Chapter 12 Outline – Reunification and Renaissance in Chinese Civilization: The Tang and Song Dynasties
III. The Postclassical Era
G. Reunification and Renaissance in Chinese Civilization: The Era of the Tang and Song Dynasties
1. Overview
- Postclassical China experienced less change than other parts of world, but still had much change
 China more isolated than India and the Islamic world at the time, but still contributed much
(including technological innovations)
 2 dynasties ruled China during postclassical era: the Tang (618-907) and the Song (960-1279)
- Han Dynasty ruled classic China, but when Han collapsed, China had Era of Division (220-589)
 When Han dynasty broke down in late 100s, regional kingdoms fought for control of China,
and attacks from nomadic groups occurred (so central control and large bureaucracy the Han
established broke down)
 The Great Wall had been divided by regional kingdoms and was poorly defended allowing
nomadic attacks to be successful
 Landowning aristocrats held political power during this Era of Division
 Non-Chinese nomads ruled most of China, and foreign ideas like Buddhism grew
 Cities broke down, trade decreased, and there was little new technology
- The Sui Dynasty emerged in the 500s, followed by the Tang, ending 400 years of chaos in China
 Tang Dynasty (618-907) = Restored imperial order and central control as China had a rapid
revival from the Era of Division and experienced a golden age of culture and accomplishment
2. Rebuilding the Imperial Edifice in the Sui-Tang Era
- The Sui Dynasty rose to power in the 580s, ending the Era of Division
 Wendi = Chinese nobleman whose daughter married Zhou ruler (Zhou controlled much of
northern China), took power for himself (became emperor of China, beginning Sui Dynasty)
 Wendi able to get support from nomadic military commanders and conquer southern China,
reuniting all of China for first time since the Han Dynasty 400 years earlier
 Wendi popular b/c he lowered taxes and set up granaries throughout empire (granaries stored
surplus food to prevent famine, and were stocked by taxing landholders and peasants)
a. Sui Excesses and Collapse
- Yangdi = Wendi’s son, murdered father to get in power, and expanded China’s borders by beating
back nomadic invaders
 Improved education, restored exam system, and promoted scholar-gentry (educated elite) class
 As scholar-gentry gained power, aristocrats and nomadic military commanders lost power
- Yangdi became irrational (crazy) as he overspent public works (forced thousands of peasants to
build them, though did create canal system)
 His overspending and unsuccessful wars against Korea made many in empire revolt, and
Yandi was assassinated in 618
b. The Emergence of the Tang and the Restoration of the Empire (When Sui Fell, Tang began)
- Li Yuan = Became emperor after Yangdi killed and began the Tang Dynasty
 Tang expanding empire by defeating nomads by playing nomadic groups against one another
(nomads had dominated China for years)
 Completed repairs on Great Wall that Sui started, and built frontier armies (recruited from
nomadic peoples, they became most powerful units in empire)
 Nomadic army leaders supervised by vassals of Tang rulers (sons of nomadic leaders sent to
Tang capital as hostages to ensure behavior by the nomads)
- Tang empire expanded (west to Tibet, south to Vietnam, and north to Manchuria)
 Tang united north (the plains) and south (Yangtze River basin) China for 1 st time since Han
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 Silla = name for Korean when the Tang captured it in 668
 So Tang quickly built a huge empire that was even bigger than the early Han Dynasty built
c. Rebuilding the Bureaucracy
- Tang rebuilt the bureaucracy, which was key to reviving China
 Scholar-gentry (educated elites) class became leaders and Confucian ideas were used
 Since the Tang used scholar-gentry as bureaucrats, aristocratic families lost further power
- Bureaucracy extended from central administrators down to local leaders
 Bureaucrats ran different departments with the government, and supervised subordinate ones
 Changan = city that was made the capital of the Tang empire
d. The Growing Importance of the Examination System
- Tang set up academies to train future bureaucrats and educate them in Confucian classics
 More scholar-gentry in Tang than in earlier Han, but still a very small portion of population
 The Tang, and later the Song, expanded exam system (exams determined government jobs)
 Ministry of Rights = administered the exams (there were several different kinds of tests)
 Exams were open to all, but having family connections helped one prepare for the exam
 Jinshi = people who passed literature test, most respected and held highest offices
 Success on any test earned special social status (ex: could wear certain types of clothing)
