THE ~ HUMAN ~ DRAMA orld History: From the eginning fo 500 C.E. Jean Elliott Johnson and Donald James Johnson NM Markus Wiener Publishers \W, Princeton ‘Cover photograph: Emperor Qin Shi Hangs treat ‘Courtesy of the China Travel and Tourism Pre ofthe People's Republic of Cina. National Tourism Adi ‘Second printing, 2006ESTABLISHING A SYNTHESIS INTHE AGE OFEMPIRES 247 SCENE CHINA DEFINES ITSELF THREE AS THE PEOPLE OF HAN Setting the Stage During the Fra of Warring S China vigorously debated chaos and v lords, and few fel ed, fighting among the areas they had cont te of Qin, located in the western part of China, raised lots of horses, made the switch to cavalry very effect rulers in 256 B.C. defeated their rivals and created the first Chinese empire, The Qin scorned feudal chivalry stead employed strategies advocated by Sun Tau. Thi but to enrich their state and strengt Following Legalist philosophy, the Qin established a rigid set of lcd to everyone, such as cutting off a nose, branding the head, boiling a person alive, The Qin gave warriors the gr ‘As the Qin conquered new land, they increased through irrigation and flood control projects. Li Ping, who died about 240 b.cxe., organized a remarkable system on the Min River (in pre- sent-day Szechuan where the system still exists) that divided the Min into two streams, one for flood control and the other for irrigation 248 THE HUMAN DRAMA branched intricate approach to flood (A yang approach would mean keeping the to hold back the water) conquered all the y. By 221 B.C, Searching for a ded on Shih Huang Di. Huang means sovereign. Di meant Lord and was associated with the divine ances- tors to whom sacrifices were directed. The ancient sage ruler Huang Di had had the sa 0 perhaps Qi name would link him to past greatnessESTABLISHING A SYNTHESIS INTHE AGEOFEMPIRES 249 reign. He predicted that his kingdom would last ten thousand ages. ‘We usually call him simply the First Emperor. ‘The First Emperor followed Legalist-militarist policies. He ruled the country with absolute authority and military might, issuing decrees and backing them up with powerful armies over which he had absolute control. No one was to question his word his edicts were law. ‘When Shih Huang Di came to power, only aristocrats from a few clans owned land and enjoyed power. position stronger, the First Emperor ordered take away their land, Those who were not killed were forced to 1 tal, s0 they had no power base. fn their place, he divided the empire into 36 provinces and appointed a civil governor, a military comman- der, and an inspector to control cach province. Hopefally, this three ‘way Balaiice of power would prevent any one person from building up power and challenging him. In addition, families. were grouped {ogether, and all were responsible for one another and would be pun- ished if anyone broke a law. People had to report their neighbors! ‘wrongdoings or suffer the same punishments if a crime were discov- in the capi- To ensure that his officials administered the empire effectively, merous reforms, Roads were built and al le and make which were all made in money), he standardized weights and measures. By 1e Chinese characters and eas issuing an edict that simplified some of standardized how Chinese was written, he improved communication Shih s, and he knew they fundamentally disagreed with how he was ruling. He ordered his ministers to gather up all the Confucian classics and bur all but one copy of each one. Those single copies he intended to keep in the royal library. He also ordered 460 Confucian scholars put to death. Later Chinese historians claimed some were buried alive while others were buried up to their necks and then decapitated, 250 ‘THE HUMAN DRAMA, CONNECTING THE WALL AND MAKING A CLAY ARMY When threatened by the Xiongnu, a nomadic confederacy on the border, Shih Huang Di sent 300,000 soldiers to drive the nomads beyond the Gobi Desert. During the Era of Warring States, various arcas had attempted to discourage nomadic invaders by build ing walls around their borders, and now Shih Huang Di forced tens of where none existed. So fon and exposure to harsh weather conditions tower wall was not completely successful mark the ity between settled and nomadic areas, and it may have discouraged unwanted interaction and invasions chaps Shih Huang Di's most impressive project was his tomb and the life-size clay army stationed nearby. Modern Chinese ologists have located the site of the subterrancan palace in which he imtended to spend etemity, but they have not started to excavate it, ‘Tradition claims it is a