emperor Ming of Han, was one of its earliest Chinese adherents, although Chinese Buddhism at this point was heavily associated with Huang-Lao Daoism.

-China's first known Buddhist temple, the White Horse Temple, was erected during Ming's reign. Important Buddhist canons were translated into Chinese during the 2nd century CE, including the //Sutra of Forty-two Chapters//, //Perfection of Wisdom//, //Shurangama Sutra//, and //Pratyutpanna Sutra//.

-Polytheistic beliefs -Believe in spirits and dragons - Wu Ti encouraged the use of Confucianism during the Han era. -Legalism- believed that humans were evil by nature and required restrain. - Daoism was increasingly popular during this time as well, but more as a religion and worship || *solving problems with right-angle triangles, square roots, cube roots, and matrix methods
 * I || -Han-era mathematical achievements include:

*finding more accurate approximations for pi, providing mathematical proof of the Pythagorean theorem, use of the decimal fraction,

*Gaussian elimination to solve linear equations, and continued fractions to find the roots of equations. One of the Han's greatest mathematical advancements was the world's first use of negative numbers.

-Han-era astronomers adopted a geocentric model of the universe, theorizing that it was shaped like a sphere surrounding the earth in the center.

*They assumed that the Sun, Moon, and planets were spherical and not disc-shaped. They also thought that the illumination of the Moon and planets was caused by sunlight that lunar eclipses occurred when the Earth obstructed sunlight falling onto the Moon, and that a solar eclipse occurred when the Moon obstructed sunlight from reaching the Earth.

- Wang Chong accurately described the water cycle of the evaporation of water into clouds.

- Physicians prescribed regulated diets rich in certain foods that were thought to curb specific illnesses. These are now known to be nutrition disorders caused by the lack of certain vitamins consumed in one's diet.

-Han physicians also prescribed moxibustion, acupuncture, and calisthenics as methods of maintaining one's health. When surgery was performed by the physicians used anesthesia to numb patients' pain and prescribed a rubbing ointment that allegedly sped the process of healing surgical wounds.

- 365.5 Day Lunar Calendar -Mandarin Chinese - At this time China was more peaceful than war seeking. ||

-Iron mining was very advanced for this time, using pulleys and winding gear to bring iron to the surface which helped create an increase in iron tools during the time. -The first water powered mills were used during this time. Allowing manufacturing of grain.-Paper was also invented during this time. ||
 * T || -Mathematics also stressed practical thinking. But people were always encouraged to figure out how things worked.

4) Intelectual and Religion Aspects of Han China media type="custom" key="6960057"

5) Classical China Key Terms

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 * Shi Huangdi || The first emperor, of a united China. He was known for being a cruel hearted tyrant. Although he was a tyrant, Shi Huandi, ended up influencing and effecting China’s history greatly. His own demise was caused by his tyrannical rule.

He centralized government and appointed bureaucrats from non-aristocratic groups. ||
 * Qin || The first dynasty of China, which ruled over a unified China. Its only emperor was Shi Huandi. Due to Huandi’s ways this dynasty didn’t last very long, as the people wanted change from a tyrant’s dictatorship. ||
 * Han || The dynasty to follow the Qin. This dynasty, unlike the Qin lasted for over 400 years. They also ruled over a unified China using a pure bureaucracy ways of political life. ||
 * Zhou || The Zhou dynasty was the longest lasting dynasty of China. The Zhou came to power by overthrowing the Shang dynasty. The Zhou's greatest achievment was the creation of the **Middle Kingdom** . Some of the Zhou's created the idea of the **mandate of heaven**.

-The **Middle Kingdom**, an area that stretched from the Huanghe to the Yangtze. -Developed Mandarin Chinese in its oral form.

|| Daoism was about pleasing the natural environment more than political environment.
 * Great Wall || A massive wall that stretches over 3,000 miles. It was built to help keep invaders out of the region. It was ordered to be constructed by Shi Huangdi, who made it the largest construction project ever built by manual forced labor. ||
 * Daoism || A principal philosophy and system of religion of China based on the teachings of Lao-tzu. The idea behind this was the rhythmic balance and natural, flowing patterns of the universe. The enlightened human being is one who always acts in accordance with the Dao; the teachings of the means or methods of doing so, both philosophically and religiously.

