History Of Ancient China | Dynasties, Confucius, And The First Emperor
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the enduring legacy of China, the world's oldest continuous civilization. From the Xia dynasty to the rise of the Qin Empire, it covers the innovations like bronze casting and the concept of the Mandate of Heaven. It also delves into the philosophical schools of Confucianism, Legalism, and Taoism, and the Qin's revolutionary unification of China. The script discusses the Qin's standardization efforts, the Great Wall, and the eventual fall due to peasant revolts, setting the stage for future dynasties and China's cultural unity.
Takeaways
- 🌏 China is recognized as the world's oldest continuous civilization, with a history dating back over 4,000 years.
- 🌾 Early Chinese civilization was established along the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, where rice and millet farming began around 8000 BCE.
- 🔧 The Xia Dynasty, marked by the legendary figure Yu the Great, is considered China's first dynasty, known for its water management systems.
- 📜 The Shang Dynasty introduced oracle bone script, an early form of Chinese writing that documented divination practices and is a precursor to modern Chinese characters.
- 🏺 The Zhou Dynasty overthrew the Shang and introduced the concept of the 'Mandate of Heaven,' suggesting that rulers were chosen by divine right and could lose it through immoral behavior.
- ⚔️ The Warring States Period was a time of conflict and philosophical development, with the rise of significant Chinese philosophies like Confucianism, Legalism, and Taoism.
- 📚 Confucius, a key figure in Chinese philosophy, emphasized moral virtues like benevolence and respect within a hierarchy of relationships, influencing Chinese society for centuries.
- 🏰 The Qin Dynasty, through military conquest and centralization, established the first unified Chinese Empire, setting a precedent for future dynasties.
- 🛠️ The Qin Dynasty's standardization of laws, weights, measurements, and currency, along with the construction of infrastructure like roads and the Great Wall, laid the foundation for a cohesive empire.
- 🔥 The Qin Dynasty's焚书坑儒 (burning of books and burying of scholars) aimed to consolidate ideological control, reflecting the state's preference for Legalism over other philosophies.
Q & A
What is the significance of the Yellow River in the early history of China?
-The Yellow River was significant in early Chinese history as it was a source of flooding that needed to be controlled for the safety of the people. The legendary figure Yu the Great is known for his efforts in controlling the floods, which led to the establishment of the Xia Dynasty, marking the beginning of China's first dynasty.
What is a dynasty in the context of Chinese history?
-A dynasty in Chinese history refers to a family that ruled over China. When a ruling family dies out or is overthrown, a new family takes over, continuing the tradition of dynastic rule. This pattern continued until 1911 CE, with each dynasty contributing to the cultural and political development of China.
How did the Shang Dynasty's use of oracle bones contribute to the development of Chinese writing?
-The Shang Dynasty used oracle bones, where priests would inscribe questions for the gods and then interpret the cracks that formed when heated as divine responses. These inscriptions are among the earliest forms of Chinese writing, and the characters inscribed on them are recognizable as ancestors of modern Chinese characters, thus playing a crucial role in the development of Chinese writing.
What is the 'Mandate of Heaven' and how did it influence Chinese politics?
-The 'Mandate of Heaven' is a concept in ancient Chinese political philosophy that held that the right to rule was granted by Heaven and could be revoked if a ruler was deemed unfit. This concept influenced Chinese politics by providing a justification for the overthrow of dynasties and the rise of new ones, as it was believed that Heaven would transfer its mandate to more virtuous rulers.
How did the Zhou Dynasty's decentralization lead to its decline?
-The Zhou Dynasty was a feudal state where lands were granted to lords. Over time, these local lords amassed more power, leading to the central Zhou authority losing control over its kingdom. This decentralization and the subsequent rise of powerful vassals contributed to the decline of the Zhou Dynasty.
What technological advancements did the Chinese make in ironworking that gave them an advantage?
-The Chinese made significant advancements in ironworking by developing heat-resistant clay in their furnaces, allowing them to reach temperatures high enough to liquefy iron. This enabled them to cast iron into molds, resulting in stronger tools and weapons that could be mass-produced, a technology that was not matched in Europe for another 1800 years.
What is Confucius's concept of 'ren' and how does it relate to his philosophy?
-Confucius's concept of 'ren' translates to benevolence or humanity. It is a central virtue in his philosophy, emphasizing the importance of acting with kindness and empathy towards others. Confucius believed that if everyone acted with 'ren,' society would function harmoniously, and this concept is key to his teachings on social order and moral conduct.
