Mandate of Heaven

and the
Dynastic Cycle
 Mandate of Heaven
 The belief that heaven granted a ruler a
mandate or ‘divine right to rule’
 Linked Power and Responsibility
 In exchange for loyalty, the ruler

must maintain order

 Rulers need Mandate of Heaven to rule
 If lost, the people were allowed to
rebel.
 Accomplishments
 Est. a strong, central government
 Bring peace and order
 Give land to peasants
 Build roads, defensive walls and
irrigation systems
 Support education and arts
 Failures & Losing the Mandate
Allow Corruption
Lose military power
Raise taxes
Spend $ on luxuries
Fail to reinforce walls, and irrigation
Harsh ruler
Problems: Sign the Mandate is Lost
Chaos
Floods
Invasions
Peasant rebellions
Poor harvests
 Dynastic Cycle
A strong leader emerges and
establishes a new dynasty
Claims mandate
Cycle begins again
During times of Chaos, Chinese
philosophers tried to find ways to guide
human behavior and ensure order in
society

 3 Philosophies Developed in China

 Confucianism
 Daoism (Taoism)

 Legalism
 Confucianism
 Founder: Confucius
 (Master Kong)
“Our greatest glory is not in
 Dates: 551 B.C never falling, but in getting up
every time we do”
 Writings: The Analects
 Teachings:
 5 Relationships must
govern society
 5 Relationships
 Ruler and Ruled
 Father and Son
 Older Brother and Younger Brother
 Husband and Wife
 Friend and Friend
 Superior sets example and cares for
inferior
 Inferior shows respect to superior
 Confucius
 Filial piety: the duty
and respect that
children owed their
parents
 Education and
Morality
 Society more
important than
individual I hear and I forget. I see and I
remember. I do and I understand.
 Daoism
 Founder: Lao Zi
 Dates: 551 B.C
 Writings: “The Way of Virtue”
 Teachings:
 Stressed the link between Nature
and People
 People should do nothing contrary
to nature, live according to the
Dao “the Way”
 Daoism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-zD-RohzNY
 Yin and Yang: Forces in Nature are to
balance each other
Yin: female, passive, earthy
Yang: male, active, heavenly
 Daoism

 Water as symbol of Tao

 Govt. should have fewer rules
 “Reveal thyself, embrace original
nature, do not be selfish, curtail
desire”
 Legalism
 Founder: Han Feizi
 Writings: Han Feizi
 300-200 B.C.
 Teachings:
 People acted out of self interest
 People only respond to rewards and
punishments, not good examples
 Legalism
 Harsh Laws and Strict
Rulers are necessary
to get things done
 Laws more important
than rulers
 Example: Shi
Huangdi used
Legalism to unite
China and create the
Great Wall