1. Connections: A World History
Second Edition
Chapter 4
The Origins of the
Chinese Empire, to
220 C.E.
Connections: A World History, Second Edition
Edward H. Judge • John W. Langdon

2. The First Emperor’s Underground Army

3. Early Chinese Empire

4. The Origins of the Chinese Empire, to
220 C.E.
A. China’s Geographic Diversity
B. Early Chinese Societies
C. State and Society During the Zhou Dynasty
D. The Classical Age of Chinese Philosophy
E. The Birth of the Empire Under the Qin Dynasty
F. The Growth of the Empire Under the Han Dynast
G. Society, Technology, and the Silk Road

5. China’s Geographic Diversity

6. China’s Geographic Diversity
A. Geographic Diversity and Intercultural
Connections

7. FOUNDATION MAP 4.1 China’s Geography and
Environment, Third Millennium B.C.E.

8. Early Chinese Societies

9. Early Chinese Societies
A. Predynastic China
1. Legendary past

10. The Yellow River.

11. Early Chinese Societies
B. Xia and Shang Societies
1. Xia Dynasty
2. Bronze metallurgy
3. Shang rule
4. Shang society and religion

12. MAP 4.2 China’s Early Dynasties and Central Asian
Connections, Second Millennium B.C.E.

13. Remains of early Chinese chariot, with bones of
horses and driver.

14. Early Chinese Societies
C. Chinese Writing

15. Shang oracle bone.

16. State and Society
During the Zhou Dynasty

17. State and Society
During the Zhou Dynasty
A. The Mandate of Heaven and Dynastic
Cycle
1. The Triumph of the Zhou
2. Mandate of Heaven and political
legitimacy
3. Rebellion and dynastic cycles

18. MAP 4.3 The Zhou Dynasty, 1122–256 B.C.E.

19. State and Society
During the Zhou Dynasty
B. Conflict, Chaos, and Commerce
1. Decentralized government under the Zhou
2. Commerce keeps China connected

20. A metal bell from the Zhou era.

21. State and Society
During the Zhou Dynasty
C. The Central Asian Connection
1. Central Asian nomads
2. Iron working

22. The Classical Age of Chinese
Philosophy

23. The Classical Age of Chinese
Philosophy
A. Confucianism: Noble-Minded Conduct
and Familial Respect
1. Confucius
2. Confucianism as an ethical philosophy
3. The virtues: ren, li, and xiao
4. Confucianism’s impact on society and
government

24. Confucius and his disciples.

25. The Classical Age of Chinese
Philosophy
B. Daoism: The Way That Cannot Be
Spoken
1. Harmony and passivity
B. Yin and Yang: The Balance of Forces in
Nature
1. Balance and harmony

26. Traditional yin-yang symbol, with light (yang) side
blending into dark (yin) side to signify harmony and
unity.

27. The Classical Age of Chinese
Philosophy
D. Legalism: Regulation, Coercion, and
Control
1. Order and stability

28. The Birth of the Empire
Under the Qin Dynasty

29. The Birth of the Empire
Under the Qin Dynasty
A. The First Emperor
1. Centralization and standardization

30. MAP 4.4 The Qin Empire, 221–206 B.C.E.

31. The Birth of the Empire
Under the Qin Dynasty
A. The First Emperor
2. Imperial monuments
A. The End of the Qin Dynasty

32. China’s Great Wall, now built of brick, began as an
earthen barrier under the First Emperor.

33. The Growth of the Empire
Under the Han Dynasty

34. The Growth of the Empire
Under the Han Dynasty
A. The Early Han: Confucian Bureaucracy
and Military Expansion
1. Philosophy and bureaucracy
2. Conquest and expansion

35. MAP 4.5 The Han Empire, 202 B.C.E. – 220 C.E.

36. The Growth of the Empire
Under the Han Dynasty
B. Rebellion, Reform, and Ruin
C. The Later Han: Revival and Decline
1. The restoration of Han rule and stability
2. Economic upheaval, natural disasters,
and civil war

37. Society, Technology,
and the Silk Road

38. Society, Technology,
and the Silk Road
A. Han Society
1. Based on farming and herding
2. Family and ancestors
3. Gender roles
4. Peasant life
5. Urban life

39. Model of a Han era house.

40. Society, Technology,
and the Silk Road
B. Technical and Commercial Creativity
1. Cities centers of creativity, commerce,
and craftsmanship
B. The Silk Road and the Sea Trade
1. Zhang Qian
2. Conquests and commerce
3. The Silk Road
4. Sea lanes

41. MAP 4.6 The Silk Road and Sea Trade, by First
Century B.C.E.

42. Bactrian camel.

43. Key Dates and Developments