Qin Dynasty China 221 BC-205 BC The First Real Empire

Qin Dynasty ChinaQin Dynasty China

221 BC-205 BC221 BC-205 BC

The First Real The First Real EmpireEmpire

Zhou to Qin:Zhou to Qin: Warring Warring StatesStates

Disorder or loose government of Later Zhou Disorder or loose government of Later Zhou devolves into “Warring States Period”devolves into “Warring States Period”

Autonomous smaller regions emerge as Autonomous smaller regions emerge as largely independent nationslargely independent nations

Periodic war ensuesPeriodic war ensues One among the several emerges to One among the several emerges to

establish a new, far more centralized establish a new, far more centralized dynastydynasty

Qin Dynasty emerges as the first Chinese Qin Dynasty emerges as the first Chinese “Empire” 221 BC (pronounced “chin”)“Empire” 221 BC (pronounced “chin”)

Qin Shi Huang Di Qin Shi Huang Di

Unifies China by Unifies China by brute forcebrute force

Adopts Legalism as Adopts Legalism as official governing official governing ideologyideology

Rules with Rules with ruthless, iron fistruthless, iron fist

Qin Dynasty and Qin Dynasty and LegalismLegalism

Legalism as promoted by Legalism as promoted by Han Fei Zi: 233 BCHan Fei Zi: 233 BCHumans are selfish and evil; Humans are selfish and evil;

can not be reformedcan not be reformedRuler must establish rule of Ruler must establish rule of

lawlawRuler must rule with force and Ruler must rule with force and

violenceviolenceConfucian doctrine is Confucian doctrine is

misguided and corruptingmisguided and corrupting

Qin Dynasty:Qin Dynasty:Qin Shi Huang DiQin Shi Huang DiRejects Confucian Rejects Confucian

Governance RulesGovernance Rules

Orders Slaughter of Orders Slaughter of 400 Scholars400 Scholars

Orders ALL Confucian Orders ALL Confucian Documents/Books Documents/Books BurnedBurned

Qin DynastyQin DynastyCaptures and Captures and

unifies much of unifies much of ChinaChina

Builds Builds firstfirst Great Great WallWall

Builds Canal Builds Canal SystemSystem

Qin Dynasty:Qin Dynasty:Qin Shi Huang DiQin Shi Huang DiBuilds Great TombBuilds Great TombTerracotta Warriors – 8000 + and still Terracotta Warriors – 8000 + and still

countingcounting

Qin Dynasty: Brutality Qin Dynasty: Brutality PaysPays

(but only for a while)(but only for a while)Brutality of Legalist Governance alienates:Brutality of Legalist Governance alienates:GentryGentry

Not recognized as importantNot recognized as importantTraditional privileges strippedTraditional privileges stripped

ScholarsScholarsConfucian knowledge and skills distainedConfucian knowledge and skills distainedMany scholars slaughteredMany scholars slaughtered

CommonersCommonersBrutal, forced labor and harsh law Brutal, forced labor and harsh law enforcementenforcement

Qin Dynasty: Qin Dynasty: ProblemsProblems

Legalism Provides no Legitimating MythLegalism Provides no Legitimating MythNo Mandate of Heaven ClaimNo Mandate of Heaven Claim

Legalism = rule of law --- but by forceLegalism = rule of law --- but by force

Force as a source of Power???Force as a source of Power???Generates HostilityGenerates HostilityRequires vigilant monitoringRequires vigilant monitoringInevitably creates the revolution that Inevitably creates the revolution that destroys itdestroys it

Qin Dynasty: Collapse Qin Dynasty: Collapse 205 BC205 BC

First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang Di, DiesFirst Emperor, Qin Shi Huang Di, Dies

Son, heir not as capable or brutalSon, heir not as capable or brutal

Alienation leads to revolt and collapseAlienation leads to revolt and collapse

Han Dynasty: 206 BC – Han Dynasty: 206 BC – 221 AD 221 AD

Han Gaozu – First EmperorHan Gaozu – First Emperor Originally a commonerOriginally a commoner Rose to prominence as a Rose to prominence as a

general in an army trying general in an army trying to overthrow the Qinto overthrow the Qin

Overthrows his own king Overthrows his own king to become Emperor when to become Emperor when they succeedthey succeed

Han Dynasty: Han Dynasty: Han GaozuHan GaozuGoverning Governing

philosophy philosophy drawn from drawn from XunZiXunZi::

The prince is the boat; the common The prince is the boat; the common people are the water. people are the water.

The water can support the boat, or The water can support the boat, or the water can capsize the boat.the water can capsize the boat.

