This year, for 8th grade, I chose Chinese history. In this essay, I am going to write briefly about the early dynasties of China from about 2000 BCE – 220 CE. This essay is based on the first chapter of the book, “History of China” by J.A.G. Roberts, Third Edition, 2011.
The Xia Dynasty (2000 BCE – 1600 BCE)
There is not much specific information about the Xia Dynasty. We know that they were the first Chinese dynasty and that they ruled from 2000 BCE – 1600 BCE.
The Shang Dynasty (1600 BCE – 1046 BCE)
The Shang Dynasty reigned from 1600 BCE – 1046 BCE. Instead of military achievements, they had technological achievements. Their accomplishments included bronze work, military technology (eg. horse drawn chariots), the writing of a calendar, a religion which worships ancestors, and oracle bones.
The Zhou Dynasty (1122 BCE – 256 BCE)
The Zhou Dynasty lasted 866 years (1122 BCE – 256 BCE). The Zhou emerged as a powerful state long before the Shang fell. They were somewhat west of the activities of the Shang. In 1046, King Wu overthrew the Shang at the battle of Muye (modern day Henan).
King Wu died three years later in 1043 BCE and passed his throne down to his son who was a child at that time. Since he was a minor, the power belonged to the Duke of Zhou. He stopped a rebellion led by the survivors of the Shang royal family.
The Spring and Autumn Period (771 BCE – 481 BCE) and The Warring States Period (481 BCE – 221 BCE)
The Spring and Autumn Period began in 771 BCE and ended in 481 BCE. This period was a time of war between the states of China. Just as the Spring and Autumn Period ended, the Warring States Period began. Lasting 260 years, 481 BCE – 221 BCE. By the end of both periods, steel coins, iron agriculture tools, and metal weapons were being used.
The Qin Dynasty (221 BCE – 206 BCE)
The Qin Dynasty was one of the shorter dynasties, starting in 221 BCE and ending in 206 BCE. During the Qin’s reign, they made new laws like the capitation tax. The population was split into groups of five to ten people, and if someone in the family broke a law, the adult males were punished.
The man who created these laws, Shang Yang, has always been condemned by historians. In 338 BCE, Shang Yang was executed after being accused of plotting a rebellion.
In 316 BCE and 256 BCE, the Qin of the Warring States made major conquests. The Qin were successful in their conquests because of their strict social discipline and planning.
In 230 BCE, the Qin unified China. Many states tried to form alliances to counter the Qin but failed. In 227 BCE, the Yan sent an assassin to murder King Zheng which failed as did all other attempts of rebellion.
In 221 BCE, the King of Qin assumed the title of Qin Shi Huangdi (the First Emperor of the Qin). “In the beginning of his reign, it was suggested that the new territories should be distributed to feudal nobility. Li Si, Qin Shi Huangdi’s advisor, opposed this plan. Li Si suggested that the territories should be divided into 36 commanders and prefectures under officials appointed by the government.
Qin Shi Huangdi approved of the idea and put it into action. Even though Li Si suggested this, he did not trust the people and set a third supervisory to each commander. This initiated a pattern of control through division of authority, which survived through the Imperial Period (in Rome from 27 BCE – 476 CE).
Li Si also embarked on a series of measures to modernize the states such as inscribed weights and vessels, roads radiating from the capital and carts made to fit these roads, gold and copper coins. Li Si also carried out a reform of the written language that he equalized the written characters and these universal throughout the empire.
Later on Qin Shi Huangdi heard that scholars were criticizing him for his choice about dividing the territories into 36 commanders. Li Si suggested that all scholars must turn over all their historical documents and these should be burned. Qin Shi Huangdi followed Li Si’s advice and burnt all the documents. Many books and documents still survived.” (Roberts, pg. 24)
The following year when Qin Shi Huangdi heard more scholars criticizing him, he ordered them to be buried alive. Descriptions of these incidents were written at least a century later and the details and accusations are uncertain.
After the unification of the territories, the Qin kept expanding. Their general, Meng Tian, built a great wall to protect the newly conquered lands. This is not the Great Wall of China (the Great Wall of China was built during the Ming dynasty).
