1. China and the World: East Asian connections Ch.8
To explore the role of China as a third wave superpower.
To examine China’s deep influence on East Asia
To consider how interaction with other peoples had impact on China
To encourage YOU to see China in light of its history and not just the last 70 year

2. China: Introduction to the Tang and Song Period
China may be the next modern superpower
China was a “superpower” in the third wave post classical period
Chinese centered world order in most of East Asia
Borders reached far into Central Asia
Wealth and culture lured many visitors and admirers
All of its neighbors were influenced in some degree by China
Economy and technological innovation impacted throughout Eurasia
China itself was affected by non-Chinese nomadic military threats throughout the period. International trade was also a means to change

3. SONG DYNASTY FLAG
TANG DYNASTY
FLAG

4. Reemergence of a Unified China
After the end of the Han Dynasty 300 years of political fragmentation
Nomads invaded from the north, Confucianism became discredited in many minds, and Han (Chinese) began migrating towards the southern Yangzi river valley.
An aggressive new Dyansty (Sui ruled ) reunified the state. Sui rulers extended the canal system and pursued warfare with neighbors. Failure to win and conquer nearby Korea exhausted the state’s resources and the dynasty lost the Mandate of Heaven.
However, unified China did not fall apart. A new Dynasty the Tang ( ) took control.

5. China under the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) Dynasties
These two dynasties built on the foundations the Sui had created for a unified state.
Tang and Song established the patterns of Chinese life that lasted well into the 20th century (and some might argue still exist)
The Tang Dynasty was the great Buddhist era in China
The Song Dynasty is considered a “golden age” of literature, arts, and culture
A closer examination of political life, economics, and social structure will follow.

6. Tang and Song Politics
Six major ministries were created to function with the Emperor to govern the state along with a Censorate to watch those who governed
The examination system was revived to staff the bureaucracy needed to govern
Many new schools and colleges were established for this purpose
Most officials were sons of elite landowners although some room for social status improvement was left
Large landowners continued to be powerful although both Tang and Song governments continually tried to restrict large estates and redistribute land to the peasants.

7. Tang and Song Economics
There was an economic revolution of sorts particularly after 960
Great prosperity led to a growing population rising from 60 million in 900 to 120 million in 1200 which could well have been 1/3 of the earth’s human population
Agricultural production increased with the absorption of southern China- two or three rice crops per year, dryland rice farming, and use of new techniques for planting and plowing.
Led to the rise of large urban areas, China being the most urbanized state on earth by Several cities exceeded 1,000,000 people.

8. Tang and Song Economics
Network of internal waterways for distribution and transportation was created using rivers, lakes, and canals
Industrial production improved especially in the production of iron
Chinese printers invented both woodblock and movable type printing to replace manuscripts as well as developing the first true paper
China had the world’s foremost shipbuilding technology and navigation technology as well.
Chinese alchemists also invented gunpowder utilizing it for fireworks as well as for weapons.

9. CHINESE JUNK and EUROPEAN VESSEL OF THE SAME PERIOD

10. MOVABLE TYPE CHINA C.1000CE

11. GUNPOWDER PRODUCTION

12. Tang and Song Economics
Production in many areas was for the market and not for local consumption.
Cheap transportation (remember those canals) allowed peasants to specialize in crop production and become members of the money economy
Growing use of paper money (Song) and banking
China was so rich that taxes had to be paid in cash not in kind and silver was the preferred coin

13. Society in Tang and Song: Women’s roles and lives in China 600-1260 CE
Under Tang rule northern Chinese elite women played an important role in society (Empress Wu) possibly due to influence of nomadic peoples in area. This doesn’t mean women were considered equal.
Under the Song the position of women, especially elite women, deteriorated
The Song society tightened restrictions on women, imposing an ever more repressive patriarchy
Literature of the time (the Golden Age) when dealing with women, highlighted their subjugation to men

14. Women’s Roles in Tang and Song China
Foot Binding: one of the most well known of Song China’s impositions of servitude on women
Started in the 10th or 11th century:
A. associated with male notions of female beauty and eroticism
B. kept women restricted to the house
C. only practiced by(on?) elite women. Peasant women had to work and had no social standing anyway.

16. Women in the Tang and Song
Women were displaced from traditional roles in textile making as the industry became larger.
Women had to find other jobs and roles to play
Major urban areas were more likely to provide jobs for these women as entertainers, courtesans, prostitutes, and concubines. Other jobs surely existed as well.
In some areas women’s positions improved: property rights expanded in some areas of the state, and elite women were better educated in order to raise their sons better in the Confucian traditions.

17. China and the Northern Nomads: A constant menace and source of change for 2000 years
For most of its history, China’s most frequent interaction with outsiders was in the north with the steppe peoples. Who these peoples were varied over time, but the interactions with the Chinese remained constant
Northern nomads lived in small kinship groups which occasionally developed into strong states or more likely confederations usually of short duration.
These pastoral societies needed grain and other farm products from China, and steppe leaders wanted Chinese luxury and manufactured goods.

