The Historical Factors Responsible for the Chinese Empire's Consolidation

The division in the lands of China came by when the Zhou dynasty lost control of its vassals in the 8th century. The Sui Dynasty in China managed to unite the vast Chinese lands in an empire that had experienced four years of division and internal wars that were bloody. The Sui Empire was successful in restoring stability and prosperity in the country; hence restoring the vast lands from complex classical society. The consolidation in China was as a result of political stability that reestablished and expanded the extent of Chinese civilization, creating a sense of Chinese identity (Norman 2).

Various historical factors contributed to the consolidation of the Chinese Empire; thus becoming a major influence on social and cultural development in China. For instance, the Confucius and restoration of the Shi is recognized in historical records to have contributed to the bringing together of the ancient Chinese Empire. It is noted in historical records that the thinkers such as the Confucius found out ways of creating a stable society and a new political structure.

Confucius was a member of the poor Shi family who later turned out to be a traveler and a teacher whose political and philosophical ideas earned him more followers.

Being a social philosopher who was motivated to reestablish order and harmony in China, he took advantage of his political and philosophical following in China to influence the people of China. Confucius had the idea that achieving order in the society relied on the rulers who were to accept the advice of the superior men in the society.

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Women were not recognized as superiorpeople in China at the time. The men who were regarded as superior were awarded power because of their moral excellence in the society. The men with moral excellence were significant in the consolidation of the Chinese Empire as they gained wisdom through education; thus, creating a social class in China that was guided by principles (Yongnian 1).

Historical records reveal that the political disorder of the later Zhou led to the much philosophical debate over the best means to bring back order in the Chinese Empire. Scholars and bureaucrats who came in later blended the numerous propositions to form a composite ideology that would be central to the Chinese culture. The decline of the Zhou brought back power of the warlords on a temporary basis at the expense of the Shi and the common citizens. A good number of those who were known to be bureaucrats were in a position where they were not recognized to hold any political position (Chang 279).

The former bureaucrats had no option but to get employed as teachers in the empire. War led to the destruction of infrastructure facilities such as roads, bridges, and dikes that the Chinese agricultural economy depended. It became a phenomenon for the kingdoms in China to become dependent on trade where merchants benefited from the orders that were made by the public. In spite of the collapsed central government in China, there was an increase in urbanization in the nation during the later Zhou period, creating sense of the Chinese culture in most towns.

In the history of the Chinese Empire, the superior man who was a member of the Shi, was differential to his ruler, but was not hesitant to criticize and correct some of the erroneous decisions that were made by the ruler. The Confucius gentleman ensured that the Chinese culture was promoted in a morally upright manner by observing rituals and social decorum. The Shi gentleman was also gifted as an administrator, an artist, and a person who could carry out mechanical operations. The gentleman exercised authority because of his illustration of moral rectitude, achievement in the restoration of the Chinese culture, and knowledge on many social and cultural issues (Peerenboom).

It was the idea of the Confucian that superior men were to rule over the Chinese Empire as they served the interests and the welfare of the whole community. The common people were in return expected to retaliate by showing respect and support to the ruler’s status. For social harmony to be achieved, it was upon everyone to accept their social place and perform their tasks as required of them. The Confucian thoughts had it that the society brought together by personal ties where by people were loyal to each other and obedient to those with authority; hence, leading to minimum intervention in the Chinese culture (Yongnian 18).

Those who were regarded as important in the Confucius were Mencius and Xunzi. The personalities were different in the manner in which they interpreted the Confucius teachings. Mencius made assumptions on the innate goodness of humans as well as stressing the need for consent of the governed in the political system. Mencius had the idea that those who are governed could overthrow the tyranny of the government.

Xunzi on the other hand had the belief that humans were lazy and evil, and overthrowing the government was not a perfect idea in restoring the culture of the Chinese. He believed that there was the need to have an authoritarian government to ensure social harmony in the society. His belief in strong laws was vital in improving the social cultures of the Chinese as he suggested no authority to be ruled within the social system. Historical records indicate that Xunzi views were modified and amplified by the legal team who brought an improvement to the culture in China.

In the history of China, Laozi provided the Chinese Empire with a radically different approach to the challenges of social disorder in the later Zhou. He offered a retreat from society to become one with the nature. He proposed that the natural forces in opposition to political action were necessary in bringing the empire together. Advocating that rulers take care of the common people, Laozi viewed the political system as of little concern to those who had the wisdom about the natural world.

