So we see the Shang-- the difference between the Shang and the ...
So we see the Shang-- the difference between the Shang and the Zhou is that during the Zhou dynasty we see now the emergence of this sort of trans-regional connectivity between China and the rest of the world. It is all with the presence of horses and chariot burials already in the Shang dynasty, it testifies to the presence of these types of cultures. But now the economy is sort of revving up because of these great trans-continental connections. And the Zhou, simultaneously, whether it's because of these connections or not, introduce a different political system. They're actually try to sort of transform the traditional ancestor cult and get away from the ancestor cult model. And they saw many of the Shang dynasty people as basically being drunk all the time because they're drinking the sacred wine, but having perhaps a good too much party time at the end. Right? So the Zhou introduce a new concept which is the Mandate of Heaven. Anybody's who's been to Tiananmen Square knows the power of Tiananmen now that has the longevity of the [Tianan] concept into the Chinese world view. So this is a universalized worship. It's semi-connected, of course, to ancestors. But now it's focusing on the legitimate specific mandate that the leader of the dynasty has. So it's not the dynastic family and its ancestors that are so important, it's now the one person who sort of stands at the center of the realm, who has a specific, almost like a legal contract by the gods, to rule the world. So it sort of shrinks power, basically, to a single figure. And a very different sort of world view. So this mandate has to be-- how do you get this mandate? Right? It sort of comes from the gods, but it can be taken away. So if there's a flood or a big snow ruins your crop, this means that your mandate is under danger and, basically, is god's are no longer on your side. So the gods can be with you and give you good weather, give you a good harvest, and give you a good trade and whatnot. But if things are going wrong, this is a sign that your mandate is up and your time is finished. And when these bad events happen, you may say, I'm still in control. But every one knows you're not. And so all your neighbors and all your enemies, they're going to start rustling around and gathering together some forces. And pretty soon you're out of the picture, and someone else gets this mandate. So of course, the mandate has a lot
to do with who has the biggest armies, but ultimately, the mandate is very much dependent on things that are happening in your realm. So this is a different way, also, of understanding power that is sort of unique to that Chinese worldview than in other places, because this mandate required a vast amount of knowledge about what was happening in the world. You needed to know where the floods were, you needed to know where snows were, or where the avalanches were, or where there was a drought. Right? Because these could endanger your time as the leader of the world. So at the same time, you had to sort of impose, very quickly, sort of regimes to compensate for all of this. So I include this in your handout so I don't have to read through everything, but the significant part of getting the mandate had to be rehearsed periodically by the emperor. And to do this required certain amounts of special sacrifices, special performances, special events. And you can sort of see the truly, truly complicated things that the emperor had to do to purify himself before he stands in front of the gods and asks for their new mandate. Everyone had to be quiet and everybody had to remain indoors. You couldn't see the procession passing by, you had to go to these places which were outdoors themselves, and so there's a danger that people could see them so everybody had to be indoors, everyone had to be quiet. He had to take ritual baths, he couldn't eat, he couldn't have sex, he had to do all these sort of things to prepare himself for that. And then he would stand on top of a disk. This is just the rammed earth remnants. We don't have the actual architecture that was on top of this. And this disk would be where that would happen. But in Beijing, if you ever go there, of course you'll go visit the Altar of Heaven. So today anybody can go up there. It's a really fantastic thing. But you can imagine this whole area which is around it, which is a gigantic area, for all preparing-- and there's a special building on the left here where he will prepare the ceremonial pre-activities so that, at the particular moment, he can ascend this disk. And everyone is quiet, and he's-- all you here are nothing but, if you will, this sacred voice coming down and giving him this sort of mandate. He's the only one who could actually hear it, so that's why it has to be very quiet. So I sort of like to think that, basically, this is like a Bose sound system, if you will. Right? This is not just a platform, but it is a amplifier, right?
