Zhou Dynasty
1027-221 BCE
Fall of the Shang
Corruption and Excess led to fall of Shang
 Last Shang leader was defeated by Wu
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Was leader of Zhou
 Had been ruled by Shang
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Population was unhappy with behavior of
Shang king
Getting Control
Propaganda
 Re-created Religion
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Primary diety = “Heaven”
 King = “Son of Heaven”
 Right to rule = “Mandate of Heaven”
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Job of ruler is to rule justly and care for his
people
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Unlike last Shang ruler
Zhou Changes
Things that stayed the
same…
 Basic social structure
 Artwork
 Architecture
 Core religious beliefs
 Political structures
Things that changed…
 Ruler is held to high
moral standard
 Less divination
 Mandate of Heaven
 Less bloody sacrifice
2 Eras in Zhou History
1000-800 BCE
Strong centralized leadership, leaders
“Western Zhou” were models of fairness and morality
Golden Era of the Zhou
800-300 BCE
“Eastern Zhou”
Central power decreased, fragmenting,
division and warfare
Eastern Zhou divides into two time
periods…
771-481 BCE
“Spring and
Autumn
Period”
600 BCE Iron began to replace
Bronze, Zhou expanded, new cities
developed and fortified, cities
become like states
481-221 BCE
“Warring
States”
Beginning of the end of Zhou,
different states fought for control,
states broke away from central
leadership, began their own tax and
money systems
What does this really look like?
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771 BCE (beginning of spring and autumn
period)
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Barbarians had attacked the capital and
murdered Zhou monarch (King You)
By 700 BCE, world’s most populated country
collapsed into chaos.
Civil War
 Bloodshed
 Defiance of authority
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Essential Question:
How Can China be Saved? Or… How can we
unify China under one system?
 Answer: 3 philosophies were presented with
the purpose of reforming Chinese Society
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3 Philosophies:
1.
Confucianism
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2.
Daoism
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3.
Rule by example
Uphold traditions
Emphasis on family and relationships
Rule by harmony
Follow the natural order
Legalism
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Rule by law
Restore order by severely punishing misdeeds
Your Assignment…
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A Town Hall Meeting!