Ancient China’s Government

Ancient China had seven primary dynasties. A dynasty consists of numerous leaders who belong to
the same ruling family. The first Ancient Chinese dynasty was the Shang, which survived for about four
hundred years from 1500s BC to 1100s BC. Ancient China had other dynasties too. As mentioned
before there were seven main dynasties which were the Qin, Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing.
The Qin lasted for fourteen years, Han for four hundred twenty-six years, Tang for two hundred ninety
years, Song for three hundred nineteen years, Yuan for eighty nine years, Ming for two hundred
seventy-six years, and Qing for two hundred sixty seven years. These seven main dynasties lasted for
a total of one thousand six hundred eighty one years. Within these Ancient Chinese dynasties rulers
were called emperors.

Emperors lived in the upper class of Ancient China’s distinctive class system. They wore the finest
clothes made out of silk. Emperors had a great deal of power, and some rulers abused that power, like
Shi Huangdi. Shi Huangdi demanded that everyone should have the same beliefs he had. He burnt
books that disagreed with his religion. Although Shi Huangdi abused his powers not all emperors did.
Some emperors increased trade, and as a result their civilization flourished.

GOVERNMENT

Introduction
During the Zhou dynasty, people began to believe that the rulers of the Chinese states were 'sons of heaven', meaning that they
were chosen by the gods. This idea continued to gain credibility. Once China was unified, the emperors used this belief to their
advantage to help them retain power. Any aspiring usurper had to prove that the existing ruler had offended the gods before he
could rightfully claim the title of emperor. A centralized government began with the rule of Shi Huangdi.

The emperor
Shi Huangdi united the warring Chinese states, named himself the first emperor and established an empire. From this time, the
emperor would be treated with increasing reverence and would come to be worshipped as a god. The emperor ruled with the
Mandate of Heaven, the belief that he was only emperor because the gods chose him to be. This belief developed into an obligation
for the emperor to rule as well as he could. If there were any signs that the emperor was not ruling well, such as failing to protect
people from invasion, it was believed to indicate that Heaven had taken away the mandate. Natural disasters were also seen as a
sign that the gods were unhappy with the emperor.

It is thought that the Zhou came up with the Mandate of Heaven to convince people of their right to rule but eventually the rulers
came to believe it themselves. The Zhou believed that the last Shang king was a corrupt and ineffective leader who could no longer
fulfill his role. The Zhou believed that they had permission from heaven to seize power from the Shang.

The first centralized government

Once the first emperor had unified China, the country came under a centralized government. This government was based on the
distinction of social classes and emphasized individual responsibilities. Shi Huangdi made many reforms and was considered a
brutal ruler. Under him, the principle of legalism became dominant. The legalists were opposed to Confucianism. Both Confucians
and legalists believed in a united China but believed in different ways of attaining this goal. The legalists believed that most people
were inherently evil and would only work for their own gain, not the gain of the community. The legalists believed that strict laws
should be imposed with severe punishments for anyone that broke the law. They also believed in absolute obedience to the
emperor. Legalism became the ruling principle under Shi Huangdi but this philosophy only lasted for 15 years until the legalists were
overthrown. The beliefs of legalism had a lasting effect on China and the imperial system was to continue in China for many
centuries.

Government officials
The government had a central administration in the capital city with smaller divisions located in each province. The smaller divisions
were staffed by officials appointed by the emperor. The central government had various departments that looked after things such
as religion and ceremonies, law and order, taxes and agriculture. The officials of the central government were responsible for
discussing issues such as taxation, justice and defense with the emperor and obtaining his permission to implement policies.
The emperor had two very close governors to advise him. These close advisers communicated with the provincial officials. The
governors were permitted to tell the emperor if he was failing to carry out his duties effectively.

From the beginning of the Han dynasty, every effort was made to distinguish the emperor from the rest of society. The emperor was
removed from the people and lived deep inside a large palace, hidden from commoners. He was provided with a huge household to
attend to his every need.

Social Hierarchy

Introduction
Social structure was very important in ancient China. The Chinese believed in strict social groups and people were expected to
behave according to their social position. This belief was further reinforced by the Chinese philosopher Confucius, who taught that
strict social order and discipline was the key to a successful society. Men and women in ancient China were not equal and men
were afforded far more privileges than women. The Chinese strongly believed in the wisdom of the elders and, as such,
grandparents were greatly respected.

