why did the zhou dynasty last so long

This page titled 4.7: The Long Zhou Dynasty (1046- 256 BCE) is shared under a CC BY-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by George Israel (University System of Georgia via GALILEO Open Learning Materials) . During the third century BCE, the Zhou Kingdom was destroyed and one of these warring states, the Qin [Cheen] Dynasty, prevailed over the rest. Confucius chose to become learned and seek office. [47] When a dukedom was centralized, these people would find employment as government officials or officers. Zhou kings remained there for the next five hundred years, during the period called the Eastern Zhou. Chinas three major pre-modern philosophical and religious traditions are Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. Qin Emperor Hanwu, Tang Zong and Song Zu. Other philosophers, theorists, and schools of thought in this era were Mozi, founder of Mohism; Mencius, a famous Confucian who expanded upon Confucius' legacy; Shang Yang and Han Fei, responsible for the development of ancient Chinese Legalism (the core philosophy of the Qin dynasty); and Xun Zi, who was arguably the center of ancient Chinese intellectual life during his time, even more so than iconic intellectual figures such as Mencius.[54]. Hence, battles became increasingly bloody and bitter, and victory went to those kings who could field the most effective killing machines. After the Xia and Shang, the next major dynasty in Chinese history is the Zhou Dynasty (1045 256 BCE). Instead, he gained an avid following of 70 students, whom he accepted regardless of their social status. Indeed, Zhou kings granted land and noble titles to kinsmen in exchange for obedience, periodic visits to the kings palace, tribute, and military support. Centralization became more necessary as the states began to war among themselves and decentralization encouraged more war. These Daoists largely rejected Confucian ideas about human moral development and social order as artificial constructs. According to Chinese mythology, the Zhou lineage began when Jiang Yuan, a consort of the legendary Emperor Ku, miraculously conceived a child, Qi "the Abandoned One", after stepping into the divine footprint of Shangdi. The arts of the early Xi Zhou were essentially a continuation of those of the Shang dynasty. One of the Zhou ruling houses devised a plan to conquer the Shang, and a decisive battle was fought, probably in the mid-11th century bce. The chancellor of Wei, Sunshu Ao, who served King Zhuang of Chu, dammed a river to create an enormous irrigation reservoir in modern-day northern Anhui province. Over time, Zhou kings lost their ability to control these lords, and the lords became increasingly independent. In 651 BCE, he convened an interstate meeting with other lords to discuss matters of order and security. For him, nobility was defined not by birth but rather by character and conduct. [17][e] The Zhou emulated extensively Shang cultural practices, perhaps to legitimize their own rule,[20] and became the successors to Shang culture. As they did so, their lands evolved into powerful states (see Map \(\PageIndex{2}\)). Some important manufacturing sectors during this period included bronze smelting, which was integral to making weapons and farming tools. Decorum was important to Confucius. The Zhou Dynasty is divided into two periods: the Western Zhou (11th century BC to 771 BC) and the Eastern Zhou (770 BC - 221 BC). Again, these industries were dominated by the nobility who directed the production of such materials. At that point, when the individual is in accord with the ineffable Way, life becomes spontaneous, natural, and effortless. 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771 BCE), 3.4.2: The Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 256 BCE) and the Warring States Period (c. 475 221 BCE), 3.4.3: Philosophy in a Time of Turmoil: Confucianism and Daoism, 3.4.3.2: Philosophical and Institutional Daoism, http://brandonqindynasty.weebly.com/9/8580061.jpeg, status page at https://status.libretexts.org.