His followers are noted to have meditated about nature while others were out to find out the external secrets that would declare the mysteries of magic and eternal life. Laozi’s ideologies were recognized to be true by the Shi who were not attracted to the culture of magic and potions as other masses.

Competition for power is a force that led to the keeping of the Chinese culture apart. For instance, Confucius came into being at a time when Zhou power was in decline and other empires such as the vassal lords and the nomads fought to be in power. The competition for power kept empires apart as each kingdom was seeking to search for an ideal ruler in the entire land of China. Confucius was also on the road to find a new ruler, which he never found, bust instead ventured into philosophy and scholarly work (Chang 287).

Even as people of different origins in China fought for power, political disorder led to debates that led to the keeping a part of the Chinese Empire. The empire, which was composed of many kingdoms, was affected by political disorder in most of the kingdoms in the country. For example, the Zhou was a kingdom that was characterized by political disorder, a factor that discouraged unity of the Chinese Empire. It was relief to some kingdoms upon the decline of the Zhou. Power was restored to the warlords who were also characterized by political disorder at the expense of the common citizens of China; hence the Chinese culture was affected for quite some time due to the political disorder.

Political disorder also involved a disagreement between the ruler sand the ruled due to natural forces of human beings that require that they are not ruled. Natural forces worked towards keeping the separation at its usual place in the history of Chinese culture. There were those who advocated that rulers ought to be obeyed even as they took care of the needs of members of the society. Social disorder has been identified as a natural factor in the behavior of human beings who are also described as lazy and evil by philosophical writers.

Legalism in China was a force that prevented the consolidation of the Chinese culture as an identified ruler applied his policies to govern the people by force. Legalism led to lack of harmony in China as the authoritarian state applied rules by force while the human nature requires that they are handled with discipline without being frustrated. According to legalism during the error, the people were to labor while the army was to govern the vast lands of China. There was no achievement in bringing the Chinese culture together as legalism never won widespread approval. It instead entered the political traditions of China (Peerenboom 257).

Both the Chinese and the Roman empires were challenged by nomadic groups from central Asia who interfered with the peace of their territories; thus, becoming a threat to the existence of the empires. The two empires were also known to settle with Barbarians around their borders as enemies to the ruling kingdoms. However, the people who were referred to as Barbarians eventually took power from the empires. In the Chinese empire, the barbarians were absorbed into the government while they destroyed the membership of the Roman Empire (Beckwith 5).

The religious policies of the Roman and the Chinese empires incubated the foreign religious practices in times of imperial disorder. In the Roman Empire, it is noted that Christianity did not play a role in the protection of power. It is illustrated that Christianity might have contributed to the weakening of the Roman Empire because of its critics on earthly power. In the Chinese Empire, it is highlighted in historical records that Buddhism was absorbed into Confucianism and Daoism and assisted in the sustenance of the Chinese culture even at times of political confrontations.

In both the Roman and the Chinese Empires, there were divine attributes that were directed to the emperor. The two empires experienced challenges in establishing rules for imperial succession. The Romans were identified to show interest in selecting their best general who would lead the empire against its enemies. The Chinese were also identified to show beliefs in a single imperial family that they thought would rule forever.

Both the Chinese Empire and the Roman Empire had gender responsibilities and relationships. Women were made inferior to men in both the empires at all stages of life. The Roman and the Chinese empires drew analogies that existed between hierarchies and loyalties in stable families and well run empires. Political alliances with foreign powers were confirmed by marriages that acted as a seal to political agreements in the two systems of governance (Norman18).

There was the belief in China and Rome that excessive participation in sexual activity extracted energy that could be used to fulfill the demands of the empires and for their sustainability. There were, therefore, strict codes of sexual morality in both the Chinese and the Roman empires. History has it that women in China played a role in politics of imperial families behind the scenes to determine the way of succeeding power from the ruler of the empire.

The imperial armies were significant in both the Roman and the Chinese empire as their existence was vital in determining the political structure in the face of domestic and outside enemies. For example, the Roman Empire was established and ruled by generals. In China, there were dynasties that controlled the political structure of the country. Being periodically threatened by enemies, the armies were essential in both the Roman and Chinese Empire (Beckwith 8).