unit

History of China

overview

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Dynasty

Capital

Emperors

Cultural achievements

 other information

Longshan culture

(2000 – 1600 bce)

Perhaps Zhengzhou – near great bend of Huang He River

Five “emperors” – mythological culture heroes;

Including Yu – credited with controlling the waters
 

Walled settlements – larger than villages; bronze metallurgy,  silk manufacturing, specialized labor – artisans and , perhaps, officials

Various sites around Yellow River and across North China Plain from 5000 bce through Shang period

Shang

(2000 bce -  1050 bc)

Luoyang, then Zhengzhou, then Anyang – central Huang He River floodplain

Wheat, millet and rice agriculture; hunting; domesticated cattle, pigs and poultry; highly accurate calendar from advanced system of astrological observation; precise geographic surveys of agricultural holdings on annual basis, indicated annual flooding; cowrie shells used as currency; war chariots – cultural diffusion from central Asia; elaborate tombs – burial with possessions and people as sacrifice to serve in afterlife,; oracle bones inscribed in script close to classical Chinese; clear importance of ancestor worship; succession from brother to brother
 

Ended in great slave revolt which was joined by the Zhou people, a vassal state guarding the western border; Shang emperor had lost “mandate of heaven”

Zhou dynasty

(1050 - 221 bce)

Several cities around Chang’an (Xian), walled capitals with gates facing four cardinal points, major buildings oriented to the south

King Wen and King Wu -completed conquest of Shang; Duke of Zhou – praised by Confucious as model statesman, credited with establishing wise leadership and management

Continued bronze metallurgy; continued development of Chinese script, oracle bones use and ancestor worship continued; King began to use title, “Son of heaven” ruling by divine authority; writing with brush and ink on silk or bamboo strips; corpus of Chinese Classical literature composed; iron became available for agricultural tools – leading to wider use if irrigation techniques; population increase rises dramatically, food surpluses common; increased specialized labor – especially layers of government officials and soldiers; Yangzi River valley becomes center of transportation, commerce and trade; began use of round copper coins with square middle hole as currency
 

Confucius (551 – 479 bce) taught language, classics, and own philosophy of life and public order

Qin

( 221 – 202 bce)

Near Xian

Qin Shi Huang Di, buried in imperial mound tomb protected by thousands of terra cotta soldiers

Adopted Legalism as guiding philosophy, from writings of Han Fei Zi; in 221 King of Qin adopted title of emperor Qin Shi Huang Di; began system of administrative units managed by imperial magistrates, tax in form of crop share applied without regard to aristocratic privilege; currency, weights, measures, cart axel lengths, and scripts throughout empire aligned to Qin model by imperial decree; state system of roads and canals established; Great Wall decreed by Qin Shi Huang Di to link together earlier series of defensive structures along northern border; totalitarian state authority; intellectuals and dissidents persecuted; travel restricted; built series of river control projects to control flooding, especially along Huang He River
 

Poor, vassal state protecting western border, made virtues of meager lifestyle, hard work, personal and corporate discipline, agricultural based society, no literature, music, or theater

Han

(202 bce – 220 ce)

Chang’an (Xian) -Western capital); Luoyang -  Eastern capital

Liu Bang, founder of Han; Wu Di, expanded state control and trade

Han people still ethnic majority in China; established basis of geographic, political and cultural underpinnings which are still important in China today; Legalism moderated with Confucian philosophy; “ever normal granary system” established to control state collection and distribution of grain to lessen impact of periodic famine; Silk Road trade established; began system of examinations for civil service position, based on education in Confucian classics and philosophy; paper making began in first century ce; porcelain (china) production; water-powered mills; watertight, multi-mast ships; magnetic compass; steel making metallurgy; suspension bridge technology; crop rotation, use of fertilizer, and introduction of soy beans  led to rising agricultural output and population increase; vast changes in landscape, flora and fauna due to human intervention; Buddhism introduced slowly from India through central Asia via cultural diffusion
 

Tang

(618 – 960 ce)

Chang’an (Xian) and Louyang, both rebuilt in magnificence and liked by Huang He River transportation

Li Shimin founded dynasty, taking title Tai Zong (Great Ancestor); Gao Zong (High Ancestor); Empress Wu; Xuan Zong (Mysterious Ancestor)

Army featured cavalry armed with crossbows, lances and swords; revenue system featured land tax and imperial monopoly on salt, tea and liquor; land tax based on area rather than individual – landlord system lasted until Communist era; civil servant system based on education in Confucian classics and individual merit; rebuilt Qin and Han road/canal system adding stations for rest and changing horses every 10 miles; printing from wood blocks by 700 ce and moveable type printing by 1030 ce; height of Buddhist cultural influence in China; tea drinking as a medicinal and meditational aid becomes established; classic Chinese poetry, especially works of Li Bo (701 – 770 ce)

(960 – 1355 ce)

(1368 – 1644 ce)

(1661 – 1911 ce)

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