Ancient Chinese Civ Midterm

Neolithic period

7000-1700 BCE, shift from nomadic lifestyles to settled agricultural communities

Present actors include: Yangshao, Longshan etc, argument of nuclear area of interactive spheres

Evidence of social stratification as late Neolithic period trend

Bronze Age

Defined by use of metals and associated with sharp social and economic stratification, rise of urban centers, occupational specialization

Key players: Shang, Western Zhou dynasties

Yangshao

Single culture of millet farmers in north china plains, thought to radiate outwards around 5000 BCE (according to the nuclear area theory)

Sanxingdui

Bronze Age site that found unique art styles etc, challenges nuclear area theory because proves other advanced civilizations existed simultaneously > interactive spheres

Oracle bones

Divinatory record of Shang kings inscribed on turtle shells, reveals ancestral worship central to state religion/politics/culture

Xia dynasty

First dynasty in ancient china (2070-1600 BCE), established by Yu the Great after bad Yellow River floods

Ended when people rebelled and supported Tang who founded Shang dynasty

Shang dynasty

Thought to emerge from Longshan around 1500 BCE, earliest evidence in Elliot’s

Evidence of occupational separation, large scale bronze production, ancestral worship, large army of labor conscripts, large scale human sacrifice

Zhou dynasty

Led by king Wu, defeated Shang armies 1045 BCE, seen as will of heaven via Mandate of Heaven

Last for 300 years before overthrow because king fails to keep other elites (most of which he knows personally) happy, cant do his duty

Warring States

475-221, roughly final centuries of Zhou, intense warfare and political fragmentation among rival regional states (Qin, Qi, Chu, Yan, Wei, Han, Zhao)

Many schools of thought also at play (Confucians, daoists, legalists, mohists)

Ends when Qin conquers to form first fully unified empire

Qin dynasty

First imperial dynasty of China, from fief of Zhou then prevailing state in warring states period

Successfully unified China in 221 BC (end of warring states period), puts in place first emperor of China Qin Shi Huang

Yi, Man, Rong, Di

Four barbarians (as called by Zhou and Han dynasties) = four major people groups that live outside of Huaxia

Yi - eastern

Man - southern

Rong - western

Di - northern

Han dynasty

Founded from civil war against Qin in 206 BCE

Common problem of Xiongnu, in early Western Han gave gifts to avoid fighting > Emperor Wu pushes back and expands into Central Asia

Fall due to eunuch coup, financial crisis, locust/floods, and then eventually Yellow Scarves rebellion official end in 220

Northern Wei

Fit’s conquest dynasty, Tuoba clan of Xianbei (OG from Manchuria)

Wanted to use Chinese statecraft to govern China, sinicized dynasty, encouraged intermarriage

Sui dynasty

577 Northern Zhou unite the north, power ends up with general Wen who declares Sui empire

First and second emperors focused on major public works

Fall around 611 - worsening relationships with Turks, peasant uprisings, flooding of yellow river, army rebellion (with help of Turks) establishes Tang

Tang empire

Implement meritocratic system, huge world influence (most territory in all of history)

Capital city Chang’an - cosmopolitan metropolis, foreign culture celebrated

Beginning in 8th struggle to control Northwest Territories, relying on Turks and other allies > generals gain regional power and rebellion changes Tang culture

Northern Song

960-1127, increased centralization and reconquest independent kingdoms after fall of Tang, brings lots of military leaders into army, impressive industrial innovation

When Jin takes over they move to the South

Sima Jin

dynasty during the 3 kingdoms era, founded by general oh Wei in 263, defeat Wu in 280, has western hold 265-316 and then eastern 317-420

After exiled to the south from Xiongnu invaders push to regain yellow river valley, court not passionate

Lose power and fall into the 16 kingdoms era

Southern Song

Huge innovations in manufacturing, agriculture, arts, culture

Bouncing back from population decline during Tang dynasty

Meritocratic symptom with examination system makes status based on connections, money, education (not birth)

Western Xi (Xi Xia) Tanguts

Northwest neighbors of the song, herdsman from western region that took land of Tibetans and uighurs

Founded empire in 1038, ruled over diverse empire, animal rearing and agriculture economy, claim to descended from Xia

Traded with Song frequently, adopted some Chinese traditions

Liao (Khitan)

Song neighbors to the northeast - OG nomadic cattle breeders, had paid tribute to the Tang

Took many payoffs from the Song, occasionally allies, mainly Buddhist

Dual state - distinct areas ruled iin Chinese vs Khitan styles, Chinese style cities welcoming Chinese refugees, Khitan resist total sinification

Jin (Jurchen)

Song neighbors to NE, forest dwellers from Manchuria, shamanistic religion, hunting, fishing

Helped song fight the khitans and then attacked Song and took capital (moving them to the south), took tribute from Song

Sinicized more than the Khitan, found traditional centralized Chinese government to be helpful for unification with Liao

The yellow emperor

Ancient sage king/mythological ancestor of the Han Chinese people

Credited with early inventions like compass, script, calendar

Confucius

Founder of Confucianism, sees himself as custodian of Zhou teachings

Focused on idea of being good person (junzi) and filial piety, humanness, righteousness, ritual propriety

People should cultivate themselves, play their role in society for the greater good

Mencius

Expands on Confucius, seems himself as a latter day disciple

Adamant that human nature is good, people are the most important

Focus on Xing- human nature, everyone begins with same capacity and you work on it to reach sagehood

Theory of the four sprouts: commiseration, shame, deference, innate sense of right and wrong

Xunzi

Beliefs humans lack base ethical inclination, require training, hard work, channeling to avoid chaos + strife

Another major player in Confucian school

Sees rules and rituals (li) as central to Confucianism

Sage - anyone can be with intense training

Emperor Qin Shihuang

First Qin emperor, adopts legalist measure - unifying script, standardize measurements, Great Wall of china

Called despotic megalomaniac, revisionist history called him unifier and modernizer

Upon death civil war breaks out > Han founded

Emperor Wu of Han

2nd emperor of Han, centralized and expansionist

Destroys autonomy of kingdoms, makes Confucian state

Aggressive military policy against Xiongnu, aggro Econ policy to redistribute wealth and raise funds for Xiongnu wars (monopolies on salt and iron)

Sima Qian

Historian with writing about the five kingdoms, 3 dynasties, into the present

Innovative in history writing because: new focus on biography, interest in unofficial history, shows figured in multiple places and perspectives (makes it hard to determine personally beliefs

Zhang Qian

Sent by Han to try and find allies to thwart the Xiongnu, visits Dayuan Fergura Basin, Daxia, Tocharians

“Discovers” the Silk Road opening trade routes

Yuezhi (Tocharians)

Herders like Xiongnu, language similar to Persian

Potentially blonde haired western Eurasians

Area acts as crossroads connecting central/east Asia, India peoples

Xiongnu

Nomadic group in northwest regions (Proto-Turkish or Mongolian), empire founded in 209 BCE (led by Modu Chanyu)

Raided Han borders, facilitated trade with Han and outside, indirectly trade with Roman Empire, see themselves as peers to the Han

Han pays them off to maintain peace with silk, rice, cash, princesses

Cao Cao

155-220, poet general in Han, kept emperor on throne but basically rules for him

Created lots of farms, job opportunities etc

When he dies son gets rid of last Han emperor and stats Wei dynasty

Yao, Shun, Yu

3 legendary Sage kings from golden age