Dynasties of China

Global Studies 9Mrs. Hart, Mrs. Costello, Ms.

Soddano, and Mrs. Suto

The Tang Dynasty The Tang dynasty ruled

China from 618-907, building their capital at Xian. They forced Vietnam, Tibet, and Korea to become tributary states. Government corruption, drought, and rebellions all contributed to the collapse of the dynasty in 907.

The Song Dynasty In 960, a general

named Zhao Kuangyin, reunited China under a new dynasty known as the Song. They ruled China for over 300 years, until they were conquered by the Mongols in 1279.

Government Government was greatly

influenced by Confucian beliefs, which stressed social order based on duty, rank, and proper behavior. Tang rulers revived the civil service system, under which people who wanted to hold office, had to pass difficult exams. This system gave China a highly educated ruling class.

Chinese Society

Status of Women

Under the Tang and Song dynasties, women held great authority. At home, they managed the household and disciplined the children. But boys were still valued more over girls. When a girl married, she was required to become part of her husband’s family and could never remarry.

Women and Foot Binding Foot binding in China

began in the 8th century, but spread during the Song dynasty and eventually became common among all but the lowest of classes. It was a way to keep women dependent on men, as it made it difficult for women to walk, and they were unable to go very far.

Foot Binding Foot binding became

popular as a means of displaying status and was adopted as a symbol of beauty in Chinese culture. Women from wealthy families who did not need to work could afford to have their feet bound.

Economic Achievements Under the Tang dynasty, land was taken from the

gentry and redistributed to the peasants. This meant that peasants could pay taxes to the government. Foreign trade also expanded with areas like India, Persia, and the Middle East.

Economic Expansion

To improve trade, the government issued paper money – the world’s first. Canals were built to encourage trade and improve transportation. The Grand Canal was the largest, and allowed food from farms in southern China to be sent north.

Achievements in Literature and the Arts• Short stories and

poetry• Landscape painting• Calligraphy• The pagoda• Porcelain

The Mongols in China

In 1279, Kublai Khan, another grandson of Genghis Khan, completed the job of conquering China, but also ruled Korea, Tibet, and parts of Vietnam. He set up his own dynasty and called it the Yuan dynasty, although he did not want the Mongols to become absorbed into Chinese civilization.

The Ming Dynasty In 1368, a peasant—led

rebellion successfully over threw Mongol rule, and the Ming dynasty was established. Confucian ideas, which had been repressed during the Mongol rule of China, were again stressed. The civil service system, and education became important once more.

Zheng He Zheng He was a Chinese admiral who set up trade links

with many distant centers of trade, and brought back exotic animals for the royal zoo. After his death though, the Ming emperor banned the build of large ships and stopped its voyages of exploration. The emperor complained that Zheng’s voyages had not brought enough profits to China, and Confucian scholars taught that China was the best civilization in the world, so they did not need anything from any other civilization.

Agricultural Advancements

• Advances in agriculture, like better fertilization methods, meant more food could be grown.

• Corn and sweet potatoes from the Americas helped support the growing population.

Trade with Europeans

The Europeans were very impressed with Chinese goods like silk, porcelain, paper, guns, and gunpowder and wanted to trade with the Chinese. But the Ming leaders severely restricted foreign trade, believing European goods to be inferior.

China’s Impact on Korea

Korea adapted the civil service system from the Chinese, developed their own type of blue-green porcelain glaze called celedon, and were influenced by Confucian teachings.

China’s Impact on Japan Korea served as a cultural bridge, linking China with the

Japanese islands. Chinese missionaries brought Buddhism to Japan, and they too were influenced by Confucian teachings, the Chinese language and architecture.

Chinese Impact on Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia was greatly influenced by traders from China and India. Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam all entered this region. Vietnam, part of this region, absorbed Confucian ideas, the civil service system, a bureaucracy similar to China’s, and their architectural style.