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Ch'in and Han Dynasty China

(this is the final version)

I. Ch'in Dynasty and the Creation of Empire

• A. Chi'in - one of the Warring States
  • 1. Western-most - semi-Turkic group
  • 2. skilled horsemen -- formidable mobile cavalry
• B. Empire
  • 1. Chin Shi Huang-ti (259-211 BC)
    • a. 256 BC - Ch'in defeat and kills the last of the Chou kings
    • b. 221 BC - defeat the last of the Warring States - unifies China
    • c. brings strong centralized rule, but remembered as a great tyrant
  • 2. End of feudalism
    • a. forced 120,000 aristocratic families to live at capital
    • b. replaced with an extensive bureaucracy
  • 3. Pursued a number of policies to achieve unification
    • a. weights and measures standardized
    • b. money standardized
    • c. axles standardized
    • d. writing standardized
    • e. ordered construction of Great Wall - 1400 miles long
    • f. insisted on ideological unity - Burning of the Books and 460 scholars - 213 BC
  • 4. Megalomania - collapse of dynasty
    • a. feared assassination, built numerous palaces (copies of those of defeated lords)
    • b. built a giant, fantastic tomb
    • c. taxes, corvee labor cause unrest
    • d. dynasty self destructed (by 207 BC) after his death in 211 BC
  • 5. Lasting impact in creating unified society

• A. Han Dynasty - 206BC-221AD
  • 1. capitalizes on unification brought about by Chi'in Dynasty
• B. Founded by Liu Pang (d. 195 BC) - Peasant warrior
• C. Emperor Wu-ti (140-87 BC)
  • 1. regarded as greatest emperor of Han Dynasty
  • 2. Expanded empire south, into Korea, and into Central Asia
  • 3. established trading contacts with South Asia
  • 4. Established the Silk Road, opening trade with Romans
• D. Expanded trade and development of industries
  • 1. importation of rice from Vietnam - more food=more Chinese
  • 2. Shipped silk, iron, furs, to the West, imported glassware
  • 3. Buddhism introduced into China by trade routes
  • 4. Invention of paper, compass, many other things
  • 5. Wealth from trade also produced a flourishing in the arts  
• E. Confucianism becomes official philosophy of government
  • 1. First civil service exam in 165 BC
  • 2. Academies established for training
  • 3. Led to rise of the scholar-gentry; soldiers and merchants disdained
    • a. social mobility based on education
    • b. as Confucianists, stood as moral judges of imperial policy
    • c. counter-balanced power of emperor 
    • d. generally opposed large land owners, supported land redistribution
    • e. tended to oppose imperial expansion and long-distance trade
• B. Decline of Han during its lat 100 years
  • 1. Series of child emperors led to intrigue at courts
  • 2. Decline of scholar-gentry, rise of Taoists, eunuchs, merchants, soldiers
  • 2. Corruption led to increasing taxes, which led to rebellion
  • 3. Need to raise army to fight rebellions led to militarization
  • 4. Broke apart into three fighting kingdoms

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