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Medieval China
Sui, Tang, Song Dynasties
Mongol Yuan Dynasty
Medieval China –
Politics (After Han)
• Era of the Six
Dynasties – constant
civil war with series of
nomadic invasions
(Xiongnu and others)
• China turns to
messianic creeds
offering salvation –
Daoism and
Mahayana Buddhism
(Fa Xian supporter)
Practice AP Question
Which of the following is the proper
sequence of Chinese dynasties?
• a. Tang, Zhou, Shang, Ming, Han
• b. Shang, Zhou, Han, Tang, Ming
• c. Han, Shang, Song, Tang, Ming
• d. Shang, Han, Zhou, Tang, Ming
• e. Zhou, Tang, Shang, Ming, Han
Medieval China – Politics (Sui)
Sui (589-618)
• Yang Jian (aristocrat)
unified and turned to
Buddhism and Daoism
– building monasteries
and appointed monks to
key political advisors
• Builder – 1,400 mile
Grand Canal (link
Yellow and Yangtze
rivers – good for
communication and
bring southern rice
north), capital at
Chang’an (see later)
• Decline – expensive military
campaigns (failed against Turks,
then Korea in 618), tyrannical ruler,
last one murdered and general Li
Yuan took over
Medieval China – Politics (Tang)
• Aggressive
expansionist foreign
policy – 88 Asian
people controlled by
them, NW pacified to
control silk road,
conquest of part of
Tibet, southern
provinces fully
assimilated, tribute
from Korea and
Vietnam, Japan sends
officials to learn about
China
• Chang’an becomes
greatest city – 2
million people
• Buddhism supreme
• Tang aristocracy incorporates nonChinese ideas – Turkish, Arab, Korean,
Japanese, Indian and Persian
merchants influence.
Medieval China – Politics (Tang)
Empress Wu (690-705)
• Only woman to rule China
as independent sovereign
• Concubine of emperor
Gao-zong – used her
power to place relatives
in key positions, owed
loyalty to her when he
died
• Deposed in her 80s by
aristocratic reaction to her
excesses and nepotism
(favoritism to relatives)
• Regarded as evil villain –
but not really bad ruler
Medieval China – Politics (Tang)
Yang Guifei concubine
of Xuan-zong (713756)
• Emperor so enamored
of her she controlled
court politics for last
years of reign
• Spent lavishly on her
• Led to rebellion led by
General An Lushan,
emperor will abdicate
throne, Yang Guifei
strangled.
Medieval China – Politics (Tang)
Weakness of Tang – empire
expanded beyond effective
communication and control
(provincial governors rebelled), as
wealth increased – corruption
and intrigue (eunuchs controlled
access to emperors, became
policy makers), expanded
bureaurcacy led to increased tax
and peasant revolts and land
given to rich landlords.
10th century – Khitan (northern
nomadic people) caused collapse
(used classic strategy of
“barbarians to oppose barbarians”
– hired Turkish Uighurs to protect
Silk Road, but Kirghis [another
nomadic group] defeated Uighurs
and then turned on Tang)
AP Practice
Which of the following is accurate about the Tang Dynasty
and the Byzantine Empire?
• a. While the Byzantine Empire had a large urban center,
the Tang Dynasty was more decentralized with small
towns along trading routes.
• b. Both of their governments consisted of bureaucrats
who received a standardized education.
• c. Women in the upper classes gained additional rights
and access to social mobility in both societies.
• d. There was considerable overlap between church and
state both in governmental affairs and everyday life in
both societies.
• e. Silk weaving was the major industry only in the Tang
Dynasty.
Medieval China – Politics (Song)
Northern Song (960
to 1127)
• General Zhao
Kuang-yin unified
northern China
(except nomadic
Khitan), moved
capital east to
Kaifeng (where
Grand Canal was)
• Constant threat
from Central
Eurasian nomads
Medieval China – Politics (Song)
Southern Song (1127 to
1279).
• Nomadic pressures –
forced to move capital
south to Hangzhou on
coast of Yangtze
• Lost control of Tibet
• Economic expansion
• Increased pop. to 40
million
• Song rulers forced to pay
tribute to foreigners
(Jurchen/Jin in
Manchuria)
Medieval China – Politics (Song)
• While foreign control over north, economic
growth in south (agricultural innovations, rise of
merchant guilds, strong navy, paper money –
until printed more money then value)
• State Confucianism restored
• Formed alliance with Mongols (new and obscure
nomadic group from Gobi Desert) who defeated
Jurchen then turned on Song – series of river
battles using catapults and gunpowder
Medieval China – Politics (civil service)
• Grand Council – included representatives from civil, military,
and censorate
• Paper began to make education and thus civil service more
open to all classes (meritocracy)– Song wanted to reduce
power of noble families so relatives of imperial courts and
eunuchs prohibited from exams, but nevertheless still rising
professionalism of bureaucracy among landed gentry, nonaristocratic landowners (scholar-gentry)
• Three levels of examination (under Tang included Buddhist
and Daoist texts) – Tang – covered name so less chance of
nepotism
• Censors appointed to investigate cases of official
wrongdoings
• Lowest level – village allowed to administer themselves –
hands of council of elders – maintained local irrigation,
transportation, militia, and collect taxes
AP Practice
Under the Tang and Song dynasties,
• a. the Confucian civil service system was
disbanded.
