Chapter 12 Section 1 Kathleen

The Sui Dynasty ruled from 581 to 618. The first ruler was Wendi. After he died, his son Yang Jian took over the Chinese. The farmers one day got very angry with having to pay high taxes and being forced to work on the Grand Canal so they revolted and then the army took control and they killed him, so the Sui dynasty came to an end.

China finally reunited in A.D. 581, right when the Sui dynasty began. In that same year, a general who called himself Wendi, declared himself emperor. Wendi founded the Sui Dynasty. After Wendi died his son Yangdi takes over the Chinese throne.

His full name is Sui Yangdi. Yangdi took on many great building projects, such as rebuilding the Great Wall. His greatest effort went into building the Grand Canal. He rebuilt China, but he did it by placing hardships on the Chinese people.

The Grand Canal became an important route for shipping products between northern and southern China. It also helped unite China’s economy. The hardships that he placed on the Chinese people included farmers that were forced to work on the Grand Canal.

Chinese Dynasties By Eric Ch. 12.1

The Tang Dynasty One of Yangdi’s generals took over in A.D. 618 and made himself emperor. The Tang Dynasty lasted for about 300 years. Turks drove Tang armies out of central Asia, which weakened it in mid-A.D. 700’s. In A.D. 907, the disorder brought down the Tang Dynasty. Tang Dynasty map

The Song Dynasty Military leaders lead China for fifty years after the Tang Dynasty until one general made himself emperor. The Song Dynasty lasted from A.D The Song Dynasty had problems since the start despite that it was a time of prosperity and cultural achievement. Song Dynasty map

Rulers At the start of both dynasties a general took over and made himself emperor. China’s most powerful Tang emperor was Taizong who restored the civil service system. Wu became the only woman in Chinese history to rule a country by herself when she became empress. After the Tang Dynasty and before the Song Dynasty military leaders ruled China. Empress Wu

Buddhism was brought to China in A.D Although the early Tang leaders were not Buddhists, they allowed the religion to be carried out. Buddhist monks and nuns would live in monasteries. Many Chinese people were against Buddhism. Around A.D. 800, the Tang officials began to look at Buddhism as a threat to Chinese traditions.

Buddhism spread to Korea in the A.D. 300s. It later spread to Japan and Vietnam. Buddhism quickly became an extremely popular religion.

Confucius was a religious teacher who taught that a good government depended on wise leaders. Even thought Confucianism became such a popular religion, it soon lost almost all its supporters. The Tang and song rulers brought back a new form of. Confucianism. Neo-Confucianism taught that this life is just as important as the afterlife.

Neo-Confucianism led to using the merit system to find the strongest leaders for the strongest government. The merit system meant that you would be judged on your skills only. This system consisted of three levels of exams. Only one in five men passed the examination. Those who passed created a new wealthy class in China known as the scholar- officials.

1) True or False: All Chinese people accepted Buddhism. 2) Which of the following countries did Chinese Buddhism not reach? Vietnam, Germany, Japan, or Korea? 3) What country did the Sui Dynasty reunite? China, Japan, Beijing, or Korea. 4) Which emperor/empress added more officials to the government in the late 600s? Yangdi, Taizong, Wu, or none of the above.