|Chinese Dynasties|

Xia dynasty (Continued!)

2100 BCE

-Religious Structure
*The mandate of heaven began to build upon itself, due to harsh punishments from legal transgressions and a benign civilian gov't.
*adopted the buddhist religion, where state officials lived in Buddhist monasteries.
-Cultural Structure:
System included a ruler, nobles, peasants and etc.
-Intellectual Structure:
*A calendar based on lunar and solar movements.
*Instruments such as the stone bell chimes & various others were made.

Xia Dynasty

1600 BCE

-Political Structure
*Yu the great was the first to Establish and rule the Xia Dynasty.
*At the time , rulers were chosen not by god, but by their abilities.
*It was a monarchy-based system of government.
*Laws were written on bamboo
-Economic Structure
*People lived through means of agriculture using tools of stone or bones.
*Hexi corridor, a trade route, passed through North China and the Central Asia Region.
* Commodity exchanges emerged, providing resources.

Shang Dynasty

1600 BCE

Political Structure.
-The First ruler was Tang of Shang, who founded the Shang dynasty
-when a king dies, the son of that king takes over and rules.
-Monarch, in which the ruler was the rule-maker and king
-making more humane rules than the past rulers.
Economic Act.
-Involved in the business of trading goods.
-Trade routes expanded from the capitals, and around the major rivers.
Religious Ideas:
-Polytheistic, worshiping many gods.
-some of their gods were based on nature itself, like the sun.

Shang Dynasty (Cont'!)

1050 BCE

Cultural Structure:
Social classes included a King and aristocracy, military, artisans and craftsmen, and peasants.
jobs in hereditary classes were fixed, with little movement of class.
-women were treated unfairly, having to only bear a child and work in the home
Men produced a important role, in the military and enduring hard work, while women were in the shadows.
Intellectual:
Inventions including bronze work, military tech., Writing and religion, including oracle bones and ancestor worship

Zhou Dynasty

1046 BCE

Political Structure:
-The King's name was Wu of Zhou, the first ruler.
-Leaders were chosen based on Autocracy, Moreover involving the Mandate of heaven.
-A type of Feudal Government.
-The nature of their laws, "to do nothing and follow the course of nature.
Economic Activities:
*Due to the surplus of Agriculture, Specialized jobs were made such as iron workers, merchants and etc.
*trade expanded to nearby cities, and some of their own.

Zhou Dynasty (continued!)

256 BCE

Religious ideas:
Confucianism, a way of life and governing, Taoism, relating to living in peace and tranquility among others, and they were polytheistic, believing in the old gods.
Culture:
Class system consisted of a ruling and working class.
became a social mobility when jobs were hereditary.
women were inferior to men, only known to have children and care for the household.
Intellectual:
-iron and bronze casting had been perfected.
-origins of Chinese philosophy had developed.

Qin Dynasty

221 BCE

-Political
*The leader of the Shang dynasty was Qin Shi Huang.
*leaders are born into power or it is passed down.
*There was a monarch in place.
*This dynasty had traditional Chines Laws
-Economic Activities
*People grew crops and or made things from metal.
*They also traded with Europe.
*The Qin dynasty usually traded silk
*
-Religious Ideas
*The Qin dynasty was Polytheistic

Qin Dynasty (Continued!)

206 BCE

Cultural(Society) Structure:
-The Social class: emperor, Shenshi (Politicians), peasants, workers, artists, Merchants and the soldiers
-decided by the emperor, different people were on different classes /how each class was treated
|> Women were treated with no respect, like other dynasties, where women roamed in shadows of men
-women were to take care of the household, along with the family, while men did important things
Intellectual:
-Unifying china, The great wall, and terra-cotta soldiers.

Han Dynasty

206 BCE

Political Structure:
-Liu Bang was the first emperor of the Han Dynasty, among many
-if a emperor died, the son would rule, although arguments arose to who would rule.
Economic:
-people would have different jobs, such as merchants, cultivators and etc.
-the economy didn't start off great, due to the oppressive rules and policies.
-the 7,000 mile Silk Road allowed trade between India and China
Religion:
-polytheistic, revolving around two or more religions.

Han Dynasty (Continued)

220

Cultural(Society) structure:
The social class consisted of an emperor ; aristocrats & cultivators; farmers and peasants; merchants & slaves

The classes were defined clearly , towards the people and their "occupations"
-there were some types of mobility that let the poor rise in the hierarchy
-women were lower than men, given less respect and not equal.
Intellectual ideas:
-the process of paper making was discovered in this era.
-advancements of water conservation increased farming.

Sui Dynasty

581

-Political Structure
*The leader of the shang dynasty was Yang Jian.
*Leaders are either born in yo power or its given to that person.
*There was a monarchy in lace.
*They were simple, fair, and lenient.
-Economic Activities
*The people of the Sui dynasty grew crops and used a crop yield.
*The Sui dynasty used the silk roads for trade
*They traded with japan.
*They needed supplies and weapons
-Religious Ideas
*The sui dynasty was polythiestic.
*They Sui dynasty were Buddhist.

Tang Dynasty

618

Political:
-Emperor Gaozu was the first emperor, in a line of many others, who had founded the Tang Dynasty.
-Leaders were mostly chosen by inheritance, mostly the Son.
-It was a monarchy government.
Economic Act. :
-Though it was devastating, reunited by Gaozu, increased in agriculture, and implemented land equality and a system.
-Using the Silk Road, and sea, people traded across different areas, using India as a hub.
-mainly for new ideas, supplies and also resources.

