Compare the two primary river systems of China

Answer each question with three or four sentences.

1.

Compare the two primary river systems of China, the Yellow and Yangzi. How did the differences in these river systems affect the development of Shang and Zhou China?

2.

What role did war play in the development of the Shang Dynasty?

3.

Explain how Shang kings served a religious function in their state.

4.

What kinds of things did the Shang make out of bronze, and what do those bronze objects reveal about Shang society?

5.

How did China benefit from keeping a logographic script for writing?

6.

How did the decentralized rule of the Zhou help to both create and to weaken the Zhou state?

7.

What kinds of songs are found in the Book of Songs, and what do they reveal about Zhou daily life?

8.

In The Art of War, what were some of the beliefs about military strength and preparedness outlined by Sun Wu?

9.

Compare and contrast the ideas of Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi.

10.

Describe how the Qin Dynasty used Legalism.

Answer Key

1.

Answer would ideally include:
 
· The northern river system of the Yellow River is colder and flatter. The loess soil is fertile but fine and blows easily in the wind, often ending up as silt in the river. Because the Yellow River silts up easily and often, it also floods often. Wheat and millet grow in this area. In the south, the Yangzi River provides a warmer climate more suitable to rice cultivation. The Yangzi is easily navigable and suitable for travel and trade. The Shang and Zhou became agriculturalists and did not spread into the inner regions where raising animals was more productive.

2.

Answer would ideally include:
 
· Shang kings were military chieftains, and the power of both king and state depended on regular warfare against rebellious vassals and foreign tribes. The kings’ revenue came from war booty and from captives who were used as slaves and as sacrifices to the gods and ancestors. Shang military supremacy was enhanced by their use of bronze-tipped weapons and chariot technology.

3.

Answer would ideally include:
 
· Shang kings were high priests in their society and served in a mediation role between humanity and the divine realm. The king offered sacrifices to the high god Di and to royal ancestors and interpreted divine messages. Royal ancestors were believed to be able to intervene with Di, and the king could then divine his ancestors’ wishes by interpreting cracks in bones or tortoise shells.

4.

Answer would ideally include:
 
· The Shang used bronze for making weapons (such as bronze-tipped spears and fittings for chariots), which contributed to the Shang military culture. The most important use of bronze in Shang times, however, was for ceremonial and religious purposes. Most surviving Shang bronze objects are vessels that would have been used during sacrificial ceremonies. Hundreds of bronze weapons and vessels were recovered from Lady Hao’s tomb. The plethora of religious vessels in bronze, which required highly specialized labor, suggests the significance of religion to Shang culture. Shang bronzes were decorated with complex images, including the taotie, although scholars do not agree about their meaning.

5.

Answer would ideally include:
 
· Because written Chinese language was not based on phonetic pronunciation, the script was more universal. People who spoke regional dialects that differed in pronunciation could still read one another’s texts. Ancient texts could still be read. Moreover, the written language was exportable to other counties, such as Japan and Korea, and thus extended China’s influence over its neighbors.

6.

Answer would ideally include:
 
· The decentralized state allowed the Zhou to control many different territories without having to rule over them directly through expensive and complicated means. Control of the territories was left to relatives and subordinates who were responsible for ritual, administrative, and military matters. The weakness in the system was that these regional lords saw their positions as hereditary and thus created small dynasties that over time no longer recognized the rule of the Zhou kings.

7.

Answer would ideally include:
 
· The Book of Songs contains the earliest Chinese poetry. It includes songs that were either used in ritual court settings or based on folksongs that describe rural farming life. Therefore, these songs reveal aspects of both noble and peasant life. They reveal how much of peasant life revolved around seasonal changes and how much work was involved in farm life. The Book of Songs also includes love songs, songs about ancestors, and songs on the role of women in society.

8.

Answer would ideally include: 
 
· During the Warring States Period, technological developments dramatically changed warfare. Sun Wu described the ideal general as a master of maneuver and believed that a man should not lead troops merely because of his aristocratic birth. Heroism was useless, whereas discipline was essential. The army had to be trained never to question its commanders. Sun Wu recommended the use of deception as the way of war, attacking the enemy when he is weak or evading him if he is strong.

9.

Answer would ideally include:
 
· Confucius advocated moderation and felt that gentlemanly behavior could be learned by aspiring to moral conduct and studying texts. He also promoted the virtue of ren, or humanity, and believed that education was the key to advancement. Mencius and Xunzi were both followers of Confucius but differed in their ideas. Mencius believed that humans were basically inclined toward good. Xunzi took an opposite view of human nature and thought that most people were inclined to be selfish and had to learn to be moral. All three emphasized traditional ritual practices.

10.

Answer would ideally include:
 
· The Qin used Legalism to control both state officials and the general populace, which replaced serf-like obligations to the nobility. Legalist statutes were very strict and required officials to keep accurate and detailed records and to enforce the Qin laws. Any behavior or thought by the populace that questioned the authority of the Qin emperor was harshly punished, as were many behaviors defined as crimes.