Download Tang and Song China

Tang and Song China
Where We Left Off
Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han , (Era of Warring
States), Sui, Tang, Song,
Yuan, Ming, Qing, Republic, Mao Zedong
Han has just fallen as a result of the usual
peasant uprisings and collapsing bureaucracy
China is now largest empire (population &
territory)
China falls into the Era of Division
All fight for total control of China
3 regions come to power, the Northern Qi, the
Northern Zhou, and the Chen
Rebuilding the Imperial Sui
Return to strong dynastic control in China
Wendi builds the Sui empire by marrying the the daughter of the northern
Zhou emperor. Wendi takes the throne from his son-in-law and proclaims
himself emperor
Unites northern China
Wendi wins the support of neighboring nomads and uses them to conquer
the Chen
589 establishes Sui Dynasty
Wendi lowered taxes and created granaries
granaries: storage bins for food in case of flood, bad harvest, or drought
Granaries also kept the price of food down in times of food shortages
because they were brought to market to sell the surplus grain
Expands Buddhism
Sui Excess and Collapse
Yangdi, Wendi’s son, kills Wendi and takes the throne for himself
Continues conquests
Yangdi drives back nomads Supports reorganized Confucianism
education; remakes the civil service exam
Scholar gentry reestablished
611-614 Attack Korea (failure)
Expensive building projects
the Grand Canal
Loyang (new capital)
Chinese workers became mad and frustrated with so many projects as well
as the failure to bring Korea back under Chinese rule
In 615, Turkic nomads invade China and start the decline of the Sui
618Yangdi assassinated by own ministers
The Grand Canal
Built by Yangdi in Sui dynasty
stretches from Hangzhou to Peking;
1,100miles
crosses five major rivers: Yangtze,
Huai, Yellow,Hai, and Qiantang Rivers
Used as quick transportation through
East China as well as for trade
Built to accommodate population
shift and transportation of goods
and revenue
Millet in north and rice in south
The Emergence of the Tang and the
Restoration of the Empire
Li Yuan is victorious in the fight for control of China in 623
Li Yuan is the Duke of Tang so therefore, he begins the Tang
dynasty
Tang Taizong, Li Yuan’s second son, takes the throne in 626
Tang armies spread into central Asia and as far as modern-day
Afghanistan
Tibet, Vietnam, Manchuria, Korea
Turkic nomads were integrated into the Tang military
Use of armies to unite China
Tang finish repairs on the Great Wall started by the Sui
First time North China and south were fully integrated since Han
Tang
Dynasty
at
greatest
extent
Story Time p. 129 “Tang Dynasty”
• Take Notes
• -
• • -
• • -
Rebuilding the
Bureaucracy
Tang monarchs need to rebuild and expand imperial
bureaucracy since it had fallen apart after collapse of
Han
Goal #1: Revive scholar-gentry (bureaucrats)
Create large bureaucracy of loyal, well-educated
officials to govern vast empire
Levels from: Imperial palace to small district
Scholar-gentry offsets power of aristocracy, which
declines
Goal #2: Rework Confucian ideology
Educate bureaucrats in Confucian classics
Emphasize importance of Confucian philosophy for
an effective government
The Growing Importance of the Exam
System
Number of educated scholars rises
Examination system greatly expanded
Ministry of Rites administered the civil service exams under
Tang dynasty
Jinshu – those who passed very difficult exams on philosophy,
legal texts, Chinese literature
Only those who passed the exam could gain high offices in the
bureaucracy.