18. STEPPE NOMADS

19. Interactions with Steppe Nomads
Pressure from these steppe peoples and invasion was a constant factor in Chinese history well into the modern era (c.1640)
Nomads, however, often felt threatened by the Chinese Dynasties considering Chinese attacks on the steppes (to get horses usually) or the building of the Great Wall , built to deter steppe nomads from entering China for most purposes.
China needed the nomads as they provided horse (which the Chinese did not raise) as well as other goods such as leathers and furs. Nomads also controlled the Silk Roads for much of the period.

20. The Tribute System: Theory and Practice
The Chinese believed themselves to be the “Middle Kingdom” that is the center of the world and far superior to all other people
They established a tribute system to manage relations with non-Chinese peoples a system that apparently worked for centuries
A. Non-Chinese authorities (other governments must acknowledge Chinese superiority
B. Must present tribute to the emperor
C. Would receive trading priviledges and bestowals in return (often worth more than the tribute)
D. No exceptions were made to this rule as long as the Chinese could enforce it

21. The Tribute System: the Reality
The Tribute system didn’t always work as expected or serve the Chinese well. Some contradictions were inherent in the system
First, many nomadic empires could deal with China on fairly equal terms. Id est: Xiongnu confederacy, Turkic empires in Mongolia and Central Asia, and of course the Mongols
Second, although the tribute system was in place to keep nomads out, very few actually wanted to conquer and rule. They preferred to extort riches from China in return for peace. When China experienced internal disruption, steppe nomads might take over sections of the state especially in the north.

22. Culture: China and Nomads-who influenced who?
Nomads often adopted or adapted Chinese ways if they ruled parts of China for any length of time
But Chinese culture did not have a great impact on steppe nomads in general
Pastoral societies retained their own cultural norms; not being able to sustain agriculture precluded them from organizing their society on Chinese lines even if they wished to which they did not.

23. Cultural Interactions
Interactions took the form of trade, war, extortion, negotiations, and seepage of culture: essentially how interactions happen today
Steppe cultures did influence the parts of China which were often invaded and ruled by nomads:
Tang and Sui dynasties were “mixed” blood
Tang Dynasty: fad for anything connected with “western barbarians”(most likely steppe nomads) by northern Chinese elites.
Elites often have tastes for the exotic that are not affordable to the lower classes.

24. China and East Asia: Korea, Vietnam, Japan
All three of these emerging states had tributary relationships with China (see above for Tribute System)
They were agricultural, sedentary societies shaped by their proximity to China but not becoming Chinese
In a way this is similar to 20th century African and Asian societies that accepted elements of Western culture while retaining political/cultural independence.

25. Korea and China
Interaction with China started during Han Dynasty with temporary Chinese occupation of northern Korea
Korean states emerged c CE: rival to each other, also resisted renewed attempts at Chinese political control
During Tang Dynasty in China Korean kingdom of Silla allied itself with Tang bringing some political stability to Korea up to 900 under Silla, to with Koryo, and to 1910 with the Yi dynasties.

26. Korea and China
Although politically independent and culturally different, Korean Dynasties look to China to provide legitimacy for their rule.
Made efforts to reproduce Chinese court life and administration
Modeled capital city of Kumsong on Chang’an Chinese capital
Chinese luxury goods became prized as did Chinese scholarship and religious influence
Confucianism imported with other Chinese cultural artifacts had a negative impact on Korean women after 1300

27. Korean maintains its culture
Despite the nearness of China and the influence of its culture, Korea remained itself.
Chinese influence was confined to the small upper classes and little effect on the large serf-peasant population or slave class.
Only Buddhism of all Chinese imports had a lasting cultural influence
The examination system imported from China never won over most elites and failed to become the determinant of success in government in Korea
In the 1400’s Korea adopted a phonetic alphabet (Hangul) replacing Chinese-like characters. This is more important than it seems.

28. Vietnam and China
Vietnam’s relationship with China was fairly similar to that of Korea
Vietnam’s cultural heart was part of the Chinese state from the 2nd to 10th centuries CE.
The Chinese made a great effort to sublimate Vietnam’s elites culturally a stance that also provoke rioting and rebellion
Vietnamese rulers adopted Chinese approach to government
Used examination system and the elite remained deeply committed to Chinese cultural values despite the movement of time

29. Vietnam and China
Yet much of distinctive Vietnamese culture remained in place.
Language remained distinct, entertainments were culturally different, women had greater roles in public life than in China
Nature goddesses were retained and when Buddhism was introduced, the Vietnamese had a female Buddha as well
Developed a version of Chinese writing called CHU NOM.
Vietnamese life did not revolve around urban areas but large villages knit together by ties of kinships and obligation perhaps insulating villagers (the majority of the population) from Chinese influences

31. Japan and China
Japan was never invaded or conquered by China so its borrowings from China were voluntary
Main period of cultural borrowing was from 600’s to the 800’s CE when first unified Japanese state appears
Creation of a Japanese state apparatus like that of China began under Emperor Shotoku Tasihi using the examination system etal
Large scale diplomatic and educational tours to China to learn from them
Creation of the 17 Article Constitution and two capital cities both modeled on Chang’an were built –Heian(Kyoto) and Nara.

