Continuities And Changes In Ancient China Essay

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Ancient China underwent various changes in philosophy, dynasty, and advancements. First, Confucius, Daoism, and Buddhism grew to become the major religions of China. Next, China underwent a major shift of power of the Warring States period when the Qin conquered the Qin dynasty which also eventually collapsed to give way for the Han Dynasty. Lastly, the advancements made by the Qin and Han allowed China to flourish as an empire. Ultimately, Chapter 9 of Patterns of World History, Volume One encompassed 3 crucial developments in early Chinese History. The three major philosophers in China was Confucius, and Laozi. According to Confucius himself, there are certain fundamental patterns that exhibit the Dao of the universal order (von Sivers, Desnoyers, and Stow 246). For instance, when Confucius was asked about his to summarize his beliefs he replied with the word “Reciprocity,” and believed that people should strive for kindness towards others with the qualities of ren by following the teaching of li which …show more content…
For instance, the Qin utilized thousands of laborers to connect the defensive walls of the old Zhou states, which would become the “Great Wall” of China (von Sivers, Desnoyers, and Stow 252). Additionally the Qin empire standardized the Chinese writing system, created a standard for weights and measures, and establish a unified coinage system (von Sivers, Desnoyers, and Stow 252). The Han dynasty developed a political system that fused the structure of the Qin with the Confucian ideals of government, which lasted for over 2,000 years (von Sivers, Desnoyers, and Stow 253). The Hang also extended the Great Wall of China to deter invasions, and ultimately began sinicizing nomadic peoples surrounding the empire, assimilating them into Chinese culture (von Sivers, Desnoyers, and Stow 254). Ultimately, both of these empires’ achievements were crucial in the development of the

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