Setting the Stage
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 Han Dynasty collapsed in 220 C.E.
 China struggled to be unified and more than 30 local
dynasties rose and fell.
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Sui Wendi – first emperor of the Sui dynasty.
Unites Northern and Southern China once again.
Strong Central Government.
Hey! Hey! It is known as the Golden Age!!!!
- Rich, powerful, and most advanced country during its
time.
Sui Wendi
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 Sui dynasty (589-618): Lasted only two emperors.
 Greatest Accomplishment – Grand Canal.
 - Water way connected Huang He (Yellow River)
and the Yangtze River.
 5 years – 1,000 miles
 Thousands died build the canal and rebuilding the
great wall.
 618 – revolt and second emperor strangled by
member of the imperial court.
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Tang Dynasty
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 Ruled nearly 300 years (618 – 907).
 Tang Taizong reign lasted 627 – 649.
 - Reconquered Northern and Western lands that
China lost under the Han dynasty.
 668- Reigned over Korea.
 Empress Wu Zhao had real power from 660 to 690
during a succession of weak emperors.
 690 – Wu Zhao took the title of Emperor for herself.
Only woman to ever do so in China.
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Tang Rulers
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 Strengthened the central government of China.
 Expanded network of roads and canals begun by the
Sui.
 Lowered taxes (remembered mistake of Sui
Emperor)
 Took some land from the wealthy and gave to
peasants.
 Promoted foreign trade and improvements in
agriculture.
Scholar-Officials
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 Tang needed to manage vast empire – restored
China’s bureaucracy.
 Civil Service Exam by the Han restored and
expanded to recruit good officials.
 - Schools opened to train young scholars in
Confucianism, poetry, and other subjects that
covered the exam.
 Only a few passed.
 Exam open to all.
Scholar-Officials
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 Civil Service Exam – Talent and education became
more important than noble birth in winning power.
 - Many moderately wealthy families shared in
China’s government.
Tang Loses power
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 Mid- 700s:
 To pay for military expansion raised crushing taxes.
 - Brought on hardships to people and still could not pay
for the rising cost of government.
 Famine – Peasants joined bandit gangs.
 Empire to vast – could not control it.
 751 – Arab armies soundly defeated Chinese on China’s
western frontier at the Battle of Talas.
 Chinese lost control of Central Asia.
 Foreign and internal attacks weakened power.
 907- Chinese rebels sacked and burned the Tang capital at
Chang’and killed the child emperor.
Song Dynasty restores China
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 End of the Tang Dynasty rival warlords split China
into kingdoms.
 960 – General reunited China proclaimed himself
Song Taizu – First Song (Sung) emperor.
 Lasted 960 – 1279.
 Ruled smaller empire than Han and Tang, China
remained stable, powerful, and prosperous.
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Song Dynasty
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 Song armies never regained the western lands lost
after 751 or the Northern lands.
 Tried to buy peace with their Northern enemies.
 - Annual tribute of Silver, Silk, and Tea.
 1100s – Jurchen conquered Northern China and
established Jin empire.
 Song forced to retreat south across the Huang He.
 1126 – Song emperors ruled only Southern China.
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Quick Video
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 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO7NHZJeE4&list=CLqr7xzEodC74
Era of prosperity and Innovation
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 Period of Tang and Song dynasties was one of
intense growth.
 - Population, trade, wealth, new ideas, and artistic
achievements.
 - Population grew to 100,000,000 by the Song era.
 10 cities – 1 million in population each.
Science and Technology
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 Important inventions:
 Movable type and gunpowder.
 What is the movable type?
 A printer could arrange blocks of individual
characters in a frame to make up a page for printing
Gunpowder
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 Led to bombs, grenades, small rockets, and cannons.
 Other inventions:
 - Porcelain, the mechanical watch, paper money, and
use of the magnetic compass for sailing.
 1000-1200:
 - Developed Algebra and began using Zero.
Agriculture
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 1000: imported fast-ripening rice from Vietnam.
 - Harvest two rice crops a year.
Foreign Trade
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 Tang dynasty: guarded the silk road
 - Eventually lost control of the trade route.
 Song Period: Turned to sea trade
 Goods sent to Korea, Japan, Africa, and other
colonies.
 Chinese became tea drinkers and religions such as
Islam and Christianity spread through the country.
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Levels of Society
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 Tang and Song: Old aristocratic families faded and
much larger upper class emerged.
 - Scholar officials and other well to do people were
called the gentry.
 Middle class: merchants, shopkeepers, skilled
artisans, minor officials.
 Bottom: Laborers, soldiers, and servants.
 Largest class:……….Peasants.
Status of Women
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 Woman’s work was deemed less important to the
family’s prosperity and status – Upper Class.
 Foot binding: A young girl would have feet bound
very tight with cloth.
 - Broke the arch and would form a “lily-foot”
 - It would cripple women but showed a high status.
 Peasant women worked in the fields and helped
produce an income.
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I always say put your
best foot forward
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