Zheng He 1405-1433

      Zheng He was only 11 years old when his town was conquered.  He was chiet lieutenant to the emperor.  Zheng got 337 flag ships and 30,000 people in the workforce.  They built some of the largest ships ever constructed.  Some of the ships had up to 24 bronze cannons.  in 1405, they set sail.  The voyage lasted 28 years and they visited 37 countries in the time being.  In 1433, it came to a hault when Zheng He died and the fleet was recalled to China.  After Zheng He died there was a new ruler. It was a tragic event . He would colonize the world and all ocean vessels were to be detroyed.  In 1499, the Mongols returned to attack and in 1644, Beijing fell to the forces. Communism began.

Sung Dynasty 960 A.D.

      Zhao Kuangyin reunited China and founded the Sung dynasty.  They had fast growing rice and surplus.  The surpluses cause more people to pursue commerce, learning, and the arts.  The Sung built the Grand Canal and linked Huang to the Chang Rivers.  There was more food growth which led to capital growth.  There was much trade and merchants came from India, Persia, and Saudi Arabia.  The Sung invented paper money which led people to trade mainly in spices.  China had an emperor, Aristocrat families, huge Bureaucracy, gentry, and peasantry.  The Gentry are Scholars.  They are the center of info in confucius' society.  The Gentry also had social order; duty, rank, and proper behavior.  The riches came from the labor of others. 

      The Sung Dynasty have a very rich culture.  They have great artistic technique and they are known to paint harmony.  The sung also have architecture, percelain, and chinese writing.  They have peots named Li-Po and Du Fu and the people also tell many short stories.  The Sung Dynasy invented many things.  Gun powder helped them to fight, the mechanical clock, block printing, and moveable type were also invented by the Sung Dynasty. 

     

Tang Dynasty 618-907 A.D.

      Li Yuan was the first Tang emperor.  His son, Tan Taizong was a brilliant general, government reformer, historian, and master of caligraphy.  He expanded the empire.  Vietnam, Tibet, and Korea all became tributary states. 

      Thier governmental and economic growth was based on confucianism.  They chose the best people in the society to be in the government.  They had land reform which lead to wealth redistribution and the Tang also had increased taxes.  Declines and effects of what happend with the the Tang are that they lost territory, corruption, they had high taxes, famine was spreading, and rebellions started.  In the year 907, the Tang empire fell. 

Mongols take China 1499

      The mongols burst out of Central Asia and stretched across Asia and Europe.  They overran Sung China and imposed Mongol rule on his people.  They were the best horsemen in the world and they were nomadic.  When they invaded China, they had much military discipline.  They demanded absolute loyalty and they learned how to use cannons.  The Mongols would kill anyone in thier sight.  It was terrifying, hiding in my own homeland so i could live.  Once they settle in China, they respected the scholars very much.  They listened to outside religions and respected the people of all beliefs.  The Mongols also took control of the silk road.  Genghis Kahn was in power from 1162-1227 A.D.  His grandson, Kubai Kahn was in control when China was under Mongol rule. 

    In 1279, the Mongols over threw the Sung dynasty.  Kubai made his capital in Beijing.  The Mongols could only serve in the military.  The problem with this settlement is that there were too few Mongols and China was too big.

Han Dynasty 206-220

The Han created confucianism as the official state policy.  The two main beliefs in the Han dynasty are Mohism and Legalism.  Mohism has to do with universal love.  It is also known as Mozi or Mo Di.  Mohism is also against campaigns of conquest.  Legalism has to do with standardizing laws.  You are rewarded for behavior that's good for the state and you're punished for bad behavior.  Legalism also feels that human nature is evil.  People  always have respect for oneself and have grace so the world can find peace. 

Buddhism comes to China 536 BCE

Siddhartha Gautama was born a prince in 536 BCE.  At his birth, the worlds flooded with light.  Only Mara, the evil one, did not rejoice.  His father got fortunetellers to find out what the future has held for him.  His father chose him to be a conqueror so he was to stay with the world as a Universal King.  One day he overlooked an old man, later disease, physical pain, and death.  He now knew the truth.  At age 29, he escaped.  He went through alot of Raja yoga.  He became and Ascetic and he only ate 6 grains of rice a day.  Later, Siddhartha came to his immovable spot under a tree and wouldn't leave until enlightenment was his.  Siddhartha came up with the four noble truths.  The truths are that life is dislocated, there is desire, overcoming, and eightfold path.  Buddhism believes in Nirvana.  Nirvana is where the Buddhists go instead of heaven after death.  It is a state of no wind, beyond body, mind, thoughts, and feelings.  The Buddha died of dysentery in the year 483 BCE.  It was a very hard time but he was glad to go the nirvana. 

Great Wall 220-184 BCE

  The Great Wall was started by Ying Zheng of Qin Shi Huangdi in the year 220 BCE.  The wall was built to unify or secure china. It was also built to lock the Chinese in.  The Great Wall was also called a long graveyard because most of the time, when people built it, they would die and just be burried into the wall.  The north side of the wall faced the barbarians.  The wall is over 3000 miles long.   in the year 206, Liu Bang of the Han Dynasty extended it.  Liu Bang was a new ruler and all he wanted was peace and stability.  He built watch towers for 100's of miles.  I feel that the wall was a good idea because we got more safety.  Even though we had less freedom, it was good to be unified. 

Lao Zi and Taoism 450-500 BCE

Taoism is "the way" or "the path".  The belief has to do with nature, Yin, and Yang.  It's a Chinese religious tradition.  It is about personal transformation.  Lao Zi was born poor and he was the first to formalize Taoism.  He was taught by the Buddha.  Lao Zi created the book that was sacred in China. The book was burned in the year 220 BCE.  Taoism brought alot of harmony and peace to China.  

Confucius 551-479 BCE

   The religion Confucianism was created by the Han dynasty.  Chinese rulers rely on Confucius' ideas.  Yin and Yang are two beliefs.  Yin has to do with earth, darkness, and female forces.  Yang has to do with heaven, light, and male forces.  The religion has spread through 1/3 of the worlds population.  There are five relationships called Jen, Chunt Zu, Li, Te, and Wen.

          Jen is the relationship between people, love and unselfishness.  Chunt Zu is also relationship and the world can find peace through self respect.  Li says that you should do things the way they should be done.  Also, Te is power. A good society comes if he or she is good. The last relationship is Wen.  Wen has to do with music, art, and the power to transform human nature.

     The five relations are very important to me because there should always be love, peace, and self respect in the world.

Unification of China 221-207 BCE

It was a little before the year 221.  We had independent states but then wars began.  One kingdom was more powerful.  The Qin or Ch'in kingdom.  They had horsemanship, strategy, iron, and more weopons.  They wanted to conguer all of China and create an empire.  China was to be unified for the wars to end.  It was called the Warring States Period. The Ch'in Dynasty was an evil dynasty.  They were also very smart and had a great Chinese government.  They unified china in 221 BC.  The name China actually came from the name Ch'in.    China was one       and they were able to start many new things like an irrigation plan, Great Wall, and Grand Canal.