Module 4 Introduction and Outcomes

Module 4: The Warring States Period and the Classical Age in China  

Shaman or attendant Chu culture Jiangling Hubei Province China Warring States Period 4th - 3rd century BCE Wood with cinnabar and black lacquer (2)The breakdown of the Zhou Empire, in the third century B.C.E., permitted the establishment of many small kingdoms ruled by former vassals and incursions of nomadic peoples who lived on the Chinese border. This period of internal warfare—called the “Warring States Period”—stimulated intellectual ferment and the formulation of new conceptions of political and social organization. The creation of the brief Qin Empire in 221 B.C.E. seemed to promise a return to political order. Qin tyranny, however, produced resistance and the collapse of the dynasty in 207 B.C.E. The Han dynasty (which replaced the Qin dynasty) ruled for nearly four centuries, and political unity was achieved through the creation of a large civil bureaucracy.

In this unit, we will examine how political and social disorder later resulted in consolidation and the emergence of a distinct Chinese state—a far different polity than the fragmentation and chronic instability that characterized the Zhou.

Time Advisory

This unit will take you 9 hours to complete.

  • Section 4.1 The Emergence of New Philosophies in China: 3.5 hours

  • Section 4.2 The Qin: 2 hours

  • Section 4.3 The Han Dynasty and China’s Classical Age: 3 hours

  • Section 4.4 Module 2 Quiz: 0.5 hours

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

  • Analyze the emergence of new philosophies in the Far East, including Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
  • Compare and contrast the political and social organizations of the Zhou, Qin, and the Han dynasties.
  • Assess the political, social, and cultural legacies of the different ruling dynasties during the Warring States period and Classical Age in China.