China Reunified Chapter 8 Section 1 581C.E. – 1279C.E.

Before the 3 Dynasties The first Dynasty to unify China was the Qin Dynasty which used the ideology of Legalism to Govern. Legalism is a very strict system which had clear rules (laws) and punishments if those laws were broken. Legalism was very violent and led to the collapse of the Qin Dynasty. After the Qin Dynasty collapsed, a new dynasty took over China known as the Han dynasty, they disregarded legalism and styled their government on Confucianism. After the collapse of Han China, the territory became fragmented and fell into chaos for 300 years.

3 Dynasties Sui Dynasty – reunified China 300 years after the collapse of the Han Dynasty. This dynasty is known for improving trade within China thanks to a new canal system that linked 2 large rivers in China. Eventually collapsed for being to ruthless to its people. Tang Dynasty – this dynasty ruled China for over 300 years. When they came into power they reformed numerous things including taking land from the few wealthy elite owners and redistributing it to the poorer people. They also expande into Central Asia growing the empire. Song Dynasty – After the Tang Dynasty collapsed do to numerous rebellions, the Song Dynasty took over 250 years. During this time China grew economically as well as agriculturally. They eventually fell when they were attacked by Northern Mongols.

Great Wall of China; Built to keep out Mongols

Government & Economy The governments of the 3 dynasties implemented a revival of Confucianism known as New-Confucianism to run their governments. These Confucius ideals focus on unequal relationship & patriarchy , rusticating the role of women on their affairs. Although China had relied heavily on agriculture to feed its people, other sectors of their economy began to grow such as metallurgy, or the manipulation of metal into specific designs. These techniques spread around the eastern hemisphere influence many cultures in Europe, Africa, And the Middle east. The Chinese are also credited with creating gun powder. Although it was invented in China, it wasn’t until It got to Europe that it became weaponized.

Chinese Society Patriarchy, the idea that men are superior to women, greatly influenced the role of women in China. Only men were allowed to participate in government and other important affairs. Although women had great restrictions in China during this time, it allowed for a female ruler known as Empress Wu to govern for a period. It is the only instance in China where a women has been in charge of the dynasty. A civil service exam, based on Confucianism was instituted to allow only qualified individuals to be appointed to these positions/ The great European traveler Marco Polo was amazed at what he saw when he visited China in the late 13th century. Once he returned to Europe and began to tell stories about his trip, interest in China from Europeans grew tremendously.

Polo’s Travels