TOPICS FOR REVIEW: CHAPTERS 12 & 13
Chapter 12: Sui, Tang, Song China
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Order of classical Chinese dynasties: Zhou, Qin, Han
Order of post-classical Chinese dynasties: Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming (Ming dynasty continued into Early Modern era)
Reforms enacted by each of the Sui Emperors: Wendi & Yangdi
Grand Canal: Motivations for construction + Who built it
Causes of Sui dynasty’s collapse
Buddhism in Tang & Song China: Reasons for Buddhist growth from Han-early Tang (including role of Empress Wu) +
Reasons for anti-Buddhist backlash by late-Tang gov’t + Effects of anti-Buddhist feelings by Confucianists
Buddhism continued to be a central faith for most Chinese, however it never again received the political support to the level
that it had under the early Tang.
Changes & continuities in impacts of Confucianism on Sui, Tang, & Song political structures (+Ministry of Rites, Bureau of
Censors, jinshi, expansion of # & diversity of exams, bloated & expensive bureaucracy by Song, Song gave bureaucrats
responsibility for armies )
For what reasons was the Song dynasty weaker than the Tang dynasty in terms of relationships with northern nomadic
peoples?
Origins of neo-Confucianism + key beliefs of neo-Confucianism + Zhu Xi was leading founder of neo-Confucianism
Neo-Confucianism is a syncretized philosophical system that blends Confucian, Buddhist, & Daoist thought.
Effects of neo-Confucianist philosophy on women during the Song?
How did the Tang-Song limit the power of the landed aristocracy?
What was the “tributary system” + “peripheral states” + “kowtowing” + examples of tributary states for China + how did
tributary states & China benefit from their relationship with one another?
Factors that contributed to population boom during the Tang-Song period (effects of agricultural technology: iron plow,
ox-collar, wheelbarrow/equal-field system/introduction of Champa rice from Vietnam/gov’t construction of granaries &
Grand Canal)
Urbanization trends for Tang-Song period + reasons for these trends?
Trade links to other regions + major luxury good exports of Tang-Song China + balance of interregional trade?
Inventions/Innovations of Tang-Song China + Which ones would diffuse to Western Europe by c1450 CE?
Contributions of: Bi Sheng + Li Bo
Reasons for the collapse of the Tang dynasty? + Reasons for the collapse of the Song dynasty?
REVIEW MAJOR PHILOSOPHICAL BELIEFS OF CONFUCIANISM & BUDDHISM!
PRIMARY & SECONDARY SOURCES TO ANALYZE!
CHAPTER 13: POST-CLASSICAL JAPAN, KOREA, & VIETNAM
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What is “sinification”?
Which civilization was most open to sinification: Japan, Korea, or Vietnam? + what evidence is there of this?
China, Korea, & Japan are in East Asia! Vietnam is in Southeast Asia!
Features of traditional Japan: religious beliefs, political organization
What was the intended purpose of Japan’s Taika Reforms, 646 CE? + For what reasons were they canceled?
Examples of ways by which Japan successfully sinified?
Life in the imperial court at Heian + life of aristocratic women + Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki (significance?)
The Japanese Emperor: degree of political power? + religious roles? + beliefs of Shintoists toward the emperor?
Due to Japan’s failure to adopt a Chinese-style, all-powerful emperor with a bureaucracy and single military force, Japan
slipped into a feudal system similar to Western Europe’s at the same time.
Japanese Feudal System: ranks + reciprocity between feudal ranks (what was exchanged?)
What is a “bakufu”? + two feudal bakufus/shogunates = Kamakura & Ashikaga
Shogun: what is it?
Samurai: role + bushido + to what degree was bushido far more severe than Western chivalry?
Relationship between Japanese peasants and their vassal lords (daimyo & samurai)?
The Japanese government remained decentralized/disunited until 1600 CE when the Tokugawa Shogunate was established.
The Japanese feudal system wasn’t abolished until 1868 CE.
The Japanese emperor has NEVER gained true political power.
What kingdom was successful in establishing a unified and independent government in Korea that was also a tributary
state of Tang China?
Examples of sinification in Korea + limits of Korea’s sinification?
Examples of sinification in Vietnam + limits of Vietnam’s sinification?