The Qin and Han dynasties unified China and established a Confucian state ideology. The Qin emperor Qin Shi Huang used harsh legalist policies like unpaid corvee labor and severe punishments to unify the territories. He also had the famous terracotta army built. The Han dynasty adopted Confucianism as the state ideology, establishing civil service exams based on Confucian classics. The Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian documented Chinese history from the Yellow Emperor to his own time in over 500,000 characters.

1. Qin and Han

2. -state ideology
-corvee
-unification
-reasons of its demise
-terracotta army
The Qin Dynasty

3. Qin shi huang
-300 years unity
-1st imperial period
The first emperor

4. State ideology- legalist philosophy
-based on the idea that humans are selfish
-Emphasized harsh rules (law of Qin /200/quin dai
lianzuo )
-the disobedient should be harshly punished
Legalism

5. Example :
Anyone caught outside their village without a
passport should have his ears or nose chopped off!

6. Unpaid compulsory labour service
Corvee (yaoyi)

7. 陈琳《饮马长城窟行》
生男慎勿举，生女哺用脯，君不见，长城下，死人
骸骨相撑柱。

8. Unification
Codifying laws
Razing city walls
Confiscating weapons
Weights and measures
Coinage
Axle-length
Chinese script
The burning of books

10. Terracotta Army

11. Han

12. From legalism to Confucianism
-Qin suppressed Confucianism
-and burned Confucius’ books
-Han adopted Confucianism
-Han Wu Di declared China as a Confucian state
-Core concept :subordination
Ideology

13. Han High Ancestor: Liu Bang
-peasant origin
-not very virtuous
-great leadership abilities

14. -Laid firm foundation for Imperial exam system in later
dynasties
- The ability of an office-holder = knowledge of
Confucian classics
- written exams were given to determine the best one
for the government positions
- Led to a Confucianism state ideology
Civil service examination

15. Positive effects:
-Emphasized morals and ethics
-promoted respect to the authorities, parents, elders
-Chose people based on their merits and abilities
Negative effects:
-discrimination against women
-absolutely obeying fathers, husbands, sons ---
-no freedom for children and women

16. eunuchs

17. Expansion
Han Wu Di

19. Alliance with the Huns

20. Sima Qian

21. The Records of the Grand Historian,
known by its Chinese name Shiji
(Chinese: 史記; pinyin: Shǐjì;
literally "Historical Records"),

22. recounted Chinese history
from the time of the Yellow Emperor
until his own time.
covers a history of 3,000 years
altogether 103 articles, totaling more than 500,000
Chinese characters.
a faithful documenting of history but also possesses
high literary value