replica of the whole of China with the cou-ESTABLISHING A SYNTHESIS INTHE AGE OF EMPIRES 251 and many terracotta led by 12 footmen. ‘These clay gu: iainers, and footmen were buried 15 to 20 feet underground and certainly one of the wonders tary might, was an ¢ but people hated t knew that heavy taxation, corvée, military service, and r created many enemies, and he feared th tried to find dissenters, and he even put on a led in the markets, asking people what they though Emperor and life under the Qin. He seldom rs know in which bed he intended to sleep, and when First Emperor. ess tact y were plotting to overthrow THE HUMAN DRAMA, revealed his whereabouts was 1g Di was obsessed with s%CHINESE CIVILIZATION A Sourcebook SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND EXPANDED Edited by Patricia Buckley Ebrey [Fe] THE FREE PRESS A Division of Macmillan, Inc New ¥¢ Maxwell Macmillan Canada Toronto Maxwell Macmillan International New York Oxford Singapore Sylney Copyright © 1993 by Patricia Buckley Ebrey Copyright © 1981 by The Free Press A Division of Macmillan, Ine: All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or ‘mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission. in writing from the Publisher. ‘The Free Press A Division of Macmillan, Inc 866 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022 Maxwell Macmillan Canada, Inc. 1200 Eglinton Avenue East Suite 200 Don Mills, Ontario M3C 3N1 Macmillan, Inc. is part of the Maxwell Communication Group of Companies. Printed in the United States of America Printing number 2345678910 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Chinese civilization :a sourcebook I edited by Patricia Buckley Bbrey.—2nd ed., rev. and expanded. Pe om. Chinese civilization and society. references and index. society. DS721.C517 1993, 951—de20 9247017 ‘CIP.‘SOME OFFENSES LEADING ‘TO PENAL SERVITUDE Criminals who owe fines or redemption fees and rs who have debts to the government are told f pay immediately. ‘Those unable to pay must rork off their debt from the day the orderisgiven. ch day they work off eight cash, or six cash if are fed by the government. ‘When five men jointly rob something worth st If PENAL SERVITUDE IN QIN LAW The Oin state, which sified China in 221 a.c., was remembered in later China above all for its harsh laws and extensive use of unfree labor. People were re- warded for denouncing those who broke the law, and the lawbreakers, once convicted, were punished severely by execution, ruutilation, or penal labor. Very little was known of the exact provisions of Qin law until 1975 when 625 bamboo strips inscribed with Qin laws were found in atomb in central Hubei. The laws inseribed on these strips (the normal sort of “book” of the period) mostly concern provisions of interest to an official who bad to prepare reports and impose penalties and keep track of money, grain, and various sorts of laborers. Below are some ofthe scattered laws relevant to the four grades of penal servitude. The least oppressive, termed here “debt worker,” was a form of penal servitude imposed to pay off debis, including debts arising from fines and commutation of other sen- tences. The next three levels, from lightest to heaviest, are called here convict ser- vant, convict worker, and convict laborer. The last category could either be “mutilated” or intact, the mutilations varying from tattooing to cutting offone or both feet. Male convict laborers usually were put to work on rojectssuch as build- ingroads or defensive walls or digging canals or imperial tombs. Women were ust- ally assigned other tasks, such as sifting or pounding grain. ‘one cash or more, they should have their lef foot amputated, be tattooed, and made convict labor- ers. If fewer than five men were involved but what they robbed was worth more than 660 cash, they should be tattooed, their noses cut off, and made convict laborers. When the value falls between 220 and 660 cash, they should be tattooed and ‘made convict laborers. Under 220 cash, they are banished. Suppose a slave gets his master’s female slave52 | The Qe and Ham Dyratoe to steal the master’s ox, then they sell it, take the money, and fice the country, only to be caught at the border. How should they each be sentenced? They should be made convict laborers and tat- tooed, [At the end of their term] they should be returned to their master. Suppose A stole an ox when he was only 14 meters tall, but after being in detention for a year, he was measured at 1.57 meters [i.e. adult height]. How is A to be sentenced? He should be left intact and made a convict laborer (the lower penalty]. Suppose the holder of a low rank (granting some privileges] stolea sheep. Before the case was judged, he falsely accused someone else of stealing «pig. How should he be sentenced? He should be left intact and made a convict laborer. Anyone who kills a child without authoriza- tion is to be madea convict laborer. This does not apply to killing a deformed or abnormal newborn. Suppose a child is born whole and normal, and a person kills it merely because he or she already has too many children. What is the sentence? It counts as killing a child. Suppose someone arresting a person charged with a crime punishable with a fine stabs him on purpose with a sword or sharp weapon. What is the sentence? If he killed him, he is lef intact and made a convict laborer. If he wounded him, he has his beard shaved off and is made a convict servant. Suppose A ran away fom her husband and married B, who had also run away, without tell- ing him [that she had a husband]. Two years later, after she had borne children, she told him, but he did not repudiate her. After they are caught, what should the sentence be? They should be tattooed and made convict laborers. When commoners need to pay fines, commu- tation fees, or debts, they may have their male or female slave, horse, or ox work it off for them. Prisoners of war are made convict servants. ‘TREATMENT OF CONVICTS ‘Male convict servants and convict laborers who arenot 1.5 metersand female convict servants and conviet laborers who are not 1.43 meters are classed as undersized. When convicts reach 1.2 meters they are all put to work. Convict laborers are to wear red clothes and red head cloths. They are to be manacled and fet tered. They are not to be supervised by capable convict laborers, but only by those assigned the task, Convict laborers sent out to work are not to ‘enter the market and must stay outside the outer gate of buildings. If they have to go pasta market, they should make a detour, not pass through it. ‘When working for the government, male con vict servants are given two bushels of grain a month, female convict servants one and a half, Those not engaged in work are not given any- thing. When working, undersized convict labor. ers and convict servants are given one and a half bushels of grain a month; those still too young to ‘work get one bushel. Working undersized female convict servants and conviet laborers get one bushel and two and 2 half pecks a month; those still coo young to work get one bushel. Infants, whether in the care of their mother of not, get a half bushel a month. Male convict servants doing agricultural work get two and a half bushels from the second to the ninth month, when rations stop. Overseers who increase the rations for convict laborers performing easy tasks will be judged ac- cording to the rules on infcinging che ordinances. Convict servants, convict supervisors, and debt workers detained among the convict laborers ‘must not be charged for their food and clothing, Anyone who works with the convict laborers should be clothed and fed lke them. Buta convict servant with a wife with only periodic duty or on the outside has to pay for his clothing, Male convict servants without wives and all ‘male convict laborers get money to cover their clothing: 110 cash in winter and $5 in summ undersized ones get 77 in winter and 44 in sum- met. Women convict laborers get 55 cash in win- ter and 44 in summer; undersized ones get 44 in winter and 33 in summer. Women convict ser- vants, if old or undersized and thus unable to pro- Vide their own clothes, are clothed like the women convict laborers.Officials need not petition to use convict abor- ers to enlarge or repair government buildings and storehouses. ‘When convict laborers break portery vessels or iron or wooden tools or break the rims of cart ‘wheels, they should be beaten ten strokes for each cash of value, up co cwenty cash, and the object is to be written off. An official who does not imme- diately beat them is to be charged half the value. A commoner not guilty of any crime who has a mother or sister serving as a convict servant may if he wishes be assigned to the frontier for five years without pay to free her. Penal Servitude in Qin Law | $3 In exchange for two degrees of aristocratic rank a person may free a father or mother who hhas been made a convict servant. Ifa convict servant lets a conviet laborer es- cape, he will be made an intact convict laborer himself and his wife and children outside will be confiscated. Debe workers may return home for ten days when itis time to plow or weed. ‘Translated