• b. the family declined in importance.
• c. tea was imported from Cambodia.
• d. class divisions were abolished.
• e. Buddhism was introduced to Vietnam.
Mongols
 Pastorial people from
Mongolia. Organized into
clans.
Temujin (orphan
and poor) –
unified the
Mongols and in
1206 elected
Genghis Khan
(strong ruler)
Land where Genghis was born.
Lived in portable
“yurts”
Mongolian Army
 Not huge army – 130,000
men – all men subject to
conscription
 Strength based on strategy &
mobility (flying columns of
horse-back archers
[compound bow and stirrup]–
each soldier had 2 up to 16
horses – could swap) – small
units (10) to be able to
deploy in ambushes and
feint-retreat
 Could easily defeat sedentary
people who often could not
afford horses
Genghis Khan’s Empire
Only death of
Genghis stopped
all out attack on Europe
Capital at Karakorum – but prohibited fellow
Mongols from sedentary occupations or living
in cities – but under successors will settle into
administrative positions
Treatment of Conquered Territory
 Used fear – would decimate towns.
 If one came out in open – would be
saved; if tried to hide – would be
killed.
 One town where son-in-law killed –
he had it destroyed to the ground so
that the land could now be plowed
After the death of Chinggis Khan’s grandson Mongke in 1259, the Mongol world
devolved into four successor states. Kublai Khan’s emerged as the most
powerful, but only after a long struggle with Song China. In Central Asia, the
Chagatai dominated the eastern steppe; the Golden Horde became established
in southwest Russia; and the Il-Khan in Persia ruled from Kabul to Anatolia.
Medieval China – Politics (Yuan)
• Mongol Dynasty (1279-1368)
• Khublai Khan – grandson of
Chingis created most
expansionist period in Chinese
history
• Used Chinese military and
navy – Korea conquered in
1258, Vietnam and Burma in
1280s, naval expedition to
Java in 1292
• Used Chinese bureaucratic
system – became partially
sinicized (more Chinese), but
patronized Buddhism over
Confucianism and caste
system reserved highest
position for Mongols, favored
foreigners like Marco Polo,
Confucian scholars refused to
serve
• Created Pax Mongolia – peace
and stability along Silk Road
• After death of Khublai, social and
economic stress (Yellow river
changed course and flooded,
Grand Canal ruined, Buddhist
Monks – Red Turbans rebelled)
Japan’s Kamikaze
1274, 1281
 Tried to go against Japan but
horse archery not successful
against islands
 According to myth twice
Japan saved by “kamikaze”
divine winds or typhoons
 (Reality – ships were flat
bottom boats – not good for
rough sea; also may have
been sabotaged by Chinese
shipbuilders upset with
Mongols)
The central and east Asian stability imposed by Mongol rule - the"Mongol Peace" brought mixed benefits. Trade flourished, and travelers such as Ibn Battuta and
Marco Polo were able to write remarkable accounts of the lands they visited. At
the same time, however, vectors for other travelers, such as the rats that carried
bubonic plague, also opened up. The Black Death, originating in Central Asia,
was one of a succession of plagues that followed the trade routes by land and
sea, decimating parts of Europe and China.
Mongol Empire
Golden Horde (Tartars)
 One of the khanates or
grandson of Genghis Khan,
Batu Khan, advanced far
into eastern Europe and
established in 1251 the
rule of the Golden Horde
in Russia.
 As a result, Russia
experienced a cultural
decay and isolation from
Europe - reason for why
Russia is part of Asia
during Middle Ages.
Practice AP Question
“We Mongols believe that there is but one God, by Whom
we live, and by Whom we die, and toward Him we have
an upright heart. But just as God gives different fingers
to the hand, so has He given different ways to men.”
 Mongol Khan, as witnessed by William of Rubuck, a
Franciscan Friar who met Mongke Khan
What Mongol attitude or policy does the above quote best
reflect?
 a. The determination of the Mongols to eliminate
polytheism.
 b. The animistic nature of the traditional Mongolian
religion.
 c. The Mongol preference toward monotheistic religions
like Islam.
 d. The religious tolerance of Mongols toward other
peoples.
 e. The frequent conversion of Mongols to Tibetan
Buddhism.
