REUNIFICATION AND RENAISSANCE IN CHINESE CIVILIZATION THE ERA OF THE TANG/SONG DYNASTIES
Tang Dynasty Period of Renaissance
Turkestan Mongolia Korea Vietnam Building A Bigger, Better Empire Tang exploit trade along the Silk Road Establish territories in Central Asia Turkestan Mongolia Korea Vietnam
Tang-Song Commercial Revolution Greater economic freedom for peasants Traded in finished goods
Gun Powder Tea Porcelain Silk
Interregional Trade & the Merchants Merchants gain more acceptance Regional specialization in goods Use of existing infrastructure (roads, Grand Canal)
Rise of Commercial Capitals Chinese junks cross the Indian Ocean Trade with India, the Swahili Coast, Malaysia & Indonesia Navigation helped by The compass
Rise of Neo-Confucianism Revival of Confucian principles Stressed Confucian social structure Neo-Confucian Ideas About Women: Homemakers and mothers Practice of footbinding – seen as beauty; reality subjugation
The Lotus Shoe
An Era of Invention & Innovation Movable woodblock mass printing increased literacy and preserved Chinese writings