HISTORY 3EC3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Quanrong, Qin Dynasty, King Wen Of Zhou
19 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
SeungJoon SUNG
East Asian Cultures (Chin)
TuTh 12:30-1:45pm
Sept/11/2012
#3 Reading & Class Notes for Sept 11
Western Zhou Period
Zhou Dynasty: 1122-221 BCE
Western Zhou: 1122-771 BCE
Set up on the Wei R. (NE of Shang)
Had already been in contact with the Shang
Overthrow of Shang
King Wen prepared attack; King Wu overthrew the Shang
Explained using Mandate of Heaven last ruler of Shang, Zhou Xin, portrayed very negatively
To control this vast territory, Zhou kings assigned relatives to rule (known as “feudal age”)
7 major divisions states kingdoms
Shang was allowed to keep a small portion of land for sacrifices
(Zhou didn’t want to upset Shang ancestors)
Decline of Western Zhou
First 300 years: relatively similar culture and society (houses, bronze, etc.)
In Zhou, writing was more prevalent and done on bamboo or wood
The limited power of the central govt. declined further by 850 BCE king driven out in 841 BCE
Eastern Zhou Period
West to East
771 BCE: Zhou suffer big defeat against tribal Quan Rong Capital moved eastward
Apparently, the Zhou army didn’t take the king’s alarm seriously b/c the king had previously
used the alarm to bring all the army together and make his concubine smile
Allegiance of various states to the Zhou became nominal
Kings (but not emperors) began to spring up 7-10 major powers fight each other
End of Zhou
722-479 BCE: Spring-Autumn (Chunqiu) Period
“hundred schools”: philosophers tried to bring China back together wandering scholars
403-221 BCE: Warring States (Qin Dynasty begins; Zhou already faltering)
The Zhou is the longest dynasty in Chinese history, and the conditions at the beginning and
end are vastly different.
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