How did the Qin Dynasty's centralization and standardization efforts shape the future of China?
-The Qin Dynasty's efforts in centralization and standardization, such as unifying laws, weights and measurements, and the writing system, created a cohesive and unified Chinese Empire. These actions laid the foundation for future dynasties and helped to maintain a continuous Chinese culture and identity, despite changes in rulers and periods of conflict.
What was the purpose of the 'burning of books and burying of scholars' event during the Qin Dynasty?
-The 'burning of books and burying of scholars' was an event during the Qin Dynasty where books that did not align with state ideology were destroyed, and some Confucian scholars were executed or buried alive. The purpose was to eliminate dissenting ideas and strengthen the state ideology of Legalism, thereby consolidating the Emperor's control over thought and culture.
How did the Qin Dynasty's military innovations and strategies contribute to its conquest of other states?
-The Qin Dynasty adopted and innovated various military technologies, such as siege weapons, iron swords, crossbows, and the use of cavalry. They also implemented a highly centralized state with strict laws and a system where households were held collectively responsible for each other's actions. These innovations and strategies, along with their disciplined and well-equipped army, contributed to their successful conquest of other states and the unification of China.
Outlines
🌏 The Origins and Early Dynasties of China
This segment delves into the ancient history of China, emphasizing its long-standing presence as a civilization. It discusses the country's origins along the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, where early farming societies emerged around 8000 BCE. The narrative highlights the significance of the Yellow River's floods and the legendary figure Yu the Great, who is credited with controlling the floods and establishing the Xia dynasty. The paragraph introduces the concept of dynasties in Chinese history and the evolution of Chinese culture through various dynasties, including the Shang and Zhou, with a focus on technological advancements like bronze working and the development of writing systems.
📜 The Rise of the Zhou Dynasty and Confucianism
The second paragraph focuses on the Zhou dynasty, detailing its rise to power and the cultural and political developments that occurred during its rule. It explains the concept of the Mandate of Heaven, which justified the Zhou's overthrow of the Shang dynasty. The paragraph also covers the Zhou's contributions to literature, bureaucracy, and infrastructure, such as the construction of canals. It introduces the philosopher Confucius and his teachings, which emphasized social order, benevolence, and the importance of hierarchical relationships within society. Confucius's ideas would later become integral to Chinese governance and culture.
🏰 The Unification of China and the Qin Dynasty
This section narrates the story of China's unification under the Qin dynasty. It discusses the military and administrative strategies that allowed the Qin to conquer other states, including the centralization of power and the standardization of laws, weights, and measurements. The paragraph also covers the Qin's construction projects, such as the Great Wall and the terracotta army, which were built with the labor of conscripted peasants. The narrative highlights the Qin's legacy in creating a unified Chinese Empire, despite the dynasty's short reign and eventual fall due to peasant revolts.
🛠️ The Legacy of the Qin and the Birth of the Han Dynasty
The fourth paragraph explores the aftermath of the Qin dynasty's fall and the rise of the Han dynasty. It discusses the Qin's impact on Chinese history, particularly in terms of unifying the country and establishing a centralized government. The paragraph also touches on the Qin's use of forced labor for monumental construction projects and the subsequent peasant revolts that led to the dynasty's collapse. The narrative sets the stage for the Han dynasty, which would build upon the Qin's foundations and enter a period known as the Golden Age, marked by inventions like paper and significant cultural and technological advancements.
🌐 The Expansion of the Han Dynasty and Cultural Exchanges
The final paragraph of the script outlines the expansion and cultural achievements of the Han dynasty. It mentions the invention of paper and other technological advancements, as well as the Han's military campaigns and interactions with foreign cultures along the Silk Road. The paragraph also discusses the Han's adoption of Confucianism as the state ideology and its role in shaping Chinese society. The narrative concludes by emphasizing the enduring legacy of the Han dynasty and the broader impact of Chinese history on the world.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡China
💡Dynasty
💡Confucius
💡Mandarin Heaven
💡Oracle Bones
💡Bronze Age
💡Iron Age
💡Legalism
💡Qin Shi Huang
💡Terracotta Army
Highlights
China has a long history, dating back to 2.2 million years and is considered the world's oldest continuous civilization.
The Yellow River was a significant challenge for early Chinese farmers due to its flooding, which led to the rise of hydraulic engineering.
