China
Transcript of China
CHINA
Ch. 12, sec. 1 & 2
Tang Dynasty (618-907)
Unified China Tang Taizong- emperor
Greatly admired Reformed government Military leader Historian
Established tributary states Vietnam, Tibet, Korea Forced to recognize Chinese supremacy and
pay tribute
Song Dynasty (960-1279)
Weak army Strong wealth and culture Expanded farming- surplus of
food! Shipped grain on the Grand
Canal Lots of trade
Remember the porcelain found in East Africa? That was from the Song Dynasty!
Chinese Society
Gentry- land owning nobles Peasantry- worked in the fields Merchants- bottom social class of society
But they did have social mobility!
Women Ideal picture of beauty Foot binding White face, big hair
Culture
Painting Nature
Architecture Pagoda
Porcelain Writing
Focus on poetry
Mongol Empire
Mongols invade China in the 1200s
Ghengis Khan “universal ruler” Conquered lots of land Pacific Ocean to eastern
Europe Fierce conquerors,
peaceful rulers Brought trade with
Europe
Mongol Empire
Mongol Rule
Kublai Khan Ghengis’ grandson Fully captured all of China
Marco Polo European traveller Worked in Kublai Khan’s palace Described the riches of China
Ming Dynasty
Means brilliant Founded in 1368 by a
peasant leader, Zhu Yuanzhang
Lead a rebel army to defeat the Mongols after Kublai Khan’s death
Restored civil service system Test to become govt official Prevented corruption
Economy and Culture
Huge rice crops in the Chang River Valley
Created terraces- cut steps into hills
Revival of arts and literature First detective stories Famous novel: The
Water Margin Famous blue and white
porcelain china
Chinese Fleet Sails the Seas- p. 195 Zheng He