Chinese Timeline to 220 C.E.

1. Chinese Timeline to 220 C.E. • Xia (c. 2200 - c. 1750 B.C.E.) • Shang (c. 1750 - c. 1027 B.C.E.) • Western Zhou (c. 1027 - 771 B.C.E.) • Eastern Zhou (771 - 256 B.C.E.) [Warring States Period (403 - 221 B.C.E.)] • Qin (221 - 206 B.C.E.) • Han (206 B.C.E. – 220 C.E.)

2. Xia (c. 2200 - c. 1750 B.C.E.) A legendary dynasty, a Neolithic (stone tool using) group Early agriculture (millet) and animal domestication occurred (pigs and chickens) The people lived in the Yellow River Valley :

3. Shang (c. 1750 - c. 1027 B.C.E.) Location: Began in the Yellow River Valley & expanded Politics: Shang kings ruled directly over the core area of their kingdom and indirectly over peripheral areas Military: Military campaigns against nomadic enemies Trade: Engaged in far-flung commerce—Mesopotamia? Religion: kings worshipped spirits of male ancestors, practiced divination and sacrifice, intermediaries between gods and humans Technology: bronze for weapons and ceremonial vessels—wealth and power shown through bronze Writing: Chinese language of today (pictoral characters) developed

4. Western Zhou (c. 1027 - 771 B.C.E.) • Eastern Zhou (771 - 256 B.C.E.) Politics: Zhou territory had been dependent of Shang, but defeated them, inventing the concept of “Mandate of Heaven” to justify their actions: the ruler must be right and just in his rule, or he no longer is in favor with the gods. Ended with Warring States Period. Religion: Priestly power faded and a separation of religion and government followed. Several important secular philosophies were able to develop: Legalism, Confucianism, Daoism (Eastern Zhou) Western Zhou: kingship was defined in moral terms (Mandate of Heaven) Eastern Zhou: decline in strength of central government as regional elites ruled their territories as independent states, often at war with each other. Philosophies developed. Technology (Eastern Zhou): long walls of defense, iron and steel, and horse riding Society: development of the 3-generation family, women subordinated by the concept of yin and yang

5. Qin (221 - 206 B.C.E.) (Ch’in) TheFirst Chinese Empire Politics: A short dynasty viewed in Chinese history as evil, is highly respected by the rest for its accomplishment: unifying China. The ruler, Shi Huangdi and his prime minister Li Si, location near agriculture, and ability to mobilize manpower for irrigation and flood-control strengthened central government. Government: Based on Legalist model, suppressed Confucianism, abolished slavery (taxes!) Economy: rural, based on free land-owning/tax-paying farmers, standardized weights and money Military: Peasants families were required to supply men for labor and service in military End: Forced labor, alienation of the landed aristocracy, and heavy taxation made people ready to revolt. After Shi Huangdi died, the dynasty ended shortly.

6. Han (206 B.C.E. – 220 C.E.) Capitals: Chang’an was the first capital city—an easily defended walled city; other cities at the time imitated it. Second capital at Luoyang. Emperor: supreme in state and society. Called the Son of Heaven, he was the link between heaven and earth. He was the source of law, but anything that went wrong could be interpreted that the emperor had misruled and lost the Mandate of Heaven. Government: Two chief officials, and local ones collected taxes, drafted men for labor and military service—most people had no contact with the central government Technology: still used iron and steel weapons, invented the crossbow, cavalry, watermill, and horse collar. They had a road system, courier system, and canals Trade: Long-distance commerce was important, especially silk and the Silk Road, which the Han sought to control by sending armies and colonists into Central Asia Decline: Expensive to defend borders, nobles gained land at expense of small families & became independent of gov’t control, military broke down and central gov’t had to rely on mercenaries. All of this led to official corruption, peasant uprisings, and nomadic attacks.