China

Xia Dynasty

For a long time it was thought to be a myth, but it actually existed. We know nothing about them.

Shang Dynasty

1. First people to do Chinese Writing (used oracle bones)

2. Yin Yang

3. Social Classes

4. Fu Hao

5. Human sacrifice

Fu Hao

Woman who was an advisor

Her tomb is the Chinese version of Tut’s tomb.

Zhou Dynasty

1. Longest Chinese Dynasty

2. Mandate of Heaven and Dynastic Cycle

3. Feudalism

4. Mastered bronze and other metals

5. Introduced Coinage

Dynastic Cycle

1. New dynasty restores peace. People are happy, government is loyal

2. Aging Dynasty-Dynasty becomes corrupt and decline starts

3. A new dynasty claims Mandate of Heaven and cycle starts over

Mandate of Heaven

The Gods choose the king. Natural disasters mean the emperor has lost mandate.

Qin Shi Huangdi and the Qin Dynasty

1. First Emperor of China

2. Where China gets its name from

3. Introduced Legalism

4. Simplified/standardized coinage

5. New form of writing

6. Standardized language

7. Great wall.

8. Shi Huangdi’s tomb and terracotta warriors.

Western Han Dynasty Rulers

Liu Bang

Empress Wu

Han Wudi

Liu Bang

Started life as a commoner

Divided kingdom into multiple parts

Was a good ruler (Lowered taxes and stuff)

Married Empress Lu

Empress Lu

Gained power through puppet rulers

Killed anyone who might threaten her rule

Empire was relatively stable under her rule

Moved her family into office and Han family out

Han Wudi

1. Apex of Han Dynasty because China had the most territory ever

2. Passed a law that said every son gets a portion of their fathers land (very bad)

3. Didn’t like foreign trade and didn’t understand economics- Wanted government monopolies

Wang Mang

1. Usurped the throne

2. Tried to be both Confucianist and Legalist (It didn’t work)

3. There were terrible floods but Wang Mang responded to them correctly

4. Eventually people believed he lost the Mandate of Heaven and was killed

Eastern/Later Han Dynasty

Eunuchs seize power

1. Silk Road

2. Paper making (Cai Lun)

3. Introduced civil service exams

4. The name/ethnicity of Han (purebred Chinese)

Cai Lun

Created Paper

Sui Yangdi (only ruler in Sui Dynasty)

Built the Grand Canal

People hated him

Shotoku

Japanese Ruler who borrowed 3 things from China

1. Grid Layouts

2. Created a new constitution which had 17 principles from confucianists.

3. Buddhism

Tang Dynasty Rulers

Tang Taizong

Empress Wu Zetian

Xuanzong

Tang Taizong

Considered one of the greatest Emperors

Tolerant of all religions

Great listener

Married 14 year old Wu Zetian

Empress Wu Zetian

Liked Buddhism

Gained power through puppet rulers

Xuanzong

Apex of Tang dynasty

Ruled very well for first half then fell off

Had a hobby

Married Lady Wu and Lady Yang and used nepotism with their families

Lady Wu

Xuanzong’s concubine who requested he make Li-Linfu the chief advisor

Lady Yang

Xuanzongs concubine who brings her family into office (nepotism)

Song Dynasty

1. Period of peak Confucianism (Neo Confucianist Period)

2. Printing press created by Bi Sheng

3. Going into Vietnam and getting a new strain of rice which could be double cropped which lead to population growth

4. Gunpowder

5. Footbinding

6. Wang Anshi-Emperor and Reformer. Did great things for the people. Was forced to step down. They let him back but made him not be allowed to reform because it helped the poor and not the rich.

7. Gave up territory around the outskirts of China and Silk Road

Bi Sheng

Invented movable type printing

Wang Anshi

Song Emperor who was a reformer and did great things to help the people specifically the poor

The rich didn’t like him and made him stop reforming

Daoism

Nature is the way

Appeals to lower classes

Most important philosopher is Lao Zi

Lao Zi

Daoist philosopher who wrote the Laozi/Daodejing

Confucius

Was a middle class government official

Founder of Confucianism

Believed strict social structure in society is the order of heaven

Confucianism

Founded by Confucius

Strong social order

Appeals to upper classes

Filial Piety

All children bend to the will of their father

Mencius

Confucian philosopher after Confucius who reinforced the idea of the Mandate of Heaven

All rulers must be good rulers

Li Si

Created Legalism

believed men are corrupt and easily manipulated