Some similarities between the Zhou and Han dynasties include the family and religious systems and some of the changes include government authority and increasing trade and philosophy. First, an aspect that remained constant throughout Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties includes family systems. Respect towards elders and ancestors was demanded at all times. According to Confucius, “there are no wrongdoing parents,” meaning that no matter how abusive or irritating a parent may be, there is no circumstance in which respect can wane. In addition, there was a constant cycle of patriarchal hierarchy, passed through sons before daughters, and the eldest son having the chief privileges. Another aspect that remained constant throughout the pre-classical
Chinese dynasties was religious beliefs. All emperors supported the belief of harmony between human beings and forces of nature, as well as the citizens of China. Each dynasty also believed in the Mandate of Heaven, or the blessing of the universe as a justification for rulers and important decisions. Despite these cultural continuities, there were also a number of changes made between the Zhou and Han rulings. First, an aspect that changed throughout Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties includes the division of government authority. The Zhou dynasty relied solely on regional estates entrusted to seemingly loyal families. This method proved to be ineffective and, when Shi Huangdi rose to power, a more centralized, totalitarian government was enforced. The Qin dynasty was quite oppressive and was not widely popular. With Shi Huangdi’s death came the rise of the Han dynasty, as well as the rise of a more moderate centralized government. The Han government was a mix of centralized government along with bureaucracy made up of scholar gentrys. In addition, the Qin dynasty was the most Legalist, meaning they believed that powerful rulers resulted in social order. The Zhou and Han dynasties were more accepting towards Confucian and Taoist philosophies. Finally, the Han dynasty made the most progress in trade through the initiation of the Silk Road, which allowed luxury products, other religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, and diseases to travel throughout the China, India, the Middle East, and Mediterranean areas.
Each dynasty had plenty of unique aspects they created. Although many are more well-known than others, not all of them were considered the most effective or beneficial, so not all aspects were continuities. Although many of the changed systems worked at the time, they were not compatible at the time, hence why they had to be altered or defected from. Even though it may not be as apparent as the use of the continued aspects, the abandoned aspects had their uses too. Obviously, the continued features are important because they were used throughout later time periods of China, and some ideas even spread outside of the civilization. However, the less superficial and less easily-recognized importance of the changed features is that they teach why or why not something works. Failure teaches more than any success can, so that is why the trial-and-error of cast-aside ideas is so important. Between the dynasties of the Zhou, the Qin, and the Han, there have been many continuities and changes that have developed across the timeline of
China was not only patriarchal, but also patrilineal. This means that family descent could only be counted through the men. Woman were not able to pass on lineage or surnames except under very rare circumstances. Ancestor worship was very important in this culture, and only the
The caste system played a great part in religion and philosophies as well. As shown in the graphic organizer, Father>son, older brother>younger brother. This supports the evidence of a caste system in china, not as strict as the caste system in Ancient India. The caste systems were separated by power, a father being more powerful than his son, and wife. His older son will have more power over the younger son, but the father has the power to control all of his sons. This was similar to the Indian caste system. Brahmins had more power over
Ancient china was a dynasty, a dynasty is a family that rules a civilization for years. I am choosing to compare the shang and tang dynasties in the period of decline. First off the similarities, my first similarity is that both ignored the needs of the poor. you might be asking why is the poor so important? Well without the poor they would have a very bad economy and a bad economy causes chaos and eventually leads to a rebellion by the chinese citizens. Another similarity between the shang and the tang is that they both had a very bad economy is because of the poor not being taken care of because in china there were mostly poor and merchants so since the poor being most of the population they lost a lot of the people. Now the differences,
Han China and Rome, despite having some political and cultural differences, fell in ways that were almost directly parallel to one another. Both civilizations experienced declines in everything from culture and population to economy and government, as well as both suffering from attacks by nomadic invaders. However, each civilization's fall had their own unique factors, and the lasting impact of their falls differed greatly.
The Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire were two grand empires that rose out of preexisting territories and provided relative peace over wide areas. The collapse of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE), which was the first great land-based empire in East Asia, came after a period of war, confusion, and tyrannical rule. Due to the political disorder that stemmed from the early dynastic activity, the emergence of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE- 228 CE) sprung to focus on restoring order. On the other hand, the rise of the Roman Empire (44 BCE- 476 CE) originated from consolidating authority over aristocratic landlords and overriding the democratic elements of the earlier Republic. Instead, the Roman Empire redefined the concept of “citizen” as subjects to the Roman emperor. Both empires shared similar agendas to exploit their vast territories and resources, which helped them expand their political dominance; however, despite having similar political goals and foundations, their government system, cultural ideologies and imperial expansionist natures diverged.
