THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT IN ANCIENT CHINA
历史学essay代写 Ancient China thrived because of the practical decisions that were made by a succession of well-informed emperors and court
Even though more is known about Ancient Greece than Ancient China, the latter was actually more accomplished more than the former. Just from evaluating the written records of civilizations that existed more than 3500 years ago, it is evident that ancient China was one of the few ancient civilizations whose activities still influence modern life. Through the assessment of historical as well as archeological records, it is evident that ancient China is the only ancient civilization that lives on today, as the Babylonian and ancient Egyptian civilizations ceased to exist many centuries ago. This paper will focus on attributes of ancient China that facilitated its preservation over the centuries in spite of the repeated incidence of weather-related disasters, wars, political revolutions, and attempted invasions.
Thesis Statement: The superiority of ancient China over all other ancient civilizations lies in the fact that it survived them all as a direct result of government statutes which mandated unquestioned obedience to the emperor, enforced the adoption of one language, a complex government structure which allocated specific duties to different social classes, and the creation of a culture which supported the existence of different religious philosophies.
Cosmic View of the Government Structure in Ancient China 历史学essay代写
During the Han dynasty, which lasted for four centuries, ancient China had a population of 60 million. This accounted for approximately 33% of the world’s population at that time. The longevity of any government, which would be appointed to oversee administrative functions within such a wide area, would depend on selecting the right type of bureaucracy for this task. During the Qin Dynasty, it was determined that scholar-bureaucrats would be hired to run the nation’s extensive administration system. Qin Shi Huang, the first king of the Qin Dynasty, created a system which would assist the scholar-bureaucrats to accomplish their responsibilities.
In ancient China, the emperor – who was referred to as the tian-zi (son of heaven)- held all the power in government, even though he was assisted in performing his responsibilities by selected officials. He was also perceived as the sole mediator between men and their creator. The emperor was the main principal in all religious activities, as he was perceived as the only individual who could bring back cosmic order when the nation encountered weather-related or even political difficulties. To make sure that the emperor had all that he needed to function in this capacity, the ancient Chinese government employed sky-watchers to predict events such as equinoxes, new moons, and the different motions of different planets.
How the Ancient Chinese Understood Human Purpose
In ancient China, ordinary citizens were expected to obey the emperor’s dictates without question, as he was merely the representative of heaven, and so was believed to be equipped with the ability to understand and transmit divine orders. Emperor Shi Huangdi of the Qin Dynasty supported the efforts of free farmers, who were then individually taxed by the government. Farmers were able to cultivate products for the marketplace and also trade some of their produce for other goods which were not locally found.
The World of Thought- Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism and Buddhism in Ancient China 历史学essay代写
Ancient China experienced tremendous philosophical growth due to the contributions of three scholars- Confucius, Gautama Buddha, and Lao-Tzu. Lao-Tzu founded Daoism – which promoted the theory of ‘oneness in nature’ and achieving balance in all areas of existence- in early 6BC. A few decades after this, Confucius was born. He would promote a philosophy which stresses on the importance of people understanding their responsibilities to their society, and rulers meeting the expressed needs of their subjects.
Gautama Buddha was the last of the three scholars to be born in 563BC. He founded a religion which was centered on the individual attainment of ‘re-birth’, so that the soul can finally enter into a state of ‘nirvana’ or oneness with the divine creator. The Qin Dynasty, which formed the first governments of ancient China, did not believe in incorporating Daoism, Confucianism or Buddhist principles into systems of government. Rather, the first August Emperor supported the legalist political ideology which held that governments should be imbued with as much authority as possible in order to rule well.
Li Si, who was the chief minister of the Qin Empire, recommended the practice of legalism, and even created strict laws and corresponding punishments which, he maintained, would preserve social stability. In successive dynasties such as the Han Dynasty, Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism gained more popularity across China. Emperors would incorporate Confucian principles into governing decisions, and even practice Daoism and Buddhism during personal worship. For instance, emperors who came after the Han Dynasty would perform sacrifices in honor of river and mountain deities. 历史学essay代写
The Main Social Groups That Constituted Traditional Chinese Society
There were different ranks of workers in within the government as well as social circles of ancient China. In government circles, the emperor was the head of government. Directly below him were three members of the civil service who were identified as the ‘Three Excellencies’. These three individuals were the imperial counselor, the chancellor, and the supreme commander. Below these were the grand tutor, senior tutor, and grand protector- all of whom worked directly with the imperial family.
Directly below these in rank were nine ministers of state who were authorized to oversee activities in different government departments. These nine ministers oversaw the preparations for military, executive, or ceremonial activities within the state. In regards to social life, ancient China had five different social categories. The emperor occupied the highest social category, while the nobles and civil servants occupied the second highest social group. The last three groups comprised of the merchants and artisans, then the peasants, and finally the slaves.
The Main Features of Chinese Bureaucratic Tradition and the Institution of Kingship 历史学essay代写
Chinese bureaucratic tradition was based on a state cult that revolved around the person of the emperor. The emperor was not just perceived as the most important political personage, but he was also viewed as a type of high priest who represented the needs of his nation during divine activities. Ancient China did not have an independent religious system with its own priests, and worship services were actually conducted by state officials. To authenticate the political system of ancient China, the emperor had to perform specific rituals on the hallowed Mount Tai. When Confucian ethics became widely accepted during the Han Dynasty, the emperor was also expected to lead the nation in worshipping and honoring his ancestors.
China’s place in the Larger World during the Ancient Era
The governments and citizens in different dynasties of ancient China considered their nation to be the most powerful or influential in the then known world. It is for this reason that they referred to their country as “中国”, or the ‘Middle Kingdom’. Moreover, the practice of trade along the ‘Silk Road’ and through other regions alerted Chinese citizens to the fact that there were other nations outside of their own. The Ancient Greeks actually referred to China as ‘Serica’- which is a term that is related to silk production.
The geographer called Strabo, who was a citizen of ancient Greece, actually mentioned the land of ‘Σῆρες’ (Sēres), as did the astronomer named Ptolemy. For both of these citizens of ancient Greece, the nation of Seres was in the Far East, and only regularly accessed by long distance traders. Though ancient China did not discriminate against the citizens of other nations who traveled among Chinese citizens or lived with them, the names of foreigners were not proposed for civil office positions.
Conclusion
Ancient China thrived because of the practical decisions that were made by a succession of well-informed emperors and court officials. In addition, the culture that existed in ancient China allowed for the existence of different religious ideologies without conflicts breaking out due to differences in belief systems. The government structure that was created, along with the culture of ancient China, contributed to the preservation of the nation even as other ancient civilizations crumbled due to infighting or poor governance.
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