Social order
Beneath the emperor, there were four main social classes in ancient China. These four classes were nobles and officials, peasants,
artisans and merchants.

Imperial family
The emperor and his family were at the top of the social scale in ancient China. The emperor ruled from a palace in the capital city.
Emperors believed that they were appointed by heaven and therefore did not need to obey humans. An emperor expected his
subjects to be loyal and obedient. It was common for an emperor to have many wives to increase his chance of having a son. Once
the emperor chose the son that he wanted to succeed him, the mother of the son would become the empress. She was then able to
grant favors to her family - often in the form of posts in the royal household and plots of land.

Nobles
The noble class in ancient China was very privileged. Nobles were typically the extended family of the emperor and empress and
those people that excelled in their fields, particularly in the military. The status of nobles, however, changed frequently depending on
who gained or fell out of favor with the emperor. When a new emperor came to power, it was common for him to favor a new set of
nobles. Nobles often became landowners and collected taxes from those that lived on their land, meaning that they would become
wealthier. They were required to give some of their income to the emperor and in return received privileges and were afforded some
protection.

Most nobles lived in extravagant homes and wore expensive clothing and jeweler. For sport, they hunted wild animals. If nobles
committed a crime for which they were sentenced to death, the emperor could grant them a special favor that would allow them to
commit suicide, which was considered a much more honorable death.

Officials
Officials were another group that held high social status in ancient China. Boys whose families could afford to send them to school
began their education at an early age so as to become officials and were required to pass a difficult exam. If they did not pass,
however, they were usually still able find jobs as they were considered well educated.

Officials were arranged in ranks. The two most senior officials acted as advisers to the emperor. Most officials lived very comfortably
and were well-respected due to their position and education.

Peasants
Although peasant farmers in ancient China were one of the lowest social classes, they were still considered important as they
produced the food that sustained the society. Most peasants were very poor and led simple lives. They worked very hard and rarely
had a day off. Peasant men worked in the fields and had to endure harsh conditions. They worked through the burning heat of
summer and the bitter cold of winter. The harsh conditions could also ruin their crops and land. If the crops were ruined, poor
families had very little to survive on during the winter. Some peasant women also worked in the fields but women's main tasks were
confined to the household. It became common for women to sew and weave at home. By weaving and sewing cloth, women could
provide clothes for the family and sell any surplus to earn more money.

Even the poorest peasants were required to pay taxes, even if their crops had not been successful. This often left many families with
very little to eat during the winter months.
Artisans
Artisans were part of the commoner class and included painters, carpenters, potters and jeweler makers. Artisans earned more than
farmers but less than merchants. They did not have a high social status but were respected for their skills.

Metalworkers became very important during the Han period. They learned how to work with metal moulds rather than shaping the
metal while it was still very hot. Metalworkers produced weapons and many useful everyday objects, such as cooking pots. Weavers
worked with silk, which was a very valuable product.

Merchants
The merchant class included traders, animal breeders and money lenders. Merchants were considered the lowest social class in
ancient China. People believed that they did not contribute to the good of the whole society but only worked for their own gain.
Despite their low social status, some merchants became very wealthy and lived in luxury. During the Han dynasty, some merchants
became so wealthy that they were considered a threat to the emperor and the nobles. In order to limit their wealth, merchants had
certain restrictions placed on them. Such restrictions included heavy taxes and being sent away to join the army. The richest
merchants attained their wealth by investing their money in land. Many merchants, however, were not as wealthy. Merchants such
as shopkeepers made smaller profits and led quiet, simple lives.

Slaves
Slaves did exist in ancient China but they made up a very small percentage of the population. Some slaves were the relatives of
criminals while other people sold themselves or their children as slaves if they were very poor.

Older generations
The Chinese believed that as people grew older, they gained wisdom and knowledge. Older generations, therefore, were highly
respected as they were thought to be wiser than the younger generations. People often looked to the older people in their families
for advice or to settle an argument.

Lift a Line

1 - Copy a quote from the text about the Emperor.

2 - Copy a quote from the text about China’s Government.

3 - Copy a quote from the text about China’s Government Officials.

4 - Draw a picture of China’s social classes. Your picture should be in the shape of a pyramid and include all of the social classes of
ancient China.

5 - Summarize HOW China’s government worked.