Copyright Daniel Nissim 2006

Axial Age and Synthesis in China Review

Terms: Zhou Dynasty: Ruling the middle kingdom (China) from the 12th-3rd century B.C.E. It gave territorial control to feudal lords who in turn, paid taxes and loyalty to the Zhou. Era of Warring States: 441-221 B.C.E. Feudal lords fight amongst each other for territory and power. Zhou control is non-existent. Ethics of war are broken and new rules are less-gentlemen like. The Art of War: A guide, written in the middle of the 5th century B.C.E., on how one can carry a successful war campaign. Sun Tzu, its author, suggest alternatives to fighting and how one can win war without warfare. Sun Tzu: Author of The Art of War Confucius: Born in 551 B.C. to a poor family, he was a scholar who held many ideas on how the government should be run and how people should interact. The 5 Relationships: 1) Ruler and subject, 2) Father and son, 3) Husband and wife, 4) Older brother and younger brother, and 5) Friend and friend. Filial Piety: Children’s respect for their parents and elders. The Analects: Collecting writings of Confucius’ teachings recorded by his students. Mencius: One of Confucius’ disciples who spread his ideas. Bureaucracy: a trained civil service; those who run the government. Laozi: Founder of Dasoism, he wrote a book called Dao De Ching (The Way of Virtue). It was legend that he was held in his mother’s womb for 62 years and came out with a head of white hair. It is believed that he was born some time in the sixth century B.C. Dao De Ching: The Way of Virtue, written by Laozi. It describes how the universal force of Dao (“the Way”) guides all things. Dao: universal force that guides all things; “the Way” I Ching: A book of oracles that people used to answer ethical or practical problems. The reader would throw a set of coins, determine the results, and then read the corresponding oracle; “The Book of Changes” Yin: represents the feminine qualities in the universe. Yang: represents the masculine qualities in the universe. Legalism: Government should use laws to end civil disorder. Hanfeizi and Li Si: Two founders of Legalism. Qin Dynasty: Erected in the third century B.C., its first ruler was Shi Huangdi followed by his son. It was overthrown by Han peasants in 202 B.C.

Copyright Daniel Nissim 2006

Shi Huangdi: “First Emperor” ; Assumed command at the age of 13, he was the first, and strongest emperor of the Qin Dynasty. He set forth projects such as a new road system and the Great Wall of China. “Strenghtening the trunk and weakening the branches”: All the noble families were brought to the capital while Shi Huangdi seized the land and divided it into 36 administrative districts. He sent officials of the Qin Dynasty to govern these districts. Autocracy: a government in which the ruler has unlimited power and uses it in an arbitrary manner. Great Wall: Spanning 1,400 miles, it forced invaders to go halfway through Tibet to enter China. Shi Huangdi forced labor open the people to construct the wall or they would die. Ch’angan: Capital of the Han Dynasty under Liu Bang. Liu Bang: First emperor of the Han Dynasty ruling from 202 B.C.-195 B.C. when he died. “The People of Han”: how the Chinese referred to themselves under the rule of the Han. Han Synthesis: A combination of Confucian, Taoist, and Legalist philosophies to create a rule where China could be united under a fair rule. 6 Ministries: Appointments (fill government positions), revenue (tax collection), ceremonies (facilitate and supervise all public outings), punishments, war, and public works (supervising of irrigation project and maintenance of defensive wall and the canals).

Breakdown Nomadic

Invasions Settlement and Chaos

Axial Age (Order)

Synthesis

Yellow River Shang Dynasty

-Zhou (not really nomads) -Mandate of Heaven -Feudalism

-Era of Warring States -Breakdown of Zhou Dynasty

-Confucianism -Daoism -Legalism (Qin Dynasty)

HAN DYNASTY

Human

Nature If good, how corrupted? If evil, how controlled?

Methods/Means to Goal

Role of Leader and Government

Relationship between Individual and Society

Legalism Hanfeizi Li Si

Evil Control- -Harsh laws -Rewards/ punishments

Fa- Laws- rewards/ punishments Shih- Power- Strong Central

Leader- all powerful (autocracy) -Rule by force

Society (Gov.) > Individual- Must Obey

Copyright Daniel Nissim 2006

-Strong Gov.

Government Shu- Methods- spies, ministers, etc.