32. Japan and China
Many elements of Chinese culture took deep root in Japan
Several schools of Chan Buddhism developed
Art, architecture, education, medicine, and some religious views were adopted
The Japanese also used the Chinese writing system
But they borrowed selectively and not wholesale
Japan never created an effective centralized state, political power became localized, and local powerful lords created their own effective territories and warriors (samurai)

33. Japan and China
While Buddhism did have followers and indeed became important in Japanese culture, Japanese Buddhists essentially married Buddhist philosophy to their indigenous belief systems. The kami (sacred spirits) later referred to as Shinto remained the main religious focus of most Japanese
Distinctive Japanese literary and artistic culture developed
Unique writing system mixed Chinese and phonetic characters. Developed Tanka (highly stylized poetry)
Heian Court highly aesthetic. Elite women in Japanese society escaped the extreme oppression of their sisters in China

34. China and the Eurasian Economy
Spillover impacts of China on the rests of Eurasia
Spillover is an economic term which can be good or bad. In this case it is good. Spillover in this sense is a positive benefit that comes to someone without them having to do anything to get it. This is what the influence of China on other’s economies is.
Many of China’s technological innovations spread beyond its frontiers
Examples: salt production through solar evaporation; papermaking; printing; gunpowder (with differing uses in different places); textile, metallurgic, and naval technologies inspired imitation such as the magnetic compass) Economic life all over Eurasia increased as a result of China’s

35. China as the receiver of Economic Benefits
So how did China make out from trade and interaction with others economically?
China learned how to process cotton and sugar from India
New strains of rice from Vietnam transformed Chinese agriculture around 1000CE
China increased its participation in the Indian Ocean trade. Foreign merchant settlements in southern Chinese ports by 700CE. Some violence accompanied this as in all trade entrepots. Southern China became an export driven market rather than one for subsistence.

36. CHINA AND THE BUDDHA
BUDDHISM CAME TO CHINA FROM INDIA, BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT AND PRECIOUS ITEM EVER PASSING OVER THE SILK ROAD.

38. Buddhism and China
China’s only widescale borrowing from abroad until the advent of Marxism in the 20th century
China was the base for the spread of Buddhism to Korea and Japan
Buddhism entered China in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE along the Silk Road
Because Indian culture was so different from Chinese Buddhism had little appeal or impact at first.

39. Rooting Buddhism in China
The fall of the Han Dynasty and the disorders entailed over the next 300 years discredited Confucianism
The nomadic rulers in the north of China prior to the Tang favored Buddhism
Monasteries provided social services the state could no longer do
Buddhism was comforting for the masses
Buddhism appeared to give access to magical powers
Mahayana Buddhism made a serious effort to appeal to the Chinese and succeeded. Buddhism became very popular

40. Buddhism in China
Before long Buddhism received state sponsorship from the Sui and Tang Dynasties
Emperors of both dynasties dedicated land for monasteries include 5 from Sui Wendi
Monasteries became very wealthy but also a servant of the state.
But all was not golden: Confucian traditions remained very strong especially in elite circles. The rapid penetration and growth of Buddhism provoked reactions against it.

41. Buddhism in China
There was criticism of the huge wealth of the monasteries, of the monks themselves who were celibate and this was offensive to the Confucian based patriarchal system as was withdrawal from the world. Daoism could be tolerated because it was Chinese; Buddhism was foreign and feelings were different.
An Lushan Rebellion in probably a xenophobic reaction against Buddhism. However, Buddhism retained state support for a while longer.

42. Buddhism in China
In the 840’s, the Chinese state began direct action against foreign religions
Thousands of monasteries, temples, and shrines were destroyed
250,000 monks and nuns were forced to return to secular life
Buddhists were forbidden to use jewels or gems for their images
Buddhism did not vanish from China remaining an important element of popular religion along with Daoism

43. Why Things Change
Change and transformation are the only constants in human history
Explaining how and why societies change is probably the most important task for historians
Disagreement about what causes change is or is most important
Chinas illustrates the range of factors that cause change: contact with outsiders is considered to be the major facilitator of change within a society. China and East Asia do illustrate this, but also that change is a two way street. As China changed East Asia and Eurasia it was changed as well by its contact with them.