- Administrative (government) jobs given based on exam scores, but family connections helped
 Bureaucrats could get their sons in academies, and even get jobs for relatives who failed tests
 So bright commoners could rise to power, top positions usually given to people from
connected families
e. State and Religion in the Tang-Song Era
- Focus of Tang on Confucian teachings meant aristocratic families and Buddhists lost power
 Before Tang took control, most Chinese rulers were Buddhist (during time b/t Han and Tang)
 Pure land Buddhism = popular sect of Buddhism in China b/c it provided refuge from
constant war and turmoil after fall of the Han
 Chan Buddhism = known as Zen in West, form of Buddhism stressing meditation
- By the time the Tang gained power, Buddhism was a major force in China
 Empress Wu = Tang ruler 690-705, tried making Buddhism official religion of China
 Buddhism flourished early in Tang empire b/c of support of rulers like Empress Wu
 By 850, China had 50,000 Buddhist monasteries and over 100,000 Buddhist monks and nuns
f. The Anti-Buddhist Backlash
- Confucians and Taoists upset w/growth of Buddhism (eventually led to persecution of Buddhists)
 Buddhism attacked as a foreign religion (from India) and as scholar-gentry class (who were
Confucian) gained power, they convinced Tang leaders Buddhism posed an economic threat
 Buddhist monasteries weren’t taxed, so Tang empire was losing lots in potential taxes (plus
Chinese forced to work for the empire, called conscription, but monks and nuns exempt)
 Wuzong = Tang ruler (841-847) who began persecution of Buddhists (thousands of
monasteries closed and monks and nuns forced to go back to civilian life)
- Chinese Buddhism survived, but was greatly weakened by this persecution
 Buddhists lost all political influence, and Chinese art became Confucian and Taoist in style
 Confucian took over as the main philosophy in China in the mid 800s (until the 1900s)
 In areas next to China, Buddhism continued to play a pivotal role (but no longer in China)
3. Tang Decline and the Rise of the Song
- The Tang Dynasty was starting to collapse by the mid 800s
 Xuanzong = Tang emperor (713-756) who overexpanded empire, helping lead to its collapse
 At 1st, Xuanzong appointed capable officials and attempted economic and political reforms
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As time went on, Xuanzong slipped into life of luxury and ignored responsibilities of ruling
Yang Guifei = one of Xuanzong’s concubines who he became infatuated with (he gave her
political power which she used to get her greedy relatives into power)
 Yang and her family overspent and abused their power, angering others
 Xuanzong’s neglect of governing led to economic problems, which further angered the people
 His neglect also led to a weakening of the military
 A nomadic general (An Lushan) led a revolt in 755, trying to overthrow the Tang Dynasty
The Tang was able to stop the revolt, but at a costly price for the Tang dynasty
 Tang troops rebelled against Yang Guifei, killing her and forcing Xuanzong to kill her
 Xuanzong was so grief-stricken, he was incapable of ruling effectively
To stop rebels, Tang made alliances with nomadic groups living on the northern China plains
 These nomads gained power as a result, and soon took over large areas of northern China
 Provincial governors (part of bureaucracy) given more power to help defeat rebels, becoming
almost like independent rulers (even keeping tax revenue and not giving it to the Tang)
 As economy got worse in the 800s, more revolts occurred, often led by discontent peasants
The Founding of the Song Dynasty
By end of the 800s, Tang dynasty was a shell of its former self, and the Song dynasty took over
 In 907 the last Tang emperor was forced to resign
 Zhao Kuangyin = Became leader after fall of Tang and started the Song Dynasty
 The Song dynasty would rule China for the next 300 years
 Liao dynasty = nomads in northern China that the Song never controlled (the Song were
forced to pay tribute to the Liao dynasty in order to be left alone by them)
 Khitans = name of nomads of Liao dynasty, even though they forced Song to pay tribute,
they respected Chinese culture as superior to their own, so otherwise left Song alone
 Throughout Song era they were at mercy of nomadic peoples living on the north China plains
Song Politics: Settling for Partial Restoration
Song dynasty never got as large or powerful as the Tang
 Song increased power of scholar-gentry, limiting army leaders’ power (to prevent revolt)
 More emphasis on exams (and more given), and bureaucrats salaries and perks increased
 Bureaucracy became bloated and overstaffed b/c Song passed more on exams, but the scholargentry class had become more powerful, and aristocratic and Buddhist rivals lost power
The Revival of Confucian Thought
