why did the zhou dynasty last so long why did the zhou dynasty last so long

Trade was increased, towns grew up, coinage was developed, chopsticks came into use, and the Chinese writing system was created out of its primitive beginnings in the Shang period. Under this system, it was the prerogative of spiritual authority to withdraw support from any wayward ruler and to find another, more worthy one. The Zhou dynasty had formally collapsed only 35 years earlier, although the dynasty had only nominal power at that point. Over time, however, Zhou kinship feudalism failed to function as intended by the founding rulers. The Shang Dynasty is the earliest ruling dynasty of China to be established in recorded history, though other dynasties predated it. The first qualification for a ruler or one who serves is moral rectitude. 1: From Earliest Times to the Present, 44-63. In the early centuries of Zhou rule, during the Western Zhou (1046 771 BCE), Zhou kings dispatched kinsmen to territories he granted to them (see Map \(\PageIndex{1}\)). Young men should be filial at home and respectful to their elders when away from home. (1.6) Filial piety is central to Confuciuss thought. Daoist masters, claiming divine inspiration, composed esoteric texts for their followers that explained how the natural world originated from a primordial ether (qi) and its division into two polar forces: the yin and yang (see Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\)). Wary of the Duke of Zhou's increasing power, the "Three Guards", Zhou princes stationed on the eastern plain, rose in rebellion against his regency. So Han Dynasty abolished the Qin legal system and advocate Confucianism to make the government friendly to its people and make the people obey the rules of government. If you lead the people by being rectified yourself, who will dare not be rectified? (12.17) Confucius believed that good governing flows from good men. [51] Other possible cultural influences resulting from Indo-European contact in this period may include fighting styles, head-and-hooves burials, art motifs and myths. 1 These selections from the Analects are translated in De Bary and Bloom, ed., Sources of Chinese Tradition, Vol. We return to that topic after reviewing the ideas put forward by philosophers in the context of these centuries of turmoil. Chinese dynasty lasting from c.1046 to 256 BC, For other dynasties with the same name, see, Population concentration and boundaries of the Western Zhou dynasty (1050771 BC) in China, Mandate of Heaven and the justification of power, The exact location of Bin remains obscure, but it may have been close to, Sima Qian was only able to establish historical dates after the time of the, '"Major Hymns - Decade of the Birth of Our People -, Shaughnessy, E. L. (1999) "Western Zhou History" in Loewe, M. Later, Confucius asked him, Why did you not say: As a man, when agitated in thought he forgets to eat, joyfully forgetting his cares, not realizing that old age is near at hand?. We return to that topic after reviewing the ideas put forward by philosophers in the context of these centuries of turmoil. The range of applied decoration for the first time included pictorial subjectsfor example, hunting scenes and chariots and horsemen. The Warring States period ended in 221 BCE when the Qin ruler defeated the remaining states and unified the former Zhou realm, initiating a new period in Chinas history. [31][32][33] To maintain Zhou authority over its greatly expanded territory and prevent other revolts, he set up the fengjian system. The Zhou heartland was the Wei River valley; this remained their primary base of power after conquering the Shang. Kings also militarized their kingdoms landscapes by building forts at strategically critical passes, walls to mark off boundaries, and watchtowers to signal the enemys approach. The final battles were said to have been extremely bloody, and Shang survivors may well have served as Chinese culture bearers to places as far removed as Korea. Zhou dynasty, Wade-Giles romanization Chou, dynasty that ruled ancient China for some eight centuries, establishing the distinctive political and cultural characteristics that were to be identified with China for the next two millennia. Burgeoning turmoil also inspired much thinking about what was needful to restore order and create a good society, as well as what defined the good life. Literature flourished with Confucius and other great Chinese philosophers. Thus, by the end of this period, largely owing to the demands of warfare, the Zhou feudal order had been supplanted by a small number of powerful territorial states with centralized monarchies. According to the Duke of Zhou, Heaven had decreed that Shang kings must fall and Zhou rulers should replace them. The Shang dynasty had begun with wise and benevolent rulers, but later kings were cruel and incompetent, and failed to see to the well-being of their subjects. These hegemons periodically convened interstate meetings