chapter 5

Three Sage Kings

Laid Foundations of chinese society

Yao- Modest, sincere, respectful. Brought harmony to china

Shun - Ordered seasons, instituted weights, measures, and units of time

Yu - Stopped the yellow river from flooding and destroying rice and millet

Humans in east asia? Agriculture? Cities? Millet (from where?))

800, 000 bc, 7000 bc (rice), 5000 BC, 2000 BC (mesopotamia)

Where did villages and towns flourish

Yellow and yangtze rivers

First dynasties? Importance?

Xia, Shang, Zhou

Heriditary

Laid politcal foundation for development of distinctive chinese culture

Yellow river (characteristics?)

Filled with loess soil, periodically floods, called "China's sorrow"

Geography of china that supports society

Lots of rainfall (no need for complex irrigation), Loess soil is extremely fertile, (large harvests with wooden tools)

Yangshao Society

Northern china after 5000 BC, City of banpo. Had fine pottery and bone tools.

Xia dynasty

Began about 2200 BC, Established precedent for hereditary monarchial rule. Founded by king Yu

Encouraged cities and bronze (for administration and weaponry)

The Shang Dynasty

Engulfed Xia, left written records and material remains.

1766 - 1122

Occupied large part of northeastern china. Claimed agricultural surplus to maintain military might and allies

Bronze metallurgy

Key feature of shang dynasty.

Came from southwest asia with early indo europeans.

Present in xia, but eventually controlled by shang because they monopolized copper and tin.

Shangs expanded weapons production by employing government craftsmen

Allowed them to spread influence throughout yellow river valley

Chariots

Key feature of shang dynasty, Came with indo europeans from southwest asia.

combined with bronze, allowed shang to spread influence through yellow river valley

Shang Politcal organization

Relied on many allies, like xia

Web of separate towns whose rulers recognized shang authority.

Recruited advisors, ministers, craftsmen and metal smiths who helped spread influence in exchange for agricultural surplus

Shang capital 1

Ao

Had high city wall made of pounded dirt. Still survives.

Wall required 10,000 laborers working 20 years.

Shang capital 2

Yin

Contained palaces, archives, bronze foundries, residential neighborhoods, workshops, and scattered burial grounds.

Shang tombs

For kings

Included thousands of objects and sacrificed animals and humans. Meant to join deceased king in death

Tomb of Wu Hao

One wife of shang king Wu Ding

Escaped robbery

Bronze objects, Weighing about 1600 pounds. Jade carvings, bone carvings, ivory, pottery, shells. 6 dogs. 16 humans.

Importance: shows massive resources available to royal court

Were there other chinese dynasties at this time

Yes, history focuses on the ones in the yellow river valley because it is where the most powerful dynasties arose later. However, there were many dynasties equal in power to and contemperaneous with the shang.

Zhou dynasty

First dynasty to have legal codes and structure preserved.

Ruled by proclamation (instead of law code)

Allied with shang to fight nomads, but eclipsed and engulfed because they organized allies better.

1122-256

invaded by nomads 771 who overwhelmed capital (bad king, subordinates turn)

By 5th century territories ignore central govt, build own states.

256 last king abdicates under pressure from qin

Rise of zhou

shang and zhou fight in 12th century.

Zhou claims that shang ruler is corrupt. Towns transfer loyalties to Zhou.

Zhou seizes capital after trying to discipline king.

Mandate of heaven

Influenced china for long time

Justifies overtaking shang.

Heavenly powers grant the right to rule to a "son of heaven"

Ruler is link between heaven and earth, and thus has responsibilites.

If son of heaven fails duties, chaos erupts and mandate transfers.

invoked until 1900s

Zhou political organization

Because of size, zhou rulers entrust power to subordinates, who in turn pledge allegiance, tribute and military support to central govt

Oftentimes rulers were related to subordinates

Subordinates eventually established their own base of power. Set up organization, taxes and army. Made law codes. Started to ignore milatary obligations and allegiance as they became more independent. Sometimes turned against dynasty to build regional pwer

Iron Mettalurgy

First millenium BCE - made bronze obsolete.

Zhou kings unable to control access - Greater autonomy to subordinates