Because it's a long way up to the-- gosh, right? So you need a sound system that will help you hear the mandate and, simultaneously, where the gods can send down the mandate, right? So in the Etruscan world, you can watch the birds. In the Greek world, you can listen to the leaves of the gods rustling, the voice of Zeus. In the Chinese world there's no evidence for it. Right? There are no birds flying around. The guy is standing there and sort of listening to the prayer, and the gods are listening to his prayer. Now when I visited it, I made the mistake of standing on the wrong spot, as many people do. Because I didn't-- this was many, many years ago. I didn't know any better. But the emperor doesn't stand-- this is like standing on the middle of your speaker. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. You don't put your finger there. You actually stand facing east next to the speaker system. And the speakers in front of you and he's putting his voice, if you will, into this sort of vertical zone that will zoom it up to the heavens. And then of course, coming down will be the mandate. So if any of you go there, make sure-please send me a photograph being standing correctly behind the speaker. So that's why I call it a sort of sound architecture, right? Because it's really as much to do with sound as it is about other things.
to do with who has the biggest armies, but ultimately, the mandate is very much dependent on things that are happening in your realm. So this is a different way, also, of understanding power that is sort of unique to that Chinese worldview than in other places, because this mandate required a vast amount of knowledge about what was happening in the world. You needed to know where the floods were, you needed to know where snows were, or where the avalanches were, or where there was a drought. Right? Because these could endanger your time as the leader of the world. So at the same time, you had to sort of impose, very quickly, sort of regimes to compensate for all of this. So I include this in your handout so I don't have to read through everything, but the significant part of getting the mandate had to be rehearsed periodically by the emperor. And to do this required certain amounts of special sacrifices, special performances, special events. And you can sort of see the truly, truly complicated things that the emperor had to do to purify himself before he stands in front of the gods and asks for their new mandate. Everyone had to be quiet and everybody had to remain indoors. You couldn't see the procession passing by, you had to go to these places which were outdoors themselves, and so there's a danger that people could see them so everybody had to be indoors, everyone had to be quiet. He had to take ritual baths, he couldn't eat, he couldn't have sex, he had to do all these sort of things to prepare himself for that. And then he would stand on top of a disk. This is just the rammed earth remnants. We don't have the actual architecture that was on top of this. And this disk would be where that would happen. But in Beijing, if you ever go there, of course you'll go visit the Altar of Heaven. So today anybody can go up there. It's a really fantastic thing. But you can imagine this whole area which is around it, which is a gigantic area, for all preparing-- and there's a special building on the left here where he will prepare the ceremonial pre-activities so that, at the particular moment, he can ascend this disk. And everyone is quiet, and he's-- all you here are nothing but, if you will, this sacred voice coming down and giving him this sort of mandate. He's the only one who could actually hear it, so that's why it has to be very quiet. So I sort of like to think that, basically, this is like a Bose sound system, if you will. Right? This is not just a platform, but it is a amplifier, right?
Because it's a long way up to the-- gosh, right? So you need a sound system that will help you hear the mandate and, simultaneously, where the gods can send down the mandate, right? So in the Etruscan world, you can watch the birds. In the Greek world, you can listen to the leaves of the gods rustling, the voice of Zeus. In the Chinese world there's no evidence for it. Right? There are no birds flying around. The guy is standing there and sort of listening to the prayer, and the gods are listening to his prayer. Now when I visited it, I made the mistake of standing on the wrong spot, as many people do. Because I didn't-- this was many, many years ago. I didn't know any better. But the emperor doesn't stand-- this is like standing on the middle of your speaker. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. You don't put your finger there. You actually stand facing east next to the speaker system. And the speakers in front of you and he's putting his voice, if you will, into this sort of vertical zone that will zoom it up to the heavens. And then of course, coming down will be the mandate. So if any of you go there, make sure-please send me a photograph being standing correctly behind the speaker. So that's why I call it a sort of sound architecture, right? Because it's really as much to do with sound as it is about other things.