to manage such matters as misbehaving states or foreign invasions. Thus, the dynasty had lost this sanction. Since rulers claimed that their authority came from heaven, the Zhou made great efforts to gain accurate knowledge of the stars and to perfect the astronomical system on which they based their calendar. The Analects not only shows a serious and learned man, but also someone capable in archery and horsemanship, who loved music and ritual, and who untiringly traveled the feudal states in the hopes of serving in a lords retinue (see Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\)). [32] Furthermore, he countered Zhou's crisis of legitimacy by expounding the doctrine of the Mandate of Heaven while accommodating important Shang rituals at Wangcheng and Chengzhou.[34]. As they did so, their lands evolved into powerful states (see Map \(\PageIndex{2}\)). ), { "4.01:_Chronology_of_China_and_East_Asia_to_the_Ming_Dynasty" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.02:_Introduction_to_China_and_East_Asia_to_the_Ming_Dynasty" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.03:_Questions_to_Guide_Your_Reading" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.04:_Key_Terms" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.05:_Geography_of_East_Asia" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.06:_China_from_Neolithic_Village_Settlements_to_the_Shang_Kingdom" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.07:_The_Long_Zhou_Dynasty_(1046-_256_BCE)" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.08:_The_Qin_Dynasty_and_the_Transition_from_Ancient_to_Imperial_China" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.09:_The_Han_Dynasty_202_BCE-220_CE" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.10:_The_Period_of_Division_220-589CE" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.11:_The_Tang_Dynasty_and_the_Emergence_of_East_Asia" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.12:_The_Song_Dynasty" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.13:_The_Yuan_Dynasty" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.14:_Conclusion" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.15:_Works_Consulted_and_Further_Reading" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "4.16:_Links_to_Primary_Sources" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()" }, { "00:_Front_Matter" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "01:_Prehistory" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "02:_Early_Middle_Eastern_and_Northeast_African_Civilizations" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "03:_Ancient_and_Medieval_India" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "04:_China_and_East_Asia_to_the_Ming_Dynasty" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "05:_The_Greek_World_from_Bronze_Age_to_Roman_Conquest" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "06:_The_Roman_World_from_753_BCE_to_500_BCE" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "07:_Western_Europe_and_Byzantium_circa_500-1000_CE" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "08:_Islam_to_the_Mamluks" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "09:_African_History_to_1500" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "10:_The_Americas" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "11:_Central_Asia" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "12:_Western_Europe_and_Byzantium_circa_1000-1500_CE" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "zz:_Back_Matter" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()" }, 4.7: The Long Zhou Dynasty (1046- 256 BCE), [ "article:topic", "license:ccbysa", "showtoc:no", "Zhou Dynasty", "Confucianism", "Daoism", "Taoism", "Mandate of Heaven", "Confucius", "beeline:print", "program:galileo", "authorname:gisrael" ], https://human.libretexts.org/@app/auth/3/login?returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fhuman.libretexts.org%2FBookshelves%2FHistory%2FWorld_History%2FBook%253A_World_History_-_Cultures_States_and_Societies_to_1500_(Berger_et_al. All warfare is deception, Master Sun states. In later centuries, in China, Confucius was revered as a sage and teacher. Han dynasty, Wade-Giles romanization Han, the second great imperial dynasty of China (206 bce-220 ce), after the Zhou dynasty (1046-256 bce). In return, the ruler was duty-bound to uphold heaven's principles of harmony and honor. The farther removed, the lesser the political authority". The two most important early books belonging to this tradition are: the Laozi (Old Master) and Zhuangzi (Master Zhuang). Stratagem is critical. The armies campaigned in the northern Loess Plateau, modern Ningxia and the Yellow River floodplain. [55] The Zhou wanted to increase the number of enlightenment seekers, mystics, and those who would be interested in learning about such things as a way to further distance their people from the Shang-era paradigm and local traditions. One is to create a unified dynasty, and