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Tang and Song China Era of Prosperity & Technological Innovation

Sui Dynasty Wendi – 1 st emperor of Sui Dynasty – Completion of Grand Canal

Tang Dynasty A.D Tang Taizong – Reconquered lands – Influence over Korea Empress Wu Zhao – 1 st female to have title of emperor Strengthened central gov’t Expanded roads & canals Promoted foreign trade & agriculture

Scholar-Officials Civil service examination system – Open to all men – Required education – Gentry

Religion in the Tang

Tang Decline Imposed taxes to meet gov’t costs Struggled to control empire Tang capital burned & last emperor killed

Song Dynasty Restores China General Taizu reunited China – 1 st Song emperor – Tried to buy peace with enemies – Manchurian people, the Jurchen, conquered northern China New Hangzhou Rapid economic growth

Agriculture Improved cultivation of rice More food to feed larger population

Science & Technology Movable type Gunpowder Porcelain Mechanical clock Paper money Magnetic compass for sailing What impact do these technologies have on China?

Trade & Foreign Contact Trade flourished – Silk Roads Ocean trade – Trading colonies Chinese culture spread Adopted Buddhism, Islam, eastern Christianity

Religion in the Song

Art & Poetry Poetry – Discussed life’s pleasures, praised orderliness & Confucian values Daoist influence on art

Changes in Society More social mobility Gentry emerged (new upper class of scholar-officials) – Status through education & civil service Urban middle class – merchants, shopkeepers, artisans, lower officials Lower class – laborers, soldiers, servants

Women’s Status Status further declined Foot-binding

Feudal Japan The name Japan comes from the Chinese words, “ri ben”, which means “origin of the sun”

Geography of Japan Group of islands Mild climate, much rainfall Not much farmland Typhoons, earthquakes, tidal waves How do you think their geography influences their lifestyle?

Early Japan Hundreds of clans w/own gods & goddesses Varied beliefs & practices formed Shinto religion (“way of the gods”) – Shinto based on respect for nature, worship of ancestors – Which other culture is this similar to? – Believed in kami, divine spirits that dwelled in nature

Yamato Emperors By the 400s, the Yamato clan established itself as the leading clan – Yamato family claimed divinity – Yamato emperors lacked any real power (figureheads) – Real power rested with the clan who ruled in the emperor’s name  This dual structure became an enduring characteristic of Japanese gov’t

Japanese Culture Korean travelers brought Chinese ideas and customs to Japan – Religion of Buddhism Some Japanese did not want to completely give up Shintoism Shinto practices and rituals mixed with Buddhist beliefs

Japanese Culture Japan sent missions to investigate Chinese civilization The Japanese adopted the Chinese system of writing – Cooking, gardening, tea-making, hairdressing Chinese ways were adapted to suit the needs of the Japanese  What course theme does this support?

The Heian Period Emperor’s court moved its capital to Heian, or modern Kyoto Elaborate daily court life Rules dictated every aspect of life

The Heian Period Etiquette was extremely important Noblewomen wore their hair down to their ankles, blacked their teeth with cosmetics, and dyed their clothing to match the seasons Everyone wrote poetry, painted Lady Murasaki’s The Tale of Genji and Sei Shonagon’s The Pillow Book describe court life  Compare to European chivalry & literature

Decline of Central Power Large landowners moved away from the capital and set up private armies As trade and travel became unsafe, small farmers and landowners traded land to strong warlords in exchange for protection As a result, lords gained more and more power This marked the beginning of the feudal system in Japan

Samurai Warriors Lords surrounded themselves with bodyguard of loyal warriors, known as samurai Samurai lived according to the code known as Bushido 1)Courage 2)Respect for gods 3)Fairness and generosity towards weak ***Dying an honorable death was important

Underpinnings: Basic Steps in Self Defense A COTTON BREECH CLOUT A COTTON BREECH CLOUT that extended up over the chest was the basic undergarment of a samurai’s costume A SHORT SLEEVED KIMONO A SHORT SLEEVED KIMONO, or “armor robe,” was tied snugly at the waist with a special knot (lower right)

BILLOWING PANTALOONS, BILLOWING PANTALOONS, worn over the armor robe, fitted loosely in the legs to allow freedom of movement STURDY SHINGUARDS STURDY SHINGUARDS of cloth or leather were reinforced with strips of iron to give protection from the front AN EXQUISITE BROCADE AN EXQUISITE BROCADE, richly worked with a design of peonies, was one of the extravagant materials used in an armor robe that may have been made for a 14 th Century imperial prince

Kamakura Shogunate Conflict between powerful rival clans Emperor gave Minamoto leader the title of “shogun” (“supreme general of emperor’s army”) Shogun = military dictator who controlled officials, judges, taxes, armies, roads, etc. The emperor reigned in Kyoto, while the real center of power was at the shogun’s headquarters at Kamakura

The Kamakura Shogunate Shoguns assigned military governors, or daimyo, to maintain peace and order The Kamakura shoguns repelled two invasions by the Mongols However, the shoguns began losing prestige and power due to financial strains Samurai became more loyal to their local lords