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Chapter 8 Classical China

8.1 - Chinese Belief Systems

CONFUCIANISM

  • 400 B.C.E.
  • Kung Fuzi
  • The Analects
  • Moral and Ethical
  • Social and Political Order

FIVE FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS

1. Ruler / Subject

2. Parent / Child

3. Husband / Wife

4. Older Brother / Younger Brother

5. Friend / Friend

Junzi

Values of Confucianism

  • Ren
  • Li
  • Xiao - Filial Piety

Daoism

  • 500 B.C.E.
  • Laozi
  • "The Way"
  • Natural Relationships - not Social Relationships
  • Passive and yielding
  • Doctrine of Wuwei

8.2 - Qin and Han Dynasties

LEGALISM

  • Qin Dynasty
  • Strong, centralized government
  • Don't trust human nature
  • Harsh punishment / Strong, centralized government / Unquestioned authority
  • Practical

QIN DYNASTY (221-207 BCE)

  • Shi Huang Di
  • Standardized laws, weights and measures, currency, and system of writing

Great Wall of China

  • Series of fortifications
  • Names put on bricks

Terracotta Warriors

  • 7000 lifelike soldiers
  • Unique and realistic

Engineering an Empire: China (only watch first 28 minutes)

Han Dynasty

MANDATE OF HEAVEN

  • Heaven would grant power only as long as its rulers would govern justly and wisely
  • If a ruler was unjust, heaven would punish him by removing his authority to rule
  • Such signs of this would include a corrupt government, hungry people, and natural disasters
  • All of these things make societies difficult to govern anyway
  • Heaven had the right to give authority, and to take it away
  • Justification for removal of poor leaders
  • The Chinese emperors were known as the Sons of Heaven

BUREAUCRACY

Chinese Bureaucracy
  • Organizing government tasks by department, or bureau
  • Allows different parts of the government to specialize

CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION SYSTEM

Civil Service Examination System
  • Meritocracy
  • Chinese believed that those involved in government service should be highly educated
  • Excellent communicators
  • Very difficult test that lasted for several days
  • Open to everyone, only the wealthy could afford to prepare for it
  • Occasionally some lower class would be invited to participate
  • Chinese government bureaucracy was highly skilled
  • Contributed to the stability in the system of government for centuries
Appreciate