Download China- Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasty

The Tang and Song
Dynasties
The Tang Dynasty
618-907 BCE
Founding of the Tang
• At 18 Tang
Taizong lead his
father’s armies
to overthrow the
Sui and found
the Tang
Dynasty
About Tang Taizong
• Very intelligent
• Great military
leader
• Studied the
teachings of
Confucius and
modeled his
government by
them
The Golden Rule
What you do not
wish for yourself,
do not do to
others.
Confucius on….
Politics- Leaders needed to practice
self discipline. This would allow them
to remain humble and treat their
subjects with compassion.
Do you see this today?
Education- Main objective of education
is to teach students to live with
integrity (adhering to moral values,
incorruptible).
What do you think the main goal of
education is today?
Confucius Sayings
• “Respect yourself
and others will
respect you”
• “It does not matter
how slowly you go
as long as you do
not stop”
• “Everything has its
beauty, not everyone
sees it”
Taizong as Emperor
• Understood
problems of
common people
• Tried to make
their lives better
• Changed land
distribution
• more land to
peasants
• bigger family=
more land
Taizong as Emperor
• United China; got borders under
control
• Fair taxation system
• Helped trade and manufacturing
•
•
•
•
•
porcelain
metal smelting
cloth production
silk
paper
Life Under the Tang
Dynasty
• Seen as a peaceful and prosperous
• Finished & made use of Grand Canal
• Empire was the largest it had ever
been
• Use of Merit System
• Lose power after lousy leaders and
rebellion
The Song Dynasty
960 CE- 1279 CE
Song History
• Ruled longer than
Tang, but with less
territory
• Under constant threat
from Mongols in the
north
• Continued advances in
agriculture
• New rice strains
• New farming
techniques
• Also made heavy use
of grand canal
• Ended by Mongol
invasion in 1279
Life Under the Song
Dynasty
• China was again peaceful and
prosperous
• Height of Art, Poetry and Music
• Age of Invention
•
•
•
•
Gunpowder
Magnetic Compass
Paper Money
Printing books
• Strong trade- as far as Mid. East and
Africa
Who were the Mongols?
• Nomads from the plains of
Central Asia
• Tough military force
• Genghis Khan- grew empire to
include China, Korea, Russia
and parts of Eastern Europe,
southwest to the Persian Gulf
Kublai Khan- Mongol
Ruler of China
• Grandson of Genghis Khan
• Responsible for completing the
conquest of China (Song
Dynasty)
• Took Song Dynasty when he
was 20 years old
• Yuan Dynasty
• Center in
Beijing
• Yuan means
“beginning”
• Kublai Khan
becomes
emperor of
China
China under Mongol
Rule
• Did not allow old Chinese ruling
class to govern China
• Government positions went to
Mongols and foreigners, NOT
Chinese
• Mongols kept their own language
and customs
• Allowed many religions to be
practiced
Fall of Mongols
• China prospered under Kublai
Khan ( mail system, trade and
roads were good)
• BUT…
• The Khans or emperors after
him were not as great
• 1368-peasant uprising ended
Mongol rule in China