the other is to make the name of a country exclusive to the nation for the first time. Qi's son, or rather that of the Huj, Buzhu is said to have abandoned his position as Agrarian Master (Chinese: ; pinyin: Nngsh) in old age and either he or his son Ju abandoned their tradition, living in the manner of the Xirong and Rongdi (see HuaYi distinction). For more than 800 years (9-17 centuries), the Central Plains dynasty failed to effectively control Xinjiang (the Xinjiang was directly under the jurisdiction of Chahe Tai Khan during the Yuan Dynasty). King Wen (Cultured King) was this ruler, and revered as the founder of the Zhou dynasty. [21] At the same time, the Zhou may also have been connected to the Xirong, a broadly defined cultural group to the west of the Shang, which the Shang regarded as tributaries. [] On one hand, every son who is not the eldest and hence not heir to the lineage territory has the potential of becoming a progenitor and fostering a new trunk lineage (Ideally he would strike out to cultivate new lineage territory). Noble lords loved to demonstrate their prowess and raise their prestige through success in hunting and battling. The dynasty was founded by Liu . According to Nicholas Bodman, the Zhou appear to have spoken a language not basically different in vocabulary and syntax from that of the Shang;[16] a recent study by David McCraw, using lexical statistics, reached the same conclusion. Daoists also developed communal prayers and rituals that could cure illness, free souls from hell, win blessings from heaven, and eliminate sins from the community. The rulers of this epoch were no strangers to battle, but they also created an environment where fascinating and long-standing cultural elements thrived. Historians call this method of governing Zhou kinship feudalism. It is therefore not surprising that during this time some of Chinas greatest military treatises were written, most notably the Art of War by Master Sun [sue-in]. Qin's unification of China concluded in 221 BC with Qin Shihuang's annexation of Qi. [51], The Zhou army also included "Barbarian" troops such as the Di people. [40] After the Zhou came to power, the mandate became a political tool. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Those who belonged to it are Confuciansindividuals distinguished by their commitment to the ideas articulated by Confucius, classical learning, and the value they place on character and conduct as the key to a good society and political order. Omissions? [47] When a dukedom was centralized, these people would find employment as government officials or officers. It was technically the longest dynasty, though the Zhouhad effectively lost power by 770 BC. These jobs came to symbolize proper order in society. It was not until the Dong Zhou and the classical age of Confucius and Laozi that unique local traditions became apparent. Instead, he gained an avid following of 70 students, whom he accepted regardless of their social status. He believed that, during the early Zhou, the nobility was honorable, observed moral codes, and upheld social standards. The Zhou Dynasty is divided into two periods: the Western Zhou (11th century BC to 771 BC) and the Eastern Zhou (770 BC - 221 BC). This practice was referred to as Two Kings, Three Reverences. King Xuan fought the Quanrong nomads in vain. If a duke took power from his nobles, the state would have to be administered bureaucratically by appointed officials. The first two had their origins in the later centuries of the Eastern Zhou, while Buddhism only began to arrive from South Asia in the first century C.E. Stated more simply, Warring States Period rulers created administrative units and a civil service. Yet, it would be wrong to conclude that he wasnt religious in any sense, because he frequently spoke of Heaven. Jili's son Wen bribed his way out of imprisonment and moved the Zhou capital to Feng (within present-day Xi'an). Daoist masters, claiming divine inspiration, composed esoteric texts for their followers. After he died, they passed on his teachings, and a school of thought emerged from his teachings known as Confucianism. During the Zhou dynasty, centralized power decreased throughout the Spring and Autumn period until the Warring States period in the last two centuries of the dynasty. This was King Wen (Cultured King), a ruler revered as the founder of the Zhou dynasty. (The line of Zhou kings had, however, already been extinguished in 256 BCE, so that date marks the end of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.). Some important manufacturing sectors during this period included bronze smelting, which was integral to making weapons and farming tools. The most famous of these was Confucius, who taught a system of mutual duty between superiors and inferiors. . [21] Cultural artifacts of the Western Rong coexisted with Western Zhou bronze artifacts, displaying influences between them. They killed the Zhou king and took control of the whole Wei River Valley.