Download A Brief Chinese History

A Brief Background of
China
Dynasties and the Mongols
• To begin…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs34AJqmB5I
What conclusions can you
draw about China from this
video?
• A dynasty is a line of hereditary rulers of a country
• China historically ruled by dynasties throughout history
• Rare for one dynasty to change peacefully into next),
• often established before overthrow of existing reign or
continued for a time after they had been defeated
• In addition, China was divided for long periods
• Different regions ruled by different groups
• Sometimes not any single dynasty ruling a unified China
Dynasties
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Mongols = pastoral people from modern-day Mongolia
Masters of military tactics
Organized loosely into clans (decentralized)
Temujin took steps to unify clans
• In 1206 was elected “Genghis Khan” meaning “strong ruler”
• Devoted to conquest and expansion
• Brought much of Eurasia under single rule, creating largest land
empire in all of history
• Capital in Karakorum
• Central so that Mongol armies could travel east and west to spread
• Some went as far as eastern Europe
The Mongol Empire
Mongol Warriors
• After death of Genghis
Khan in 1227, empire
began to change
• Heirs divided territory
• Once united empire was
split up into “khanates”
(like states), each ruled by
one of Genghis Khan’s
sons
• Perhaps only reason why
Mongols did not invade
western Europe
After Genghis Khan…
• After over 10 years of fighting, one of Genghis Khan’s
grandsons, Kublai Khan completed the conquest of the
Song Dynasty who were ruling China at the time
Mongols in China
• Established capital Khanbaliq (“city of
the khan”) in northern China…Chinese
name “Beijing”
• Under his rule, Yuan dynasty (Mongul)
continued to expand
• Successfully conquered Vietnam
• Launched attacks on Java and Sumatra
(Indonesia) and Japan, but failed because
their war tactics were not as effective in
tropical hilly regions
• Ruled China until death in 1294
Rule of Kublai Khan
• Success ruling China
• Adapted to Chinese political system and
made use of Chinese bureaucrats
• Highest positions in government staffed
by Mongols
• Overtime, Mongol dynasty won support
of Chinese people
• Respected stability and economic
prosperity that was brought to China
• Capital city became well respected and
admired by other cultures
• Marco Polo!
Mongol Rule
• By the time the Mongols established dynasty in China,
religious and philosophical preferences had undergone
many changes
• Confucian principles basis for government during Han
dynasty (202 BC – AD 220)
• By end of Sui and Tang dynasties, Buddhism and Taoism
came to challenge influence of Confucianism
• During Song dynasty (when Mongols came into power)
Confucian ideas had emerged in a new form and became
dominant in court (called Neo-Confucianism)
• Remained dominant until end of dynastic system in early 20th
century
Religion & Government
• Served as response to public discontent
Buddhism and Daoism (angry at corruption
and disconnection)
• Teaches that the world is real, not an illusion
• Fulfillment comes not from
withdrawal/isolation but from participation in
world
• World divided between material world and
spiritual world; humans are the link between
the two
• Goal of individuals is to move beyond material
world and reach union with Supreme Ultimate
by carefully examining moral principles that
rule universe
Neo-Confucianism
• Best expressed literary talents through poetry
• Celebrated the beauty of nature, changes of the seasons, joys of
friendship
• Expressed sadness about the shortness of life and the necessity of
parting
• Landscape painting reached its height
• Influenced by Taoism, went to nature in search of “the way”
• Demonstrate balance between earth and water
• Rather than showing a realistic depiction, tried to show “the idea”
or essence of things
• Often left many open spaces (Tao belief that you cannot know
everything)
• Ceramics: perfected art of making porcelain
Art & Culture
Poetry
Painting
Ceramics
• The Mongol dynasty fell victim to
same problems that plagued other
dynasties
• Too much spending on foreign
conquests
• Corruption in government
• Internal instability
• 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang, son of
peasant, put together army that
ended Mongol dynasty and set up
new dynasty (Ming)
In the end…