Download Chapter 20-3 Ancient China

Chapter 20-3 Ancient China
The Sui, Tang, and Song
Dynasties
The Big Idea
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The Tang and Song dynasties were
periods of economic, cultural, and
technological accomplishments.
Main Ideas
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After the Han dynasty, China fell into disorder but
was reunified by new dynasties.
Cities and trade grew during the Tang and Song
dynasties.
The Tang and Song dynasties produced fine arts
and inventions.
Historians sometimes call the time of disorder that
followed the collapse of the Han dynasty the Period
of Disunion.
The Period of Disunion lasted from 220 to 589.
War was common during the Period of Disunion.
The Sui Dynasty
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Yang Jian unified China and created
the Sui dynasty.
Lasted from 589 to 618
Leaders began the Grand Canal, a
canal linking northern and southern
China.
The Tang Dynasty
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Ruled for nearly 300 years
China grew to include much of eastern
and central Asia.
Seen as a golden age
Included the only woman to rule
China—Empress Wu
The Song Dynasty
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Entered a period of disorder—called
the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
China was reunified by the Song
dynasty.
Ruled for about 300 years
Witnessed a period of great
achievements
City Life
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China’s capital and largest city of the Tang
dynasty was Chang’an.
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People from China, Korea, Persia, Arabia, and
Europe lived in Chang’an.
Chang’an was known as a religious and
philosophical center.
Cities continued to grow under the Song.
The Song capital, Kaifeng, had about a
million people.
Trade in China & Beyond
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The Grand Canal carried trade goods and moved
crops into the cities.
Under the Tang, trade centered around land routes.
Exports included tea, rice, spices, jade, and most
importantly, silk.
Imports included foods, plants, wool, glass, and
precious metals.
Under the Song, sea trade became important.
Porcelain became an important trade good
Art
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The artists and writers of the Tang dynasty
were some of China’s greatest.
Artists of both the Tang and Song dynasties
made exquisite objects in clay.
Song artists made porcelain items covered
in a pale green glaze called celadon.
Inventions
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The Tang and Song dynasties
produced some of the most
remarkable—and important—
inventions in human history.
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Gunpowder
Porcelain
Paper money
Influence of Confucianism
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Confucius’s ideas were spread by his followers after his death.
The Qin dynasty officially suppressed Confucian ideas and
teachings.
The Han dynasty made Confucianism the official state
philosophy.
Buddhism overshadowed Confucianism during the Period of
Disorder.
Buddhism was also very popular during the Sui and early Tang
dynasties.
In the late Tang dynasty, many Chinese historians and
scholars again became interested in the teachings of
Confucius.