Chapter 6: The Unification of China

1. According to the chapter introduction, in what ways were the Qin and Han Dynasties
like the Achaemenid rulers of Persia?
They were similar in that they both ruled through an elaborate bureaucracy and built roads that
linked various regions

2. Why did the political and economic chaos of the Era of the Warring States (at the end of
the Zhou Dynasty) result in such a remarkable cultural flowering? What form did that
“flowering” take?
Because it forced people to reflect upon human existence and a person’s role in society. New
schools of thought emerged: Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism

3. What were the Analects?

A collection of Confucius’ sayings and teachings recorded by his disciples.

4. Describe Confucius’ main ideas regarding good government and education.

Good government is achieved by filling official positions with educated “superior” people

5. Describe Confucian values and view of human nature. How did these values relate to his
desire for a stable, prosperous society?
-Wise, fair, educated, loyal, respectful gov’t officials
-Kindness
-Propriety and courtesy
-Filial piety
Confucius hoped to restore order to China by leadership of morally strong people

6. How did Daoist values differ from those of Confucianism? Instead, what ideas/behaviors
did Daoists believe would bring harmony to society?
Daoism focused on reflection and introspection rather than the social activism promoted in
Confucianism. Daoists believed that one must live in harmony with nature and natural order in
order to bring harmony to society as a whole

7. Who was Laozi?

According to tradition, the founder of Daoism

8. Explain the concept of dao. What implications did this have for how Daoists believed
people should live and interact with one another?
“Dao,” meaning “the way,” is the original force of the cosmos that governs the order of the
world. It does nothing, but accomplishes everything. Thus, Daoists believed that people must
abandon politics and administration because social interaction would bring more chaos and
turmoil.
9. Explain the concept of wuwei. What implications did this have for society? How did this
differ from Confucianism? Was there anything about Daoism that DID appeal to
Confucianists?
Wuwei was considered the chief moral virtue: abandonment of political involvement and worldly
affairs. People must live simply, without education. It promoted less government.
The encouragement of self-knowledge appealed to Confucianists. Some people studied
Confucianism while practicing Daoist methods like reflection.

10. Describe the main ideas of Legalism. How might these ideas help a ruler build a strong
and prosperous state? Are there any downsides?
The main goal of legalism was to focus on strengthening the state. A state’s strength was
agriculture and military. Legalists aimed to have as many people as possible in the military or
agricultural fields, and not waste time with education, art, or business.
Strict laws sought to maximize subjects’ energy and labor. Violators would be severely
punished. There was a sense of collective responsibility. These policies would allow rulers to
maximize manpower and coerce people into building public works or joining the army.
However, Legalism wasn’t very popular because it was so harsh. But, Legalism ended the Era of
Warring States and brought about the unification of China.

11. How did Legalism differ from Confucianism? From Daoism?

-Unlike Confucianism, Legalism was not concerned with morality, ethics, or propriety.
Legalism’s faith in laws differs from Confucianism’s belief that education can lead people to
make good choices.
-Unlike Daoism, Legalism didn’t care about humans’ place in nature and promoted the strict role
of the government.

12. Explain how Qin policies reflected Legalist values and ideas.
-Qin Shihuangdi drafted millions of laborers to build the Great Wall and Terra Cotta tomb
-Shang Yang encourages peasant farmers to migrate to the new Qin kingdom by giving land
plots  Increase agricultural production  weakened economy of aristocratic classes  Qin
rulers more easily take over throughout their state  Newfound wealth funds military
-Shihuangdi burns literature and philosophical works
-Strict punishments for law-breakers (ex: Confucian critics of the Qin gov’t)
-Standardization of laws

13. How did ruler Qin Shihuangdi change the Chinese government’s organization? What
were some of the Qin Dynasty’s greatest accomplishments?
-Centralized bureaucracy
-Standardized laws, script, currencies, weights, coinage. Unifies China’s regions thru
interregional commerce and economic integration
-Set precedent for centralized imperial rule
-Helped China toward political and cultural unity

14. Did everyone in China welcome the Qin’s policies?

Most, but not all:
-Confucians, Daoists, and other ppl launch campaign of criticism
 -Shihuangdi executes dissenters

15. What was so unusual about Qin Shihuangdi’s tomb?

Underground and forced thousands of laborers to build a terra cotta army to protect him in the
afterlife