Political activity and learning were irrelevant to a good life and general conditions in the world were of little importance. Daoism often clashed with Confucianism, which denounced its emphasis on mysteries and magic. ||
 * Confucianism || A philosophy based on the teachings of Confucius, based on by his disciples. Confucianism had many key components to its nature. Confucianism was about the devotion to family, peace, and equal justice. The golden rule of Confucianism for example influenced the traditional culture of China. The golden rule was "Do onto others as you want done onto yourself", which defines Confucianism.

One must also act accordingly to their class and treat others with virtue; system of ethics. ||
 * Legalism || A philosophy of government that focuses on the text of written law in order to maintain the intent of law. Also it elevates strict loyalty to law over justice, mercy, grace and common sense.

Supported the idea of a authoritarian state in which the actions of the government and public were overseen by a military. It was not a prevalent philosophy, but it entered Han political traditions ||
 * Bureaucracy || A bureaucracy is a form of organization in which officeholders have defined positions and (usually) titles. Formal rules specify the duties of the officeholders. Personalistic distinctions are usually discouraged by the rules.

In the Qin dynasty, Huangdi would appoint bureaucrats, who would then preside over different areas. || 6)Summary After the fall of the **Shang,** the Zhou dynasty came into power in China. The **Zhou dynasty** which lasted from 1029 B.C.E to 258 B.C.E was the longest dynasty in China's classical history. However the **Zhou dynasty** only really played a key role up until around 700B.C.E, where political issues ended up bring a decline to the dynasty. The Zhou relied on ruling through marriages, therefore they lacked a strong central government to help rule the land. The only real achievment of the Zhou is the establishment of the "**middle kingdom**" zone of China. This settlement was near the **Huange and Yellow rivers**. The Zhou brought cultural unity to China however, banning sacrafices and other aspects in religions. The next dynasty to come into China's history was the Qin.

The **Qin dynasty** lasted from 221 B.C.E - 210 B.C.E. The Qin dynasty although short lived, had a great impact on China's history. The ruler of the Qin was the tyrannical **Shi Huandi**. Shi Huandi was a powerful and cunning ruler, who showed no mercy to those who rebelled against him. Shi Huandi, is responsible for using his armies and uniting all of China under one rule. He was proclaimed the first emperor of a completely unified Chinese nation. Shi Huandi used his control over the people to build achievements like segments of the **Great Wall Of China.** The Qin was also responsible for new advancements in politics as well as culture. The Qin dynasty protected ideas of the government and culture by burning and restricting certain books. They also established a system to help with tax revenues and labor servies. The Qin also created a standarized system of coins and weights. The qin dynasty however was short lived, as Shi Huandi passed away from mercury poising, and rebellions against his tyranny brought forth and end to the Qin era.

After the demise of the Qin, the next dynasty to come to play in influencing China was the Han. **The Han dynasty** lasted from 202 B.C.E to 220 C.E, which is over four hundred years (400). The Han rulers established a central administration, just as the Qin had. The early Han rulers helped extend the territories of China all the way into parts of Korea, Indochina, and central Asia. This expansion allowed the Han to come into contact with the Parthian Empire, Roman empire, and parts of India. The most famous of Han rulers was **Wu Ti** (140-87 B.C.E). Wu Ti held the idea of peace near and dear to him. This peace he created allowed the Han to prosper in wealth and knowledge. The Han were able to improve **bureaucracy**, which also improved the government. The ideals of **Confucianism** were brought into play during the Han era. Unlike the Qin who disproved on Confucianism, the Han used it as one of their main religious/philosophical ways of life. The government became more formal follow under Confucianism's guidelines. They built shrines to honor and promote worship of ancient philosophers like Confucius. The Han begam to decline after about two centuries of rule, and they began to sucomb to invaders called the Huns.

7) Comparison China and India The religion of China and India varied in many ways however there are similarities that they share. In both India and China high emphasize was put in scientific process, and development of learning, however at the same time China moved to d ... evelop the same goals. Both made astronomical advancements by both studying the stars and also achieved many new advancements in mathematics. Daoism and Hinduism shared the same beliefs of nature. China developed negative numbers and the Pythagorean theorems and India developed the use of zeros. In China religion was viewed more as philosophy rather than religious beliefs.