The Xia Dynasty, China's first dynasty, began with the legendary King Yu who controlled the floods and was later named king.
The concept of a 'dynasty' in China refers to a family that rules over the country, which was a pattern that continued until 1911.
The Shang Dynasty, which succeeded the Xia, is known for its oracle bones, an early form of Chinese writing that communicated with gods.
The Zhou Dynasty overthrew the Shang, introducing the concept of the 'Mandate of Heaven', which justified their rule and set a precedent for future dynasties.
The Zhou Dynasty saw the rise of iron technology, which revolutionized tool and weapon production in China.
Confucius, a pivotal philosopher, introduced the concept of 'ren' (benevolence) and the five hierarchical relationships crucial to Chinese society.
The Qin State, through military innovation and centralization, unified China under the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
Qin Shi Huang standardized many aspects of Chinese life, including laws, weights and measurements, and the written language.
The Qin Dynasty's centralization and standardization laid the foundation for future Chinese empires, despite its short reign.
The Han Dynasty, following the Qin, is known for inventing paper and contributing significantly to Chinese culture and technology.
The Silk Road, an ancient trade route, connected China with the rest of the world, influencing global history.
CuriosityStream is a platform supporting independent creators and offering educational content, including a documentary on the Silk Road.
The video discusses the importance of supporting educational content creators and the role of platforms like CuriosityStream.
Transcripts
this video is sponsored by a curiosity
stream get free access to my video
streaming service nebula when you sign
up a curiosity stream using the link in
the description this is China
it's big most of your stuff probably
comes from there and they have a solar
farm shaped like a panda but most
interestingly China is old for as long
as people have been talking about
history there has been a China 2.2 so
how did China become the world's oldest
continuous civilization
what's the dynasty who's Confucius and
is it ever okay to just bury people
alive well that's fine Oh
[Music]
China was born along two great rivers
the yellow and the Yangtze people began
farming rice and millet here around 8000
BCE silk cultivation would follow at
around 3,000 BCE and silk would remain a
Chinese trade secret for thousands of
years but these early farmers had a
problem the Yellow River which had this
nasty habit of unloading everyone to
death enter you well no not you
but like you you the engineer he spent
13 years traveling up and down the land
fighting the floods so dedicated was he
to his task but he walked past his own
home on several occasions but never went
inside to visit his wife or newborn
child you built canals that led the
excess flood water into the fields or
out to sea and so stopped the floods
everyone was very impressed with you he
gets named King and so starts at China's
first dynasty the Shia dynasty what's a
dynasty you might ask a dynasty is a
family that ruled over China if the
family dies or is overthrown a new
family takes over eventually China would
be ruled by dynasties from now up until
1911 C II it kind of tells you a lot
Chinese culture that one of the greatest
heroes is a hydraulic engineer the Shah
are said to have reigned from around
2589 which isn't wrong but isn't really
right either
we have evidence like bronze tools the
remains of cities and tombs near our Ito
and Yan Chi that point to an urban
civilization existing around 2100 to
1600 BCE but it probably wasn't an
actual unified state more a collection
of culturally similar cities and
villages it was once believed that a
distinct Chinese culture spread out from
the shower to the rest of China but now
examples of dozens of neolithic cultures
ranging from Manchuria to Guangdong have
been unearthed known is really more
advanced than the others Chinese
civilization seems to have been forged
by all of these cultures mixing together
but the 16th century BCE the Chinese had
learned to mix tin lead and copper
together to form bronze warriors writing
a new Eurasian import called the chariot
took these fancy bronze weapons and
clobbered the Shire to death these
people found that the Shang Dynasty
which was like an actual dynasty
sorry shaft but you just weren't at the
shine capital of an yang archeologists
have dug up tens of thousands of
so-called oracle bones priests would
scratch questions for the gods on these
bones and then applied heat to them the
heat will crack the bones and those
cracks would be read as a response from
the gods the incredible thing about
these are local bones is that the
questions were written on them the
Chinese independently invented writing
something that's only been done around
five times in human history these bones
have recognizably Chinese characters we
can still read a fair amount of them
this script on the oracle bones is the
ancestor of modern chinese the last of
the pre imperial three dynasties is des
l who overthrew the shine around 10:45
BCE they would still be there
nearly 800 years later China's later
dynasties wouldn't last half as long the
zero came from the way Valley and were
vassals to the Shang but getting tired
of that they called load their armies
marched in the shine territory and
