Medieval Asia
Northern Song, 960-1127
Tang Dynasty, 618-907
Southern Song, 1127-1279
Concepts
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Main Idea – Tang and Song Dynasties
were known for their technological
innovations which changed history
Setting the Stage for Tang
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The Han dynasty collapsed in 220, and
nomadic peoples from the northern steppe
conquered much of northern China
More than 30 local dynasties rose and fell
By 589, a strong emperor named Sui (sway)
Wendi united northern and southern China, but
this dynasty lasted through only two emperors
Although short-lived, the Sui dynasty did lay a
strong foundation for the great achievements of
the next dynasty – The Tang
Tang Dynasty
618 - 907
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One of the greatest emperors was Tang Taizong
Under Taizong, the empire expanded. His armies
reconquered the northern and western lands lost
since the Han fell.
Empress Wu Zhao held real power from 660-705,
She is the only woman to ever take the title of
Emperor for herself in Chinese history.
Tang Dynasty, Continued
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Tang rulers expanded the central
government, roads and canals to help
pull the empire together.
They initially lowered taxes to gain the
loyalty of the peasants
They promoted foreign trade and
improvements in agriculture
Scholar-Officials
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Civil Service Examination System – was begun
by the Han Dynasty, but was in disarray.
It was revised and used to recruit good officials.
They opened schools to train young scholars in
Confucianism, poetry, and other subjects
Those few who passed the exams became part
of an elite group called scholar-officials
The system created a remarkably intelligent and
capable governing class of China
Decline and Fall of the Tang
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The dynasty was weakening by the mid700s. The rulers imposed harsh taxes.
There was chaos as peasants left their
farms and villages and turned to banditry.
In 751, Arab armies beat the Chinese at
the Battle of Talas on the western frontier.
Finally in 907, Chinese rebels destroyed
the Tang capital and murdered the last
Tang emperor
Song Dynasty
960-1279
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After 53 years of confusion and rivalry
among warlords, a strong general was
able to reunite China and proclaim
himself emperor – Song Taizu
The empire was smaller now, but it
was stable, powerful and prosperous
under the Song
Northern Song (960-1127)
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The Song never regained the western lands lost
after 751.
They never regained lands lost after the Tang
decline.
They tried to keep the peace by paying hefty
tribute to their northern enemies.
This failed to stop the threat and they were
forced south by the Jurchen, who took the
northern part of China and established the Jin
empire
Southern Song (1127-1279)
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The Jin forced the Song to retreat to the
south.
They established a new capital,
Hangzhou
Despite military troubles, it saw rapid
economic growth
South became the economic heartland of
China
Merchants grew rich from trade with the
Jin, western Asia and Europe
Impact of Tang and Song
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Intense growth – China’s population
doubled, soaring to 100 million
By the Song era, there were 10 cities
in China with a million plus residents
It was the most populous country in
the world and the most advanced…
Chinese Inventions
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Block printing – (700s) the
whole page was carved onto
one block - time consuming
and more expensive
Movable type – (1040) An
alchemist named Pi Sheng
appears to have conceived of
movable type. Each piece of
movable type had on it one
Chinese character which was
carved in relief on a small
block of an amalgam of clay
and glue. The portion that
formed the character was as
thin as the edge of a small
coin. After the block had been
hardened by fire, the type
became durable.
More inventions
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Porcelain (700s) –
Bone hard white
ceramic made of a
special clay and a
mineral found only in
China
This is why the good
set of dishes your
mom or grandma has
is called CHINA!
Still more inventions
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Mechanical Clock(700s) Clock in
which machinery
driven by running
water regulated the
movements
Again with the inventions!
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Gunpowder – ( 800s)
explosive powder
made from a mixture
of saltpeter, sulfur
and charcoal
How did this
invention affect the
history of warfare in
this world?
You can also thank
them for fireworks
Even more inventions
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Paper money (1020s) Paper currency issued why would they replace
metal coins with paper?
