12:59:00 4/28/2008 PM China(unlike India) produced lots of historical documentation because of its institutional government and bureaucracy Early Han(2nd c BC): invention of paper for books, record-keeping Ssu-ma Chi'en (c.100BC) model historian: Careful attention to facts and dates Long quotations from imperial documents and decrees Biographies of important people Moral and political reflections about events Han Dynasty in China Han 206BC-(9AD-23AD)-215AD Late Han (1st-2nd c. AD) Revival of Confucianism Discovery of ancient Confucian manuscripts Confucius' text canonized as classics Palace academy est'd for scholars to study, write about it, and teach the Confucian classics (moral and political philosophy, and poetry_ Confucian texts=>basis for Han education (shared set of values and ideas for students aiming at a career in civil services (institutional govt--bureaucracy--requires education) Han Dynasty Roughly same 1st c. AD population in both empires (<60 million) Large geographical area Intuitional gov't with large bureaucracy Emphasis on state/society>individual Extensive trade with rest of world--including each other Long term problem with barbarian tribes to the North Lasted for centuries, but then fell apart into smaller feudal kingdoms Why would a gov't want to expand its territory? Obtain resources Control trade routes Bring in new revenue(tribute or new tax sources) Channel military aggression of warrior class outward What are some negative consequences of expansion?
Longer border to defend--need lots of soldiers Harder to supply the army when it's far away Faraway generals-hard to keep under central control Expensive military requires heavier taxes International Trade From China: Silk, ceramics, bronze mirrors, ginger From India: Cotton spices, gems, ivory, teak From Rome: Glass From Central Asia: Donkey Roundtrip China-Rome took approx 2 years Persian (by land) or Indian& Egyptian (by sea) middle men Romans sent an embassy to China to foster trade agreements. Trade brought new techonologies and ideas into China From Central Asia: Stirrup for horseback riding with free hands From SE Asia: rice cultivation From India: cultivation and weaving of Cotton & BUDDHISM Han Technologies: Paper Iron plough Yoke to hitch draft animals (esp. donkeys) for ploughing Compass Steel (esp. for military (forbidden trade to steel)) Cam (axel and cam drive pistons) Economic prosperity but 2 major problems for gov't: External relations: how to secure the trade route and th border vs nomadic tribs to the N Internal relations: how to keep control over a warrior nobility: Relations w. trade to the North: Trade: silk and crafted goods exchanged for horses Raiding by small nomadic groups: minor problem Serious MILITRY THREAT from CONFEDERATION of tribes led by Hsiung NU (Xiongnu) Problem 1: How to protect the northern border? Station military garrisons along the north
Move lots of people north to grow provisions for the army Buy off nearby tribes to create a buffer zone (Gift-giving and buying alliances cost up to t40% of state budget) Intermarry Chinese princesses to create alliances Take hostages (Sons of tribal leaders) and Sinicize them (Gifts, wives, and sinicizing spread Chinese culture beyond China; Chineseness=> multiracial) Problem 2: How to control the warrior nobility? Assert direct control over the working pop. To prevent the nobility from building a local powerbase: Use mass labor on large projects (irrigation, the Wall) Move pop into new areas Assert control over all Land: all land belongs to Emperor, who directly grants it even to peasants. But local novelty would buy up peasant land and... Peasants often preferred to work locally as a servant of the local warlord than to be freed by the Emperor to pay taxes , serve in the military, and sent far away on work projects. Noble families got stronger, central gov't got weaker Huge estates- self sufficient Private wealth rivals wealth of central gov't Peasant revolts: End of 2nd c.: series of floods and famines and epidemics-> huge nos. of starving peasants; brigand groups Yellow Turbans: massive peasant movement (360,000 armed peasant) communal property and food mix of religious, healing and military activities: seized cities 5 Bushels of Rice collective collective work, communal property formed an independent state Military generals (novliity) see an oppty vs the central gov't attack the capital attack each other as rivals for pwr
Han Dynasty had obviously lost the Mandate of Heaven: no longer accepted as legitimate rulers. Followed by centuries of warring kingdoms : like Europe BUT without the drastic Cultural change of Europe
4/28/2008 12:59:00 PM
4/28/2008 12:59:00 PM