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Ancient China

Ancient China. Culture & Society. "Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river." Lao Tse. Overview. Family Politics War & Martial Arts Trade Art & Literature Religions. Confucian Values. Ideas Hierarchy is basic order of universe Human society should harmonize with nature

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Ancient China

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  1. Ancient China Culture & Society "Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river." Lao Tse GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  2. Overview • Family • Politics • War & Martial Arts • Trade • Art & Literature • Religions GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  3. Confucian Values • Ideas • Hierarchy is basic order of universe • Human society should harmonize with nature • Principles • Social order • Ceremonial behaviour • Education, role models • Government exists to serve people • Ruler respected for fairness, integrity GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  4. Family • Ancestor worship • Family hierarchy • Male centred • Confucian values • filial piety • humaneness • ritual • Marriages • Arranged by parents • Tension between wives & in-laws GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  5. Government • Values of Confucianist bureaucracy • Benevolence, nonviolence, justice, rationalism, loyalty, decorum • Examination system • Han to Qing Dynasties • Civil service recruitment, education • Provincial exams on classic Confucian texts • Meritocracy: rule by men of virtue and ability GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  6. The Art of War • Sun Tzu • “Art of War”: oldest military text • Army’s vital importance to the State • Imperial Armies • Support by taxation, road/canal networks • Walled towns meant long sieges • Use of archers, cavalry, gunpowder GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  7. Chinese Martial Arts • Role of Philosophy • Training in Buddhist temples, monasteries • e.g. Shaolin Temple, Henan Province • Physical related to mental discipline • Weapons fighting • Bo stick, kwan do, staff solid or sectional. • Empty Hand fighting • Kung Fu • Tai Chi • Related to Daoism Shaolin monastery GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  8. Trade • Silk Road • Westbound: silk, jade, tea, technology • Eastbound: wool, gold, silver, Buddhism • Grand Canal • Connected Yellow and Yangtze drainages • Ports and Shipping • Tianjin, Shanghai, Hong Kong The Silk Road Grand Canal at Suzhou Tianjin GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  9. Classic Porcelain Song Dynasty Yuan Dynasty Tang Dynasty Ming Dynasty Qing Dynasty GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  10. Painting • Song period to present • Styles • Landscape painting • Trees, mountains express ideas, feelings • Bird-and-flower painting • Painters • Mu Qi (Chan Buddhist) • Xia Gui Mu Qi - Six Persimmons Xia Gui - Snowy Hall and Talking Guests GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  11. Literature • Five Confucian Classics • Book of Changes (I Ching: divination) • Book of Documents (history, Shang & Zhou periods) • Book of Songs (poems) • Spring & Autumn Annals • Book of Rites (Liji: rituals) I Ching hexagram GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  12. Belief • Nature worship • Shrines to gods of wind, rain, rivers, mountains • Animal sacrifice • Balance of forces • Yin (female) & yang (male) • Geomancy: earth divination • Location & orientation of buildings, graves GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  13. Confucius • Life • Born 551 BC d. 479 BC • Teacher, administrator • Exiled, taught disciples • Analects • Collected memoirs of teachings • Moral influence • Ai Ren: Love Others • Yi: Right Conduct • Lï: Manners, Ceremony • Lì: Profit (bad) • Political influence • Han Dynasty: rules of governing • Still felt today GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  14. Daoism • Founded by Lao Zi • 6th cent BC • Wrote “Tao Te Ching” • The Dao: the path or way • Perceived only by experience • Power flowing through all life • Dynamic balance of universe • Harmony of opposites • Goal is to become one with the Dao • State religion in China • 5th cent BC to 20th cent AD Yin-Yang GNED2 - Ancient Empires

  15. Buddhism • History • along Silk Road from India • Han Dynasty 206 BC • Mahayana (“Greater Vehicle”) tradition • Buddhist scriptures (sutras) • Tripitika • Lotus & Diamond Sutras (oldest known paper books) • Chinese Buddhist Schools • Pure Land (White Lotus sect) • Oldest, from India • Huayan (Flower Garden) • Chan (Zen) • Emphasized meditation • Tientai (Celestial Terrace) Diamond sutra GNED2 - Ancient Empires

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