whooped them at the Battle of Nooyi the
defeated shine King fled back to his
palace had himself a little bit of a cry
and then burned the palace down with
himself inside it this posed a question
to the Chinese the Shang ruled because
heaven had given them the right to rule
how could the Zhou just come along and
overthrow them surely the Zhou were in
the wrong here luckily the zo had an
answer heaven had dumped the Shang why
well according to ancient Chinese
historian Sima Qian the last shanking
may have hosted some festive orgies and
written some extremely pornographic
poems and tortured a bunch of people and
maybe just maybe built himself a giant
alcohol lake and inside of previously
said alcoholic built a meet for us
heaven frowns on that kind of behavior
this resulted in the shang losing
heavens mandate which heaven was happy
to transfer to a more virtuous people
like the Zhou from now heaven would
throw storms earthquakes and peasant
uprisings had rulers that it saw as
unfit if rulers didn't listen and change
the Mandate of Heaven with fall from
their grasp and into another's the
mandated heaven became central to
Chinese politics as different dynasties
lost and claimed the mandate for the
next few thousand years under the Zhou
China's first classical texts were
written irrigation and foot controls
spring up along with a large bureaucracy
a network of canals were built to
transport food and luxuries zero elite
families could live in fancy walled
cities and enjoy poetry and silk
clothing or commanding large armies and
taxing the peasants to death it was a
time of immense change iron appeared in
China around the 9th century BCE about a
thousand years later than in the Middle
East but the Chinese quickly became
experts Europe and the Middle East could
not figure out how to melt iron and so
were forced to use wrought iron which is
terrible but the 4th century BCE the
Chinese were using heat-resistant clay
in their furnaces which allowed them to
reach temperatures of over 1500 and 37
degrees Celsius so they could liquefy
iron and cast it into moles this
technology wouldn't reach Europe for
another 1800 years
this gave the Chinese much stronger
tools and weapons that could be produced
on a massive scale trade kicked off as
the population soared to 15 million and
cities turned into manufacturing centers
Chinese silk has been discovered as far
away as Germany in the 6th century BCE
suggesting that the famous Silk Road was
already emerging the zoo started using
money which was a novel idea at the time
it was shaped like knives or spades
which seems inconvenient but you know
they were figuring things out there's
elk ingdom had an issue though it was
very decentralized it was a feudal state
so the king handed out his lands to
Lords
but these local Lords began to amass
more and more power and the Zell began
to lose control of their own kingdom in
1771 BC the zel capital
was sacked and they fled to a new
capital at la yang the zou still had
about 500 years left in them but at this
point there were just puppets - they're
much more powerful vassals this end of
the Western Zhou period and began the
eastern zo period this period is divided
into two parts both named after the
historical texts that record them the
spring and autumn annals and the warring
States annals at the beginning of the
spring and autumn period 148 states were
all fighting to be top dog this whittled
down to about 30 or so and in the highly
volatile warring States Period brought
it down to seven and then three and then
finally won but troubled times bring new
ideas at around the same time the
warring city-states of ancient Greece
gave of Socrates and the competing Vedic
kingdoms of India Broadus mahavira and
the Buddha in ancient China the most
important philosopher in East Asian
history is about to be born master Kong
or Confucius as he is known to us lived
a fairly uneventful life a failed civil
servant dying in 479 BC without ever
having wielded any real power or
influence but he had managed to gather a
small group of followers who recorded
his sayings in the Analects Confucius's
philosophy was concerned with the chaos
that was destroying China he wanted to
restore order to a world I was falling
apart to do this Confucius advocated a
system of five hierarchical
relationships the five relationships
were ruler to subject husband to wife
father to son older brother to younger
brother and friend to friend
the younger partner was always supposed
to respect and honor the older or a more
male partner yeah
Confucius as a man from thousands of
years ago wasn't really great when it
came to women's so keep that in mind
most of these relationships were within
the family with the father holding the
highest position this led to a tradition
of filial piety still important in East
Asia today filial piety means to be good
to one's parents to respect them to
follow their orders and to act in a way
to positively reflects on them it worked
the other way - parents were supposed to
provide the best care possible for the
children and make sure they were safe
and their futures secure within this
system family came before anything else
confucius emphasized a concept called
ren which roughly translates to
benevolence or humanity this virtue was
key to confucius his golden rule which
is do not do unto others what you would
not wish done to yourself
confucius believed that if everyone
followed their role and acted with
benevolence then society would work
