Chapter 12
Reunification of China
• Interim period 220 - 589
–
–
–
–
–
333 - Roman capital moved to Constantinople
4 C - Beginning of Trans-Saharan Trade Routes
476 - Fall of Rome
527 - Justinian rule of Byzantine Empire
632 - Rise of Islam
th
• Sui Dynasty 589 CE - 618
• Tang Dynasty 618 CE - 907
– 732 - Battle of Tours (end of Muslim move into France)
• Sung Dynasty 969 CE - 1279
–
–
–
–
–
–
1054 - 1 Schism in Christian Church
1066 - Norman conquest of England
1071 - Battle of Manzikert (Seljuk Turks defeat Byz)
1095 - 1 Crusade
1258 - Mongols sack Baghdad
1271-1295 - Marco Polo travels
st
st
• China undergoes less fundamental change
during Post-Classical period than most other
center of civilization (W. Europe, Middle East,
and the Americas)
• Called Era of Division or Six Dynasties
Period—all est. capitals at Nanjing
– Period marked by nomadic domination &
economic decline
– Confucianism replaced by Buddhism
– Trade & cities decline as nation is decentralized
Sui Dynasty
• Begins through a series of alliances and
military successes
Sui Dynasty (589 – 618 CE)
Wendi
• 1st Sui Emperor
• Nobleman
• Victory over Chen united traditional Chinese
Core.
• Built grain bins for storing grain.
• Lowered taxes and built massive canals.
• Leads nomadic leaders to control northern
China
• Earned the respect of nomadic peoples
Yangdi
•
•
•
•
2nd Emperor
Murdered Father.
Established milder legal code
Upgraded Confucian education and restored
examination system.
• ultimately succumbs to luxuryClear-cuts a forest
to build a private game park
– Series of unsuccessful wars
– Built multiple palaces and a new capitol
– Constructs Grand Canal (1200 Miles Long)
• Is assassinated
Grand Canal
Tang Dynasty
• Established by military overthrow of Sui leaders
– Li Yuan (founder)
• Conquest of surrounding territories and
nomadic tribes – largest expansion of
boundaries of China
– Use of Turkic nomads in military – hopes for
assimilation
– Expansion to Korea (Silla), Vietnam
• Golden Age of foreign relations with
other countries
 Japan, Korea,
Persia
Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 CE)
A Whole new world
• New technologies:
– Printing --> moveable print
– Porcelain
– Gunpowder
– Mechanical clocks
• More cosmopolitan culture
• Reestablished safety of Silk Road
• Rebuild the bureaucratic/administrative system
– Resurgence of Confucianism
– Social status of scholars exceeds aristocrats (nobles)
– Immediate and hereditary benefits for successful
examinees
• Social status still counts for more than ability
Growing importance of the
Examination system
• Patronized academies to train state officials and
educate them in Confucian classics, which were
thought to teach moral and organizational
principles- Ministry of Rites administered the
examinations
• Jinshi- those who passed exams on the
philosophical and legal classics and Chinese
literature
• Birth and family position still very importantupper levels of power still dominated by
aristocracy- fathers to sons
Foot Binding during the
Tang
Broken toes by 3
years of age.
Size 5 ½ shoe
on the right
Buddhism and Confucianism in the
Tang
• Confucianism and Buddhism potential rivals
– Buddhism had been central
– Mahayana Buddhism popular in era of turmoil
– Chan (Zen) Buddhism common among elite
• Early Tang support Buddhism
– Empress Wu (690-705)
– Endows monasteries
– Tried to make Buddhism the state religion
– 50,000 monasteries by c. 850
Conflict between Confucianism and
Buddhism
• Reversal of state sponsorship
– Confucianism regains favor for educational
purposes
• Confucianism has difficulty competing
against the multiple strains of Buddhism
• Ultimately Government sponsorship of
Buddhism declines because of financial
problems
– Buddhism is permanently weakened, but never
dies out completely
Decline of the Tang
•
•
•
•
•
755 CE, Revolts
Ineffective leaders
Frontier boarders raided
Corrupt government officials
907 CE, last Tang emperor resigns
Song Dynasty
(960 – 1279 CE)
Song Dynasty
• Created after a brief lull in political power
following collapse of Tang
– 960- military commander Zhao Kuangyin emerged to reunite
China under single dynasty (educated man) He was renamed
emperor Taizu and founded Song dynasty
• Unable to completely consolidate power
– Routed out all rivals except one- northern Liao
dynasty
• Founded by the nomadic Khitan peoples from Manchuria
• Song forced to pay tribute to keep it from raiding the Song
domains
– Why is this so bad for the dynasty ??????
• Creation of urban, merchant middle class
• Begin rice cultivation
• Try to avoid opportunities for corruption that
plagued Tang
– Results in weakness
– Limit power of military leaders: subordinate to
scholar-gentry
– Relax requirements for civil service exam:
bureaucracy becomes less successful
• Promote Neo-Confucian ideology over
Buddhism: Return to “Classical” Heritage
Song Politics
• Settling for Partial Restoration
– Scholar-gentry patronized
– Given power over military
• The Revival of Confucian Thought
– Libraries established
– Old texts recovered
• Neo-confucians
–
–
–
–
–
Stress on personal morality
Zhu Xi
Importance of philosophy in everyday life
Hostility to foreign ideas
Gender, class, age distinctions reinforced
Neo-Confucianism
• Emphasized tradition and the pursuit of virtuous
morality through ancient texts and the teachings
of wise men
• Stressed Confucian social stratification!
• The past is man’s best example for future
Impact of Neo-Confucianism
– gender: men revered as household equivalent to
emperor
– society: encouraged to “stay in your place”
– government: less receptive to other “foreign” ideas
Problems
• Continuous problems with nomads-result of
initial weakness with Khitan tribe
– Size of standing army becomes incredible drain on
finances
• Ultimately fall due to civil unrest and nomadic
incursion
– Jurchens conquer northern kingdom
– Briefly establish a smaller kingdom to the south
before succumbing to Mongol invasion
• Will rise again through Mongol assimilation into Chinese
sulture
Trends of the Tang and Song
• Changes to education: stress analytical
thinking vs. rate memorization
• Urban sophistication: Hangzhou “The best
this is in the world”
Economic Trends
• Changes to economy: Dominance of Chinese global
trade
– Sophisticated trading vessels: junks
– Creation of trade guilds
– Creation of paper money and credit system: Flying money
• Trading guilds (hang) handled the transport & sale of
grain, salt, tea, and silk
• Merchant banks 1st issued currency; credit vouchers
• Govt. would issue paper currency of its own; flying
money vouchers
Junks
Technological Advancement Trends
• Exploding powder, flamethrowers, poisoned
gas, rocket launchers
• Suspension and trussed bridges (1st use)
Water deviation
• Use of coal as fuel/heat sources
• Compass for sea navigation
• Abacus, moveable type
Social Trends
• Land reforms limited power of aristocracy
and improved lives of peasantry
• Improved farming techniques increased food
production
• Upper-class women improved some (activity,
divorce, 2nd husbands)
– Pre-marital rules, divorce, education, role in
home
– Foot binding