16. Why did the Qin Dynasty end?

Ill will among drafted laborers, rebellions afer Shihuangdi’s death

17. In what ways did the Han Dynasty continue the policies of the Qin?
-Liu Bang continues centralized rule
-Wudi Legalist principles of gov’t:
-Bureaucracy, Qin policy of roads and canals

18. Where was the Han Dynasty’s capital? Was this the same as the Qin?
-Former Han (before brief period of displaced Han rule): Chang’an
-Later Han (after that): Luoyang
-Qin: Xianyang

19. Why was Han Wudi considered such a successful emperor? How did he help China
continue its policy of centralization? What areas did he add to the Chinese empire?
-Goal: administrative centralization and imperial expansion
-Bureaucracy
-Creates imperial university
-Expansion: Invades Northern Vietnam and Korea
-They adopt the same Confucianist educational values

20. Explain the Han educational system established under Han Wudi. On what
principles/texts was it based? What was the purpose of this system?
Established as a reaction to the problem of recruitment of smart people for gov’t jobs
-Imperial university prepares young men for gov’t service
-Unlike Liu Bang, who rejected education
-Curriculum based on Confucianism
~Although he used Legalist gov’t policies, he embraced Confucianist tradition of educated gov’t
workers

21. Who were the Xiongnu? Where did they come from? Describe their interactions with
the sedentary Chinese.
-Nomads from central Asian steppe
-Horsemen; advantage of mobility
-In the early days of the Han empire, emperors tried to appease the Xiongnu by paying them
tribute or arranging intermarriages. However, this did not last…
-Han Wudi decides to go against the Xiongnu; Invades central Asia and brings the Xiongnu
empire under Chinese control
-China establishes trade network throughout central Asia; Xiongnu empire collapses
22. Describe the Chinese economy during the Early Han era.
-Agricultural productivity
-Land is concentrated to the wealthy elite  social tensions that ultimately weaken the empire
-Supported craft industries like textile and silk making
-Most Chinese ppl work in countryside as cultivators. Agricultural surplus  manufactured
goods, trade

23. How were women expected to behave during the Han Dynasty? Was this different from
previous eras?
-Similar to Qin and Zhou: patriarchal
-Women subservient to husbands

24. Why was iron metallurgy so helpful in making Han China prosperous and secure?
Domestic and military uses:
-Affordable home appliances
-Good iron armor to protect warriors against Xiongnu and other nomads

25. How did the production of silk help the Han Chinese economy and encourage
interaction with other cultures?
-Chinese silk seen as best in world: Chinese monopoly
-International demand for Chinese silk leads to building of the Silk Roads

26. Why was the invention of paper so important?

-Easier to write on, easier to record history and literature, etc.

27. What happened to the size of the population during the Han era?
-Agricultural productivity and prosperity  population boom

28. How did Han Wudi’s policies ultimately contribute to economic difficulties?
-Wudi needs to finance his central Asian expansion and military/imperialism  Raised taxes and
confiscated land of wealthy ppl claiming they violated imperial law  Discouraged investment
in manufacturing and trade  Economy worsens

29. Why did tensions between higher and lower social classes become more tense during the
later Han Dynasty?
-Wealthy people get richer, live in luxuries of silk, etc.
-Peasants get upset and want to reap the benefits of the economy; start to organize rebellions

30. What problem in Chinese society did Wang Mang try to address? Was he successful?
What happened to him?
-Minister who promoted reform
-He was the regent of an infant king, so he got the power
-Claimed the throne for himself w/ Mandate of Heaven
-Wide-ranging reforms: “socialist emperor”
-#1 reform: landed property.
-Limited amount of land 1 family can have, tried to redistribute land
 -Result: confusion and landlords become upset; even peasants think his policy is
disorganized
-Disgruntled coalition of landlords and desperate peasants kill Wang Mang, ending Early
Han Dynasty

31. Why did the later Han Dynasty eventually collapse?

-After 2 years of outside rule, later Han Dynasty has almost the same policies as Early Han;
Hwvr, the state is weakened and there’s still the problem of rich-poor gap
-Internal weakness: development of factions at court that war against each other
-Scholar-bureaucrats and eunuchs trying to gain power
-Collapse; China splits into large regional kingdoms