Ancient China boasts the longest lasting empire in history and is conveniently divided into periods called Dynasties, which are lines of kings or emperors from a single family. Chinese civilization began along the Yellow River valley where legend claims that Yu the Great established the probably fictional Xia dynasty after working relentlessly to control the river flooding which have been destroying the farmer’s crops.
Zhou Dynasty and the Mandate of Heaven
The Shang was supplanted by the Zhou dynasty which introduced the concept of the Mandate of Heaven to justify their rule. The concept is in some ways similar to the European divine right of kings. However, it does not confer an unconditional right to rule. Intrinsic to the Mandate of Heaven was the right of rebellion against an unjust ruler. It was often invoked as a way to curtail the abuse of power and was used to explain that divine intervention based on the ruler’s fairness is the reason for the dynasties rise and fall cycles for the next 3000 years.
Confucianism and Traditional Chinese Philosophy
Much of traditional Chinese culture and philosophy including Confucianism and Daoism developed during the troubled times that saw wars between smaller Chinese states. In response to the surrounding chaos, Confucius looked at the historical sage emperors of China and recommended family as a basis for ideal government and more stable society. Respect of elders by their children and of husbands by their wives, veneration of ancestors especially male ones, personal and governmental morality, justice, kindness and sincerity were values emphasized by Confucius. Ultimately, this system of thought and behavior strongly influenced not only Chinese but the whole East Asian cultural sphere, up until now.
Qin Dynasty and Legalism
The imperial China period started when Qin became the first ruler to reunify China and establish himself as China’s first emperor. Although the Qin dynasty lasted only 38 years, it is so important that it gave the country its name China. Besides standardizing the writing system, the Qins were famous for massive building projects including roads of thousands of miles, the beginning of the Great Wall of China and the largest burial complex in the world featuring thousands of life-size terracotta soldiers. Qin was however an oppressive ruler who believed in Legalism, which is considered akin to Machiavellianism: He burned all non-Legalist books, including Daoist and Confucian ones. He was supplanted by the less extreme and longer-lived Han dynasty, which maintained the mandate of heaven by behaving as “wise and benevolent Confucians”, according to Confucian scholars who were writing the history. The Han set the pattern for most of China’s history and was arguably the most important dynasty to the point that most Chinese call themselves the Han people to this day. Confucianism was promoted as the state religion.
Han Dynasty and Bureaucratic Governance
China became the largest state in the world along with the Roman Empire. The silk trade route to Europe was established, which may have contributed to the propagation of Buddhism from India to China. A merit-based bureaucratic system of governance was established as young men were carefully selected through difficult government examinations. The Han period was however tainted by deadly dramas involving eunuchs within the royal court. The rebellion of Taoist peasants called Yellow Turbans marked its gradual end, the beginning of a 400 years-long period of political chaos and a rise in Taoism and Buddhism that would transform China.
Tang Dynasty and Cultural Advancements
The Tang Dynasty was a golden Age that featured greater freedom for women, the rise of the only female ruler and saw 8th Century China as the largest and most prosperous country in the world.
After a time of political disunity, the Song era was a period of prosperity and technological advances of the Chinese inventions of paper, the compass, gunpowder and printing.
In fact, the oldest known printed book originated in 9th century China, hundreds of years before printing was developed in Europe.
The Great Wall did not effectively keep China’s great enemies, the unified Mongol tribes, from invading the country and bringing it under foreign rule for the first time.
The Mongol Dynasty of Yuan deemed the Chinese legally inferior and recruited outsiders such as Venetian merchant Marco Polo to administer the realm.
Han Chinese Rebellions led to the rise of the Ming, who were known for their porcelain and for their trade expansion to the outside world.
Qing Dynasty and the End of Imperial China
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| High Point of Qing Dynasty | The last dynasty of Qing reached its high point in the 18th century. |
| Decline of Qing Dynasty | Gradually declined due to internal revolts, corruption, and foreign powers forcing China to trade under unequal treaties. |
| End of Imperial Rule | Following humiliating defeats to colonial empires and a revolution led by Dr. Yat-sen in 1911 ended 2,000 years of imperial rule. |
| Establishment of Republic | The establishment of a republic. |
| Proclamation of People’s Republic of China | Mao Zedong later proclaimed the People’s Republic of China, which carries strong influences from the Chinese Empire. |
| Legacy | Making it one of the oldest cultures that still have a presence in the modern world. |