4.4 The early period of feudal society

Warring states Fig[4.4]

Evolved from the Spring and Autumn period, the Warring States Period contained more than 20 states at first. But after many years of bloody wars of expansion and annexation, only seven states survived: Qin, Chu, Qi, Han, Wei, Zhao, and Yan.  

A private land-ownership system was firmly established, and the newly emerged landlord class became the base of the power in various states.

In this period, the traditional Chinese peasant-gardener farming system started to appear. Iron instruments and plowing with oxen became more and more popular. Also, Irrigation constructions were greatly improved. Handicraft industries such as pottery, iron wares, and vehicle manufacture progressed noticeably as well.

Commercially oriented cities became increasingly prosperous. Linzi in Qi, Handan in Zhoa, Luoyang in Zhou, Ying in Chu, Ji in Yan, and Xianyang in Qin were the most famous cities in this period of time. Metal coins which facilitated commercial exchange had been introduced, and each state had its own currency. Each state tried to speed up its development of economy and culture as well as expanding its population to provide more labor and work force. Each developed its own monetary system, vehicle roads, and written script.  

Apart from that, many schools of philosophy flourished during this period, such as Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism and Monism.

The Qin Dynasty

Qin, established by Ying Zheng in 221 B.C., Fig[4.5]was the first unified Chinese national state. Since Qin was a huge autocratic and bureaucratic state, it only lasted for 15 years. Its territory included the original Eastern Monsoon China between the Great Wall and the Nanling Mountains, and also it was extended to the Elbow Plains of Northwest Arid China and to Southwest China and some parts of Vietnam.  

Since the country was extremely gigantic, the whole empire was divided into 36 prefectures and later even 40 prefectures. Each prefecture was subdivided into a number of counties again, so there were more than 800 counties.

It was the first sophisticated administrative system. In addition, four-level hierarchical city-system was established in Qin Dynasty.  

The Western Han Dynasty  

The Western Han Dynasty Fig[4.6] established by Liu Bang in 206 B.C., lasted for 215 years with 13 successive emperors, and the capital city was Chang’an.

The ancient Silk Road was discovered in the Western Han. It started from Chang’an and ended in Antioch. The Western Han Dynasty followed the examples of its predecessors in nearly every respect; they kept the system of prefectures and counties, more than 100 dukedoms, and principalities, which led to a large-scale revolt.

The Eastern Han Dynasty  

The Eastern Han Dynasty lasted for nearly 200 years from A.D. 25 to A.D. 220, with 14 successive emperors. It had the same territorial extent as the Western Han Dynasty, but its capital was in Luoyang. Handicraft industries, commerce, and inland transportation remained about the same as they had been in the previous dynasty.

The Three Kingdoms

It was a period of civil wars. As the decline of the central government of Eastern Han Dynasty, warlords fought and conquered each other. Finally only three warring kingdoms left in Eastern Monsoon China including Wei in the Yellow River basin, Wu in the middle and lower Chang Jiang basin, and Shu in Southwest China. Fig[4.7]

Northwest Arid China and Tibetan Plateau were mainly occupied by many small principalities and composed of people of many different minorities.

Farmlands were laid waste, and many people were killed. However, in order to provide enough food for the army, fields were reclaimed along Yellow River and irrigation works were constructed.

Wu promoted agricultural production to the undeveloped southern China. Wu also developed marine trade and ship building along the coast.

Shu paid particular attention to agricultural production in Southwest China. Economic development among minority people in this area was also promoted.

The Western Jin Dynasty and Southern and Northern Dynasties Fig[4.8]

After the Period of Three Kingdoms, the Western Jin Dynasty brought a short period of unification to China from A.D.280 to A.D.316.  

However, it turned into the Eastern Jin Dynasty and 16 northern kingdoms . 

Also, from A.D.450, China was separated into two dynasties, north and south. These Southern and Northern Dynasties lasted until A.D. 589, when Northern Zhou united the country again.