perfectly the ruler especially needed to
be benevolent because they were the one
that set the example for everyone else
people were only stealing or warring
because their rulers were greedy and
violent confucius said in administering
your government what need is there for
you to kill just desire the god yourself
and the common people will be good
confucius was a fairly outspoken critic
of the powerful of his day maybe his
most revolutionary idea was that the
government should work to benefit the
people and should be open to everyone
not just nobles this evolved into a new
concept the civil service examination
centuries after his death the Han
Dynasty government would establish
examinations based on Confucian texts
that all government officials would need
to pass any male could take these
examinations this meant that careers in
government were opened to the best and
brightest men this exam based system was
in place in China thousands of years
before anywhere else
Confucius wasn't the only philosopher
travelling around China at this time in
fact it was the Golden Age of Chinese
philosophy often called the hundred
schools of thought it saw the rise of a
school known as legalists they disagreed
with Confucius as view that human nature
was good legalist argued to humans by
their very nature were evil and could
only be made good through guidance of
strict laws powerful rulers and a strong
state there was Amuro as the popularity
around the same time founded by Lao Zhu
or the old master there was a masala
though accepting what is happening it's
not action but in action called Wu Wei
the Taoism sees as important it's best
to act in harmony with universe and just
let nature take its course
these explanations of Confucianism
legalism and Taoism are far from
complete we simply don't have the time
but there are some links
down below you can follow to learn more
the state of chin lay on the outskirts
of what the warring States era Chinese
considered the civilized world the chin
were semi barbarians by their standards
the chin lived in a dangerous world
between Zhang knew nomads and the
warring States
this meant military might was needed for
survival they adopted every innovation
they came across siege weapons iron
swords crossbows sitting on horsey boys
rather than writing and chariots behind
them the Qin adopted all of these and
add their own innovations to rather than
being a feudal state with Lords the Qin
created a highly centralised state
strict laws now regulated trade and
harsh and punishments the entire
population was registered with the
government and now peasants pay taxes
and contributed labor and military
service directly to the state rather
than to their local Lord every household
in the state was grouped in fives or
tens and each group was held responsible
for the actions of their members
soldiers of the same group were punished
as a group if an individual was
currently disciplined drilled armored
and armed with swords and crossbows the
new armies of the Qin were ready to go
take on their era Socratic chariot
riding enemies King Zhuang is normally
given credit for conquering all of China
and creating the first Chinese Empire
however healed a lot to his
great-great-grandfather King Huai of Qin
who reigned around 311 to 338 BC he
cleverly shifted his focus off the drama
of the warring States and to the weaker
year rich states to the southwest there
over the Qinling mountains lay a land of
silk and money
the central plain of Sichuan has been
continuously farmed for more than 3000
years because of its rich soil and
benign climate the Chinese call it t on
foo the heavenly kingdom
this was Szechuan today China's fourth
most populous province the warring
States paid little attention to the
isolated Szechuan kingdoms of Shu unbar
they saw them as barbarians
King Huai saw them as an opportunity but
getting there remained the challenge
according to a much later and pretty
hilarious account he came up with a
fairy cunning plan he had five stone
cows sculpted to perfection with gold
spattered around their tails and back
legs then they were placed out in the
field where the end voice of the Shu
could see them the Shu Qing obviously
excited about the idea of these
infinitely gold pooping cows
asked for them as a gift but getting
these gifts over the impassable
mountains would be impossible until King
Huai offered to build the road this
stone cattle road does actually have
some archeological evidence it's
probably the earliest mountain highway
in China Qin engineers made the
mountains crossable by building gallery
roads
what's a gallery road you may ask this
this terrifying thing is a gallery road
they bored holes into the mountainside
and then plugged them with wooden planks
they made these things large enough to
accommodate chariots and horses and
carriages and stone cows along these sky
death roads as historians called them
the stone cows were brought to the king
of Shu an unexpected x-ray was the
thousands of Quin soldiers and war
wagons that came in behind them in 316
BCE with soldiers now pouring across the
new road the kingdoms of Shu and BA fell
and Szechuan now belonged to the Qin
this really was a land of silk and money
Szechuan had huge silk supplies and
massive amounts of mineral wealth mined
Szechuan copper was minted in the Qin
coins and made them filthy rich all
hyped up on Szechuan steroids the Qin
could steamroll over the other warring
States so when the young king Zhen came
