FALL OF XIA DYNASTY:

Jie of Xia was a tyrant leader.

The Xia Dynasty fell because the Shang tribal leader conquered the Xia Dynasty.

During this time, the Shang Dynasty needed a large labor in their agriculture due to lack of iron tools.

FALL OF SHANG DYNASTY:

Di Xin of Shang was a tyrant leader.

The Zhou Tribe attacked and defeated Shang Dynasty through military conquest.

During his time, local lords became assertive and refused to pay taxes and it was a time of endless warfare (Warring State).

To solve the current state of affairs, Chinese philosophies emerged.

CHINESE PHILOSOPHIES:

a. Confucianism - believes that humans are naturally good.

Golden Rule: "Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you"

Analects of Confucianism: anthology of passages that present the words of Confucius.

b. Daoism - let things take their natural course and do not interfere with the way.

Yin and Yang - all things are made up of opposites.

c. Legalism - believes that humans are naturally bad

FALL OF ZHOU DYNASTY:

Due to the Warring State, the king's position weakened and the dynasty fell.

Shi Huangdi, he is the first emperor of China and is one of the heads of the seven warring states. He also implemented centralized government and removed the feudal system. He used Legalism as his state ideology and banned Confucianism.

MAJOR CONSTRUCTIONS:

a. E Fang Palace

b. Great Wall - served as protection against invaders and nomads

c. Terracotta Warrior (Burial Mausoleum) - Shi Huangdi's tomb

FALL OF THE QIN DYNASTY:

The Chinese admire Shi Huangdi for unifying the country and making it rich and strong, but they stopped embracing the ruthless means he employed that led to his ends.

The peasants rose in rebellion as soon as they learned of Shi Huangdi's death.

Liu Bang is graded as one of the most competent emperors in China. His philosophy is remodeled Confucianism, which combines Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism. The country regained, growing strong and prosperous again because of Liu Bang. Another important person is 'Wu the Great', he defeated the Xiongnu (nomadic tribes).

WU'S CONTRIBUTIONS:

a. Silk Road - semi-global trade route

b. Paper Making

FALL OF HAN DYNASTY:

Rebellions

Constant tension between Han Chinese expansions and non-Han nomadic tribe invasions.

The Sui Dynasty only had two emperors, they are: Emperor Wen and Emperor Yang.

CONTRIBUTONS:

a. Opening of the grand canal

b. Lowering taxes

c. Redistributing Land

FALL OF SUI DYNASTY:

Massive construction projects required a great deal of labor which led to rebellion.

Sui initiated unsuccessful war campaigns against Korea.

Social unrest increased

IMPORTANT TANG EMPERORS:

1. Li Yuan - Founder of Tang Dynasty & Tang Legal Code

2. Taizong (Li Shimin) - Second son of Li Yuan

3. Wu Zetain - China's only female ruler

4. Xuanzong - Son of Ruizong, grandson of Wu Zetain

XUANZONG CONTRIBUTIONS:

a. Woodblock Printing - led to a mass production of books

b. Gunpowder

FALL OF XUANZONG:

• Fell in love with Lady Yang which led to Lady Yang abusing her powers and putting incompetent family members in power.

• Xuanzong died from illness in 762 CE.

FALL OF TANG DYNASTY:

The Tang Dynasty continued to rule but could never reach its previous level of greatness.

The collapse of the Tang Dynasty begins the Period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907 - 960 CE)

5 Dynasties and 10 Kingdoms - an era of division and political disturbance.

The Song Dynasty developed a defensive strategy and became less open to adopting foreign styles and ideas.

The Song Dynasty was military weak but economically strong.

They paid tribute payments in the form of Silk and Silver, rather than maintaining a military presence as a solution for protecting themselves against invaders.

CONTRIBUTIONS:

a. Jiaozi - government-produced paper money

b. Silk, tea, and rice

c. Granade

d. Porcelain

e. Foot Binding

f. Travelling among streams and mountains

g. moveable-type printing press

h. paddle-wheel ships

FALL OF THE SONG DYNASTY:

"Mongol Invasion" - The Song Dynasty was rich but lacked political unity and military investment.

Kublai Khan (Shizu) conquered the Song Dynasty and established Yuan Dynasty. He ensured that the Mongols always gained an advantage by classing them in the Four Class System.

FOUR CLASS SYSTEM:

1. Mongols - ruling clan

2. Semu - non-Chinese

3. Hanren - Chinese from the north

4. Southerner (Nanren) - southern Chinese

Pax Mongolica - describes a period of relative stability in Eurasia. The Pax Mongolica brought stability among the people who lived in the conquered territory.

Marco Polo - worked with Kublai Khan and documented his experiences with his book "The Travels of Marco Polo."

CONTRIBUTION:

a. Chao - first paper currency used as the predominant circulating medium in China.

FALL OF THE YUAN DYNASTY:

Frequent natural disasters

Government's lack of effective policy

Red Turban Rebellion

Ming means 'bright' or 'light'

CONTRIBUTIONS:

a. Renovation of the Great Wall

b. Forbidden City

c. Ming Porcelain - blue and white porcelain

FALL OF THE MING DYNASTY:

Corruption

Li Zicheng rebelled and attacked Beijing

Invasion of the Manchus

MANCHUS - The Manchu Tribe from Manchuria

EMPEROR:

Shunzhi Emperor is the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty.

Lessened restrictions on foreign trade, but the Qing court still carefully controlled limits on foreign traders.

WORK:

QUEUE Hairstyle: "Keep your hair, lose your head; keep your head, cut your hair."

FALL OF THE QING DYNASTY:

To be continued..