China200 BCE-900 CE

Qin Unifies China221 BCE Qin unified the empire

Conquered north China and defeated the Xiongnu Border tribes (related to Huns) in north/west

Massive public work projects Constructed Great Wall to keep out Xiongnu

First emperor was Qin Shi Huangdi Tomb held 7000+ terra cotta soldiers

Economy and AdministrationBuilt canals and river transport systems

Ruled through bureaucracy Chosen based on ability 40 administrative units called “commanderies”

Standardization Weights and measures Coinage Legal code Written Chinese language

Political and cultural unification of China

Ideologies of Empire Importance placed on philosophy

Three schools of thought emerged during late Zhou and Warring States Period Confucianism Daoism Legalism

ConfucianismKong Fuzi (Confucius) sought to reform China

by redefining Chinese political and ethical thought Felt government depended on good officials

Canonized five earliest historical texts Added The Analects

Ideas welcomed under the Han Dynasty Evolved over time

LegalismQin rejected Confucianism and favored

Legalism

Strict laws and strict enforcement for good government Rewards for those who follow laws, punishment for

those who don’t

Confucianism vs. LegalismCollided during Qin Dynasty

Prime minister Li Si (280-208 BCE) recommended the Confucian classics be collected and burned

Confucian backlash against Qin Qin Shi Huangdi had 460 scholars burned alive

Mandate of Heaven Enduring concept of Chinese imperialism An omnipotent heaven conferred the emperor’s

ability to rule Natural disasters show loss of mandate

DaoismFounder was Laozi

Key text was Daodejing (“The Way and its Power”)

Philosophy of spontaneity in the face of nature and the cosmos Mystical, not political

Believe in a natural order (Dao) Diminished view of government

Over time, the Chinese embraced both Confucianism and Daoism

Fall of Qin Dynasty Within 4 years Qin Shi Huangdi’s death, Qin empire

collapsed Oppressed 90% of the empire and sent hundreds of

thousands to fight the Xiongnu at the Great Walll

Fight over succession to the throne Between emperor’s son, Li Si, and the eunuch Zhao

Gao Internal conflict, murder, and suicide

Rebels broke into the capital at Xianyang and captured power In 206 BCE, the rebel leader Liu Bang established the

Han Dynasty

Han EmpireEmpire remained united under different ruling

families

Confucian-based Appeared in history, imperial academy

(established by Emperor Wu), law, and society Court historians appointed Confucian knowledge as basis of promotion Chinese legal system developed in 51 BCE Women urged to be self-sacrificing

Military PowerLarge standing army (300,000-1 mil)

Men between 20-56 were conscripted

Incessant battles with Xiongnu and other tribes along the Wall Forced open a corridor through Gansu to open

markets from the west

“Tributary System” Neighboring tributary group acknowledge Chinese

dominance and offer tribute to emperor

Economic PowerMilitary-agriculture colonies for military defense

and economic development Population in north declining and south increased

Immigration and natural growth along with flooding and wars

Earliest census taken in year 2 CE

Expansion of iron industry

Trade from the Gansu corridor Horses, silk

Began to nationalize industry under Emperor Wu

InterregnumThough no clear succession maintained under

the Han, it usually ran smoothly

In 1 BCE, Emperor Ping (8 years old) inherited the throne Regent, Wang Mang, appointed to run until Ping

died in 9 CE

Wang Mang continued to rule but alienated everyone Immense flooding of Yellow River, Xiongnu

invasion, rebellion of Han nobles, and revolt of Red Turbans brought down Wang Mang and reinstated the Han

Fall of HanLater Han dynasty did not have the old

strength Made alliances with barbarians

Led to sinicization of foreign peoples Moved capital south to Chang’an

Yellow Turban revolt led by Zhang Je broke out in 184 CE Triggered string of revolts

Four factions struggled for power Child emperor, bureaucrats, eunuchs, women of

the court

Last Han emperor, Xian abdicated in 220 CE

DisintegrationChina divided into three states after fall of Han (Wei, Wu,

and Shu) Briefly united under Jin (Chin) from 265-316 CE

Then China divided north and south by the Huai River Basin

Remained united culturally and ethically Assimilation characterized the north

Common cultured referred in “People of Han”

Most powerful of nomadic conquerors were most assimilated Northern Wei (Toba Wei) ruled from 386-534

Adopted Chinese bureaucracy, customs, and contributed their own administrative practices

Buddhism

Buddhism entered China from India during the Han dynasty Religion of compassion in midst of pain

Was opposed early by Confucian scholars and Daoists

Why accepted? Nomads began accepting the foreign religion Favored by the merchant class in India and spread to merchant

class in China Gained favor in regional courts and grew to millions of followers

Mixed Confucianism and Daoism bringing cultural innovations

Sui Dynasty Founded by Emperor Wen, a general from the north

Large, loyal standing army by raising status of militia Used crossbows and armor

Won popular loyalty by combining Confucian, Daoist, & Buddhist practice

Centralized authority with local power base Centralized legal code

Completed Grand Canal and rebuilt the capital Required labor of 5.5 million people with nearly 50,000 police Capital provided transportation of produce between north/south

Declined because of economic strain and military losses in Korea and Central Asia

Tang Dynasty Leading Sui General, Gaozu, established the Tang dynasty in 618

Extended China’s reign to Mongolia, Turkestan, central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran

Examination system for bureaucracy

Art and technology improvements First block printing Buddhist religious art Ceramics and porcelain Machinery and windmills Pharmacopoeia Poetry and meditation

Imperial China Within China, many tribal groups assimilated

Seen as mutually beneficial

Expanded to the west and northwest did not last long

In the south and southwest, many groups assimilated with the Chinese

Han dynasty conquered Annam (Vietnam) and incorporated it into China resulting in a love-hate relationship for years Adopted Confucian ideas and bureaucracy Adopted Mahayana Buddhism from China Revolts against Chinese customs

Trung sisters led revolt in 29 CE and evicted the Chinese, ruling for two years

Chinese Influence in KoreaAfter the fall of the Han in 220, Korea broke free

of direct Chinese control

Chinese hegemony influenced the Korean peninsula Adopted from early Chinese Shang Dynasty

Own written system called han’gul based on phonetics

Confucianism, law codes, administration, literature, art, and Mahayana Buddhism came to Korea via China

Capital of Kaesong modeled on Tang capital Chang’an

Chinese Influence in Japan Immigrants from China and Korea came to Japan between 200

BCE-500 CE

China never conquered Japan, but Japan accepted Chinese cultural hegemony Written language brought to Japan via Korean scribe Wani in

405 CE Japanese dynasty used Chinese characters, Confucianism

and Buddhism combined with Shinto Calendar, government, and “constitution” modeled from China

JapanPolitical infighting brought Fujiwara to power in 645

Adopted Chinese culture, religion, and government to unify Japan

Proclaimed Taika (great change) reforms in 646 Administration, roads, redistribution of land

Japanese ruler claimed divine right Cannot be revoked (unlike Mandate of Heaven)