Han Dynasty: Han GaozuHan Dynasty: Han GaozuGovernment of Reconciliation:Government of Reconciliation: Win over gentry by restoring privilegesWin over gentry by restoring privileges Win over scholars by reinstating Confucian Win over scholars by reinstating Confucian

advisors and Confucian court systemadvisors and Confucian court system Win over commoners with reduced labor load Win over commoners with reduced labor load

and more gentle system of governmentand more gentle system of government Make peace with northern neighbors:Make peace with northern neighbors:

Marriages of convenience -send his Marriages of convenience -send his daughtersdaughters

Generous dowriesGenerous dowries Lavish annual gifts to Lavish annual gifts to keep peacekeep peace

Han DynastyHan DynastyCultural Cultural

DevelopmentsDevelopments Han period Poetry develops and gains in Han period Poetry develops and gains in

elegance and complexityelegance and complexity

Confucian ideals codifiedConfucian ideals codified Confucian based civil service exam Confucian based civil service exam

developed but never used in official developed but never used in official recruitmentrecruitment

Han Dynasty: Han Dynasty: Problem Becomes Problem Becomes OpportunityOpportunityTax System based on Land and Tax System based on Land and

AgricultureAgricultureGreat Families are Tax ExemptGreat Families are Tax Exempt

Major revenue problemMajor revenue problem

Iron, Salt, and Liquor Monopolies Iron, Salt, and Liquor Monopolies imposed to boost government imposed to boost government revenuerevenue

Han Dynasty: Han Dynasty: Problem Becomes Problem Becomes OpportunityOpportunityGrain Storage and ArbitrageGrain Storage and Arbitrage Government buys grain in good timesGovernment buys grain in good times Stores itStores it Government sells grain in shortage periodsGovernment sells grain in shortage periodsIntent:Intent: Profit and Government Revenue Profit and Government RevenueOutcome:Outcome: Price StabilizationPrice Stabilization Avoid FamineAvoid Famine Stabilize political system and supportStabilize political system and support

Recurring Dynastic Recurring Dynastic Themes:Themes:

Empress familiesEmpress families Empresses come from powerful familiesEmpresses come from powerful families She brings along brothers or uncles She brings along brothers or uncles

who are appointed to powerful postswho are appointed to powerful posts Clash or power struggle between Clash or power struggle between

empress’ family and imperial familyempress’ family and imperial family Major power strugglesMajor power struggles Solutions… Complex, sometimes Solutions… Complex, sometimes

violentviolent


Eunuchs: emasculated male servantsEunuchs: emasculated male servants Ensure legitimacy of Imperial HeirEnsure legitimacy of Imperial Heir

(Empress can’t produce a bastard if she (Empress can’t produce a bastard if she never sees any other men with reproductive never sees any other men with reproductive equipment intact)equipment intact)

Men without offspring Men without offspring (or testicles)(or testicles) were were presumed to lack ambition – hence they presumed to lack ambition – hence they were thought trustworthywere thought trustworthy

Eunuchs sometimes adopted or worked Eunuchs sometimes adopted or worked to build inheritance for a nephewto build inheritance for a nephew


Eunuchs: ContinuedEunuchs: Continued Testicles apparently do not equal ambition Testicles apparently do not equal ambition

(or more precisely, the absence of testicles (or more precisely, the absence of testicles does not equal the absence of ambition)does not equal the absence of ambition)

Eunuchs built alliances with EmpressesEunuchs built alliances with Empresses

Power battles between eunuchs and other Power battles between eunuchs and other factions, even the imperial family were factions, even the imperial family were commoncommon


Millenarian Movements ?? Millenarian Movements ?? Millennium ??Millennium ??

Christian Millennium: heaven on earth, reign of Christian Millennium: heaven on earth, reign of Christ, 1000 years of peaceChrist, 1000 years of peace

Millenarian movementsMillenarian movements are social are social movements claiming the ability to lead their movements claiming the ability to lead their followers to some ideal world, some heaven on followers to some ideal world, some heaven on earth. Often also referred to as utopian earth. Often also referred to as utopian movements.movements.Tend to arise in times of economic or social Tend to arise in times of economic or social

stress or chaos: flood, drought, famine, stress or chaos: flood, drought, famine, plague, etc.plague, etc.

Han Period Millenarian Han Period Millenarian MovementsMovements

Red EyesRed Eyes Yellow Turbans: 184 ADYellow Turbans: 184 AD

Daoist Agricultural rebellionDaoist Agricultural rebellion Five Pecks of Rice: 2Five Pecks of Rice: 2ndnd Century AD Century AD

Daoist inspired. Daoist inspired. Communal movementCommunal movement 5 pecks of rice was the price of entry5 pecks of rice was the price of entry Unsettled Han Period power structureUnsettled Han Period power structure


Disinterest in military oversightDisinterest in military oversight Confucianism does not value military Confucianism does not value military

virtuesvirtues Confucian scholar officials avoid Confucian scholar officials avoid

military issuesmilitary issues

Generals frequently recruited from low Generals frequently recruited from low status families or even as foreign status families or even as foreign mercenariesmercenaries


Factional fighting Factional fighting Top families form factions in Top families form factions in

government and feud for powergovernment and feud for power Feuding within government creates Feuding within government creates

major weaknesses and vulnerabilitiesmajor weaknesses and vulnerabilities

Han’s EndHan’s End Too-independent generals overthrow Too-independent generals overthrow

Han 221 ADHan 221 AD No new, unified dynast succeeds No new, unified dynast succeeds

Han period.Han period.

Six Dynasties period until 589Six Dynasties period until 589

Qin Dynasty China 221 BC-205 BC The First Real Empire

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