TWO GREAT DYNASTIES IN CHINA
The magnetic
compass can help
sailors navigate
the open sea.
Imagine it is the year 1292. You have spent the last 17 years
traveling around the most advanced country in the worldChina. The civilization you come from is on the other side of
the world. It too is very sophisticated, but it lacks many of
the innovations you have seen on your travels. During your
stay in China you were a great assistant to the emperor. As a
going away present, he wants you to choose one of the
inventions shown here to take back to your own society.
After choosing you will receive the knowledge of how to
create it.
Paper is relatively
inexpensive and
easy to produce
surface for writing
and printing
Gunpowder can be
used for fireworks
or made into
explosive weapons
Silk makes a
luxurious clothsoft to the touch
but also strong and
warm
Which one Chinese invention
would you take back to your
society? Why?
1. Which item would be most useful to a society that
currently has none of the items?
2. Which would most improve the quality of life?
3. Which might be the most profitable?
4. What benefits and drawbacks might there be to
introducing the time into your society?
TANG DYNASTY
The Tang Dynasty (618-907)
•Tang Taizong armies reconquered
northern and western lands
•Expanded roads and canals to help bring
the empire together
•Reopened the Silk road
•Lowered taxes and took land from wealthy
to make peasants happy so they didn’t
rebel
CHINESE BUREAUCRACY
•CIVIL SERVANTS WERE THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN THE
EMPEROR’S GOVERNMENT
•MOSTLY THE WEALTHY BECAME CIVIL SERVANTS BECAUSE THEY WERE
THE ONLY ONES WHO COULD AFFORD THE PRIVATE EDUCATION
NECESSARY TO PREPARE FOR THE EXAMS
•AS A RESULT OF THE EXAMS, TALENT AND EDUCATION BECAME MORE
IMPORTANT THAN NOBLE BIRTH
•CHINESE BUREAUCRACY WAS COMPOSED OF DEPARTMENTS, OR
BUREAUS, EACH WITH ITS OWN SPECIFIC AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY
THE TANG LOSE POWER
•TO PAY FOR MILITARY EXPANSION, LEADERS RAISED TAXES WHICH
BROUGHT MANY HARDSHIPS TO THE PEOPLE
•COULD NOT CONTROL THE HUGE EMPIRE THEY HAD BUILT
•BORDER ATTACKS AND REBELLIONS EVENTUALLY LED TO TANG
DECLINE
THE SONG DYNASTY
THE SONG DYNASTY RESTORES CHINA
•SONG TAIZU REUNITED CHINA AFTER THE TANG LOSE
POWER
•DRIVEN SOUTH BECAUSE OF INVADERS IN THE NORTH
•MANY GREW RICH BECAUSE OF TRADE WITH CHINESE
IN NORTH, NOMADS OF CENTRAL ASIA, AND PEOPLE
OF WESTERN ASIA AND EUROPE
AN ERA OF PROSPERITY & INNOVATION
New Inventions
•PORCELAIN
•MECHANICAL CLOCK
•PRINTING-movable type
•GUNPOWDER
•PAPER MONEY
•MAGNETIC COMPASS
•FAST -RIPENING RICE
FROM VIETNAM
CHANGES IN CHINESE
SOCIETY
•MANY MOVED TO CITIES TO BECOME
MANAGERS, PROFESSIONALS, AND SKILLED
WORKERS
•OLD ARISTOCRATIC POWER FADED
LEVELS
•GENTRY-SCHOLAR OFFICIALS AND THEIR
FAMILIES
•ATTAINED THEIR STATUS THROUGHT
EDUCATION AND CIVIL SERVICE
•MIDDLE CLASS-MERCHANTS,
SHOPKEEPERS, SKILLED ARTISANS, MINOR
OFFICIALS
•BOTTOM OF SOCIETY-LABORORS,
SOLDIERS, SERVANTS
long fingernails showed that you
did not do any manual labor
STATUS OF WOMEN
•UPPER CLASS WOMEN’S STATUS DECLINED, WORK DEEMED LESS
IMPORTANT TO THE FAMILY’S PROSPERITY
•PEASANT WOMEN WORKED IN FIELDS AND CONTRIBUTED TO FAMILY’S
FOOD AND INCOME
•FOOT BINDING-CRIPLED THEM FOR LIFE
•SHOWED WEALTH AND PRESTIGE OF HER HUSBAND WHO COULD
AFFORD A BEAUTIFUL BUT IMPRATCIAL WIFE
Now that you have learned about Chinese inventions and have
considered the impact they had, would you now choose a
different invention from the one you choose at the beginning of
the class? If so, what would you choose and why?