China 500-1450

SUI DYNASTY Han dynasty had collapsed in 220 and for 350 years no emperor could reunite China Nomadic rulers reigned over China Sui Wendi united China again in 589 Built the Grand Canal, major waterway connecting north and south China Built on slave labor Sui are short lived and collapse in 589, largely due to an upset public

Tang Rulers Create a Powerful Empire 618-907 Territorial expansion Influence over Korea Tang Taizong Empress Wu Zhao declared herself emperor in 690 Lowered taxes

Scholar Officials Revived and expanded civil service examination Those who passed the exams were called scholar gentry In theory exams were open to everyone but really the wealthy could only afford the education necessary Many moderately wealthy families shared in China’s government

The Tang Lose Power Tang reimpose taxes to pay for continued expansion Couldn’t defend borders anymore 907 Chinese rebels sack and burn Tang capital

The Song Dynasty Restores China 960-1279 Song had less territory but this was China’s golden age Had to pay large tributes to northern nomadic groups who finally invaded them anyway After 1126 the Song were reduced to the Southern Song dynasty

An Era of Prosperity and Innovation China’s population soared to almost 100 million Most populous and advanced country in the world Movable type Gunpowder Porcelain Clock Compass Paper money Algebra Negative numbers

Agriculture Improvements in the cultivation of rice New rice varieties from Vietnam Leads to population increase

Trade and Foreign Contacts Silk roads with armies guarding it Sea travel with new instruments like the compass and the Chinese junk (ship) Chinese culture spread to east Asia Tea adopted by the Chinese through contact with Southeast Asia

The Golden Age of Art Scholar gentry expected to write poetry and own fine painting Li Bo was a famous poet Du Fu praised Confucian virtues Painting showing the Daoist influence Black ink instead of colors

Status of Women Women always subservient to men This pattern worsened during the Tang/Song era with the return of strong Confucian values (Neoconfucianism) Footbinding began