Sui Dynasty (continued!)

618

Intellectual Achievments:
The Sui dynasties made garneries, which made cheap foods even better than they were.
-Constructed the grand canal, which improved waterworks and also agriculture in a way.
-Reinstalled the rule of ethnic Han Chinese in the entirety of china.

Tang Dynasty (continued!)

906

Religious Ideals:people believed in Confucianism, Buddhism , Taoism.
polytheistic, but monotheistic as well, considering priests were to choose a religion and stick with what they decided on.
Cultural(Society): The social class: Emperor and his family, aristocrats, bureaucracy which was split in two, eunuchs, clergy, peasants and slaves.
The emperor decided the classes, and how they are represented.
women were a bit respected and noticed, but only in higher classes.
Intellectual: study of meds

Song Dynasty

960

Political Structure:
*Zhao Kuangyin was the first emperor, and the founder of the song dynasty.
*Chosen by Inheritance, but also by other means.
*Though prosperous, the government was corrupt and weak.
Economic Act. :
-through commercial expansion, private trade, and a surplus of agriculture, economic prosperity was imminent.
-by roads and canals, trade was efficient.
-many foreign places had traded with the song, giving new experiences and resources, plus supplies as well.

Song Dynasty

1279

Religious Ideas:
-it may have been polytheistic, but monotheistic as well.
-Based on natural ideas, similar to previous dynasties.
Culture:
The social class was divided into three sections: The gentry, peasants and Merchants.
-Well organized, different social class (due to the excluding of slaves)
-a great sense of social mobility was there, enabling others to rise in class.
-women were less active in polit. and less seen in the streets.
Intellectual:
-block printing, gunpowder and cannons

Yuan Dynasty

1279

Political:
-Ghengis Khan's grandson, Kublai Khan, had become the first foreign to rule all of china, declaring that he rule the yuan dynasty.
-Kublai had conquered china, and ruled over, but passed on to other emperors.
-it was a monarchy.
Economic Ideas:
-due to agriculture, handicraft industries, commerce and foreign trade was available.
-Through the silk roads and the hexi corridor, trade was made available.
-with Asia, Africa, and even Europe as well.

Ming Dynasty

1368

Political:
-Emperor Hongwu was the first and founder of the Ming dynasty, among others.
-Decided on the mandate of heaven.
-pushed by effective governing and social stability
Economic:
-the economy was at its largest, marking it as one of the "Golden ages" due to political influence of merchants, weakening of imperial rule, and advances of technology.
-with ocean wide trade routes, trade was made possible and expanded.
-as far as japan and Europe, they have traded near far parts.

Yuan Dynasty (Continued!)

1368

Religious ideas.
-They were polytheistic, believing in more than one religion.
-The ideas were based on natural thought, more of the mental kind.
Cultural:
Consists of the Mongolians, Semuren, Hans, and Nanren.
made unfairly, due to the way people were treated in different class sets.
-No Social mobility to be found.
Women had it easier than previous dynasties, although patriarical, they had their way at times
Intellectual:
-development of drama and written novels of the vernacular writing

Qing Dynasty

1644

Political: Emperor Kangxi was the first and founder of the Qing dynasty, among others after him.
Instead of inheritance, brothers discuss who is fit to rule, by decree of their father.
A complex labyrinthine bureaucracy, in which rulers embraced.
Economic: It was a staggering increase and decrease, with economical growth and decay problems.
-Trade expanded from roads, to sea.
-trading with Britain to acquire goods, resources, and also supplies.

Ming Dynasty (Continued!)

1644

Religious ideas: Polytheistic, believing in many religions and the teachings: Confucianism, Buddhism, & Taoism
- based on natural and nature, a mixture of both.
Cultural: Consisted of the Shi (gentry) , Nong, Gong, and Shang.
-Due to the development of the Social class, and influence of Confucian thought, it has changed a bit.
-Made all jobs hereditary to prevent mobility.
-women had a low status, but protected by law.
Intellectual:
-refurbishing and extension of the great wall, adv. medicine.

Qing Dynasty (Continued)

1912

Religious ideas:
Monotheism, Confucianism as their official religion.
-a natural idea, that humans are teachable, can learn, and be perfected by their community and people.
Cultural:
-Social Class: an Emperor, advisors, generals/nobles/workers, and artists and peasants.
-The classes were strict on how much power one class could hold, dividing them into sections.
-allowed mobility among men,
women were still treated the same as previous dynasties.
Intellect. :
the building of modern china.

Republic Period

1912

Political:
Sun-Yat sen was the first leader and founder of the republic of China, serving as the provisional president.
Leaders were chosen by vote.
The government spread into three branches, one being the communist party and the people's liberation army.
Economic:
The republic of China's economy was prosperous, even though it was hit hard.
Trade was made most through the silk roads and the black sea.
They had traded with foreign countries such as Europe, and even the US.

Republic Period (Continued!)

1949

Religious ideas:
Polytheistic, believing in many other religions.
Based on natural ideas, such as a god in the afterlife.
Cultural:
Consisted of state cadres, state workers, and peasants, also with a president.
The president made these classes, separating those in their respective classes
Women began to have it easier, as others began to leave tradition for other ideas.
Intellectual:
-Its military, fought with four major engagements.
-Increased governmental industries.

Citations of Dynasties

2017

-Sources for this time line:
Political-
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynasties_in_Chinese_history
Economic-
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/xia/
Cultural-http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Writings/Chinese%20Religions%20-%20Overview.htm
Intellectual-https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_and_technology_in_China