Shang Dynasty Analysis
Take Home Midterm
History 192
Professor Bravo
September 29, 2013
A. Shang Dynasty The Shang Dynasty ruled a region of China in the Yellow River valley, an area of land that is now commonly referred to as the cradle of Chinese civilization¹. The Shang Dynasty ruled their empire from around 1500-1050 B.C.E. and existed during the time of China’s Bronze Age. The Shang is the first Chinese Dynasty to leave behind sufficient evidence of its culture. This evidence has come in the form of written documents, several bronze works, and the Shang oracle bones. As a result of discovering these ancient artifacts and translating them, much is known of the Shang Dynasty …show more content…
Confucianism was based on the idea that all people had the ability to become good and that society should be run on morality. This is in contrast with other ideals such as Legalism which was based on the idea that everyone was born evil and selfish, could never change, and required to be severely punished for minor offenses. Confucius did not believe that this was an effective way to rule people and his reasoning is shown in the Analects. It is written in Book II, III. 1. “The master said, ‘If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame’”. By stating this Confucius believes that if a ruler is trying to obtain uniformity to obey a law by punishment people will simply try and avoid the punishment without conforming and will have learned nothing. In the second part of the passage he states “If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good…”. With this he simply states that upon learning a moral philosophy that people will uniformly want to become good. With this in mind, Confucius also believed that the government should play a small role in the lives of the people and always hold the people in its best interest. The following saying recorded in the Analects go on to state how people should be treated when alive, while being buried, and how they should be sacrificed. All of these things should be dependent on how well you conformed to the acceptable standards of morality that should be set in place. These passages all sum up some of the main points of Confucianism such that morality should play a key role in how one’s life is lived and how ruling should take
History 192
Professor Bravo
September 29, 2013
A. Shang Dynasty The Shang Dynasty ruled a region of China in the Yellow River valley, an area of land that is now commonly referred to as the cradle of Chinese civilization¹. The Shang Dynasty ruled their empire from around 1500-1050 B.C.E. and existed during the time of China’s Bronze Age. The Shang is the first Chinese Dynasty to leave behind sufficient evidence of its culture. This evidence has come in the form of written documents, several bronze works, and the Shang oracle bones. As a result of discovering these ancient artifacts and translating them, much is known of the Shang Dynasty …show more content…
Confucianism was based on the idea that all people had the ability to become good and that society should be run on morality. This is in contrast with other ideals such as Legalism which was based on the idea that everyone was born evil and selfish, could never change, and required to be severely punished for minor offenses. Confucius did not believe that this was an effective way to rule people and his reasoning is shown in the Analects. It is written in Book II, III. 1. “The master said, ‘If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame’”. By stating this Confucius believes that if a ruler is trying to obtain uniformity to obey a law by punishment people will simply try and avoid the punishment without conforming and will have learned nothing. In the second part of the passage he states “If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good…”. With this he simply states that upon learning a moral philosophy that people will uniformly want to become good. With this in mind, Confucius also believed that the government should play a small role in the lives of the people and always hold the people in its best interest. The following saying recorded in the Analects go on to state how people should be treated when alive, while being buried, and how they should be sacrificed. All of these things should be dependent on how well you conformed to the acceptable standards of morality that should be set in place. These passages all sum up some of the main points of Confucianism such that morality should play a key role in how one’s life is lived and how ruling should take