When Qin Shi Huangdi died in 210 BCE, Li Si and Zhao Gao (one of the eunuchs) hid his death from the public so Qin Shi Huangdi’s child son had time to grow up and mature.
After the death of Qin Shi Huangdi, the empire started to decline. Two rebellions started and none of the emperors could stop them and, eventually the dynasty was conquered by Xiang Yu and his feudal lord Liu Bang (who was a poor peasant). They started the Western Han Dynasty.
Fun fact: the Qin dynasty made the terracotta soldiers for Qin Shi Huangdi’ s tomb.
The Western Han Dynasty (106 BCE – 24 CE)
When Xiang Yu became emperor, he appointed 19 rulers and made himself the hegemon (a supreme leader).
Liu Bang and Xiang Yu fell out and made various campaigns against each other. In 202 BCE, Liu Bang achieved a great victory at Gazixia, in modern-day Anhui province. Xiang Yu was captured and killed.
Liu Bang took over the role as king and took the name Gaozu. Gaozu and his three supporters (The Three Heroes of Han) used to be poor and proved that a lowly peasant could rise to the top.
Gaozu was a smart man, and it showed in the way he gained control over his kingdom. He acknowledged the fact that different territories had different laws and practices. He let them keep their practices but gradually tried to introduce his own. Gaozu kept the Qin’s way of government: one emperor, three senior officials, and nine ministers.
Gaozu was notorious for disliking scholars, saying that he won his empire on horseback and does not have time for studies. Lu Tia, a Confucian scholar, compiled a book of essays for Gaozu. These essays were about the short comings of the Qin and their mistakes. This is how Confucian values became the basis of imperial government.
Gaozu tried invading and forcing his way into new territories, but after being nearly captured, he tried peaceful kinship with the Xiangnu (thought to be the ancestors of the Mongols). He created the ‘Harmonious Kinship’. A Chinese princess would get married to one of the Xiangnu men.
After Gaozu’s death, the throne passed to his child son. His wife, Empress Lu, took over the throne until a new successor was found. Before her death in 180 BCE, she tried to help her family rise but failed when Emperor Wendi, another son of Gaozu, rose to the throne.
Under Wendi and his son, Jingdi (180 BCE – 141 BCE), China achieved stability and prosperity. During this period the agriculture economy prospered, showing its intensive cultivation involving sophisticated techniques of irrigation and seed selection. Peasants could sell their goods for a fair price and prosper from it.
In 74 BCE, Xuandi succeeded his grandfather, King Wudi, and reigned from 74 BCE – 49 BCE. After Xuandi’s death, the empire dissolved into chaos. All of the possible successors had health problems or were children.
“Economic problems emerged and short term reforms were initiated, like destroying the government’s monopolies. Landlords refused to pay taxes and the court was criticized for its excessive influence of outsiders.” (Roberts, pg. 34)
“River defenses were neglected during this time and in 30 BCE, the Yellow River burst its banks.” (Roberts, pg. 34)
The Xin Dynasty (9 CE – 23 CE)
In 9 CE, Wang Mang claimed the title of emperor and started the Xin Dynasty. Wang Mang suppressed a rebellion in the south-west province of Guizhou and made a peaceful negotiation with the Xiangnu. In 23 CE, Wang Mang was driven from his throne and killed by rebels.
One of the rebels, Liu Xiu (aka Guang Wudi), claimed the title of emperor and restored the Han dynasty.
The Eastern Han Dynasty (25 CE – 220 CE)
The Eastern Han Dynasty got its name because their capital, Luoyang, is 200 miles east of the old Han Dynasty capital, Chang’an.
Guang Wudi abolished the military. After his death, there was a dispute over the title of emperor since all of the possible successors were children. With all the chaos of who would become emperor, rebellions sparked and eventually the Eastern Han Dynasty fell to rebellions.
Conclusion
The succession of the above mentioned dynasties from 2000 BCE to 220 CE brings us to the beginning of the pre-modern era many centuries after Confucius’ influence on many early leaders. The next essay will discuss another era of various Chinese dynasties for the next 800 – 1,000 years that attempted to unify China under one ruler. Thanks for reading!
Sophia Elahi RPC Blog 