China and The World 500c.e. – 1300c.e.

A Third Wave of Civilizations 1. Early Civs – Mesopotamia, Indus Valley, Nile Valley, China along the Huang He – 3500b.c.e. – 600b.c.e. 2. Classical Era – Greece, Rome, Persia, Maya -600b.c.e – 600c.e. 3. Third Wave Civs– 500c.e. – 1300c.e.

China as a Major Player in the Third Wave Civilizations China-centered “world order” encompassed most of eastern Asia China’s borders reached far into Central Asia It’s wealthy and cosmopolitan culture attracted visitors from afar All of China’s neighbors felt its gravitational pull China’s economy and technological innovation had effects throughout Eurasia

China Reunified Han dynasty collapsed in 220c.e. Chaos for 300 years after after Han Dynasty collapsed Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties emerge from 589-1279 Sui Dynasty – Reunifies China -extend canal system, large government projects -ruthlessness and failure to conquer Korea discredited the dynasty and exhausted state resources

Tang and Song Dynasties The “Golden Age” of Chinese Arts and Literature -poetry, landscape painting, ceramics of high order Birth of Neo-Confucianism -Confucian revival with added elements of Buddhism and Daoism Politics -exam system revived (printing press invented) -many more universities opened -large landowners still powerful despite state efforts to redistribute land

Cheat Sheet Used on Chinese Civil Service Exam

Economy Under Song Great Prosperity Population growth 50million – 100million under Song -capital city Hangzhou had over 1million people Improvements in iron production, factories Best shipbuilding in the world 3 famous inventions -compass, gunpowder, printing press

Chinese “Junk Ship” and Columbus Ships in comparison

A Growing Economy Cheap transportation allowed peasants to grow specialized crops Government demanded payment of taxes in cash, not in goods Growing use of paper money and financial instruments

Women in the Song Dynasty Not a very “golden” age for women More restrictions on women Foot binding became popular in the 11th century -beauty, women restricted to the house Wealthy elite class = concubines Women became educated to better raise their sons

Foot Binding

China and Northern Nomads Misconceptions -China was “self contained” -China was “unchanging” Nomads of the north -nomads were in kinship groups -occasional confederations and powerful states -pastoral societies needed grain from China -leaders wanted luxury goods from China -nomads threatened by Chinese - attack/Great Wall -China needed nomads – horses/access to silk roads

Northern Nomads

Tribute System China’s “middle kingdom – conceited Chinese believed that they could “civilize” the nomads Tribute system = extortion -nomads didn’t want to rule China, they just wanted their wealth -unequal trades -a way for making the relationship work

Korea and China China had a tribute system established with Korea after colonization and invasions -China provided legitimacy for Korean rulers -Efforts to replicate Chinese court life and administration -Capital city Kumsong modeled on Chinese capital Chang’an Acceptance of Chinese culture -Confucianism ended “equality” for women -Korea maintained much of its’ culture

Vietnam and China Parts of Vietnam were incorporated into China Serious effort to assimilate the Vietnamese -provoked rebellion -remained a tributary Vietnamese rulers adopted the Chinese approach to government -examination system helped undermine established aristocrats -elite remained deeply committed to Chinese culture Much of distinctive Vietnamese culture remained in place -language, cockfighting, greater roles for women

Cockfighting

Japan and China Never invaded or conquered by China Voluntary borrowing of culture -large envoys sent to China Elements of Chinese culture took root in Japan -several schools of Chinese Buddhism -art, architecture, education, medicine, religious views -Chinese writing system Japanese borrowings were selective -deliberate borrowings stopped after tenth century

Japan and China Japan doesn’t become centralized like China -political power became decentralized -local authorities developed (samurai) Japan kept it’s unique identity -Buddhism never replaced shintoism (spirit and ancestor worship) Women escaped Confucian bondage/oppression -women wrote in the vernacular (everyday language)

China and Globalization Chinese Advances Spread to Europe -salt production through solar evaporation -papermaking -printing (though resisted by the Islamic world) -gunpowder invented ca. 1000, but used differently after it reached Europe -Chinese textile, metallurgical, and naval technologies -Stimulated imitation and innovation (e.g., magnetic compass)

Chinese Inventions

China as Economic Beneficiary Learned cotton and sugar cultivation and processing from India Writing was stimulated by Buddhist texts China in Indian Ocean Trade -foreign merchant settlements in southern Chinese ports by Tang era -sometimes brought violence, e.g., massive massacre of foreigners in Canton in the 870s -transformation of southern China to production for export instead of subsistence

Making Chinese Buddhism Buddhism was India’s most important gift to China At first – Buddhism had little Appeal in China -Buddhist monasticism seemed to dishonor Chinese family values -concern for individual salvation seemed selfish Collapse of the Han dynasty ca. 200 c.e. brought chaos and discrediting of Confucianism

Buddhism Spreads Nomadic rulers in northern China favored Buddhism Monasteries provided increasing array of social services Buddhists appeared to have access to magical powers Serious effort to present Buddhism in a form accessible to the Chinese -dharma was translated as dao -“morality” was translated as filial submission -it was Mahayana form of Buddhism that became popular

Buddhism Becomes Discredited Direct action against Buddhism in China -Buddhism challenges Confucianism, (celibacy of monks) -thousands of monasteries, temples, and shrines confiscated or destroyed -Buddhists forbidden to use precious metals or gems for their images Buddhism did not vanish from China; it remained an important element of popular religion