Do Now: Please take out DBQ graphic organizers on Buddhism in China
What missing voices/additional documents? What would their perspective
Offer? Can you think of other documents (ex. A census from Tang Dynasty
Accounting for Buddhist population and service)
Tang and Song China
The Golden Age of China
How Many Dynasties are in PostClassical China 600-1450?
Sui Dynasty
 Emperor
Wendi united traditional core of
China after fall of Han
 Wendi lowered taxes / instituted land
reform
 Murdered by son Yangdi
Sui Dynasty






Yangdi re-established civil service exams
Advanced scholar-gentry
Forced labor of peasants for construction of
Grand Canal
Unsuccessfully tried to take Korea
Decline due to failure in war, breakaway
provinces, pressure from northern nomads
Yangdi assassinated by own ministers
Tang Dynasty




Tang established by one
of Yangdi’s officials
Tang armies conquered
as far as AfghanistanTang largest Chinese
empire
Completed repairs on
Great Wall
Empire extended into
Tibet, Vietnam, and
Manchuria
Tang Dynasty
 Korea
was conquered and vassal
kingdom, Silla, established
 Scholar-gentry used to administer vast
lands
 Scholar-gentry used to offset nobles
 Civil service exam expanded
 Merit important but nobles found place in
scholar-gentry
Tang Dynasty

Buddhism found
home in China due to
patronage by royal
family
 Buddhism became
strong social,
economic, and
political force
 Attempt made by
Empress Wu to
elevate Buddhism to
state religion
Tang Dynasty
of Buddhism in China (mid 9th
century)
 Buddhism changed by Chinese society
 Buddhism seen as threat by Confucians
and Daoists
 Why?
 Rise
Tang Dynasty





Buddhists restricted and persecuted
Buddhism survived but severely
weakened
Emperor Xanzong and concubine,
Yang Guifei
Revolts killed many of Yang’s relativesforced emperor to execute Yang
Rebellions, breakaway provinces, and
weak rulers brought end to Tang
Yang Guifei
Song Dynasty

Last Tang emperor
forced to resign
 Emperor Taizu reunited
much of China but north
remained under control
of nomadic Jin
 Song paid tribute to
nomads
 Military came under
control of governmentincreasing status of
scholar-gentry
Emperor Taizu
Song Dynasty

Civil service exams became routine- every three
years at three levels: district, province, and
imperial
 Rise of Neo-Confucianism




Stressed morality as highest goal
Hostile to outside influences and ideas
Stress on traditionalism stifled technological
innovation and creative thought
Emphasized rank, obligation, deference, and gender
distinctions
Song Dynasty

Decline due to financial stress: tribute payments
to northern nomads, cost of maintaining large
army on border
 Increased taxes caused social unrest
 Army poorly led and equipped due to control by
scholar-gentry
 Reforms between 1070-1090 by Chief Minister
Wang Anshi: cheap loans, taxes on landlords
and scholar-gentry, establishment of trained
mercenary army
Song Dynasty
 Reforms
opposed by scholar-gentry
 Reforms ended with death of emperor and
influence of Neo-Confucianism on
succeeding emperor
 North forces shrinking of Song into rump
state
 Song conquered by Mongols
Golden Age of China




Grand Canal expanded
by Tang caused shift in
populations within China
South saw increase in
population and food
production
Canal increased
communication within
China, increased
revenues, opened up
south to commerce
Silk Road, cut by
nomads, was re-opened
and revitalized by Tang
The Silk Road
Golden Age of China

Increased sea trade
under Tang and Song
 Use of Chinese Junks
 Trade and markets
regulated
 Guilds established
 Deposit shops (banks)
 Paper money
 Flying money (credit
vouchers)
Chinese Junk
Golden Age of China

Levels of urbanization not seen in West until
Industrial Revolution
 Industry- iron production greater in Song than in
Britain during Industrial Revolution
Life in China
 Canal
allowed peasants to market produce
throughout empire
 Large estates broken up for peasant landaccompanying loss of power of nobility
 Power of males intensified. Child who
struck parents could be beheaded. Child
who struck older sibling could get 2 ½
years hard labor
Life in China
Chinese women making silk

Marriage put off until late in life- as late as 30 for scholargentry
 Women could divorce
 Neo-Confucianism reinforced male dominance
 Footbinding became visible symbol of women’s
subjugation
Life in China

Footbinding






Symbol of women’s
subjugation
Started with upper classes
Began around age 5-6
Limited women’s mobility
Practice spread to peasant
class
Seen as attractiveunbound feet would
severely limit marriage
prospects
Life in China
 Technological





advances
Most basic types of bridges developed (truss,
suspension, etc.)
Application of gunpowder for weaponry
Compass first used for navigation
Abacus
Moveable type
COT: Post-Classical China 600-1450

In Post-Classical China (600-1450) the mandate of heaven remained a way to determine dynastic
succession providing structure through rebuilding of infrastructure (Great Wall and the new Grand
Canal linking the Yangtze to the Yellow Rivers), the role of the civil service bureaucracy would
facilitate sound political decision making through the organization of the economy based on
Confucian principles, however, trade would increase expanding both China’s size (during the
Tang Dynasty) and their hegemony (sinification of Korea, Viet Nam and Japan) and extension of
maritime (junk ship trade across the Indian Ocean) and caravan trade (across the silk routes) .

In post-classical China the increase in trade (proto-industrialism/commercial expansion) would
lead Tang-Song China to actively pursue tributary ties. The influence of Buddhism through trade
routes would lead to great internal conflict eventually developing into neo-Confucianism. With all
of this trading influence, however, the status of merchants would not be elevated based on
Confucian principles.
COT
Changes
Continuities
Civil Service system expanded
Grand Canal (liking Yellow with Yangtze)
Elevated status of women then foot binding
Dynasties (Sui-Tang-Song)
Size of empire ( Tang the largest)
Urbanization (Chang ‘An and Guang Zhou)
Woman Empress (Wu Zeitan)
Banking, letters of credit, paper”flying”money
Neo-Confucianism- mixing Confucianism, Taoism
and Buddhism
Gunpowder weaponry (Song Dynasty)
Abacus
Removable type printing
Compass
Porcelain
Mechanical clock
Civil service meritocracy
Infrastructure rebuilt every new dynasty ( in
accordance with Mandate of Heaven)
Mandate of Heaven
Patriarchy (deference in Confucianism)
Silk Road and Indian Ocean
Confucianism (role in Civil Sevice)
Buddhism
Gunpowder ( for fireworks)
Paper production (although spreads West after
Battle of Talas River with Abbasid Caliphate)
Role of forced labor
Role of military