As scholar-gentry class gained influence under the Song, emphasis on Confucian ideas increased
 New schools/academies founded to teach classic Confucian texts and ideas (thus promoted
indigenous Chinese ideas (Confucianism and Daoism) over outside ideas (Buddhism)
Zhu Xi = Neo-Confucian scholar during Song era, stressed applying philosophy to everyday life
 Neo-Confucians = revived ancient Confucian teachings during Song era, stressed tradition,
and were hostile to foreign ideas and influences (which slowed new innovations)
Neo-Confucian emphasis tradition reinforced class, age, and gender roles
 Reinforced idea that man was head leader of family
 If problems arose, they thought best solution was to look to history for help
Roots of Decline: Attempts at Reform
Nomadic groups in the north saw how Song couldn’t stop Khitans, so they began attacking too
 Song forced to pay nomads for “protection” which drained ravaged Song economy
 Song had large army (over 1 million), but its leaders weren’t good and was costly to maintain
 Funds needed for army improvements instead went to fund education and entertainment
Wang Anshi = Song chief minister in 1070s, began series of reforms to stop empire from collapse
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Wang was a Legalist, meaning he believed government must intervene a lot in society
Wang’s reforms included giving cheap loans, building irrigation systems, reforming education
and exam system, and taxed landlords and scholar-gentry to get money to build stronger army
e. Reaction and Disaster: The Flight to the South
- Wang’s reforms didn’t last long (emperor supporting him died, and new emperor stopped reforms)
 Neo-Confucians came to power, and they were against Legalist reforms, and economy once
again suffered (peasants got angry at economic problems and began to rebel)
 Jurchens = founded Qin dynasty, defeated the Liao in the north (which had been “protecting”
the Song) and began taking Song land, forcing Song to flee south (Song survived, but smaller)
 Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) = smaller version of Song dynasty (after Qin invaded);
though Song empire was smaller, it was a glorious cultural period in Chinese history
4. Tang and Song Prosperity: The Basis of a Golden Age
- The Grand Canal and other canals (originally built by the Sui) linked northern China plains with
the Yangtze River basin, which was 500 miles south
 Led to huge population shift southward (along Yangtze), where most of food was now grown
 When Song had taken over (900s), population of south surpassed that of north
 The canal system a great engineering feat (over 1 million Chinese worked on building it)
a. A New Phase of Commercial Expansion
- Tang army conquered much of central Asia, leading to increase in trade and commerce
 Silk roads to the west were reopened, and horses, Persian rugs and tapestries came to China in
exchange for silks, porcelain, and paper
 China also traded more w/SE Asia (China mainly exported manufactured goods while getting
back mostly luxury goods like aromatic woods and spices)
 Junks = Chinese ships that were among best in the world, along with dhows from Arab
world, it was modern ship with sails, compasses and even rockets for defense (led to dramatic
increase in overseas trade during the Tang and Song eras)
- Money and commerce played heightened role during Tang and Song era
 Markets were set up in every city and major town in China, selling wide variety of products
 Song government supervised markets, and local merchants formed guilds to aid themselves
- Change in money system led to huge increase in trade and commerce
 Deposit shops (like banks) created so merchants could borrow money to fund travel
 Paper money used which made commerce and trade easier (easier to travel with)
 Flying money = credit vouchers given to traveling merchants which they redeemed for
money when they arrived in the city they were traveling to (reduced danger of being robbed)
b. The World’s Most Splendid Cities
- Cities grew during Tang-Song era, (many had over 100,000 people, other civilizations had a few)
 Changan, the Tang capital, had 2 million people, biggest city in world at the time
 10% of Chinese people lived in cities (largest % in the world at the time)
c. Expanding Agrarian Production and Life in the Country
- As the population moved south during the postclassical era, agricultural expansion took place
 Government promoted agricultural growth: encouraged settlement of unfarmed areas and built
and controlled irrigation system
 Also helping agriculture grow were new seeds such as Champa rice from Vietnam, better use
of human and animal manure, and new technology (such as the wheelbarrow)
- The Tang broke up estates owned by aristocracy and redistributed the land to the peasants
 This was to reduce threat of a powerful aristocracy (wanted scholar-gentry class powerful)
