1. Medieval China

2. Chapter 12 Section 1 Lotus 6-8 facts on each topic: leaders, accomplishments, characteristics, why was Buddhism popular-how it spread etc.
The Sui Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty
The Song Dynasty
Chinese Buddhism & Spread of Buddhism
Neo Confucianism

3. Medieval China Dynasties - Sui
220 AD 520 AD China had no central government
Chinese warlords ran the government
581 AD Chinese general Wendi united country into Sui dynasty.
Wendi’s son, Yangdi rebuilt the Great Wall
Built the Grand Canal – linked Yangtze and Huang He rivers.
Canal helped unite China’s economy.
Farmers revolt against harsh labor/high taxes – kill Yangdi

4. Dynasties 2 - Tang Tang Dynasty: One of Yangdi’s general’s took over
Capital was Changan – 1 million people.
Carried out reforms
Most powerful emperor was Taizong
Brought order
Gave land to farmers
Empress Wu – only woman to rule China
Strengthened military
Added officials to government
Tang dynasty took control of Silk Road, controlled central Asia (Tibet), and made Koreans pay tributes

5. Dynasties 3 – Tang/Song
The Tang lost control of the Silk Road and central Asia when the Turks moved in.
Song dynasty – cultural prosperity (golden age of art and literature)
Song had too small an army and lost control
RELIGION
Chinese Buddhism – monks and nuns lived in monasteries (Tang dynasty) –
Dynasties feared it.
Destroyed monasteries and shrines
Neo-Confucianism: (Tang & Song) Took rules of Confucianism and added a more spiritual/religious element.

6. China’s Economy
Farmers able to make advancements due to peace through dynasties
New kinds of rice, more crops per acre, tea.
Grand Canal and Silk Road increased trade

7. Items traded by China on the Silk Road:
Porcelain
Tea
Steel
Paper
New Technology:
Discovery of coal (heat) & steel (stronger metal)
Block printing – page carved into wood, then dipped in ink and placed on paper. (Diamond Sutra – earliest known printed book)
Chinese printer named Pi Sheng invented movable type printing.
Gun powder
Ships with rudders and sails

8. Art & Literature
Tang and Song Dynasties = golden eras of Chinese culture. (Tang: poetry) (Song: art)
Invention of printing spread Chinese literature and culture
Poets & artists invited to work in capital of Changan
Chinese poetry celebrates nature, seasons, & friendship.
Li Bo – Tang poet, wrote” Still Night Thoughts”
Paintings portrayed the “idea” of objects, often left space in the painting, Daoist belief that we cannot know the whole truth about something – sometimes used calligraphy on their paintings

9. Genghis Khan (Temujin)
Elected by tribal leaders - United Mongol tribes in Mongolia (area north of China)
Steppes = rolling grassy plains that stretch from Black Sea to N. China
Mongols were fierce warriors – used terror to scare people – conquered huge territories
When Genghis dies, his son Kublai Khan took over.
continued to expand empire
Empire stretched from Pacifica Ocean to Western Europe – largest empire world had ever known
Marco Polo (trader from Venice Italy) became friends with Kublai Khan. Spent 16 years trading in Asia. Wrote book.

11. Fall of Mongols Rise of Ming Dynasty
After Kublai – weak Mongol rulers lose control
In 1300s Chinese rebel leader named Zhu Yuanzhang becomes emperor
sets up Ming “Brilliant” dynasty
Capital was in Nanjing
Cruel leader, executed many for treason
Zhu’s son Yong Le takes over
Moves capital to Bejing
Built Imperial city with Forbidden city inside (only top govt. officials could enter FC)

12. Ming Reforms Took census Collected taxes accurately
Restored exams for govt. employees
Repaired Grand Canal – trade and farming good again

13. Chinese Exploration Zheng He – Chinese Muslim explorer
Explored Pacific and Indian Oceans to:
expand China’s knowledge
Show off power
Trade
Chinese culture spread through new ports in India and Africa
Portugal sets up first trading posts in China in the 1600s – 1st European contact since Marco Polo
Manchus (Manchuria – north of Great Wall) defeated Ming dynasty in 1644.