To become bureaucrat and take exam must be recommended
by scholar or go to government school
Anyone who passed any of the exams warned great respect for
themselves and the rest of their family
Enhanced social position of scholar gentry provided basis for
return to a highly centralized rule under an imperial dynasty
State and Religion in the Tang and Song
• Despite Tang government’s support for
Confucianism, Buddhism gained wide acceptance
• Empress Wu
• Endows monasteries
• Tried to make Buddhism the state religion
• Commissioned Buddhist sculptures
• Mahayana – Buddhism popular among commoners
in era of turmoil
• -ultimate wisdom via mediation and break free
of cycle of rebirth
• Chan (Zen) Buddhism common among elite
• -natural art and beauty, meditation
Anti-Buddhist Backlash
• Daoists and Confucianists spoke out against
Buddhism as an alien religion (due to Buddhist
success)
• Tang lost money because monastic lands not taxed
• Blamed Confucianists
• supported taxation of Buddhist monasteries and
decry property given to monasteries
• Wuzong (841-847)- Openly persecuted Buddhism,
destroyed 1000’s monasteries
– Forced Nuns and Monks to live civilian life
– Split up monastic lands among taxpayers
• End of Buddhist power, remained but Confucianism
dominant 9th to 20th centuries
Tang Decline and Rise of the Song
• Decline Due to Internal rebellion and nomadic incursion
• Emperor Xuanzong (713-756)- Reign marked peak of Tang
– At first interested in politics and economy reforms by his high officials,
but then focused on pleasures
• Took interest in Yang Guifei, young girl from imperial Harem
– She became promoted to royal concubine
– Packed government with her greedy relatives
– Created rivalries within the government
• 755: An Lishan Rebellion
• General An Lishan leads mutiny and declares himself Emperor in N.
China
• Xuanzong flees to Sichuan province
• Overall, does not topple Tang, but severely weakens it
• 907: Last Tang emperor resigns
• China appears to enter into period of nomadic dominance, political
division and social strife
Five Dynasties
and Ten Kingdoms Period
907-960
Five Dynasties in Northern
China succeeded one
another rapidly
Later Liang
Later Tang
Later Jin
Later Han
Later Zhou (General Zhao
Kuangyin conquers other
kingdoms and unifies China)
Ten Kingdoms in Southern
China existed concurrently
and controlled their own
territory
Wu
Wuyue
Min
Chu
Southern
Han
Former Shu
Later Shu
Jingan
Southern
Tang
Northern
Han
Founding of the Song 960-1279
• 9th century revolts left China in pieces
• Until 960, nomadic dominance, then General Zhao
Kuangyin (renamed Emperor Taizu) began his conquest of
China
– Scholarly, gathered books on conquest, not money
• Became the first self Proclaimed emperor of the Song
dynasty, renamed Taizu
• Destroyed all rivals except Liao Dynasty founded in 907 by
The Khitans of Monchiria
• Song paid heavy tribute to Khitans to prevent them from
raiding
• Khitans became “Sinified” or influenced by Chinese culture,
and learned from the economically superior Song about
arts, politics and economy
Story Time p. 131 “The Song Dynasty”
• Take Notes
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The Revival of Confucian Thought
Revivers of pure Confucian thought and teachings
Went through the process of translating all old texts and
inscriptions.
Libraries established
Stressed the importance of applying philosophical principals to
everyday life.
They argued that virtue could be obtained through knowledge
gained by book learning and personal observation
The neo-Confucian emphasis on tradition and hostility to
foreign influences was one of forces that stifled innovation and
critical thinking among the Chinese elite (hostility to Buddhism
and Daoism and they tainted Confucianism)
Gender, class, age distinctions reinforced
Ensue social harmony
Song Politics: Settling for Partial
Restoration
The Song never matched the Tang in political or
military strength
This weakness was a result from imperial
policies that were designed to ward off the
conditions that had destroyed the Tang empire
Only civil officials were allowed to be governors,
thereby removing the temptation of regional
military commanders to seize power
At the same time early Song rulers strongly
promoted the interests of the Confucian scholargentry
Roots of Decline: Attempts at Reform
After the Song emperors had secured their control over China in
means that undermined the empire in the long run.
By the mid-11 century, Tangut tribes, originally from Tibet had
established a kingdom named Xi Xia.
