World History

Chapter ThreeSection Five

China

• Zheng - First emperor “Shi Huangdi” and founder of the Qin Dynasty

• Overthrew feudal lords and the Zhou empire• Brutal ruler but laid the groundwork for

China’s classical age in which advances in government, philosophy, religion, and science occurred

Unified China

• Zheng was determined to unite China and spent twenty years defeating all who opposed him

• Centralized power of Empire• Used Legalist advisors who were taught from the

teachings of Hanfeizi – “the nature of man is evil. His goodness is acquired”

• Greed is the motive for most conflicts• Only way to have order was to have strict laws

and harsh punishments

Legalists

• The ruler alone possess power, wielding it like lightning or thunder.

• Many feudal lords saw this as the best way to keep order

• Established legalism as the official policy of the Qin empire

• He tortured, killed, and enslaved opposition• Feudal nobles and Confucian scholars were hit

the hardest

Legalism

• Burned books to destroy all other writings other than agriculture and medicine

• Because of this later generations hated Legalism for what it did

• Abolished feudalism – replaced them with 36 military states with loyal men appointed leaders

• Gave land of nobles to peasants• Peasants had to pay high taxes to pay for new

government• Standardized weights, uniform money, uniform writing

Great Wall

• Constructed in the Qin dynasty• Joined individual walls that were built to keep

out of invaders• Hundreds of thousands of workers• Twenty-five feet high and road on top• Rebuilt over the centuries until it reached for

thousands of miles – did not keep out invaders – did show how able China was

• Great Wall became symbol to Chinese

Collapse of Qin

• Shi Huangdi (Zheng) – died in 210 B.C.• Anger over heavy taxes, forced labor, cruel

policies resulted in revolts• Officially collapsed in 206 B.C. when Gao Zu

defeated armies and created the Han dynasty

Han Dynasty

• Gao Zu – restored order and justice• Lowered taxes and eased Legalist policies• Appointed Confucian scholars as advisors• Dynasty lasted for a little over four-hundred

years

Han Dynasty

• Wudi – most famous Han emperor• Strengthened the government and economy• Chose Confucian scholars as officials• Set up a university at Xian• Improved canals and roads• Created a government monopoly on salt and iron• Monopoly – complete control of a product or

business by a group or person

Han

• The sale of salt and iron gave government more income, instead of just taxing the peasants

• Wudi was an expansionist – expanded countries territory

• Fought many battles to expand borders and drove nomads beyond Great Wall

Silk Road

• Network of trade routes – known as the Silk Road

• Linked China and the West for centuries• Stretched for 4,000 miles, connecting China to

the Fertile Crescent• Trade controlled by other people who

controlled the area, including the Persians

Civil Servants

• Han emperors used the idea of civil servants or officials in the government

• Believed that officials should win their job by merit, not by family connections

• Start out in clerical job, then move up once he proved himself

• Civil service put men of Confucius teaching into positions until 1912

Han Overthrown

• Emperors could not control local warlords• Let canals and roads fall into disrepair• Burdened people with heavy taxes• Peasants revolted because of this• Fled villages and joined bandit groups such as

“Red Eyebrows” and the “Green Woodsmen”• Warlords overthrew Han in 220 A.D.

Achievements of Han

• Scientists wrote books on chemistry, zoology, botany

• Astronomers mapped stars, which let them have a more accurate calendar and better time keeping devices

• Invented a seismograph for earthquakes• Doctors diagnosed diseases, anesthetics,

acupuncture – needles inserted to relieve pain

Technology

• Han China was the most advanced civilization in its time

• Paper out of wood pulp• Invented a rudder for a ship to steer• Bronze and iron stirrups, fishing reels,

wheelbarrows, suspension bridges

Arts• Cities had temples and palaces• Wooden buildings have long since gone but they have

been described by historians and poets of the Han• Artisans produced jade and ivory carvings, as well as

ceramic figures• Bronze and silk workers perfected their crafts and

created high standards for future generations• Lessons for Women – by Ban Zhao – spells out proper

behavior for women and men.• Equal education for boys and girls but girls should be

obedient, respectful and submissive