Overall the Qin and Zhou dynasties were very similar in all aspects except for their government and the Qin’s military conquest. The Zhou dynasty lasted for hundreds of years where as the Qin lasted for only 15 years. Even though the time period and the scale at which they grew is so different they were both big factors in the ancient history of
Burbank and Cooper in their book Empires in World History portray the evolution of power and the development of different states. They elaborate on how powerful cities and states imposed their rules and waged conquest on surrounding territories. Political dynasties developed strongly among states inspired by religious, politic and economic trends. The Han dynasty of China and the Imperial Rome were some of the powerful states that developed during the third century. The two states adopted different strategies and ideas in developing of their emperor. The Roman, for instance, developed a more advanced for of governance as opposed to the Han. Their system of governance emerged as an expensive identity around the Mediterranean. These two empires controlled and conquered their territory in unique and different ways that made them strong and remarkable during their heyday.
Han China and Ancient shared bureaucratic governments. This means that they had a government ruled by unelected officials, giving the people little to no say in government. In Rome the ruler was once a king but then their government transitioned to an oligarchy, which would put the rich people in the highest place in society. On the other hand in Han China, which was an imperial dynasty, and emperors were decided by the Mandate of Heaven. The Mandate gave the common man a chance to become a major ruler during the Han period. The Han government was mainly influenced by confucian government while Romes was based on Roman law and the classics. The Han government spread Confucianism since that was the basis for their government. Rome also relied on local rulers to make sure that their many lands were following rules and not plotting against them. Both the Han and Rome shared a bureaucratic government which affected their social structures in different ways.
The Han Dynasty was established in 221 BCE by the rebel leader of the peasants, Liu Bang. Religion not only played a role in the Han dynasty’s rise, but also in their fall through conversion. On the other side of the spectrum, the Roman Empire between 33 and 300, were also undergoing change through religious beliefs. Similarly, both the Han dynasty and the Roman Empire were built by a spread of religious beliefs. In my opinion, religion is the most significant difference between the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty China based on its effects on the political rule and nature of political authority during both eras. Religion is the most significant difference because societal practices and power structure of the two eras stem from the different beliefs. The Han Dynasty is built up from the spread of Confucianism. The Roman Empire is built up from the spread of Christianity. The two religion’s
The Han dynasty and the Roman Empire were both powerful empires during their era. However, the ways they obtained their power varied greatly because they used different methods that involved their political structures, which revolved around their centralized governments. The Han dynasty and the Roman Empire acquired very unique techniques that allowed them to control social and political. For example, the Han dynasty adopted a religion known as Confucianism, which monitored everything in the lives of the Chinese. Contrary, the Roman Empire established a monarchy but allowed its residents more freedom as compared to the Han. Nevertheless, the two empires were similar in political structures in that the power was depended on the wealthy that were in authority, the peasants struggled with their lives because of concerning issues such as food supply. The empires were able to create and preserve a peaceful and sustainable lives for a long time, unlike the past empires. Social distribution were under the control of the wealthiest and they could effortlessly impact community viewpoints and interactions among the residents. These two empires existed during the Classical Period had comparable and various social, political, religions, as well as economical values and practices. However, they both possessed differences and similarities in their economic and social perspectives even though the two empires were established around the same era.
In conclusion, the belief, relevance, and importance of the repetition of Chinese history are all explained and propagated by concepts of the Good Life, Good Society and Good State presented within the teachings of Confucius, the Dynastic Cycle and the Han Synthesis. All three concepts evolved from the ideas of Confucius and all highlight that Chinese history repeats itself by focusing on the inevitable rise and fall of each new dynasty. This makes the state accountable to its people for its actions. Confucius’ ideas on filial piety and how a ruler should govern shaped the Han Synthesis. No matter how benevolent the individual is, time and history march inevitably onward. Benevolence gives way to corruption and the process of degeneration and creation are repeated.
The Zhou dynasty coexisted with the Shang for many years, but around 1045 BCE the Zhou dynasty finally defeated the Zhou and solidified their reign over china. They defeated the last Shang king who committed suicide and then they took control of the area above the Yangtze valley kingdoms and to the east of the a sea. After the first king died, he was replaced by an inexperienced young man. The founder’s brother helped to aid the new king instead of trying to take the power for himself made him one of the most highly respected icons of chinese history.
At the end of the Zhou Dynasty or the Warring states period , of the surving few big states in the land, the Qin dynasty became the most powerful. Once the Qin emperor conqured all the kingdoms he wanted to maintain absolute power, The emperor, Shih Huang Ti, was determined to be an absolutist ruler and opposed to writings on good government such as those in the Classics. In 213, it is believed, he ordered the burning of all texts that appeared threatening to him. A period infamously referred to as the “Burning of the Books.” It was a dark time for Chinese scholars. The emperor destroyed a lot of literature and he reduced the one hundred school of thoughts to one that which he approved.
The teachings of Confucius put order, hierarchy and social harmony over individual egoism, that is, the person is subject to the strict system of laws, obligations and rituals. Social relations are based on the criteria of age, sex and generation: in the political sphere, the governed render their maximum loyalty to the governor, while in the family, the children obey the father, the younger brother obeys the older one and, finally, the wife obeys the husband. In the different stages of life, women are always under masculine authority. As a young girl, she must obey her father, when she marries, her husband, and finally, when she becomes a widow, her