-Gov. says right and wrong Splinter

Confucianism Analects

Good (except nomads) Corrupted by -Greed -Selfishness -Power -Poor morals

Perfection -Ren and Li -Be a chunzi -Family -Filial Piety -5 relationships

Rule by moral example, not force, laws (nomads) -Early Zhou (Chunzi) Phoenix

Family (Society) > Individual

Daoism Lao Tzu’s Dao De Ching

Good Corrupted by -Action -Imbalance -Not in nature -Not in lower path -Greed -Selfishness -Power -Poor Morals

Dao -Harmany with nature -Balance- yin/yang -Wu Wei -Lower Path

Passive -Leave people alone -Best gov. is no or very little gov.

Individual > Society

Confucianism Foudner- Confucius (Kung Fu Tzu)/ Mencius Texts- Analects Ren/Jen- Appropriate feelings, thoughts attitudes (virtues, compassion, modesty) Li- Appropriate actions (manners, ceremonies) Status was determined by: Gender, education, age, birth order, not wealth Scholars Farmers Artisans Merchants 5 Basic Relationships

1. Ruler and Subject 2. Fater and Son 3. Husband and Wife 4. Older brother and Younger brother 5. Friend and friend

Filial Piety- respect for parents/elders • Parents provide, teach Li and Ren • Kids- respect, provide in old age, repay • Family basis of society

Chun-Tzu- Ideal Leader

Superior vs. Inferior

Copyright Daniel Nissim 2006

• Modeled after early Zhou Leaders • By education, not birth (Social Mobility)

Leaders should rule by: moral example. Not force, not laws. Daoism (Taoism) Founder- Laozi (Lao Tzu) Texts- Dao De Ching Dao- “the Way” The Way (Monism)- Universal force

• Moral path that humans should follow Harmony- Goal: man and nature Interdependent Yin-Yang

• Yin- Feminine: earth, dark • Yang- Masculine: heaven, light • Harmony of Opposites (A little Yin in Yang and a little Yang in Yin)

Wu Wei- action by non-action do nothing (glass of muddy water) relax and let problems solve themselves Legalism Founders- Li Si and Hanfeizi Fa- Law- Bring order/harmony

• Need laws because people are bad • Virtue, morals, rituals not enough • System of Punishment/System of Rewards

Shih- Power • Strong, centralized government • People will obey out of fear

Shu- Methods in Art of Government • Appoint ministers • Spies • Put down threat revolts with FORCE

How a government based on Legalism would operate • 1 ruler- act like a dictator (autocracy) • Strict Laws • Punish/Reward • Taxes, forced labor

Splinter

Focus- war- defense Farming

Copyright Daniel Nissim 2006

• Put down revolts Shi Huangdi and Qin

Strengths Weaknesses -Unifies China -Stops fighting -Great Wall of China -Peace and trade -Standardized money, measurements, weights, roads -Divides Empire into 36 districts -Spies -“Strengthening trunk, weakening branches”

-Forced labor -Burned Confucian books -Killed Confucian scholars -Harsh Punishments

Philosophy Problems trying

to solve Solution Who would be

attracted? Confucianism -Chaos, war,

violence, poor leaders, decline in morals

-Moral Example (Ren, Li, 5 relationships, Filial Piety -Family works Society Works

-Peasants, scholars -NOT nobles, warriors

Daoism -War, violence, poor leaders (lords)

-Get in harmony -Seek lower path -Look within find Dao -Float with Dao

-Peasants (Importance of nature/lower path) -NOT nobles, soldiers, merchants

Legalism -Era of Warring States: war, chaos, corruption

-Strong Central Government -Force, laws, fear, punishments

-Rulers and Soldiers -Shi Huangdi (First Emperor)

Copyright Daniel Nissim 2006

What ideas were taken from Legalism? (Government)

What ideas were taken from Confucianism? (Values)

What ideas were taken from Daoism? (Culture)

Government -18 provinces -6 ministries -Revenue (taxes) -Ceremonies -Punishments -War -Public Works -Appointments Economy -Standardized -Coins, weights, axles, writing, roads Communications -Roads -Canals -Writing

Emperor- power, loving father -rule by moral example -rule justly -delegate power Family- base of society: filial piety, 5 relationships, ren and li, ancestor worship Laws and military are only for nomads (non-chinese) Social Structure -Scholars: Government -Peasants (farmers) -Artisans -Merchants -Soldiers Social Mobility -Examination System

Practice Daosim on weekends -relax, harmony, Dao, Wu Wei, nature Reverence for nature influences art Warfare -Only use military for defense -Don’t use force on your own people

Han Synthesis

Lasted 400 years

Copyright Daniel Nissim 2006

Copyright Daniel Nissim 2006