Magnetic Compass
(1100s) – floating
magnetized needle that
always points north –
how did this invention
affect China?
Early float compass
Early paper money
Later box compass
Other innovations
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Advances in farming – They had to feed 100
million people
Trade flourished – armies guarded the Silk
Roads which linked China to the West. (they
lost control over these during the Tang decline)
China developed into the greatest sea power in
the world with their inventions of navigational
devices.
Golden Age of Art -the wealth of these
dynasties stimulated a high level of artistic
creativity and brilliance
Changes in Society
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Power of the old aristocratic
families faded
A much larger upper class
emerged, made up of scholarofficials and their families –
the Gentry
Status of women was never
high, but it declined even
further for upper class women
during this period – one sign
of this was the new practice of
footbinding
This created a much smaller,
useless foot called a lily-foot.
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What belief did the practice of footbinding
reflect?
It was impractical and rendered the woman
unable to walk normally – she hobbled or was
carried
In Chinese society this reflected the husband’s
wealth and prestige – that he could afford a
beautiful but impractical wife
Mongol Conquests
Nomads of the Asian Steppe
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Steppe – a vast, dry grassland that
stretches across Europe and Asia from
Hungary to Manchuria
Little rain, lots of wind. It supports short,
hardy grasses.
Extreme temperature variations – from
-57°F in winter to 96°F in summer
The western steppe has more rainfall and
is milder than the eastern steppe
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Nomadic people were pastoralists –they herded
domesticated animals (present day Mongolians still
live much like this)
They lived and traveled together in kinship groups
called clans.
The differing ways of life between settled peoples
and nomads led to constant interaction – they
traded peacefully many times, but the nomads were
often tempted by the wealth of settled communities
and raided the towns
Occasionally, a powerful group like the Mongols
were able to conquer a large area and become its
rulers. Often, they would adapt to the civilization
they conquered.
The Rise of the Mongols
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Around 1200, a Mongol khan, or clan leader, named
Temujin unified the clans under his leadership
In 1206, he accepted the title Genghis Khan, or
universal ruler (could also mean Lord of the Ocean)
Over the next 21 years, Genghis Khan and his
Mongols conquered much of Asia.
First goal was China, but after invading the Jin empire
(Northern China), his attention turned toward the
Muslim region west of Mongolia
By 1221, central Asia was under Mongol control
Genghis the Conqueror
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He was a brilliant organizer
He was a gifted strategist
He adopted new weapons and
technology
Used cruelty as a weapon – if a city refused
to open its gates to him, he might kill
everyone after capturing it. This led to many
cities surrendering without a fight
The Mongol Empire
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Genghis Khan died from illness in 1227
His son Ogedei became the Great Khan
His successors continued to expand the
empire – in less than 50 years, they conquered
land from China to Poland
Ogedei died in 1241 and the westward
campaign ended – they had to elect his
successor
Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis, named
himself the Great Khan in 1260
Mongols as rulers
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Many areas conquered never recovered
Populations of some cities were wiped out
The Mongols destroyed ancient irrigation systems in
areas like the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys
Some adopted the culture of the areas they
conquered: the Golden Horde and the Ilkhanate
became Muslims
The Great Khan adopted Chinese institutions
The growing cultural differences led to the splitting up
of the empire
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Mongol Peace – From the 1200s to the 1300s,
the Mongols imposed stability, law and order
across much of Eurasia
They guaranteed safe passage of trade
caravans, travelers and missionaries across the
empire
Goods and ideas spread between Europe and
Asia like never before
Some historians speculate that this openness
led to the spread of the bubonic plague that
devastated Europe in the 1300s.
