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An overview of the early political and social development in china, focusing on the rise of neolithic societies, the emergence of the first dynasties, and the establishment of a sophisticated political and social structure. The yangshao society, the xia, shang, and zhou dynasties, and the concept of the mandate of heaven.
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Human beings have inhabited East Asia since at least two hundred thousand years ago. The domestication of rice began around 7000 B.C.E., and Neolithic societies such as the Yangshao rose in the valley of the Yellow River by approximately 5000 B.C.E. Early dynasties such as the Xia, Shang, and Zhou saw the rise of a distinctive and in many ways uniquely secular society. Politically, none of the early dynasties could achieve centralization until the Qin unification in 221 B.C.E. Nevertheless, despite centuries of unstable political decentralization and at times outright warfare, the Chinese moved inexorably toward the establishment of a remarkably sophisticated political and social structure. OVERVIEW Political Organization in Early China The first societies in China developed along the fertile banks of the Yellow River, despite the fact that its long history of devastating flooding has earned it the nickname “China’s Sorrow.” The Yangshao society, centered around the neolithic village at Banpo, provides the earliest complete archaeological evidence. Around 2200 B.C.E. the first recognized dynasty in Chinese history, the Xia, began in the Yellow River valley. Until the recent discovery of sites such as Erlitou, however, this dynasty has been more legend than reality. Much more is known about the Shang dynasty, which lasted from 1766 to 1122 B.C.E. Sites such as Ao and Yin provide valuable information, especially the large and elaborate tombs of the rulers. At the heart of Shang power was their monopolization of bronze metallurgy, which allowed for the rise of a powerful military state and political organization. Ao - prominent feature of this site is the massive wall that surrounded the city center, estimated to have originally been about 10 meters high and 20 meters wide. There is evidence of human sacrifice is abundant at Ao, but no inscriptions appeared on oracle bones during this time as would be found in the latter periods at Yin. The layout of Zhegnzhou, with ceremonial/ governmental centers enclosed by a wall, and workshops for bronze, bone, and pottery as well as cemeteries, outside the wall, was the typical design for Shang settlements. Yin - This was the location of the last capital and ceremonial center of the Shang dynasty, existing for approximately 273 years. It was during this time that diviners began extensive writing on oracle bones. Being dated to the seventh millennium B.C.E., they predate the earliest Mesopotamian writing by three millennia. With the rise of the Zhou dynasty (1122–256 B.C.E.) the main streams of Chinese
civilization come into much sharper focus. Many of the foundations of Chinese thought and society came into existence during the Zhou period. One of the most important is the concept of the mandate of heaven, which proposed that heavenly powers, although indistinct, granted emperors the power to govern. Consequently, the emperors served as a connection between heaven and earth and had to therefore maintain high standards of honor and justice as well as provide order. In practice this theory never achieved more than decentralized authority during the Zhou period. Eventually the Zhou emperors lost control to regional princes, best shown through the imperial failure to monopolize iron metallurgy, and this loss of power resulted in a long period of political decline. As early as 771 B.C.E. the western half of the empire collapsed, and the last two centuries are known as the “Period of the Warring States.” Order would not be restored until the rise of the Qin dynasty in 221 B.C.E. Society and Family in Ancient China As early as the Xia dynasty the royal family rose to a prominent social position. The largely decentralized political structure of the Shang and Zhou periods allowed for the rise of a powerful aristocratic element. Craftsmen and merchants, fueled by a long-distance trade that extended back to the Xia period, held important positions in society. In this society, like in the other early societies, the vast majority of the population was made up of peasants and slaves. Veneration of Ancestors - read The extended family unit played a crucial role in Chinese society, partly because of the profound influence of the veneration of ancestors. This practice led to a strong sense of family solidarity and eventually translated into a strong patriarchal system. Without an organized religion or powerful priestly class, it fell to the patriarchal leader to carry out the rites designed to honor the family’s ancestors. Early Chinese Writing and Cultural Development Writing, which goes back to at least the Shang period, played a very important role in the formation of the Chinese cultural framework. Most of the early evidence of Chinese writing comes from the hundreds of thousands of Shang oracle bones. Although they were designed as a means of divination, the bones also provide valuable information about Chinese writing and thought. Characters Despite (or maybe because of) the political chaos of the Zhou dynasty, this period served as the foundation for many of China’s cultural and literary traditions. Thinkers during this period tried to find order in a seemingly anarchic world and produced important contributions such as the Zhou classics.
The last influential Chinese school of thought is Legalism. Thinkers such as Shang Yang and Han Feizi wrote persuasively on statecraft and suggested that the state’s foundation were the armed forces and agriculture and that clear and strict laws were essential to control human nature.
The Qin from western China, inspired by Legalist philosophers such as Shang Yang and Han Feizi who suggested that the state’s foundation were the armed forces and agriculture and that clear and strict laws were essential to control human nature. This belief created a centralized imperial administration that allowed for the first unification of China.