by Patricia EbreyCIHUIN A {TS HISTORY AND CULTURE FOURTH EDITION W. SCOTT MORTON CHARLTON M. LEWIS McGraw-Hill, Inc. wYork Chicago San Francisco Lisbon London Madrid Mexico City Milan New Delhi San Juan Seoul Singapore Sydney Toronto Eman 1 © 2005, 1995, 1982, 1980, 2004 by Wi Scat Morton Second McGraw ition, 1995 6789 Doc Mops by Pau J. Pglien ISBN: 0.07-141279-4 con M. Lewis 4th e D8735.m164 2006 951-22 20040127145 UNIFICATION AND EXPANSION Qin Dynasty: 221-206 n.c. Han Dynasty: 206 8.c-A.p. 221 vyelopments at the time. preparation had been Ithough he final stages of mastery were rap ng on for a long time. THE QIN DYNASTY Lord Shang, hetwes per level of sociery, rewarded for at the lower he formation of groups mutually responsible for one another, and the strict reporting of misde ‘meanors to the authorities had tightened state control aver the whole pop. lation. A century lates, when the future emperor of 12, Qin Shi Huang, Di, came to the local throne of Qin in 246 8.c., he was ably served by an ex merchant, Lit Buwei, as chief administrator, and he in turn was succeeded by authority over the independent kingdoms had thus been worked out and, in a limited sphere by a few forceful personalities prior to the Qin. military conquest. ‘When the victory was complete in 221 n.c., ll weapons of those not in 45, 46 China: ts History and Culture the Qin army were confiscated and the metal melted down. It was suffcien: in quantity to make twelve gigantic stames at the new capital, Xianyang, To indicate his intention of making an entirely new beginning, the raler adopted the ambitious title of Shi Huang Di, “The First Emperor.” The country vas divided into thirty-six, later forty-cight, commanderies, or military distis, each with three officials who acted as checks upon one another: a civil gov cemor, a military governor, and a direct representative of the central govern jodically divided into eighteen orders of rank ‘were put into operation throughout China re ‘The vital difference in the organizing of the general population under Qin was that the people were detached from their former centralized government. This gave the government access to a manpower itherto unkaown, both in the army and in a conscript labor force, ke r wall already buile by three o joined, and extended to form a si of the mos fous construction projects rion, Some subsequent dynasties also ‘ern Manchuria, a distance of 1,400 miles, was built 1368-1644) ‘eager to impose logical un: he matters of lw and and me ith a square centr 1s. This replaced 2 nt in different areas in Zhou times (see in form, as was the policy of standardization provoked most opposition, smoldering beneath the surface at the time but vented by the literati in subsequent dynasties in lasting bitterness against the Qin regime. In order to make a clean sweep, wipe out the past, and undo'smose famous feat, wi the Great Wal marches over hows: Annette liane he chief minister Li Si drew up in 213 B.c. a Huang Di ordering all books save those cal subjects of agriculture, divinat who disobeyed the injunction were to be executed. So to their conquest of China the Qin had already attacked and gained teritory in Sichuan to the southwest. The armics now pushed south as far as Hanoi They secured the coast around the modern Canton and gained possession isnear Fuzhou and Guilin. . consolidating his rule and extending the frontiers of China toal- ‘resent position, the frst Qin emperor had shown demonic en- ergy and been phenomenally success But the more centralized the empire became, the more ‘vas to weakness atthe center. This weakness surfaced when the First Emperor died in 210 2.0. Fle was at the time, ically, on a trip to the eastern regions to seek the aid of Daoist magicians is securing the elixir of immortality. Li Si and the chief eunuch, Zhao Gao, kept his death secret ntl they had returned to the capital and put on the throne 8s Second Emperor a younger son who, they felt, would be amenable to their ‘own ambitions. But they fell out among themselves, Li Si was eliminated, 48 China: Its History and Culture ity was in many ways ac died during the construction of the Great Wall nes upon which the empire subsequently de ized realm which ng of Legal future Chinese conception of law. He had done so law was not to be a summary of past eus be a way to adjudicate disputes. Law was to divide the pad, to keep nd to strengthen ned: “I have Cone respect, which Men. Qin dynasty had failed: Ie no nce of the people and thus had sven evidence af its loss of the Mandate of Heaven.Ancient China By the Ancient World History