The Han Dynasty

Raphael Ramos

World Civilizations

Professor Jackson

October 14,2014

The Han Dynasty

1. What do origin myths tell us about the direction of china?

They represented sky, earth, and nature; originally it was a ciaos or an egg. They also described the world as soiled in the reference that they didn’t contain the same respect in the religious aspects. There was a understanding that there’s a greater God that created and have certain duties. They also believed they are the original people.

      2.          What about Confucius wisdom for society was attractive to rulers that implemented his philosophy?

Confucius started a guideline or a status que for society in China. He was more down to earth and was against barbarianism and was rather more into being civilized. He was also very peaceful and completely against pain, suffering, and human sacrifice. He showed rulers and emperors a new way at how to conquer and carry out their civilizations. With being more peaceful it allowed the people to achieve more and also improved trade and commerce due to the fact there weren’t as many threats as it had once had.

1. What input did unified writing system have on its social and political development?

Language universally understood, allowed people to join together due to using similar language. It helped centralize power allowing leaders to communicate with one other as well as those who were conquered. Also it brings a message that there’s a main language amongst the 300 other ones in the area. Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang used language in his own advantage by excluding any conflict of losing power by providing a mandatory guideline for the people. It also allowed emperors to use language to finally use symbols and letter to write up history. This helped emperors create history mostly based on them “history is written only on the winners”.

1. How did “Rationalization” of (weights and measures) cause on for seen consequences and what were they?

Some consequences would have to be the people try to adapt to new concepts when dealing with a much simpler broader way before. For example when constructing the Great Wall of China they seemed to be strict and cruel and extremely brutal. Not only due to the large amounts of labor but the fact they were using new measurements and tools that they have never knew anything about giving them the disadvantage of experience.

1. What did the presence of Toralata warriors at the tomb of China’s 1st emperor suggest about a.) Politics of his day b.) Life after death?

He had solder replicas; Qin Shi Huang who was the 1st emperor tomb buried all horses, chariots and bronzed weapons. He believed in human sacrifice to be buried by his tomb for purposes due to having servants in the next life. He also believed that having solder replicas buried by him would bring him protection in the underworld and also guard his tomb from rebels trying to steal. Shi Huang started to sacrifice replicas rather than humans too. They had the belief that your image in your current life will travel with you into the next life you are in. Which goes to show why they had so much traditions and specific ways of being buried to help guide the dead into the after life.

       6.         What kind of evidence is used to make such claims?

The evidence that proves these are scriptures and other diaries that have been discovered through out the years that showed how the Han dynasty believed in burials and how to successfully pass to the after life. Also it was a benefit that they had created a language system that allowed them to write symbols and communicate and take down history with these tools. They were known for how they sacrificed humans, animals, replicas and gold with their bodies.