Sui Dynasty 589618CE Yang Jian seized the Mandate of Heaven from boy Wanted centralized strong govt Grand Canal help trade between north and south China Series of waterways linked together 1240 ID: 419191
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "Tang and Song China" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
Tang and Song ChinaSlide2
Sui Dynasty
589-618CE
Yang Jian
seized the Mandate of Heaven from boy
Wanted centralized, strong gov’t
Grand Canal
– help trade between north and south China
Series of waterways linked together – 1,240
Purpose – make rice supply abundant in north
Established economic foundation for political and cultural unity in ChinaSlide3
Tang Dynasty
618-907CE
Organized China into powerful, productive and prosperous society
Most of its success was due to
Tang Taizong
(627-649)
Believed he was Confucian ruler
Tried to look out for his subjects
Empire safer, price cheaper, taxes lower for peasantsSlide4
Three policies help explain Tang success:
1. transportationNetwork of roads, horses, sometimes human runners
Inns, postal stations, stables
2.
Equal field system
Avoid concentration of land in the hands of a few
Allotted to families based on fertility and needSlide5
1/5 became hereditary
The rest became available for redistribution when circumstances changed
Things eventually changed
Rising population hurt distribution
Nobles began keeping land
Large portions went to Buddhist monasteriesSlide6
3.
Bureaucracy based on meritTook civil service examsBased on Confucian education
Very loyal to dynasty
Survived 13 centuriesSlide7
Began military expansion
Took Manchuria, north VietnamForced
Silla
kingdom in Korea into tributary status
Political theory said that China was the
Middle Kingdom
Responsible for bringing order to other lands
Would deliver gifts to the overlord - kowtowSlide8
Tang decline
Careless leadership brought huge declineCommander An Lushan
– started rebellion
Ended up being killed
But rebellion left state very weak
Tang had to invite nomadic Turks called Uighurs to get the rebels out of the capital
Their pay was the right to sack the capital of Chang’anSlide9
Tax revenue decreased
Equal field system deterioratedArmies couldn’t keep nomadic Turks from encroaching
Series of rebellions
Generals became the rulers
907 – last emperor abdicated – dynasty endedSlide10
Song Dynasty
960-1279ce
Brought back centralized government
Never very strong
More concerned with civil administration, education, arts, industry
Not military
First emperor,
Song Taizu
Rewarded servants of the state richlySlide11
Expanded bureaucracy based on merit
More opportunities for people to get education and civil service jobsGov’t became more centralized
This caused two problems:
1. Huge bureaucracy devoured Chinese surplus production
Efforts to raise taxes resulted in rebellionSlide12
2. scholar bureaucrats didn’t have talent to run the military
Nomadic Jurchen overran northern China
Pushed Song to south
Established Jin empire
Mongol forces ended the dynasty in 1279Slide13
Economic Development
Agricultural, technological, industrial, and commercial developments during Song transformed China into economic powerhouse
Fast-ripening rice – 2 crops a year
Iron plows – compost fertilizer – advanced irrigation
Result = population explosionSlide14
Increased food production spurred growth of cities
During Song, China became most urbanized land in the worldCities had teahouses, specialty stores, music halls, theaters, gardens, taverns, etc.Slide15
Another result of increased food production
Emergence of commercial agricultural economyWith cheap rice, farmers could now specialize in other crops
Sold these crops to other lands for profitSlide16
Society
Tightening of patriarchal structure
Veneration of ancestors became more elaborate
Strengthened sense of family identity and unity
During Song era,
footbinding
emerged
Enhanced attractiveness , displayed high social standing, controlled behavior
Put women under tight control of fathers or husbandsSlide17
Technology & Industry
Discovered technique of producing high quality porcelain
For eating or work of art
Demand for Chinese porcelain high in India, Persia, Med Sea areaSlide18
Discovered how to make superior grades of iron and steel
Weapons, agricultural tools, bridges, pagodasDiscovered “gunpowder” when mixing chemicals to prolong lifeSlide19
Block printing – carve images on block, ink it, press paper on it
Then learned how to make “dies”,, arrange in frame, ink them, press paper on itCalled moveable typeSlide20
Market Economy
Foreign demand for Chinese products brought about a quick economic expansion
Trade grew so quickly, coins became scarce
Merchants created letters of credit called “flying cash”
Equivalent of today's check
Merchants also pioneered the invention of paper moneySlide21
Establishment of Buddhism
Buddhist merchants traveling silk roads took Buddhism to China c. 2
nd
cent. BCE
Didn’t attract much support until after fall of the Han
Buddhism was a threat to Chinese family and tradition
Encouraged ascetic lives for mostSlide22
Encouraged monastic, celibate life for most devout
This went against everything China stood forBuddhist missionaries began to translate terms into Chinese ideas – many borrowed from Daoism
Also said 1 son in monastery would bring salvation for 10 generations of familySlide23
Daoist
and Confucian critics began to influence emperorsIn 840’s, Tang emps
. ordered
monsateries
closed and Buddhists (among others) expelled
Faith popular enough it survived