9781422285824

That all changed in the time of Confucius, when people started judging others on their ability, not on their ancestors. As China grew, the old ways of governing became obsolete as states became larger and ruling over them became more complicated. Rulers started tak- ing advice from people regardless of their station in life, including soldiers, merchants, and farmers. Confucius—who came from the ruling class— saw what was happening and thought such change was dangerous. He wanted to restore the old order by teaching individuals to be honest, compassionate, and courteous. His influence—Confucianism—still resonates today.

Temples to Confucius, such as this one, can be seen throughout China.

CONFUCIUS IN THE WORLD Since the 1980s, hundreds of “Confucius Institutes” have formed across theplanet, promotingChinesecultureand language instruction. Today, there are more than fifty Confucius Institutes in the United States alone. Confucianism has especially influenced personal, national, and regional life across East Asia, especially in Japan and Korea. By 221 bce , much of China as we know it today had become unified under one ruler named Zheng, who proclaimed himself Qin Shi Huangdi, or “First Emperor.” A brutal man, Qin Shi Huangdi spent twenty years conquering most of China’s warring states and running his empire with an iron fist. Qin Shi Huangdi undertook massive building projects and allowed education to flourish . The modern Chinese bureaucratic state can trace its origins to Qin Shi Huangdi. Qin Shi Huangdi also linked a series of separate walls in the northern part of China and created what we now call the Great Wall. Hundreds of thou- sands of laborers, mostly slaves, toiled for decades building and repairing the wall. Thousands died. Eventually the wall stretched more than 4,100 miles (6,600 km). Qin Shi Huangdi’s empire collapsed a few years after his death in 221 bce . Anger over heavy taxes, forced labor, and cruel imperial decisions spilled into

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CHAPTER ONE: HISTORY, RELIGION, AND TRADITION