The Zhou Dynasty (周朝, 1046–256 BCE)
Mandate of Heaven (上天的使命)
Zhou Dynasty [Minneapolis Institute of Arts]
The Zhou Dynasty was probably the most culturally significant of all the Chinese dynasties.
It fully developed the concept of the Mandate of Heaven, that the king does not need to be of noble birth but need to be divinely appointed. He would be the only legitimate ruler of the land.
It is believed that Heaven and earth mirrored each other and influenced each other. The earth was thought to be the Yang (masculine) and Heaven, Yin (feminine) — harmony between the two was essential for peace and prosperity for the country. The king was the representative of Heaven on earth and is known as the Son of Heaven (天子). He is responsible for all communication with Heaven through his rituals and sacrifice offerings.
The change of dynasty would be due to the previous ruler having forfeited his Mandate, and his regime no longer benefited the people.
This would be the framework of Chinese politics for centuries to come.
Feudal System (封建制度)
When the king could not maintain and manage the large territory, the land would be allocated to family members and trusted military generals. Thus, the social hierarchy of the feudal system is as follows.
§ King
§ Nobles
§ Gentries
§ Merchants
§ Laborers
§ Peasants
The nobles had their own distinct legal and taxation system, as well as currency and military. They paid taxes to the king and offered military support when necessary.
The nobles owned the peasants who farmed the land.
Spring and Autumn Period (春秋时代)
The Zhou Dynasty was divided into Western Zhou (西周, 1045–771 BCE) and Eastern Zhou (东周, 770–256 BCE). The Spring and Autumn Period (771–476 BCE) was at the beginning of the Eastern Zhou. It took its name from the book, Spring and Autumn Annals (春秋), which recorded events yearly. This book was believed to have been compiled by Confucius and marked the beginning of China's recorded history.
This was a time when many nobles were more powerful than the king, but the king was still the legitimate ruler of the land due to the Mandate of Heaven. Regional autonomy meant orders from the central government were often ignored, and landowners waged wars amongst themselves. Politicians sought new forms of administration to strengthen their regime and encouraged the development of different views on society. This led to the period Hundred Schools of Thoughts (诸子百家, 6th century–221 BCE), an era of intellectual and cultural expansion, the golden age of Chinese philosophy.
The most famous of Chinese philosophers lived during this period — including Confucius and Laozi.
Confucianism (儒教)
Confucius 孔子 [Zane Archives]
Confucius (孔子, 551–479 BCE) was born in Qufu (曲阜), Shandong Province. He is considered one of the most significant and influential people in the history of humanity, especially in East Asia, where his teachings formed the basis of cultural and societal norms.
His teachings were primarily concerned with social relationships. He thought the Western Zhou period, where the central government was strong as ideal. He believed in social responsibility over individual rights and that all individuals need to be good and virtuous. His way of banishing hatred and war was to have a polite and orderly society where everyone had a prescribed role.
After his death, his students wrote down his teachings, and the book is now known as the Analects (论语).
During the Qin Dynasty (秦朝, 221–206 BCE), Confucianism was suppressed over Legalism (法家), administration by strict execution of the law. From the Han Dynasty (汉朝, 202 BCE–220) onwards, however, it remained prevalent in China until the end of the dynastic rule in 1911.
Daoism (道教)
Laozi (老子, 571–?) is a semi-legendary figure. He is believed to be a contemporary of Confucius, founder of Daoism and author of Dao De Jing (道德经), the scripture of Daoism. He is also worshipped as a deity in Daoism, Supreme Old Lord (太上老君).
According to legend, when he was born, he was already an old man. He soon left his home to live a life of solitude.
One of the main ideas of Daoism is the belief in balancing the opposing forces of yin and yang, which are matching pairs such a dark and light, hard and soft, hot and cold. The guiding principle is that of Wuwei (无为), effortless action and goes with the flow of nature. Individuals should follow the force of the universe, called the Way (道) and achieve harmony with the surroundings. It stresses the individual rather than the society as called for by Confucianism.
From the philosophy of living, Daoism evolved into the worship of gods and ancestors. It is still practised today.