Middle Kingdom: China’s self perception that they are the center of Civilization, surrounded by barbarians. They chose isolation to preserve their society from the barbarians.

Historical China

• Began in Huang He River Valley over 5000 years ago

• Ruled by dynasties let by emperors (mostly)

• Zheng He, Chinese Muslim explorer, commended hundreds of ships to sail from China to Africa (1405, 80 years before Columbus) (broke choice of isolation, but later on will destroy evidence of this)

• Credited with inventing: paper, silk, gunpowder, compass, paper money, crossbow, printing, stirrups, rudder, wheelbarrow, etc.

Modern day China contains many ethnic groups/nations. The Majority are Han and speak Mandarin. The government currently recognizes 56 groups. They persecute many groups however.

Pre-imperial China

• Feudal China

  • Mandate of Heaven

  • Ancestor Worship

  • Filial Piety

  • Feng-shui

  • Qi

• Warring States period (475-221 BCE)

  • Zhou dynasty slowly declines

  • “100” schools of thought

    • dozens of thinkers roam the country

      • explain human nature and ideal gov

    • Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism

Ancestor worship

• NOT worshipping them like gods

• How we mourn people after they’ve passed, how we honor their memory

• Believe that the soul splits after death into 4 parts

  • heaven/nature, near family members, grave, family shrine

• Their spirit can bring good or bad fortune

Filial Piety

• Respect & Reverence for your parents, elders, and ancestors

• Reciprocal- when you do something in return, return a favor

Mandate of Heaven

• Authority to rule the country granted by “heaven” spirits of nature

• The ruler must:

  • be good, virtuous, efficient

  • protect the people and the land

  • follow the “tao” or “the way”

  • DOES NOT need to be noble, does not need to be born into this

• The king is viewed as the link between Heaven and Earth, people and nature, living and dead

• If something bad happens (Ex: flood, famine, invasion) the mandate is taken away and people have the right to rebel