Questions and Answers
What was the primary purpose of Oracle Bones in ancient China?
To practice divination and predict the future
What was the significance of mulberry trees in early Chinese civilization?
They were important because silkworms fed on their leaves, leading to silk production.
What was the significance of Yu the Great in early Chinese civilization?
He led efforts to address the disastrous flooding of the Huang He through canal-building.
What was a key achievement of the ancient Chinese writing system?
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How did early Chinese farmers differ in their choice of crops between the north and south regions?
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Why did some of the local rulers become increasingly independent from the Zhou dynasty?
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In Confucian philosophy, what role does the ruler play in society?
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According to Confucius, what happens to nature if a powerful person like a ruler behaves wickedly?
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What foundational text is Confucian philosophy primarily based on?
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What was the view of Confucius in later China and East Asia?
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How did scholars contribute to the development of Confucian philosophy?
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Study Notes
The Shang Dynasty
- Rose to power around 1766 BCE
- Founder King Tang overthrew the Xia and ruled northeastern China
- Shang society was organized into city-states, with kings, nobles, merchants, and artisans living in cities and farmers living in the countryside
Development of Writing
- Chinese writing system began prior to the Shang period and continued to develop during this time
- Oldest known writing was done on animal bones (Oracle Bones) for divination
- Only the king had the privilege of using Oracle Bones to try to learn the future
The Zhou Dynasty
- Took power in 1046 BCE and ruled for the next eight hundred years
- Promoted the idea of divine right, where a king's right to rule comes from heaven
- The ruler was seen as having the mandate of heaven, with a duty to rule in accordance with heaven's wishes
The Mandate of Heaven
- If a king neglected his duty to heaven and his subjects, the mandate of heaven could pass to another ruler
- The idea of the mandate of heaven lasted long after the Zhou dynasty
Society and Economy
- Most people in early China were farmers, growing crops like wheat, millet, rice, soybeans, and peaches
- Mulberry trees played a significant role in China's culture and economy due to their use in silk production
- People also raised animals, fished, and developed a complex system of writing
The Xia Dynasty
- Said to have united the villages and towns of the Huang He valley
- Archaeological evidence suggests that rulers existed in the period associated with the Xia
- Legendary ruler Yu the Great is credited with controlling the flooding of the Huang He
Confucianism
- Named after Chinese philosopher Kong Qiu (Confucius)
- Core principles include ren (human-heartedness) and the "Golden Rule"
- Emphasizes five basic relationships: father to son, elder brother to younger brother, husband to wife, ruler to subject, and friend to friend
- Confucianism teaches that harmony in the world is related to the harmony of the individual
Confucian Philosophy
- Teaches that the family is the basic unit of society
- Filial piety (deep respect for one's parents) is the most important virtue
- Rulers have a duty to provide the people with a good government, and people owe their rulers loyalty and respect
- Confucius's thought was highly influential in later China and East Asia
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