The emphasis on civil and scholar-gentry and the growing
disdain among the Song elite for the military also took their too
on the Chinese
In the 1070's and early 1080's Wang Anshi, the chief minister of
of the Song & Shenzong emperor, tried to ward off the impending
collapse of the dynasty by introducing sweeping reforms
Supported agricultural expansion
Landlords, scholar gentry taxed
Tries to form a bureaucracy that stresses analytical thinking
rather than memorization of classics
Reaction and Disaster:
The Flight to the South
The neo-Confusians came to power after and ended
reform and since that point the economic conditions just
declined.
This led to a weaker military and in 1115 the Jurchens
overthrew them and formed the Jin kingdom north of the
Song empire
The weak Song flee to the South
Southern Song (1127-1279)
New capital Hangzhou: sophisticated and wealthy
Numerous cultural and technological innovations
A New Phase of Commercial
Expansion
With canal systems and Silk Roads, commercial
expansion is booming
Commerce expands in cities and trading towns
Credit, deposit shops (banks), flying money (credit
vouchers)
Urban growth and sophistication
Changan, Tang capital: 2 million, largest city in world
Hangzhou, S. Song capital
Silk Roads
Tribal societies previously living in isolation along the Silk
Road were drawn to the riches of the Silk Road. Many
barbarian tribes became skilled at raiding traders.
Chinese rulers protect trade and travelers on Silk Roads
Cities developed all along the Silk Roads as trading posts
and as rest stops for travelers.
From Persia: dates; saffron; pistachio; rugs; tapestries
From Africa: frankincense; aloe; gold; salt; timber
From India: sandalwood; jasmine; cloth
From China: silk; porcelain; paper; tea
Transmission of art and religion (Buddhism; Christianity;
Islam)
Silk Roads
Indian Ocean Trade
Chinese Junks – refined in late Tang and Song period - are
best ships in the world
Established market networks along Indian ocean coast
Rival Arab control of Indian Ocean
Compasses used to increase accuracy in navigation
A typical
junk
compared
to
Columbus'
Santa
Maria
Expanding Agrarian Production
Economy stimulated by advances in farming
Tang and Song rulers try to promote agricultural
production and peasants
New areas cultivated as China expands
Canals help transport produce quickly
Developments: new seeds, improved water control,
wheelbarrow
Tang and Song break up aristocratic estates
Divided among peasants more equally
Family in the Tang-Song Era
Extended family households preferred
Male-dominated and respect for elders supported
by Neo-Confucians
Elite women have broader opportunities
Examples: Empress Wu and Yang Guifei
Divorce widely available if both husband and wife
consent
Neo-Confucian Support
of Male Dominance
Neo-Confucians reduce role of
women in late Song period
Physical confinement: stress
women’s role as homemakers
and mothers
Virtues: virginity for girls, fidelity
for wives, chastity for widows
Men allowed great freedom,
favored in inheritance and
divorce
Education: Girls not educated,
boys are emphasis
Foot Binding
The Practice began in the Song Dynasty
Involves Wrapping, breaking the bones in the Childs
foot
Ideal length 3 inches
Was a popular practice among the Chinese elite.
It was considered a sign of wealth.
Was officially banned in the 1900’s
but there are still survivors of it today.
Reasons for Foot Binding
It was considered a sign of beauty and attractive
for grooms-to-be
It prevented the women from doing many
everyday things.
There were also sexual implications and beliefs
that went along with it
Cultural Achievements
Paper techniques refined
Gunpowder and fireworks (9th c.)
Abacus developed for counting
1041: Bi Sheng develops printing
with moveable type
Scholars are now cultural producers
In past, Buddhists were artists
Secular scenes now more common
(again, result of Neo-Confucians)
Nature: common theme in poetry, art
Global Connections
• Less fundamental changes in China than
Americas, Europe or middle east
• Major technological contributions such as
paper, printing and gunpowder
th
• Until 18 centuries, imperial dynasties were
the most politically and economically
powerful
• Established advanced market networks
along Indian ocean coast