Zhou Dynasty
Key Terms
Dynasty
A historical rule of a royal family.
Mandate of Heaven
- Right to rule granted by heaven
- Only one heaven, so there can be only one legitimate ruler
- Right to rule based on the virtue of the ruler
- Right to rule is not necessarily limited to one dynastic line
Ritual Revolution
- Clear differentiation of authority and responsibility
- The possession of certain ritual vessels mark political rank: sets, shapes, and decoration of bronzes become more stereotyped
- Emphasize the use of ritual vessels for the ceremony
- Inscriptions become longer
- Decoration was more sober, with a trend towards abstraction
Western Zhou Dynasty
1122 - 771 BCE
The Zhou were originally a vassal state under the Shang, and later the Zhou overthrew the Shang and became the ruling dynasty.
Western Zhou’s capital was defeated in 771 BCE and moved to the Eastern Zhou.
Bronze Vessels
Presence of sets and diversity
Not likely for utility purposes due to the excessive weight and inconvenient for usage
Demonstrated a figure without a left foot, a punishment system for the slaves
The Land Distribution System
No private ownership of land, which all belongs to the king
Well-field system, Jingtian
Land divided into 9 equal parcels (8 families and a common plot)
Reinforce the concept that all land ultimately belongs to the state
Social value supports the equal distribution of land
Hoards, 771 BCE
The tribal people seized the capital and the king, who was killed
Eastern Zhou Dynasty
771 - 256 BCE
Loss of rulership of the majority of the region, except the region near the capital
- Spring and Autumn Period: 722-481
- Warring States Period: 403-221
The Warring States Period
Collapse of a stable multi-state alliance system
Priority: immediate interests of individual states
Ultimate solution: reunification through force rather than alliances
Present of food warming and refrigerating bronze objects
Shi, 士
Start developing in the Warring States Period
- Philosophers, political advisors, professionals
- See the decline of the hereditary aristocracy
- Open military command and government service to common people
- Rising importance of non-noble but capable ministers
- The emergence of new broader ruling elite class, Shi