Development Team ro ZALIVE! ‘Teachers’ Curriculum Institute Gapycigh © O98 by Teaches” Cored Tate, 1170 East Mendow Dive Palo Avo, CoMESmIs DAGOS Permission is hereby granted to reproduce student handouts aly. No oer pars of his publication ny be "produced witout writen permisin fom the publisher, Pine in he United Stes of America, Wit-4V LACEU Information About the Book Burnings ‘The Emperor's Conflict with Confucian Scholars + Many of the reforms instituted by Qin Shi Huang Di (pronounced CHIN-SHIH- HWONG-DEE) were in direct conflict with the beliefs of the empire’s Confucian scholars ‘These scholars followed the teachings of Confucius, a Chinese government official and teacher, who lived from 551 to 479 n.c-8. Confucius belicved that a ruler’s good, or virtuous, bebavior, and not laws, would encourage the people to “behave in a moral and respectful manner.” This belief was in direct contradiction to the Legalist view beld by Qin ‘Shi Huang Di. Legalists believed that people were essentially evil, and only strict laws and harsh punishments would make them behave properly. Qin Shi Huang Di also rejected the past and devoted himself to new ideas and methods. As a result, Confucian scholars? emphasis on past traditions and rituals often angered him. + The disagreements between Qin Shi Huang Di and the empire’s Confucian scholars came to a head at an imperial banquet in 213 .ce. The banquet was beld in honor of the emperor's bitthday, and was attended by Qin Shi Huang Di’s 70 “scholars of wide learning.” During the banquet, a Confucian scholar named Yue (pronounced YOO-EH) boldly criticized the emperor’s refusal to honor past traditions. Yue warned that the Qin dynasty would not last unless it modeled itself on the ways of the past. Yue’sstatement was a direct criticism of Qin Shi Huang Di’s bureaucratic and law-driven form of government. Emperor Qin’s trusted advisor, Li Si (pronounced LEE-SUH), came to the ‘emperor’s defense and attacked the Confucian scholars. Later, he wamed the emperor that the scholars’ criticisms could lead to the empire's downfall and must be stopped. Book Burnings and the Execution of the Scholars + Li’s solution to the scholars’ criticisms shocked the imperial court: “Anyone who possesses [Confucian books]...must present them to the proper civil authorities for burning,” Li declared. He stated that scholars who disobeyed the order would be marked with a facial tattoo and sent into forced labor. He further vowed that any scholars who discussed Confucian teachings in public would be executed and their bodies put on public display. Oin Shi Huang Di agreed with Li Si and authorized the book burnings. He spared only the imperial library’s books and some Confucian books devoted to practical subjects that interested him, such as architecture and medicine. = According to some ancient Chinese texts, the following year Qin Shi Huang Di executed 460 Confucian scholars for plotting against him. The emperor accused the scholars of spreading vicious rumors about him in order to confuse the people. As punishment, the enraged emperor had 460 of the scholars buried alive or beheaded and forced the others—including his eldest son, who criticized the scholar executions—to work on his great project in northern China: the building of the Great Wall.SC er 1c Information About the Building of the Great Wall Early History of the Great Wall of China Building the Great Wall During his reign, Qin Shi Huang Di (pronounced CHIN-SHIH-HWONG-DEE) forced hundreds of thousands of his subjects to build public works projects such as roads, water canals, and his most famous project, the Great Wall of China, or Chang Cheng (pronounced CHANHG-CHUNG). In the centuries before Qin Shi Huang Di’s rule, China’s northern states had built various defensive walls along their borders to keep out invading peoples from North Central Asia. In 221 v.ce. Qin Shi Huang Di ordered his trusted general, Meng Tian (pronounced MUNG-TEE-EN), to connect and extend the defensive walls to form a vast wall that would span China's aorthern frontier. Qin Shi Huang Di envisioned a great wall that would both prevent invading tribes from entering China and discourage his subjects from leaving the empire. Meng Tian supervised at least 300,000 workers in the building of the Great Wall, including soldicts, peasants, disgraced government officials, and convicted criminals. The workers labored under extremely harsh conditions. First, the regions in which the builders worked were often dangerous and difficult to reach. The wall was constructed through the twists and turns of high