Dynastic China: Sui to the Song
Review Shang Oracle bones Zhou Mandate of heaven Qin 14 years China named for them Great Wall Han Golden Age Hmmm… let’s see…Xia then Shang, Zhou, Qin…then Han. Dude! this is hard to remember!
Sui Dynasty: Rise to Power 589 Emperor Wen Di conquered Chen kingdom and unified China for the first time in 400 years by Extensive public works projects (grand canal and Great Wall) Extended military control over China Government Emperors Wen Di and Yang Di harsh rulers Peasants forced into army or public works Wen Di encouraged Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism Accomplishments Built Grand Canal, connected Huang He and Yangtze rivers Rebuilt Great Wall to protect North Sui Wen-Di
Tang: Renaissance of China Rise to Power 618, Li Shi Min captured Changan and Luoyang and made himself emperor Dai Zong in 626 Government Under Empress Wu, Tang ruled one of the most extensive empires in Chinese history Confucian Civil Service Exams reinstated Bureaucracy: government composed of departments, each with own area Scholar-gentry: bureaucrats upheld Confucian ideals by acting as artists and politicians, became new ruling elite Chinese Scholars waiting for the exam results to be posted
Even Tangier Achievements of the Tang Characterized by trade and agricultural expansion Trade Silk Road protected Islamic contacts increased Ocean trade, Junks among world’s best ships, Chinese dominated Indian ocean Paper money and flying money, letters of credit Agriculture Canals and irrigations systems Large estates broken up, land redistributed Tea and fast growing rice from Vietnam population growth urban growth Flying Money and Junk?
More Tangy achievements Cultural Buddhism spread (Conf. remained dominant b/c restrictions on gifts to Buddhism) Gunpowder invented Abacus to help count and record taxes Short stories and poetry popular Decline Internal strife and northern invasions Leshan Buddha 71 meters tall, completed in 803
Tang Art Spring Outing at the Tang Court Tang Ladies Playing Ball Beautiful Tang Ladies
Song: Rise to Power Tai Zu took over after 50 years of Civil War Government Mongolians and Manchurians harassed Northern borders for 200 years paid tribute to the Mongols Forced to establish new capital at Hangzhou Government officials came from south because north was under Manchurian control Meritocracy: bureaucrats selected according to scores received on civil-service exams
Chinese Traditions under the Song Neo-Confucianism official state religion Blend of Buddhism and Confucianism and some Daoism reinforced gender and class divisions Civil service exams emphasized Scholar gentry received more prestige became known as Mandarins considered more important than military
Achievements of Song Trade Kept trade going Power of Merchant class rose as large-scale trade thrived Culture Art: Landscapes Footbinding among wealthy elite patriarchal family Significant technological advances catapults, rocket launchers, Moveable type printing compasses