AP Practice
The Mongols
 a. succeeded in their attempt to conquer
Japan.
 b. facilitated trade along the Silk Roads.
 c. constructed cities and irrigation systems
during their conquest of Persia.
 d. had little respect for craftsmen and their
work.
 e. established no communications with
western Europe.
AP Practice
The Mongol Empire was divided into
four Khanates, which governed all of
the following lands EXCEPT
 a. China
 b. Korea
 c. Russia
 d. Persia
 e. Japan
Medieval China - Economics
• Under Tang - Created land-equalization system - redistributing
land based on size of house-hold – strengthen central govt.,
weakened power of large landholders, but will be abandoned.
Song will try to use progressive land tax to limit size
• Shift from Yellow River to Yangtze as center of economy
• Prosperity under Song due to new agricultural inventions
(chain pump) and new strain of rice from SE Asia.
• Urban sector of economy increasing despite official dislike
(especially in area of steel and wrought iron); trade expanded
with Uighurs but Silk Road had bandits so much now by sea
• Song – merchant guilds established with money economy
and credit (“flying money” - under Tang), banking (string of
coins cumbersome)
• Inflation – paper not backed by coin
• Gifts to tribute states from “elder brother” led to economic
problems
Medieval China - Religious
• After collapse of Han – Buddhism and Daoism appeal to
masses and some ruling class (Tang), even Christian
church in Chang’an by Syrian merchants in 6th century
CE
• Buddhism breaks into sects – Chan (Zen) called for strict
mind control for enlightenment; Pure Land - stressed
devotion; Tantrism – stressed symbols; White Lotus –
rebellious group seeking “savior Buddha”
• Buddhist monasteries accumulated 1000s of acres and
serfs – tax exempt (caused corruption and popular
dislike – during later Tang monasteries destroyed and
monks returned to secular life)
• Uighur Kingdom – supported Manichaeanism (offshoot
of Zoroastrianism w/influence of Christianity)
Medieval China - Religion
Neo-Confucianism
• Changed by Buddhism & Daoism to include more
metaphysical interest in nature of universe
• Zhu Xi (Chu His) – 12th century philosopher who
reinvigorated Confucianism – ideas tested in civil service
in his “School of Mind”
• State doctrine until 20th century
• Encourages moral principles over expansion of scientific
knowledge (no scientific method, no method of
geometry, lacked zero and Arabic numerals, lagged in
astronomy, physics and optics)
• Favored scholar-gentry not commercial middle class
(unlike Europe where Renaissance comes from middle
class)
Medieval China - Society
• Scholar/landed gentry most influential force in
Chinese society – controlled most of wealth in
rural area and produced most of candidates for
bureaucracy; some upward and downward
mobility
• Females still considered less desirable
especially under Song Neo-Confucianism
(female infanticide, concubines w/less rights;
females now had to pay dowry to men, foot
binding – limited to scholar gentry class)
Footbinding
 young girls anywhere from the age of four to six before arch
developed.
 the four smallest toes on each foot were broken
 silk bandages, ten feet long and two inches wide, were wrapped
around the smallest toes and pulled tightly to the heel. Every two
days, the binding was removed and rebound.
 After 3 years foot basically died causing great stenches and
sometimes led to death of child through infection
 Although prohibited later during Manchu dynasty still continued
and still found in countryside today.
Medieval China – Intellectual/Tech.
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• Sui’s Grand Canal
• Tang’s City of Chang’an
(eastern most city of Silk Road
– wealthiest in world)
Tang Technologies
 Steel introduced (mixing
cast iron and wrought
iron in fire) for swords
 Cotton introduced
 Gunpowder (950) for
explosives and primitive
flamethrowers (40 yrds)
made of saltpeter, sulfur
and charcoal (will reach
west by 14th century
due to Arabs)
 Mechanical Clocks
(learned water-powered
clocks from Middle
Easterners)
 Compass and sternpost
rudder
Medieval China – Art/Literature
• Paper introduced during
Han but used for clothing
(even armor) and wrapping
• Wood Block Printing – 7th c.
We’ll
study
in
project
• Advantage –
40,000 Chinese
characters – easier
to carve only once.
• Used for canonical
Buddhist texts, later
Confucius writing
Diamond
Sutra,
earliest
printed text
- 868
Li Bai (Li Bo) – 8th c. Daoist Poet
Amongst the flowers is a pot of wine;
I pour alone but with no friend at hand;
So I lift the cup to invite the shining moon;
Along with my shadow, a fellowship of three.
The moon understands not the art of drinking;
The shadow gingerly follows my movements;
Still I make the moon and the shadow my company;
To enjoy the springtime before too late.
The moon lingers while I am singing;
The shadow scatters while I am dancing;
We share the cheers of delight when sober;
We separate our ways after getting drunk;
Forever will we keep this unfettered friendship;
Til we meet again far in the Milky Way.
Other writings of period – Romance of the Three Kingdoms –
Epic that includes court intrigues, peasant life and battles