mountain peaks, partial deserts, swamplands, and beds of quicksand. Second, the weather across northern China ranged from bitterly cold in the winter to blazingly hot ia the summer. Exhausted workers often collapsed as a result of the weather extremes, and a great many became ill and died, Finally, builders often had to interrupt their work to fight off northem invaders. Scholars do not know how many workers died while building the Great Wall, but some believe the total to be in the tens of thousands. Chinese historians often refer to the Great Wall as “the longest graveyard in the world” because of the countless number of workers buried within the wall itself. The Completion of the Great Wall {took Meng Tian and his workers more than (en years to complete the Great Wall. When it was finished, it extended more than 1,500 miles along China’s northern border. The caste balf of the wall was made of stone and brick, while the western half consisted of massive walls of dit. The average height of the Great Wall was about 25 fect, and its base was anywhere from 15 to 30 feet thick. Despite its immense size, the Great Wall did not, in fact, successfully prevent invaders from entering China. For example, the Xiongnu (Pronounced SHEE-ONG-NOO)—also known as the Huns—suecessfully invaded China during the third century ce. and ruled the northem part of the country for more than 200 years. Nevertheless, the Great Wall of China is considered one of the most awesome achievements of the reign of Qin Shi Huang DiInformation About the Emperor's Death and Burial ‘The Emperor’s Search for Immortality Despite the many achievements of Qin Shi Huang Di (pronounced CHIN-SHIH- HWONG-DEE), ancient Chinese writings reveal he was “unable to find happiness.” At the root of Qin Shi Huang Di's unhappiness was his terror of death and his desire to live forever, or be immortal. Therefore, Qin Shi Huang Di was thrilled when he met a group of magicians in 219 6.c.£. who wanted to search for an immortality potion, or elixir. Eager to become immortal, the eroperor immediately sent “thousands of youths and maidens” to help the magicians search for the magic potion. Unfortunately, the party was never heard from again. Tn 212 p.ce a magician told Qin Shi Huang Di that evil spirits were to blame for the emperor’s failure to find the immortality potion. The magician wamed the emperor that he would never achieve immortality untess he hid from the evil spirits. Asa result, the emperor ‘secret passages and covered pathways so he could travel unseen built a large network of: “After this time, 00 one knew among his 270 palaces. According to ancient Chinese texts, where [the emperor] was..al} was determined within bis..palaces.” ‘The Death and Burial of Qin Shi Huang Di In 210 p.ce. after more than ten years as emperor of China, Emperor Qin died unexpectedly at the age of 49 while searching for an elixir of immortality. While no one knows the exact cause of his death, some scholars think he may have accidentally poisoned himself by drinking various potions in an effort to gain immortality. The emperor’s advisors worried that the news of his death might cause chaos throughout the land. Therefore, Gin Shi Huang Di’s top advisor, Li Si (pronounced LEE-SUH), attempted to keep his death a secret until the emperor’s body was returned to the capital city of Xianyang (pronounced ‘SHEE-AHN-YAHING). Li Si concealed Qin Shi Huang Di’s death by having food delivered to the emperor’s covered carriage and issuing fake imperial announcements. The procession eventually reached the capital, where Qin Shi Huang Di was laid to rest in one of the ancient world’s most magnificent tombs. Ancient Chinese writings report that work began on Qin Shi Huang Di’s tomb when he inherited the throne at age 13. About 700,000 workers built the emperor's tomb, which covered eight square miles and was located inside Mount Li (pronounced LEE) near the city now known as Xian (pronounced SHEE-AHN). Many of the tomb workers were buried alive with the emperor because Oin Shi Huang Di’s son did not want graverobbers to leam about the tomb’s many treasures. According to ancient writings, the tomb contained an underground city made of bronze, with rivers and seas filled with mercury. The tomb also contained marvelous tools, precious jewels, and rare objects. Artisans made crossbows into traps so that any graverobbers would meet sudden death, Most amazing of all, artists crafted an entire army of soldiers made of fired,unglazed clay, called terra cotta, for the tomb. So far, archeologists have discovered several thousand unique