A Confucian System and Han Dynasty - Essay Example

Chinese History A2 The centralized government created by the Han dynasty was because of a number of reforms that were carried out by the emperors. The development of institutions helped to create stability and order within the vast empire. Moreover, there was a system of training administration officials which was an innovative approach towards ensuring that the affairs of the state could be managed in an efficient and effective manner. The establishment of a bureaucracy helped to ensure the administration process in an effectual manner (Ebrey, 67). Confucianism was adopted as the major system for running the affairs of the state. Confucian system advocated the belief that each individual must obey the family and have devotion towards the rulers. This helped to instill a sense of discipline among the officials. The top officials of the dynasty were living in the capital where they provided valuable counsel to the emperor. The lower officials would be responsible for maintaining roads and canals. They were also entrusted with the duty of maintaining the process of storing grain. The emperors introduced a system of meritocracy where officials were chosen by their competency and ability. A rigorous test was needed so that they could become officials of the state (Ebrey, 67). Civil servants were evaluated after three years for their performance. Therefore punishment and reward were used in combination with other measures to ensure that officials could perform their duties. The Han dynasty was created when Liu Bang won a civil conflict against Xiang Yu. His model of governance was based upon reducing taxes and creating a centralized state. The harsh punishments were reduced in order win the loyalty of the people. The centralized state was a unique innovation as compared with the nomadic lifestyle of Chinese in previous years. This is because of the fact that the provincial officials had to report to the central government. This made them accountable and transparent which led to sound outcomes (Ebrey, 67). A basic local government was formed in different counties which led to efficiency. Han Wu Ti was the greatest ruler of the Han dynasty. He presided over military expansion while enhancing Chinese colonies as well as increasing influence over Central Asia. The creation of the Silk Road helped to increase the trade and prosperity of the empire. The system of governance that was in place helped the empire to provide more freedom to the people. Social mobility and freedom helped prevent rebellions and insurrections against the government (Ebrey, 67). The Han dynasty led China into an unprecedented era of economic expansion, military achievements, scientific discoveries, and powerful stability. The dynasty was able to achieve this through the development of a powerful centralized state. It was able to focus on ruling the empire in a centralized manner so that it could prevent disorder and anarchy within the empire. This was a significant achievement for the empire. B1 A Confucian system focused on the notion of community rights where each individual would be able to contribute towards its progress. A number of advantages existed for this system such as the fact that an individual would contribute towards the development of society with an emphasis on duty and responsibility. Knowledge and spiritual growth would flourish in such a system while the emphasis would be on meritocracy so that an individual would gain social standing and status based upon their personal actions. Moreover, it encourages respect and kindness as a virtue that can create a humane society. The disadvantages of such a system are that it encouraged the development of a hierarchy which would lead to unfairness (Sinaiko, 91). Confucian system focused on family which had a negative aspect also such as the fact that it led to fights and conflicts in which the entire family was involved if a single member had been hurt or wronged. The system also encourages the subordination of females who must remain obedient to their men. The legalist system was based upon the notion that a legal code should exist to regulate human behaviors and actions. The benefits of such a system were that it was based upon pragmatism so that new conditions in society could be tackled. There was an emphasis on reform and innovation so that new problems could be solved. The legalist system focused on stability and order which meant that heavy punishments were used to stifle any form of disorder and anarchy (Sinaiko, 89). There was significant social cohesion in society because of the legalist philosophy. The disadvantages were the absence of individual autonomy as obedience to the state gained precedence over individual rights. Furthermore, there were harsh laws that would often lead to oppression and tyranny. Taoist system focuses on individual harmony as the ultimate way to create a just and humane society. It focuses on human beings as having a natural affinity for being free from all the social structures that are present within society. The Taoist system favored natural state of affairs so that society could flourish in an efficient manner (Sinaiko, 98). Moreover, it rejected the concept of a social order with hierarchies as well as conventional morality. The disadvantages of this system are that it does not lead to stability and order. Furthermore, it does not have an established system of morals and principles which can be used to create a stable society. As an individual, it would be preferable to live under the Taoist system. This is because of the fact that it promotes individual autonomy. The concept of individual rights is very powerful as it liberates humans from the pressures of established social structures. It leads to creativity and innovation which is the hallmark of the Taoist system (Sinaiko, 91). This system also can allow humans to adapt to different conditions and transform their values as well as understanding of the external environment. Confucian system focuses on obedience, communal relationships, and hierarchies which are incapable of solving human problems. Similarly, the legalist system argues about the supremacy of law which can become the means to promote tyranny and oppression. Works Cited Ebrey, Patricia Buckley. (1999). The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  Sinaiko, Herman L. (1998), Reclaiming the canon: essays on philosophy, poetry, and history, Yale University Press Read More