and improve position of the peasants
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 As result, scholar-gentry gain even more power (ex: beautiful homes w/curved roofs)
d. Family and Society in the Tang-Song Era
- Family organization during Tang and Song era similar to earlier periods
 Position of women improved under the Tang, then deteriorated steadily in the late Song era
 Preferred living w/extended families (as in classical era) but only upper class could afford to
 Society was male dominated, as taught by Confucian teachings
 In Tang era, authority of elders reinforced (ex: children who hit parents were beheaded)
 Like India, arranged marriages were common, and bride’s family paid a dowry
 Unlike India, Chinese men and women similar age at marriage (China didn’t like to mix
generations) and in China people didn’t marry until after puberty, sometimes much later
- Within the family and society, women were subordinate to men
 Early in postclassical era, under Tang rule, women gained some opportunities
a) Had some political power, such as Empresses Wu and Wei
b) Lots of activities open to them (ex: could play polo)
c) Divorce allowed by mutual consent, and divorce laws protected women somewhat
d) In some cases, women could take additional lovers, with the knowledge of her husband
e) The Neo-Confucian Assertion of Male Dominance
- By the end of the Song era, the position of women had severely declined
 Neo-Confucians (major force by end of Song era) attacked Buddhist ideas of women having
career opportunities, instead wanted women confined to the household
 Like in India, widows were discouraged from remarrying (men could remarry)
 Women expected to refrain from sex (especially before marriage), which didn’t apply to men
 Laws were made favoring men in inheritance, and excluding women from education
- Biggest example of women were subordinate to men was the practice of footbinding
 Footbinding = women had toes curled back and bound to create small feet
 Bound feet painful and limited a woman’s mobility (a way to confine them to home)
 Poor people slow to use footbinding b/c needed women to work to support family
 Mothers bound feet of young daughters b/c to find a good husband, needed bound feet
f) A Glorious Age: Invention and Artistic Creativity
- Under Tang and Song rule, China had great accomplishments in the arts and sciences
- Economy grew b/c of new agricultural innovations (especially the building of the Grand Canal and
irrigation systems) and b/c of the use of paper money (see earlier in outline)
- Creation of gunpowder was one of the most important advances during the Tang era
 At first, it had little impact on warfare (used for fireworks, only later on was it used in war)
 Also during Tang era, chairs were used, coal used for fuel, and kites flown
- During Song era, there were less inventions, but they were very important ones
 Compasses (already being used by Chinese military) started to be used in sea travel
 Abacus was invented to help merchants count profits and for tax collection
 Movable type print invented, allowing books and written records to be made more easily (this,
combined with paper invented under earlier Han dynasty, led to high Chinese literacy rates)
g) Scholarly Refinement and Artistic Accomplishment
- Newly powerful scholar-gentry class led to the artistic and literary creativity of Tang-Song era
 Confucian teachings taught men should be well-rounded and dabble in the arts
 As scholar-gentry replaced Buddhists as major producers of art and literature, religious
themes gave way to everyday life and natural world
 Li Bo = most famous poet of Tang era, combined images of everyday world with
philosophical musings (like Persian authors)
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- Song era known best for landscape paintings
5. Conclusion: The End of the Song: The Legacy of Two Great Dynasties
- Song retreated to south to avoid assaults from nomads in the north
 But eventually could not escape the greatest nomadic commander, Chinggis Khan
 Chinese paid tribute and allied with Khan for a while
 By the 1260s, Kubilai Khan began conquest of the Song, and by 1279 he controlled China as
last Song emperor drowned trying to flee to Vietnam
 Mongols powerful, so Song defeat didn’t result in China going into another period of division
- The long Tang-Song era pivotal in Chinese history
 Bureaucracy restored, as scholar-gentry got power over aristocrats, nomads, and Buddhists
 Chinese civilization grew dramatically as south was integrated (united) with the north
- From Tang era until the 1700s, China’s economy was one of most advanced in world
- During the Tang-Song era, China revived much of its old culture, but also changed a lot (such as
its commercial and urban development, and new inventions)
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