China: Six Dynasties Period Sui Dynasty Tang Dynasty Song Dynasty

Six Dynasties Period AD Collapse of Han in 221 AD Collapse of Han in 221 AD (That is 221 CE – “common era”) (That is 221 CE – “common era”) Six Dynasties period Six Dynasties period No stable, single government No stable, single government Local autonomy Local autonomy Buddhism emerges as important Buddhism emerges as important Adopted as official religion in “Ming” Dynasty of this period (not the same as later Ming) Adopted as official religion in “Ming” Dynasty of this period (not the same as later Ming)

Six Dynasties Period: Buddhism Buddhism spreads from Ming elite to popular sector Weakened Confucian Scholar Hierarchy Political and social chaos leaves people looking for comfort

Six Dynasties Period Buddhism Buddhism addresses issues missed by native Chinese concepts Addresses the next world more directly and simply Chinese Buddhism Provides Bodhisattvas Offers comfort and solace to the weak and oppressed: WomenLaborers

Sui Dynasty: AD Reestablish order Begin rebuilding China a single empire Refine art

Tang Dynasty: 618 –905 AD Northern origins Develop equestrian military technologies learned from the horsemen of the plains Expanded China’s borders and affected all nations around China A highlight of Chinese power and political influence

Tang First Emperor Gao Zu Takes on the same name as the first emperor of Han Takes on the same name as the first emperor of Han Name means High Progenitor Name means High Progenitor

Tributary System Builds a hierarchical international system China is the ‘father’ and the other nations are ‘sons’ Sometimes the metaphor is big brother/little brothers Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, etc. all recognize China as the central nation

Tang Era Tributary System China’s Tributary system symbolized by the Kowtow

Tang Painting and Ceramics

Block printing and wide use of paper from 680 AD Paper AD: not used much until Tang

Tang Dynasty officials adopt and promote Buddhism Buddhist art flourishes Tun-Huang Grotto

China’s First Empress Empress Wu AD Only woman to rule in her own name as Empress Other women became Regents Concubine to Emperor Alliance with Buddhist monks and with Eunuchs Slaughter all contenders to the throne

Empress Wu & Civil Service Exams Institutes Confucian Civil Service Exam Recruit and promote new officials by exam Intended to weaken rival clans and build loyalty to Empress Wu Opens up path for upward mobility

Confucian Civil Service Exam Tests knowledge of Confucian classics LiteracyCalligraphyHistoryPhilosophyPoetry

Civil Service Exam Establishes meaningful meritocracy Limits influence of family connections and patronage Creates common knowledge base for officials Creates a well educated bureaucracy Also creates a sort of ‘group think’ mentality that limits flexibility and creativity later

Tang: Agriculture Wet Rice 800 AD Increases yields New varieties mature quicker Population expands

Taxes, Tea, and Flying Money Tang Dynasty suffers from insufficient tax revenue Tang Dynasty suffers from insufficient tax revenue Solution: Tea monopoly Solution: Tea monopoly Leads to “flying money” or a system of bank notes that enable more commerce Leads to “flying money” or a system of bank notes that enable more commerce

Tang Collapse Tang Dynasty after the rebellion of An Lushan in 860 AD weakens Tang Dynasty after the rebellion of An Lushan in 860 AD weakens Collapses through rebellions in the north in 905 AD Collapses through rebellions in the north in 905 AD Ends with no successor Ends with no successor Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period

Song Dynasty Two periods of Song Dynasty: Song: AD Song: AD Southern Song AD Southern Song AD Greater Commerce Greater Commerce Regular paper money system develops Regular paper money system develops

Song period pottery and painting flourish