THE TANG AND SONG DYNASTIES

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Ruled from 618-907
Main leaders
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Tang Taizong- began Tang dynasty and expanded into
North and West
Wu Zhao- led campaign into
Korea, only official female emperor of China

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Restored bureaucracy
Larger upper class emerged, called
“gentry”
Poetry- Li Bo and Tu Fu
Regained control over Silk Road
Improved the Grand Canal (which had lost the Sui Dynasty support) and roads
Promoted foreign trade and agricultural improvements (terrace farming)

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HEAVY taxes- remember the mandate of heaven?
Defeated by Muslim armies in
751- lost land
Loss of Central Asia caused general decline
Last two emperors murdered in
904 and 907

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Reunited China after warlords split China up into ten separate kingdoms following Tang
Dynasty

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Had at least 10 cities with population over 1 million
Imported new variety of rice from Vietnam
Became very successful traders- result was many foreigners living in Chinese cities
Painting with Daoist influences became popular
Carefully studied human anatomy and made models of the body
Made advancements to math and algebra
(negative numbers)
Restored civil service exam’s popularity
Spread Buddhism

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Jurchens from Manchuria attacked and established the Jin
Empire
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Forced Song Dynasty south

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Had major military issues
(nomads), but were a significant economic power
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Traded with nomads, Jin
Dynasty, and people of the
Middle East and Europe
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The end: Mongols Invade!!!

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Porcelain
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Developed in
China in late
700s
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Developed in
Europe in 1708

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Chinese: Block printing- 700s
Movable type- 1040
- Europe- Block printing- 1400s;
Movable type 1453

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