Reunification and Renaissance in Chinese Civilization: The Era of the Tang and Song Dynasties Chapter 12: Pgs 256-276

Introduction Post Han: Era of Division 220-589: period of decline Buddhism Non-Chinese nomads ruled Great Wall divided between kingdoms Trade/city life declined Technology stagnated Search for magical cures/immortality Rapid return to height under Tang

Rebuilding Imperial Edifice in the Sui-Tang Eras Sui Dynasty: 580 return to strong dynasty Wendi: leader of northern elite family Daughter married to emperor Advisor to emperor before overthrow Supported by neighboring nomads Reconfirmed their titles Lowered taxes/granaries Hold excess food incase of floods/famines Taxed crop to fill: 50 years of food Well respected/time of prosperity Kill by son in 604

Rebuilding Imperial Edifice in the Sui-Tang Eras Sui Excess/Collapse Yangdi Murdered father, extended borders, drove back nomads, mild legal code, restores examination system Downfall Programs hurt aristocratic families/nomadic leaders Built palaces Canal links Game park: imports trees Failed attempt to take Korea Governors declare themselves independent Yangdi assassinated by own minister: 618

Rebuilding Imperial Edifice in the Sui-Tang Eras Emergence of Tang Li Yuan: Duke of Tang Nomadic leaders forced to submit Frontier armies Sons of tribal leaders sent to capital: why? Overrun Korea Kingdom of Silla: tributary state Rebuilding Bureaucracy Loyal/well-educated officials Offset power of aristocracy Power to ruling families/bureaucrats Ministries Secretariat: drafted decrees, monitored officials Executive ran ministries: day to day life

Rebuilding Imperial Edifice in the Sui-Tang Eras Importance of Examination System Increase in bureaucrats Ministry of Rites: several exams Government schools Honor to those who passed Jinshi title/names announced throughout empire Become dignitaries Special social status Clothing, exempt from corporal punishment, access to material comfort/pleasures Bureaucracy: ran by established families Merit/ambition important Family/birth more important

Rebuilding Imperial Edifice in the Sui-Tang Eras State/Religion of Tang/Song State: Confucianism Threatened Buddhist monastic orders, aristocratic families Previous nomadic rulers: Buddhist Masses believed in Mahayana Buddhism: salvation Chan/Zen Buddhism for elite Stress on meditation Appreciation of natural/artistic beauty Empress Wu: 690-705 Concubine for father of husband Poisoned husband Tried to make Buddhism official religion Massive monuments to Buddha

Rebuilding Imperial Edifice in the Sui-Tang Eras Anti-Buddhist Backlash Daosits compete: magical/predictive powers Economic challenge of Buddhists Not taxed Denied labor pool: can’t tax/conscript peasants on monasteries Emperor Wuzong Thousands of shrines destroyed Monks/nuns forced to abandon monastic life Lands divided among taxpaying landlords/peasants Buddhism already left mark, remains popular

Tang Decline and the Rise of the Song Fall of Tang Empress Wei attempts to take throne for son by poison Fails Xuanzong Initially wants political/economic reforms Devotes self to arts/pleasures Yang Guifei: women from harem of another prince Famous ill-fated romance Xuanzong focused only on her Neglected economy, military weakness Military leaders revolt: put down put has to kill Yang Guifei Made alliances with nomadic leaders/regional commanders Claim independence: lead to periods of revolts

Tang Decline and the Rise of the Song Founding of Song Zhao Kuangyin Can’t overcome Liao dynasty Plagues Song dynasty Pay heavy tribute to north/north militarily dominant Song Empire culturally superior Song Politics Doesn’t want same problems as Tang Military controlled by bureaucrats Different from Rome/West Civil officials only governors, Military commanders rotated Promote Confucian scholar-gentry Salaries increased Exams every three years Led to too many officials

Tang Decline and the Rise of the Song Revival of Confucian Thought Neo-Confucians Personal morality highest goal Virtue attained through book learning Personal observation Contact with wise people Hostile to foreign philosophies Focus on tradition Stifled thought of elite Reinforced class, age, gender

Tang Decline and the Rise of the Song Roots of Decline Problems Weakness against Liao encourages other nomads: Xi Xia Tributes weakening economy Cost of army: 1 million soldiers Weak military leaders: focus is on civilian leaders Focus not on fortifications, but scholarly pursuits Wang Anshi: attempts to reform Legalist perspective Cheap loans, irrigation projects, taxed scholars, established mercenary force Jurchens establish Jin kingdom: invade Song Southern Song: lasts 150 years

Basis of a Golden Age Grand Canal: improve communications north-south Population increase in the south Commercial Expansion Silk Road expanded/protected Junks: comparable to dhows Gov. supervises hours/marketing methods Merchants form guilds Credit increased Flying money Changan/Hangzhou: splendid cities

Basis of a Golden Age Expanding Agrarian Production/Life in Country Encouraged peasant migrants to uncultivated land Military garrisons in rural areas State-regulated irrigation/canals New seeds: Champa from Vietnam Wheelbarrow Break up land of aristocracy Takes away power, promotes position of ordinary citizen Architecture: curved roofs meant status

Basis of a Golden Age Family/Society Women: showed signs of improving, but deteriorated Marriages among same age Importance of marriage alliances helped with dowry's Upper class: yield considerable power initially Divorce by mutual consent More defense against husband’s negative behavior Wealthy women could take lovers

Basis of a Golden Age Male Dominance Neo-Confucianists put women back in place Bearer of sons, patrilineal line Advocated confining women: fidelity, chastity, virginity Excluded from education for civil service Footbinding: equal to veil/seclusion in Islam Preference for small feet Limited mobility Not initially accepted by poor Marriage goal: mothers had to bind daughters feet Men: premarital sex, concubines, remarry after death, laws favor men for inheritance

Basis of a Golden Age Inventions New Ag. Tools Banks/paper money Engineering feats: Grand canal Bridges: arches, segmented, suspensions, trussed Explosive powder Grenades, flamethrowers, poisonous gases, rocket launchers Checked nomadic invasion Domestically Drinking tea, coal for fuel, kite Key inventions Abacus, compass, printing-movable type

Basis of a Golden Age Scholarly Refinement/Artistic Accomplishment Painted landscapes Artistic generalists Confucian influence Landscapes, everyday life, not devotional objects Paintings: Symbolic: philosophical/taught lessons Crane, pine tree: longevity Bamboo: scholarly class Abstract: subtlety/suggestion

Basis of a Golden Age Global Connections More market oriented Tech improvements taken from surrounding areas Production of luxury goods desired by wealthy around the world Inventions utilized by rest of world Until 18th century Political/economic resources unmatched by rest of the world