Download Imperial China 8_1 Song Dynasty and Buddhism

• 7.20 Describe the reunification of China under the Tang Dynasty and
reasons for the cultural diffusion of Buddhism. (C, G, H, P)
• 7.21 Analyze the role of kinship and Confucianism in maintaining order
and hierarchy. (C, H, P)
• 7.25 Engage effectively in a collaborative discussion describing the
development of the imperial state and the scholar-official class (NeoConfucianism). (C, H, P)
China Reunites Chp 8 Lesson 1
The Song Dynasty and
Buddhism
The Song Dynasty – Read 181
Sui
“Unified China under the
rule of emperors”
•Repaired the Great Wall
of China
•Rebuilt Changan
(capital city of the Han
Empire)
•Built the Grand Canal
(linking the Yellow River
and the Yangtze River – a
major part of China’s
transportation system)
•Sui - Ended when
farmers revolted and
Yangdi was killed – he
forced people to work
his projects and taxed
them heavily while he
lived in luxury
Tang
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lasted nearly 300 years
Restored a strong central
government
Most powerful emperor –
Taizong Brought back civil
service examinations. Gave
land to farmers
Late AD 600s – Empress Wu
– added more government
officials and strengthened
the military.
Expanded rule west to Tibet
Took control of the Silk Road
Changan became the
world’s largest city
Turkish nomads and revolts
by Chinese farmers
weakened Tang Dynasty
Fell in AD 907
Song
Facts
about the
Song
Dynasty
Sui
“Unified China under the
rule of emperors”
•Repaired the Great Wall
of China
•Rebuilt Changan (capital
city of the Han Empire)
•Built the Grand Canal
(linking the Yellow River
and the Yangtze River – a
major part of China’s
transportation system)
•Sui - Ended when
farmers revolted and
Yangdi was killed – he
forced people to work his
projects and taxed them
heavily while he lived in
luxury
Tang
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lasted nearly 300 years
Restored a strong central
government
Most powerful emperor –
Taizong Brought back
civil service
examinations. Gave land
to farmers
Late AD 600s – Empress
Wu – added more
government officials and
strengthened the
military.
Expanded rule west to
Tibet
Took control of the Silk
Road
Changan became the
world’s largest city
Turkish nomads and
revolts by Chinese
farmers weakened Tang
Dynasty
Fell in AD 907
Song
• Military general
become emperor.
• Song Dynasty AD
960 – 1279
• Economic prosperity
• Cultural
achievements.
• Nomads took over
the North.
• Moved capital to
south to Hangzhou.
• Song Dynasty
• 6 minutes
• Considered the third Chinese golden age, this
complex dynasty was divided almost evenly into
Northern (960 - 1126) and Southern (1127 1279) halves.
Buddhism in China
• READ 182 and 183
• ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
3. How would traders have brought
Buddhism to China?
They may not have brought it
deliberately, but if they practiced
it and talked about it, they would
have introduced it.
4. What happened to people when
the Han dynasty dissolved?
The people suffered and died
from fighting in the civil war,
from hunger, and from lack of
shelter
5. How did their sufferings lead
them to Buddhism?
Buddhism taught them that they
could find peace and comfort by
focusing on the search for truth
and by giving up a desire for
material things.
6. How did the Tang Dynasty
respond to Buddhism first?
They accepted it and allowed the
building of temples and shrines.
7. Why do you think the early Tang
rulers did not oppose Buddhism?
The country was just recovering
from civil war and the leaders may
have thought Buddhism might bring
calm and peace to the country.
8. Why did the Tang rulers later
turn against Buddhism?
They saw it as a threat; the
monasteries were becoming very
rich; many people may have become
less willing to work, to support
government projects, and to
increase trade because they no
longer believed in materialism.
9. How did Buddhism arrive in
Japan?
The Korean king sent
missionaries to the Japanese
empire.
10. What did the missionaries
bring with them?
A statue of Buddha and a letter
to persuade the Japanese
emperor of the benefits of
Buddhism.