China

Daoism

Daoism

• The way things should go if not disrupted by the perverse actions of man

• Founded by Lao Zi

  • Withdrew from the distractions of the world by going off in to the mountains on a water buffalo

• Mystical, magical, philosophical, monastic

• Follows The Three Jewels

  • Compassion

  • Moderation

  • Humility

Buddhism

• Originates in India

• More related to Hindu culture than to traditional Chinese thinking

• Accepts reincarnation

• Dharma and karma

• Four Noble Truths

  • Suffering is universal

  • The cause of suffering is desire

  • To end suffering, one must crush desire

  • Follow the Eighth Fold Path

Legalism

• Arose in opposition to Confucian thought

• Founded by Shi Huang Di

• Characteristics

  • Realistic

  • Harsh

  • Structured

• People are bad

Confucianism

• Stresses living in the world appropriately, rather than withdrawing from it

• Founded by Confucius

  • Teacher and scholar

• Credited with composing five books, became the standard for Chinese education

  • History, Poetry, Rites, Changes (numerology), and Spring & Autumn

Yin and Yang

• Ancient Chinese thinking

• Appreciation of the natural cycle of the earth and the idea of harmony and order

• Opposites, balance

• Adopted by Daoists

• Yang

  • Active, warm, dry

  • Hot

• Yin

  • Lower

  • Sower

  • Cold

Qing Dynasty

• The last imperial dynasty of China

• 1644-1912

• Manchurian rule

• Overthrown

• Extreme isolation

Footbining

• The practice of binding a women’s foot to prevent growth

• Cultural beauty

• Used for daughters of wealthy families in order to marry well

Opium Wars

• Britain began trading opium in China

• Many Chinese people became addicted to opium

• China banned Britain from trading opium

• Britain refused and went to war with China, forcing China to accept the opium

• Britain defeated China and China was forced to accept opium trade

• China was forced to sign “unequal treaties” and had many of their ports/land divided between foreign nation

• Resulted in many rebellions against the British presence

Taiping Rebellion

• Civil War

• 1850-1864

• Revolt against the Qing Dynasty

• Fought against both religious and economic conditions

• Taiping Heavenly Kingdom vs Manchu-led dynasty

• Taipings were defeated

Boxer Rebellion

• Gang group who assaulted foreigners in China

• Angry with foreign influence

• Crushed by Japan and Europeans

Film: The Last Emperor

• Follows the life of last Qing Emperor: Puyi

• Lived in The Forbidden City, hidden away from the war

• Was deceived by the Japanese

• Led into a reeducation camp

• Became a gardener after release

Mao Zedong

• Chinese Warlord

• Led the Communist party

  • Offered freedom for peasants and women

  • Nationalists “allowed" foreigners to dominate China

• First Reforms

  • Re-distributed land, killed many landlords

  • Women = Men

  • Controlled all intellectual life

  • Socialized Agriculture (communes)

• 100 Flowers to Bloom

  • No one could insult the Communist party

• Anti-Rightest Campaign

  • Silenced all complaints

Sun Yat-Sen

• Chinese hero

• Led Chinese Revolution

• Defeated outside powers

• Three goals

  • End foreign domination

  • Form a representative government

  • Create economic security for China

Chiang Kai Shek

• Chinese politician, revolutionary, and military leader

• Part of Kuomingtan

• Head of Nationalist government in China

• Fled to Taiwan, built the nation

Long March

• 1934

• Communists had suffered loss against the Nationalists, fled to a different location

• Most of the men died and was considered a major defeat

Great Leap Forward

• 5 year plan to increase agriculture and industry

• Communes

• Failed due to poor quality of products, weather, and agriculture

• Resulted in starvation: 30 million died in 3 years; led to cannibalism

Cultural Revolution

• Against old thoughts, old cultures, old customs, old habits

• To rebel is good

• Schools shut down for 10 years

• Red Guards

• 1.5 million died

• Mao developed a cult of personality

Red Guard

• Worshipped Mao

• Students who attacked professors, government officials, factory managers

• Attacked those who were “higher intellectually”

Deng Xiaoping

• De-Maonization

• Opened up foreign investments and technology

• Turned China into one of the world’s fastest-growing economies

• Economic Decisions

  • Special Economic Zones

    • Foreign investments that were free from government intervention

    • Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Xiamen

Tiananmen Square

• 1989

• College students began demanding more political rights

• Protestors gathered in Tiananmen Square

• June 4: Chinese military opened fire and killed/arrested anyone in the square

• Tank Man

• Made it clear that China will not allow democracy or individual rights

SEZ/Contract Responsibility System

• Replaced communes

• Did not restore private ownership of land

• Government controlled land

Xi Jingping

• Current President of China

• Dictator

• Will stay President until death/resign

Tibet

• Internationally recognized as part of China

• Independent jurisdiction

• CCP encourages citizens to move into Tibet

• Genocide

• Many monks have fled to India, including the Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama

• Spiritual leader of Tibet

• Lives in India as a refugee

• Will choose not to reincarnate due to the situation with the Panchen Lama

Uyghurs

• Ethnic Chinese minority

• Sent to concentration camps

• Forced to give up Islam

• Genocide

Population Issues

• One-Child Policy

  • Reduced the population

• China now needs to create a larger population again