Not my “Song”
• Shang,1700 BCE- 1027 BCE
• Zhou, 1027-221 BCE
• Qin, 221-207 BCE
• Han, 206 BCE-220 CE
• Sui, 581-618
• Tang, 618-907
• Song, 960-1279
• Yuan ,1271-1368
• Ming, 1368-1644
• Qing, 1644-1911
• Republic, 1911- 1949
• Mao, 1949-1976
• Deng, c1981-1997
• (Hu?), 2002-2012
Shang Dynasty
Only Shang forces could have bronze;
others who tried would be killed.
Social issues:
Patriarchy
Male ancestor spirits believed to help or hurt the family
Oracle bones and divination
Zhou Rule
• Mandate of Heaven and Dynastic Circle
• Challenge of Governing
• Two Capitals
• Feudalism
• Cities, trade and coins, iron
metalworking, farm improvements
• Period of warring states
• 402-221 B.C.E.
Philosophic Responses to Zhou Warring States
Daoism
1. People are good 2. Universe has an
order,
accommodate to it 3. Nature and calm…
do not impose yourself
4. Work for harmony
Confucianism
1. People are good 2. Universe has an
order, memorize and obey the rules 3. Filial piety and the
Five Key
Relationships: learn
and follow your role
4. Work for harmony
Daoist Medicine:
Chi/Qi
• Immortality through herbal and physical (tai chi)
• Fengshi
– Immortality through herbal
– Anaesthetic wine and acupuncture
• Huang Ti Nei Cheng
– Qi (life energy) and Meridians – Organs
– Pulses
– Limited surgery
Daoist Architecture
• Align with nature,
conform to contours, quiet and beautiful
• Long and low buildings
• Balance through
symmetry
Qin Shi Huangdi: Actions in China
• Standardization of
weights, measurements, coinage, writing
• Legalist gov’t., harsh punishments
• Enslavement and destruction of
Confucianists
• Construction of Great Wall
(eunuch slaves, Huns)
Han Dynasty
• Crossbow, watermill, horse collar, paper, silk
• Peasant Daoism
• State Confucianism
chosen by Han Liu Bang
– Compassion and respect for free peasants
– Roles and ceremonies
– Bureaucracy
I. Decline of the Han Dynasty
A. Wu Di
• Military expansion south and north
• Bribed other nomads to help get rid of Xiongnu Huns : very expensive
B. Succession issue leads to power struggles
between eunuchs and powerful noble families
• Nobles do not pay taxes, poor have to pay more
• Confucian Regent Wang Meng takes power for the poor but fails
• Daoist Yellow Turbans lead uprising for equality
• High tax burdens lead to more uprisings and
collapse
Sui Dynasty, 581-618
• Chang’an
• Land redistribution
• Coinage and military
• Construction of Grand Canal
Continuities and Changes, Tang
• Confucianism but with local scholar official gentry
• Use Mahayana Buddhist concept of
“boddhisattva” in addition to Mandate of
Heaven and Confucian filial rituals
Continuities and Changes, Tang
• Tributary system like Han restored
• Nomadic attacks but Battle of Talas River against Abbasids in 751 a loss…
• China turned to sea trade instead of overland
• Islam spread throughout central Asia
• The art of paper spread from China to the Dar
al’Islam
Buddhism in the Tang and Sung Dynasties
• Initial popularity
• Support of Tang
• Effects on social conditions
• Monks and nuns
• Women (particularly Wu Zhao)
• Backlash
• Tax-free lands
• Women and power
• Family breakdown
Hangzhou
• Southern end of Grand Canal
• Becomes capital of Southern Song after nomads take the north
• Poet governors create water systems with causeways
• Largest city of 1100s-
1300s, with refugees and
Muslim populations
Daoist Art
Daoist Art
The Song The Song 960-1279 960-1279
•Population
doubles during Tang and Song Dynasties to 100 million
•China becomes
most populous
country in the
world due to
Champa rice
Technological Innovation: Song Technological Innovation: Song
(960-1279) (960-1279)
Science: mathematics, astronomy, Science: mathematics, astronomy, calendar
calendar
Lifestyle technology: clocks, Lifestyle technology: clocks,
compass, junks (rudder, bulkheads), compass, junks (rudder, bulkheads),
iron and steel, gunpowder
iron and steel, gunpowder
Economic and Social Economic and Social
Innovation: Song Innovation: Song
Flying money: Credit Flying money: Credit
Paper money but inflation Paper money but inflation
Merchant class (Confucian Merchant class (Confucian ambivalence)
ambivalence)
Yuan Empire Yuan Empire
(China) (China)
Relative gender equality, racial Relative gender equality, racial hierarchy (Mongols on top)
hierarchy (Mongols on top)
Confucianism de-emphasized, use Confucianism de-emphasized, use of Muslim diwan instead, forced of Muslim diwan instead, forced experts from other areas
experts from other areas
Trade increase, corporations, Trade increase, corporations, cities of merchants
cities of merchants
Astronomy (Persian Astronomy (Persian
observatories), algebra, observatories), algebra, medicine, seeds, Persian medicine, seeds, Persian opthamology
opthamology
Overtaxation and population Overtaxation and population
decline (40%): plague, flight to decline (40%): plague, flight to SE Asia, Huang He flooding
SE Asia, Huang He flooding
Ming Dynasty Ming Dynasty
Capital at Beijing Capital at Beijing
Zheng He’s “treasure ships”, Zheng He’s “treasure ships”, but Japanese piracy and
but Japanese piracy and Mongol pressure
Mongol pressure
State Confucianism damaged State Confucianism damaged merchant activity
merchant activity
Population growth massive Population growth massive
Neoconfucianism and the arts… Neoconfucianism and the arts…
Silver inflation Silver inflation
1644: The End (and Beginning)
Rebels bring down Beijing, Ming general tries to work with
Manchu
Manchu establish Qing Dynasty
The Queue Order:
keep your hair and
lose your head
Kangxi
Encourages foreign trade and fixes
infrastructure Moves to block
Russian expansion
Wipes out Mongol
threat
Kangxi
Confucian rites publicly performed
Involvement in Jesuit conflict to make just one message
Control trade and limit piracy: Canton system
One contact
Heavy control
Beginnings of Beginnings of
Imperialism in China Imperialism in China
◦
Canton system of Canton system of the Qing
the Qing
◦
Population growth Population growth and ethnic/religious and ethnic/religious
tension tension
◦
The Opium Wars of The Opium Wars of 1839-42
1839-42
Opium trade Opium trade continues
continues
Extraterritoriality Extraterritoriality
Hong Kong Hong Kong
Hong Kong and Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Shanghai Banking Corporation
Corporation
Spheres of Spheres of Influence Influence
“ “ Coolie” Coolie”
immigration immigration
US, Cuba, Peru, US, Cuba, Peru, Australia
Australia
1882 Chinese 1882 Chinese
Exclusion Act, 1901 Exclusion Act, 1901 White Australia
White Australia Policy
Policy
Self- Self-
strengthening strengthening
(westernization) (westernization)
Military phaseMilitary phase
Economic phaseEconomic phase
Conservative Neo-Conservative Neo- Confucianists vs.
Confucianists vs.
“Progressives”
“Progressives”
Resistance and Resistance and Transformation Transformation
◦
Taiping Rebellion: Hong Taiping Rebellion: Hong Xiuquan forms Christian Xiuquan forms Christian minority peasant armies minority peasant armies with female equality and with female equality and
emphasis on purity, emphasis on purity,
creates huge losses of creates huge losses of life life
◦
Empress Cixi blocks Empress Cixi blocks reforms
reforms
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