Position:Home>History> Questions about Ancient/Imperial Chinese history?

The Chinese show their pride in Han accomplishments by calling themselves the Han people!. Philosophies and institutions that began in the Chou and Ch'in periods reached maturity under the Han!. During Han times, the Chinese distinguished themselves in making scientific discoveries, many of which were not known to Westerners until centuries later!. The Chinese were most advanced in astronomy!. They invented sundials and water clocks, divided the day equally into ten and then into 12 periods, devised the lunar calendar that continued to be used until 1912, and recorded sunspots regularly!. In mathematics, the Chinese were the first to use the place value system, whereby the value of a component of a number is indicated by its placement!. Other innovations were of a more practical nature: wheelbarrows, locks to control water levels in streams and canals, and compasses!.

The Han Chinese were especially distinguished in the field of art and the historical writing that began in the Han period!. In addition the Confucianism that the Han Dynasty restored differed from the original teachings of Confucius!. The leading Han philosophers, Tung Chung-shu and others, used principles derived from the early Chinese philosophy of nature to interpret the ancient texts!. The Chinese philosophy of nature explained the workings of the universe by the alternating forces of yin and yang—dark and light—and the five elements: earth, wood, metal, fire, and water!. The Han period was marked by a broad eclecticism!. Many Han emperors favored Taoism, especially the Taoist idea of immortality!.

Manchuria has long been a meeting ground for different peoples and a point of conflict for different national interests!. Historically Manchuria was the setting for different nomadic peoples related to those groups who migrated back and forth from Central Asia to the Pacific, though archaeological evidence suggests that the closest association was with early Chinese groups!.Manchuria, usually regarded as outside the pale of Chinese civilization, was attractive to Chinese settlers from the densely populated North China Plain who were seeking new farmland!. Manchuria's fertile southern Liao Plain was largely unsettled!. As early as Han times (about the beginning of the Christian Era in the West) Chinese pioneers began immigrating into southern Manchuria, but they were vigorously opposed by local tribes!. These tribes were composed of both indigenous Manchurian groups who inhabited the forests and plains and Mongolian nomadic pastoral tribes who occupied the grasslands of the west!. The centuries following the decline of the Han Dynasty represented a lessening of Chinese influence and the ascendancy of Mongol (Tunghu) power!. Over the next 1,000 years power and influence ebbed and flowed between Chinese and tribal groups, but there was always close contact between the two!. When the tribal groups were strong, they tended to locate their capital and power centers near the Chinese!. In this way they began to absorb elements of Chinese culture and influence that were generally held to be more advanced than those of the various tribes


Your second question what is the difference between the Mongol and the Manchu!?


The Mongols were the first of the northern barbarians to rule all of China!. After creating an empire that stretched across the Eurasian continent and occupying northern China and Korea in the first half of the 13th century, the Mongols continued their assault on the Southern Sung!. By 1276 the Southern Sung capital of Hangzhou had fallen, and in 1279 the last of the Sung loyalists perished!. Before this, Kublai Khan, the fifth “great khan” and grandson of Genghis Khan, had moved the Mongol capital from Karakorum to Peking!. In 1271 he declared himself emperor of China and named the dynasty Yüan, meaning “beginning,” to signify that this was the beginning of a long era of Mongol rule!.
In Asia, Kublai Khan continued his grandfather's dream of world conquest!. Two unsuccessful naval expeditions were launched against Japan in 1274 and 1281!. Four land expeditions were sent against Annam and five against Burma!. However, the Mongol conquests overseas and in Southeast Asia were neither spectacular nor were they long enduring!.

Mongol rule in China lasted less than a century!. The Mongols became the most hated of the barbarian rulers because they did not allow the Chinese ruling class to govern!. Instead, they gave the task of governing to foreigners!. Distrusting the Chinese, the Mongol rulers placed the southern Chinese at the lowest level of the four classes they created!. The extent of this distrust was reflected in their provincial administration!. As conquerors, they followed the Ch'in example and made the provincial governments into direct extensions of the central chancellery!. This practice was continued by succeeding dynasties, resulting in a further concentration of power in the central imperial government!.

Like the Mongols in the 13th century, the Manchus (formerly the Juchen) were barbarians who succeeded in ruling the whole of China, but, unlike the 13th-century conquerers, the sinicized Manchus made their rule more acceptable to the Chinese!. As a result, Ch'ing rule lasted 267 years, compared with 89 years for the Yüan!. Ch'ing was the last imperial ruling house of China!. During its reign most Chinese literature tended to be old-fashioned and imitative; genuine creativity was rare!. Toward the end of the period, however, China had its first extensive contacts with European powers, and ideas from the West began to filter into the literature through translations of novels and other books!.



This answer was provided by Enquire, a 24-hour, live question answering and enquiry service offered by public librarians across England and Scotland in collaboration with partners in the United States!. If you liked our answer and would like us to help you find another, you can chat with one of us right now by clicking on Enquire on the People’s Network site at http://www!.peoplesnetwork!.gov!.uk!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---