AP WORLD HISTORY
Study Guide: Chapter 12 – Tang & Song China
Rebuilding the Imperial Edifice in the Sui-Tang Eras
1. Explain the events that allowed for the rise of the Sui dynasty.
Sui Excesses & Collapse
2. Describe some of the corruption and excesses that caused the decline of the Sui dynasty.
Emergence of the Tang & Restoration of the Empire
3. Compare and contrast the last ruler of the Sui and the first ruler of the Tang (look at both
accomplishments and personal character).
Rebuilding the Bureaucracy
4. What was the role of the revived bureaucracy during the Tang dynasty?
Growing Importance of the Examination System
5. Explain the benefits of success on the civil service exam. Be sure to address both personal
benefits and generational benefits.
State & Religion in the Tang-Song Era
6. (Create your own question)
Anti-Buddhist Backlash
7. What problems did Buddhism’s success pose to the government? How were these problems
resolved?
Tang Decline & Rise of the Song
8. How does the decline of the Tang resemble the decline of the Sui dynasty? (be specific)
Founding of Song Dynasty
9. How does China avoid collapse after the fall of the Tang dynasty? Was disaster completely
averted?
Song Politics: Settling for Partial Restoration
10. How did the early Song rulers try and deviate from the patterns established by the Tang? Were
these changes ultimately beneficial?
Revival of Confucian Thought
11. (create your own question)
Roots of Decline: Attempts at Reform
12. Explain the how the massive Chinese army can be seen as both a sign of strength, and as an
indicator of weakness and decline?
Reaction and Disaster: The Flight to the South
13. What were the causes of the Song dynasty’s collapse?
Tang & Song Prosperity: Basis of a Golden Age
14. Explain the importance of the Grand Canal to Chinese agrarian and transportation efforts. Why
was this such a big deal?
New Phase of Commercial Expansion
Read, but no question
World’s Most Splendid Cities
15. Describe the splendor of the Chinese cities (specifically Hangzhou). Compare it to any other city
in the world that we have discussed so far.
Expanding Agrarian Production and Life in the Country
16. (create your own question)
Family & Society in the Tang-Song Era
17. Describe the organization of the Chinese household. What were the rules governing
men/women/children? What were the laws concerning marriage and divorce?
Neo-Confucian Assertion of Male Dominance
18. (create your own question)
Points to Ponder: 5 points each
1. Compare the status of women in Post-Classical China with that of women in any
other Post-Classical civilization (East/West Europe, Arab Empire, Africa) in terms
of the following characteristics.
a. Marriage
b. Role in the household
c. Role in society
2. How has Confucianism changed from the era of Confucius to the era of NeoConfucianism? How has it remained the same?
3. Compare and contrast Buddhist wealth and influence in China (between the Han and
Song dynasties) with Roman Catholic institutions in western Europe.
4. Explain the decline of Buddhist influence in the later Tang and Song dynasties.
5. In what ways did the Chinese empire during the Tang-Song era depart from
previous developments in Chinese civilization?
6. Extra Credit (optional) On pg. 275, Stearns says that “Culturally [the Song’s] brief
reign was to be one of the most glorious in Chinese history – perhaps in the history
of humankind.” Defend this statement using information found in the chapter.