 Which
dynasty unified China in 589?
 When was the Yuan Dynasty founded, and by
whom?
 How many years passed from the beginning
of the Yuan dynasty to the end of the Ming
dynasty?
 What was happening elsewhere in the world
at the time of the Sui dynasty’s reunification
of China?
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Paper
Fireworks
Compass
Paper Money
Gunpowder

If YOU were there…
You are a peasant in China in
the year 264. Your grandfather
often speaks of a time when all
of China was united, but all you
have known is warfare among
rulers. A man passing through
your village speaks of even more
conflict in other areas.
Why might you want China
to have just one ruler?

Consider what would be
LOST:
o the end of constant
warfare
o Constant fear of violence
o Senselessly blocked paths
and missed opportunities

Consider what would be
GAINED:
o Increased productivity
o Enhanced foreign
relations
o Opportunity to befriend
former enemies


Chapter 7


Section 1
 The
Period of Disunion: When the Han dynasty
collapsed in 220, China split into several rival
kingdoms, each ruled by military leaders.
o This time of disorder lasted from 200 to 589
o Cultural blending between the nomadic cultures
of the north and the Chinese people.
o Many northern Chinese moved south to flee the
nomadic invaders.
o New Chinese culture developed through new
foods, art, music, and clothing.
 China
was finally unified in 589 by Yang Jian
(Emperor Wen), who created the Sui Dynasty.
o Lasted from 589 to 618
o Restored order to China and began the
Grand Canal, which linked northern and
southern China.

In 618, the Tang Dynasty overthrew the old government and
would then rule for nearly 300 years.
o Territory included much of eastern Asia, as well as large parts of
o
o
o
o

Central Asia.
“Golden Age of Chinese civilization”
Taizong: reformed the military, created law codes, and reformed
land ownership.
Xuanzong: Chinese culture and poetry flourished
Empress Wu: Only women to rule China, who’s methods were
vicious, but was very talented and intelligent.
In 960, the Song Dynasty gained power and ruled for about
300 years until 1279 AD.
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Buddhism: originated in India around 500 BC
First came to China during the Han Dynasty
Gained supporters during the Period of Disunion when people
wanted to escape suffering.
400 AD to 845 AD was “The Golden Age of Buddhism”
Wealthy Chinese would donate land and money to Buddhist
temples.
Ended when a Tang emperor launched a campaign against the
religion.
o Burned Buddhist texts, took temple lands, and destroyed many temples.
o Emperor’s actions weakened Buddhism but did not completely destroy
it and it continued to influence Chinese art and literature.


Section 2
Which
achievement made
by the Tang & Song
dynasties do you believe
was the most important?
Explain your answer.
Chinese
society has always been based
on agriculture
Grew wheat, barley, grains, and rice



The Dragon Backbone Well: underground well pump that
allowed one person to do the work of several, the farmer
could scoop up water and pour it into an irrigation canal.
Fast-ripening rice: grew and ripened quickly which enabled
farmers to grow two or even three crops in the time it used
to take to grow just one.
Agricultural surpluses helped China’s populations grow from
60 million to nearly 100 million, making China the largest
country in the world.


Chang’an: China’s capital and largest city in the world at
the time with a population of more than a million people.
o Center of trade, religion and philosophy
Trade within China made it rich
o Traders used the country’s many rivers to ship goods on
barges and ships.
o Grand Canal: series of waterways that linked major
cities together.
• Allowed Chinese to move goods and crops from
distant agricultural areas into cities.

Trade outside of China also occurred.
o Traded with countries of India, Korea, Japan, and the region of
Southeast Asia.
o Silk: the most important trade item.
• The Chinese tried to keep the method of making it a secret
o Porcelain: a thin, beautiful type of pottery.

World’s first system of paper money established in the
900s.

Artists and Poets
o Wu Daozi: Painted murals
o Li Bo and Du Fu: Poets
o Li Qingzhao: China’s greatest female poet

Inventions: The Tang and Song dynasties produced some of
the most remarkable and important inventions in human
history.
o Woodblock Printing: a form of printing in which an entire page is
carved into a block of wood. This block is then covered with ink and
pressed against paper to create a printed page.
• The world’s first known printed book was printed in this way in China in
868.

Gunpowder: Tang dynasty, mixture of powders used in guns
and explosives.
o Originally used for fireworks, but then small bombs and rockets.

Compass: Uses the earth’s magnetic field to show
direction.
o Made it possible to find direction more accurately then before.