Empire of the Great Khan
Marco Polo at the
Court of Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan
Kublai Khan Conquers China
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Kublai Khan completed the conquest of China begun
by his grandfather, Genghis Khan
The Southern Song dynasty was overwhelmed by the
Mongol armies in 1279
The new emperor, Kublai Khan, founded a new
dynasty called the Yuan dynasty
Although it lasted less than a century, it was very
important
1. Kublai united China for the 1st time in 300 years
2. China was opened to greater foreign contacts and
trade
3. He tolerated Chinese culture and made few
changes to the government system
Kublai Tries to Conquer Japan
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In 1274 and 1281,
Kublai sent fleets to try
to conquer Japan –
they were turned back
both times
A typhoon helped the
Japanese defeat the
second fleet – for
centuries they referred
to the kamikaze, or
“divine wind” that
saved Japan
Marco Polo
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Marco Polo – a Venetian
trader who traveled by
caravan on the Silk
Roads to China
He spoke several Asian
languages and was
welcomed by Kublai
Khan, who used him as
a government emissary
for 17 years
Two years before Kublai
Khan died, Marco Polo
and his family went back
to Europe
Marco Polo
End of Mongol Rule
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Problems began in the late years of
Kublai’s reign
Suffered many defeats as he tried to
expand empire into Southeast Asia
Differences between the luxuries at court
and the overtaxed peasants were a
problem
Yuan dynasty remained for 74 years after
Kublai died – but it was a power struggle
among family members
Mongol Empire Falls Apart
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Rebellion broke out in the 1300s
1. Chinese resented Mongol rule
2. Years of famine, flood and disease, growing
economic problems and corruption
In 1368, Chinese rebels overthrew the Mongols –
start of the Ming Dynasty
Many Mongols returned to their homeland
Ilkhanate of Persia fell apart in the 1330s
Chagatai Khans ruled to 1370s
Only the Golden Horde in Russia stayed in power
Main Idea
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Although the empire was short-lived, it
was important
Chinese influence on Western ideas
and culture began under Mongol rule
with the advancement of trade
Japan
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Japan is an archipelago – a chain of islands
The majority of the people live on four main
islands – Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and
Kyushu
Mild climate with good rainfall
Very mountainous, though so not much land
can be farmed!
Violent weather, earthquakes and volcanoes.
Early Japan
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Early religion was Shinto (way of the gods)
It was based on respect for forces of nature
and ancestor worship
Early Japan was not unified – hundreds of
clans controlled their own territory
By 5th century A.D., the Yamato clan was the
leading clan
By 7th century they called themselves
emperors and claimed descent from sun
goddess Amaterasu
Japanese adapt Chinese ideas
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By 500, there was more contact with mainland Asia
Koreans migrated to Japan bringing Chinese
influences
Buddhism was brought in – they ended up combining
Shinto rituals with Buddhist ceremonies and art
Adopted Chinese style of writing
Followed Chinese styles in other matters – drinking
tea, gardening, cooking, hairdressing
Retained their own traditions while adapting Chinese
ways to suit their needs
Feudalism erodes Imperial Authority
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Decline of Central power – court families lost interest
in governing and more interested in luxury and artistic
pursuits
Large landowners outside of capital set up private
armies
Countryside was dangerous, pirates took control of
seas
Small landowners and farmers traded parts of their
lands for protection by local lords
Local lords grew stronger
Created a system similar to feudalism in ancient
China and medieval Europe
Samurai
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Each lord
surrounded himself
with loyal warriors
called samurai
Samurai lived
according to
Bushido – the way
of the warrior
Bushido is reckless
courage, reverence
for the gods,
fairness and
generosity toward
the weak
Shogun
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In the late 1100s, a war between two powerful
families ended with the Minamoto family winning
The emperor gave the leader of the Minamoto the title
of Shogun – supreme general of the emperor’s army
Everything was under his control
The emperor still reigned from Kyoto (built on ruins of
Heian, destroyed in the war)
Real power in Japan was at the shogun’s
headquarters in Kamakura
Main Ideas/Importance
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1. Japanese civilization was shaped by the
cultural borrowing from China, and the rise of
feudalism and military rulers