of age and to tree eight BCE he already
possessed half of his future Empire
he just had to finish it off and by
two-to-one BCE
he had wiped out all of the other
warring states with China under his rule
he adopted the title Qin Shi Huang the
first emperor of Qin the Qin Dynasty had
now begun and the Emperor set about
turning china from a bunch of feudal
kingdoms into a united Empire with the
help of Li si the new chief minister
everything was standardized laws
standardized weights and measurements
standardized the length of chariots
carts roads swords walls tools all
standardized it was like a giant East
Asian IKEA the mining winemaking and
salt industries were all brought on
their state control this was all done to
form China into a single cohesive unit
Li si went about creating a government
where people were promoted based on
merit rather than birth which made it
extremely efficient he had the weapons
of the warring States melted down into
giant statues so that no one would get
any ideas about whether they could
challenge this new state which is some
gameofthrones type stuff Qin copper
coins became the Empire standard
currency there a design circular with a
square hole in the middle would last
more than 2,000 years people across
China were using the writing system
developed under the shine but in
different regions people were using
different characters it was making
communication difficult and it was
messing with the Empire's taxes which
just simply wouldn't do the Emperor had
each and every character you guessed it
standardized this new small seal script
created a written language that was
common throughout the empire regardless
of the brighter spoken dialect without
this standardization Chinese lawmakers
today would probably need about the same
amount of translators as the European
Union all the ideas that popped up
during the hundred schools of thought
were outlawed as legalism became the
state ideology they believed other
schools of thought threaten stability
and Confused the common people so in 2
1-3 BCE Li si and the Emperor ordered
the burning of all books that went
against state ideology preserving a few
copies of each in state libraries away
from public view it was followed
according to some sort
by a purge of Confucian scholars who are
either executed or buried alive in an
event called burning books and burying
Confucius which is that the best PR move
considering that Confucian Astana people
that wrote Chinese history to the north
the Qin state was constantly hassled by
nomadic Xiong nu to defend the frontier
a series of walls covering a distance of
about 10,000 Li or 5,000 kilometers were
constructed now this is a great wall in
China but it's not the Great Wall of
China that was built 1,500 years later
during the Ming Dynasty but some parts
of the Qin wall are still visible
the Emperor's centralization conquest
and constructions had created a lot of
enemies like the former powerful
families the Confucians and the common
people but he was apparently aware of
all the people that wanted him dead so
he created a class of eunuchs men who's
a yin and yang had been removed
to be the close servants of the royal
family as eunuchs couldn't have families
who was assumed that a eunuchs loyalty
was more reliable the rivalry between
eunuchs and the other members of the
court would go on to dominate Chinese
history the Emperor had ruled for about
eleven years now and he was getting a
bit old but he wasn't planning on dying
anytime soon because death is for
peasants he began to consult with
sorcerers to find an elixir of
immortality the potions prepared for him
by the immortality experts contained
cinnabar and cinnabar when ingested has
the unintended side effect of death the
first emperor had a tomb of unimaginable
scale built for himself to this day it
still remains one opened but parts of it
have revealed the famous terracotta army
which was reported to have taken over
700,000 workers to build which brings us
to an important point all the wonders of
these empires the Great Wall the canals
the tombs the palaces in the cities were
built with millions of hours and lives
of force or near forced labor
all of this depended on exploding the
peasants and the slaves who tended to
grow pretty tired of
the Han the Tang the one the mean and
the Qing dynasties were all brought down
by peasant revolts shortly after the
Emperor died in 210 BC II the dynasty
was paralyzed by rivalries and the
oppressed peasants rose up four years
later the dynasty was overthrown its 15
year reign was the shortest in Chinese
history but the chins revolutionary act
of creating a united Chinese Empire was
a monumental event in world history
the previous dynasties had been small
and decentralized so was the Qin that
really gave birth to the idea of China
I mean China from now on dynasties would
change more periods of warring States
would occur but China as a unified
culture will remain constant the Golden
Age of the Han is about to dawn they
will invent paper and flying machines
and earthquake detectors Confucianism
will become the state ideology where it
will remain until now really
the famous connections with India and
Rome along the Silk Road will shape
world history they'll fight nomads and
even Greeks as they expand north south
and west but that is a story for another
time and when that time comes that video
will be up first and ad-free over on
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