Paper Money: Song dynasty, substituted light weight paper
currency for the bulky coins made of gold, silver, and
bronze.
Which
achievement made
by the Tang & Song
dynasties do you believe
was the most important?
Explain your answer.
What
was the focus of the
teachings of Confucius?
In what ways did Confucian
thought influence China’s
government?


Section 3



Dominant philosophy in China based on the
teachings of Confucius.
Focused on ethics, or proper behavior
People should conduct their lives according to two
basic principles:
o Ren: concern for others
o Li: appropriate behavior


Everyone has their proper place and role in
society. EX. Confucius said that young people
should obey their elders.
Although very influential before the Period of
Disunion, Confucianism became overshadowed by
Buddhism.
 Late
in the Tang dynasty, many Chinese
historians and scholars began to become
interested in the teachings of Confucius.
 Neo-Confucianism: similar to Confucianism
in that it stressed proper behavior but also
emphasized spiritual matters that
incorporated Buddhist and Daoist concepts.



The Song dynasty improved the system
by which people went to work for the
government.
Bureaucracy: body of unelected
government officials
People could join the bureaucracy by
passing civil service exams.
o These exams tested students’ grasp of
Confucianism and related ideas.
o Very difficult and people would study for
years.
o A person who passed the tests would
become an educated member of the
government or Scholar-Official.
• Elite members of society who were
admired for their knowledge and ethics.
What
was the focus of the
teachings of Confucius?
In what ways did Confucian
thought influence China’s
government?


Section 4
 Who
were the Mongols and why was the
period of the Yuan dynasty a significant time
in China’s history?
 What led to the downfall of the Yuan
Dynasty?
 How were the Ming emperors more powerful
than Tang and Song rulers?
 Why do you think the Ming Dynasty turned to
isolationism?
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

Mongols lived in the vast plains to the north of China
In 1206, a ruler named Temujin united them and began a brutal
military campaign.
He would later become known as Genghis Khan.
Attack much of Asia and Eastern Europe killing women, men, and
children who got in his way.
Within 20 years, he ruled a large part of Asia.
In 1211, invaded China and by his death in 1227, all of northern
China was under Mongol control.
In 1260, Kublai Khan, Genghis Khan’s grandson, became ruler of
the Mongol Empire and completed the conquest of China.
In 1279, he declared himself emperor of China and this began
the Yuan Dynasty.
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Rulers spoke a different language, worshipped different
gods, wore different clothing, and had different customs.
Most Chinese resented being ruled by these foreigners,
whom they saw as rude and uncivilized.
However, Kublai Khan did not force the Chinese to accept
Mongol ways of life.
To protect their power, prohibited scholars from gaining too
much power in the government and placed heavy taxes on
the Chinese.
Trade was kept safe by Mongol soldiers and Mongol
emperors welcomed foreign traders at Chinese ports.


Marco Polo: Italian merchant who between 1271 and 1295
traveled in and around China.
Highly respected by the Mongols and even served in Kublai
Khan’s court.

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Mongols invaded Japan in 1274 and 1281.
Violent storms and fierce defenders destroyed most of the
Mongol force.
These failed campaigns weakened the Mongol military.
In 1368, a former monk named Zhu Yuanzhang led a rebel
army and won back the rule of China from the Mongols.



Ruled China for nearly 300 years.
One of the most stable and prosperous times in Chinese
history.
Improved their ships and their sailing skills.
o Zheng He: greatest Chinese sailor, who led 7 grand voyages to
places such as the Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, and the easternmost
coast of Africa.
o Had fleets of ships that included more than 60 ships and 25,000
sailors.
o Some of his ships were more than 300 feet long!
o Voyages served as a clear sign of China’s power.

The Ming were known for their grand building projects.
o The Forbidden City: this amazing palace complex included
hundreds of imperial residences, temples, and other government
buildings that had up to 9,000 rooms!
• Common people were not allowed to enter the complex.
o The Great Wall of China: restored and rebuilt sections that had
fallen apart.
• The wall is more than 2,000 miles long. It would reach from San Diego
to New York City!
 Worked
to eliminate all foreign influences from
Chinese society.
 Ming emperors eliminated many political offices
and took over more responsibility in running the
government.
 In the 1430s, China entered a period of
Isolationism: a policy avoiding contact with other
countries.
 This isolationism would come back to hurt China in
the years to come.
 Who
were the Mongols and why was the
period of the Yuan dynasty a significant time
in China’s history?
 What led to the downfall of the Yuan
Dynasty?
 How were the Ming emperors more powerful
than Tang and Song rulers?
 Why do you think the Ming Dynasty turned to
isolationism?