Shang and Qin dynasty. Han dynasty - Essay Example

A2: The impressive governance abilities of Han dynasty’s rulers as seen in Liu Pang and the emperors which came after him led to the initiation of a celebrated period in China’s history. As noted by Houghton, the progress which was achieved by the nation during the period encompassed notable achievements in a range of fields including the political, economic and social spheres of the land (21). Tracing the drastic yet gradual transformation of China from the tribal setup of the Neolithic era to the centralized model which was advanced during the Han dynasty, it can be stated that Han emperors essentially promoted and enhanced the principles of Shi Huangdi who believed in the notion of maintaining the forces of bureaucracy and the civil services (Houghton 22). Furthermore, the aspects which essentially shaped the development of a centralized system during Han dynasty preached the acceptance of a nationwide political philosophy whereby, the citizens accepted their emperor as an ambassador of Heaven on the planet (Houghton 21-22, Assandri and Martins 129). Assandri and Martins assert that the widespread acceptance and recognition of this concept across China’s communities played a critical role in promoting the pace of development during the Han dynasty as the establishment of a ‘tribute system’ was initiated by this principle. For example, under the functioning of a ‘tribute system’ China was able to carve associations between surrounding lands by assuming a superior position in exchange of assuring peace in the region and the provision of security (129). Consequently, the creation of these associations aided the economic development of China through diplomatic links. In their assessment of the Han dynasty’s practices of governance, Assandri and Martins identify that the presence of the ‘tribute system’ emerged as the root cause which led to the discovery of the silk route (129). Eventually, as the fundamental significance of the silk route heightened Han dynasty rulers were able to utilize the resource to further enhance trade relationships and also engage in cultural dialogue (Assandri and Martins 129). Moreover, centralization widely emerged across the nation as a result of the administrative decision making that occurred during the Han dynasty. For instance, the emperors of the epoch chose to abide by the administrative framework of drawing territories and district across the land so as to promote the amalgamation of the land, advance the ease of management and administration, encourage the empire’s amalgamation and ensure that the practice of centralization is maintained across China (Lu et al. 192). The evaluation of China’s transition from a tribal setup to a centralized setup can be conducted by assessing the recommendations of Confucian’s theoretical models and ideas under which the presence of hierarchal social structure is recommended to sustain the communities (Lu et al. 192). Therefore, the presence of this widespread philosophical notion implies that Han dynasty’s ideological understandings played a critical role in driving China towards a centralized system where the authority of the emperor remained unchallenged and the most superior of all. B1: The advent of the Shang and Qin dynasty in China marked the beginning of a significant era in the nation’s history. However, as the arrival of these dynasties occurred during varying epochs it is evident that social changes which were triggered by the drastic transition led to birth of new and novel elements that were exclusive to the period yet, certain components of society which can be termed as analogous between the Shang and Qin dynasty still prevailed. The economic structure of Shang society was rooted in the presence of a slave system under which slaves fulfilled their responsibility as primary providers of labor in the economic structure of society. Accordingly, the economy of China aided the presence of two alternative groups which essentially rendered their services and comprised of the primary sector of the economy while, the other group operated in the secondary sector. Under the operations of the primary sector, China increased its agricultural output and exports in the same sector while, the members of the secondary sector engaged in the manufacturing of valuable commodities including weaponry. Contrasting the economic elements of the Shang Dynasty with that of the Qin Dynasty it can be stated that the element of maintaining an agrarian economy essentially remained consistent during this epoch however, the pivotal difference in the economic setup of these dynasties is that the advent of the Qin dynasty marked the establishment of a monetary system. Moreover, the political sphere of China under the Shang dynasty was characterized by the unprecedented and supreme power of the emperor who was responsible for all matters of governance in all areas of the citizens’ lives. However, the Qin dynasty maintained a hierarchal system of political governance whereby the nation’s administration was made more efficient by granting territorial assignments to respective governors whose appointment was not conducted on the basis of familial connections or the right to ascend to governorship. The social structure under the Shang dynasty comprised of an exclusive focus upon the stratification of China’s communities on the basis of hierarchy and chain of command. This notion implies that while, the king remained all powerful the common man did not have access to the most basic rights under the regime. While, this aspect remained analogous in the Qin dynasty the primary difference in both governments is that of the inclusion of administrators and governors who previously did not exist during the Shang dynasty. Another significant aspect for assessing the progress which was achieved in the Shang and Qin dynasty is associated with the scale of cultural advancement. In this regard it should be noted that China experienced cultural advancement under both regimes however, the nature of this progress was marked by a stark contrast. This implies that while cultural advancement in the Shang dynasty was rooted in the sphere of language, arts and skill the Qin dynasty achieved great advancement in the field of administration and governance by distributing China into prefectures and initiating a system of population count and management. Works Cited Assandri, Friederike, and Dora Martins, eds. From Early Tang Court Debates to Chinas Peaceful Rise. Vol. 7. Amsterdam University Press, 2009. Houghton, Gillian. China: A Primary Source Cultural Guide. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 2005. Print. Lu, Ming, et al. Chinas Economic Development: Institutions, Growth and Imbalances. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2013. Read More