P.E.R.S.I.A.N Chart East Asia (1750-1900)
P
E
R
S
I
A
N
- During the Modern era China was in the Qing Dynasty, which was the last of the Chinese dynasties.
- The Qing Rulers still practiced many Ming dynasty traditions and values.
- The bureaucracies were made up of the Manchus (nomads from Manchuria)
- The emperors of the Qing claimed to be the Sons of Heaven. They were also great patrons of Chinese art and education.
- The Qing started to decline in the late 18th century.The bureaucracy became filled with corruption over the exams given. Rich families could simply buy government positions.
- Corrupt officials used what power they had to enhance their families wealth and positions.
- Britain became a dominant force in China. They controlled the opium flow throughout China.
E
- The Qing dynasty took measures to relieve taxes and state labor demands.
- About 10 percent of the imperial budget was spent on creating and repairing roads and canals.
- Peasants planted crops that were in demand, and even grew more than one crop a year. The Qing tried to prevent the land owning aristocrats from gaining too much power.
- Regional diversification in crops and new ways to finance agricultural and artisan production were practiced. China still received large amounts of silver in the earlier years of the Qing dynasty from its tea, porcelain, and silk.
- In the 18th century, due to the corruption of the bureaucracy, state funds were taken and given to the families of the officials instead. This led to insufficient leaders to maintain the nations army and public work projects like roads.
- In the 19th century, Britain found another way to trade with China, opium. This switched the balance of trade.
- Britain was now capable of controlling trade with China. Large amounts of silver was traded for opium.
- After realizing the negative effects the trade had, China attempted to stop the trade. However, the British were not as cooperative and responded through military action, leading to the opium war.
R
- Confucianism continued to have an important impact on the Chinese people, but with the end of the Qing dynasty Confucianism suffered into extinction.
- In Japan the Meji restoration brought Shintoism as the official religion of Japan.
- Many Shrines were constructed in honor of the new religion, many of them being constructed out of old Confucian shrines.
S
- Some of the Confucian values that remained were respect for people of higher ranks in society.
- Women still hadn't gained much independence outside of the home.
- Widows were not allowed to remarry because it would be a strain on the family's resources.
- By the 18th century the bureaucracy was so corrupt due to sons of wealthy rural and merchant classes that held official positions, as a result peasants and the urban poor did not have a chance to rise through the ranks into the bureaucracy.
I
- In Japan during the 1880s, model shipyards, arsenals, and factories brought the Japanese people into contact with new western technology, sparking a Japanese revolution of their own.
- China launched a program to modernize but in a controlled way. These programs were designed to prevent adoption of western innovations but modernize under a Chinese way.
- A few industrial factories, such as textile and steel factories, were established.
- Coal mines expanded throughout the country and a telegraph system was established in China.
- China tried to modernize the schools as well but failed terribly which resulted in the Boxer uprising.
A
- Most Qing architecture in China was to maintain or repair important buildings in the Forbidden City. The designs were not much different but were often brighter and more colorful.
- Also Buddhist temples were designed.
- During the Qing dynasty much detail went into landscape in particular into gardens.
N
- Because corrupt officials took money for themselves funds for public works were abandoned.
- Since there was no money for maintenance on parts of the yellow river it flooded flooding much of Northeastern China.
- The floods brought death and diseases to the people and livestock that were there and the land was destroyed.