Traditional China
Common Thread of East Asia&
Dynastic Rule
China is one of the original world civilizations!
Common Threads of East Asia
Most common threads relate to the development of civilization of Asia & geography & topography
& climate of the region.
Group welfare over the
individual! West is the individual, base unit of society in East Asia it is family
or group.
(certainly concern over individuals in family and love)
Energy is spent on wealth of family, village etc…
Excellent student in Asia see’s it as village, extended family all helped the student to succeed.
Common Threads of East Asia
In the 7th & 8th centuries A.D., China’s beliefs, writing system,
philosophies, religions and technology spread to Japan,
Korea, and Vietnam defining the area
known as East Asia.
Chinese writing system
is called calligraphy.
Subjugation of Women
Women were restricted from most education (maybe knowledge of arts).
Women’s role was to produce sons!
Three growing seasons!
Son’s carry on the name
Daughters were expensive to marry off- dowry goes to new family.
Son’s bring wife's and dowry into the family!
Middle Kingdom-Dynastic
China•For years, until the late 1800s, the Chinese
considered themselves the only truly civilized people on earth- the Middle Kingdom. They felt they needed nothing from the outside
world and had nothing to learn from it.
Middle Kingdom
• China’s location helps to explain why the Chinese thought they lived at the center of the Earth.
• Long ago distance and physical barriers limited contact between China and other centers of civilizations. (until the Silk Road)
• Physical barriers that kept China isolated: •Gobi Desert, Mongolian and Tibetan plateaus, Himalaya Mountains and rainforest separated China from S. E. Asia. To the east lies the Pacific Ocean
Dynastic Rule in China
• Dynasties, or ruling families, ruled over China from 2200 B.C. until 1911 A.D.
• Chinese Emperor was considered to be the Son of heaven.
• The Dynastic rulers were top of the social structure.
Levels of Society
• Emperor and the Dynastic family.
• Gentry- about 5-10% of population. The gentry were the scholar elite; they held highest position in society.
• Peasants/Farmers- majority of population: very important to society because they produce food- agriculture, not educated.
• Artisans and merchants- people who sell goods.
• Slave girls are the last level of the social structure. Typically they are young girls sold as servant’s etc.
Gentry
Cla
ss
Farmers & Peasants
Rigid Class System
Rigid hierarchical society- Stratified into rigid layers- class society- some movement- based on educationFamily Ties- kinship groups- extended family- villages.
Importance attached to learning-important virtue
Veneration of age- respect to elders & wisdom of elders
Mandate of Heaven
The Chinese believed that heaven granted a ruler the mandate, or right to rule. The people in return owed the ruler complete loyalty and obedience.
Han Dynasty
Good Earth
• For a majority of the people, peasants, life in China for thousands of years was very difficult.
• Throughout Chinese history, they were plagued by famine. In traditional China, there was an average of a famine per year.
• In more modern times, such as 1928-1930, one famine killed three to six million people.