life- size figures, including archers, foot soldiers, chariot drivers, and horses. The terra cotta army faces forward, to lead the emperor into the next world.China's First Emperor By 221 seat sian to ended and Pe Cheng wa set peta hansell Shah Hoang tothe Fist Epon Alth the Cin Oy nay was sh dion, nh as te eegy dnd acetone foun hat gee represents stig pt inte ht of Ci tet aston npaceof eel feta sem Of gore longing to he Cosel Age cenraied ony ne eablibed. The bu scar type goveunen a ad developed inChn berate mot fr use Chins fo ica cngantee, lang ul he woah cen. Te sigicame of ie revlsionary change tat chin Shi Huang’ began an Ui Pang ove of lowing purl Chinese yay the Han compte canta be ite iat "The ea) can of Cina neste storing tote poss ote by anger wr enieaton The mits daemiaon ht had died the "Tiger of Ci ns dete ofthe Waring Stes soon bea even in hogan of the Chin Ener ony Chine was Obiged ota oe oft suo tn: Lacing my eg uf oven tape ton, te Chin Ep sina in ean Gress he end te month The deposed Senora of eld fen sas posed int politica eps in tamer al I of te Yellow River wns ne nth dere se dang fo he ing swear ces Uiyte Hono nade he Roman Epo Oh fun ceo ary cna seemed he ‘Yong Yap and Anbar Courrell The Early Chilzation af China (hen York GP Pn Sa Lp. 7072. ‘quickest and most efficient way of bringing sta bility. Therefore, Ch'in Shih Huaiyg-i abolished feudal holdings: compelled the nobles to reside at the capital, Hsienyang, where isolated from their supporters they remained without influence; awarded the nung greater rights over their land, bbut made them liable for taxes; and divided the Empire into new administrative areas under the control of military governors and civil adminis: raters. Everything was reduced ‘in a uniform ‘manner: there was standardization of weights and measures, written language, and even vehicle axles, which ended the transfer and reweighing ‘of goods at borders because of differences in ruts made by cartwheels from one state to another ‘The freer interchange of people and commodities fostered a wider national consciousness, though Ch'in Shib Huang. was careful to restict the benefits that the shang derived from the growth of commerce. ‘The location of the imperial capital in the Wei valley was militarily sound. From Heienyang, protected on three sides by mountain or desert, Chin Shih Huang-ti could sweep down the val. ley of the Yellow River into the lowlands and re ‘ire into an almost impregnable stronghold when- ever the forces of the eastern provinces were organized. A network of tree-lined roads eadiat- ing from the capital was begun so that imperial ‘orders and troops could be rapidly conveyed to the farthest outposts, Resentment was felt over the geographical location of the imperial capital, tucked away in the north-westem comer of the Empire, but the same strategic and economic rea- sons were to prejudice the Former Han sulers in favour of the Wei valley. The refusal of Ch'in Shib Huang-ti 10 countenance any survival of den at great personal risk, the feudal world Feudalism—he would not grant fiefs to his own cons o¢ eelatives, lest the old rivalries of the War- ‘ing States period rerurn—alienated the more cs ditional shih and caused Li Ssu, the chief minis. ter, to recommend the “Burning of the Books’ What this statesman feared was an alliance be tsicen the old aristocracy and Confucian schol ars. Although Confucius had not condemned the Empire, he was unaware of such a possibility, so that his followers during the Ch'in dynasty were ‘opposed to the end of feudalism. By imperial edict all schools of philosophy were required to close, with the exception of the Legalists, and all books were to be destroyed, except the imperial archives and works on medicine, divination and agriculture. This sweeping measure effectively destroyed feudalism: it caused a definite break in consciousness, When, in Han times, the ancient texts were painfully reconstructed from memory seemed historically remote. Education cather than birth appeared as the important social quali- fication, If Li Ssu broke the power of the nobles, bhe had weakened the Chin dynasty tov. The shih ‘were united in hatred against the imperial house, the official class of Ch'in alone remained loyal ‘After ceading this selection, consider these questions: 1. Why did Qin Shi Huangdi (Ch'in Shit: Huang-ti) feel compelled to de stroy so much of ancient Chinese cul: twre? Do you think he was justified? 2. In what ways were Qin Shi Huangdi's policies dictated by China's geogra. phy? 3. Why was the location of the capital important for Qin Shi Huangdi?