1. China
Middle Imperial Era

2. China: Reunification & Renaissance
Recall Political Developments:
Sui Dynasty ( )
Reunification
Completion of Grand Canal connecting northern & southern China
Tang Dynasty ( ) – expansion

3. China during the Tang & Song Dynasties

4. Song Dynasty ( )
Founded by Song Taizu
Threat of nomads to north
Confucian Civil Service System
Reintroduced during Sui Dynasty; expanded in Tang & Song era, especially
Exams based on Confucian classics
Jinshi = highest title

5. Economic Revolution Population doubled during Song era
Agricultural prosperity
New variety of rice
New cash crops – e.g. tea, sugar
Dikes, reservoirs, & dams
Water pumps

6. Terraced rice paddies in southern China

7. Economic Revolution Cont.
Commercial growth
Internal trade, facilitated by canals & paper $
Overseas maritime trade facilitated by magnetic compass & junks
Growth in industry
Esp. silk fabric, porcelain & paper
Water powered mills & bellows
Iron & steel

8. Urbanization (growth of cities)
E.g. Kaifeng & Hangzhou

9. Other Technological Achievements
Gunpowder
Mechanical clock
Moveable type (printing)
“Thunderbolt ball”

10. Social Developments Growth of scholar-elite Declining status of women
Increasing legal restrictions
Demand in cities for domestic servants & concubines
Foot binding

11. Ideal woman’s foot = 3” long!

12. Cultural Developments
Women poets as exception
Refined pastimes of the elite
Landscape painting

14. Traci Langworthy Jamestown, NY
Neo-Confucianism
New emphasis of Confucian scholars was on “investigation of things,” including workings of universe
Zhu Xi ( )
Li = pattern; Qi = vital energy
Traci Langworthy Jamestown, NY