Post Classical Era of Human History: Focus on India and China
Timeframe: 500-1000 CE
Traits:
 Turbulence and instability to classical civilizations
 Political Change
 Social Change
 Economic Change
 Cultural Change
Challenges:
 Restoring political order: centralization?
 Economic Restructuring amidst zealous advancements in trade.
 Biological advancement: new crops, spreading wide
 Technological advancement: irrigation, navigation
 Population explosion: advancements in farming make cultivation easier more
fruitful.
 Social order: enhanced diversification of society based on economic complexity,
commerce, and invasion.
 Religious development: syncretism development of faiths, preserving of ancient
faiths, and developing toleration.
 Cultural development: with the advancement of religious and literary traditions,
the explosion of new cultural trends.
 Cultural diffusion: spreading ideas to other regional entities.
China in the Post Classical Period:
 Restoring political order: Sui and Tang centralization
 Economic Restructuring amidst zealous advancements in trade: Chinese
developments in currency, and commerce. Development of a market economy.
 Biological advancement: importation of Vietnamese rice,
 Technological advancement: Grand Canal, gunpowder, paper, printing, rice
cultivation, and compass.
 Population explosion: advancements in farming make cultivation easier more
fruitful: 50 million in 800, 120 million in 1200.
 Social order: enhanced diversification of society based on economic complexity,
commerce, and invasion. Alterations in Confucian thought and social class
barriers evident-Foot binding, cultural stories, etc...
 Religious development: syncretism development of faiths, preserving of ancient
faiths, and developing toleration: the Chinese developed a greater appreciation for
Buddhism, Christianity and Nestorianism were devalued and attempts were made
to drive the faith from the empire and preserve Eastern traditions. Tang China
was more accepting of alternative faiths.
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Cultural development: with the advancement of religious and literary traditions,
the explosion of new cultural trends: tremendous impact on Viet, Korean, and
Japanese cultural traditions.
India during the Post Classical Age:
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Restoring political order: centralization? Harsha, Vijayangar, Chola, Islamic
conquest into Sind, Mahmud of Ghazni, Dehli Sultanate.
Economic Restructuring amidst zealous advancements in trade. Merchants and
Islam, development of Emporias, spread to Funan, Srivijaya, Angkor, Sumatra,
and beyond. Interest in Indian spice, metallurgical goods, and natural resources.
Biological advancement: new crops, sugar, cotton, etc…
Technological advancement: dealing with the monsoon winds, irrigation, dams,
reservoirs, and canals in south. Dhows and Junks, Indian commerce.
Population explosion: advancements in farming make cultivation easier more
fruitful. 600 CE=53 million.1000 CE=80 million.
Social order: enhanced diversification of society based on economic complexity,
commerce, and invasion. Evolution of Caste, Jati, and Guilds. Economic
specialization.
Religious development: syncretism development of faiths, preserving of ancient
faiths, and developing toleration. Hinduism, Islam, Buddhist decline and Bhakti.
Vishnu and Shiva (Siva) development. Shankara and Ramanuja. Missionary
works of Sufi Muslims.
Cultural development: with the advancement of religious and literary traditions,
the explosion of new cultural trends. Book of Wonders,