Reunification of Reunification of China – SuiChina – Sui

Song & TangSong & TangChinese Golden AgeChinese Golden Age

Chapter 12Chapter 12

China During the Era of Division, The Sui Dynasty, and the Tang Dynasty

Sui DynastySui Dynasty Yangdi (son of Wendi)Yangdi (son of Wendi)

– Legal reformLegal reform– Reorganized Confucian educationReorganized Confucian education– Canals built, completion Grand Canal Canals built, completion Grand Canal

- - longest in the world (still)longest in the world (still)

– reconstruction of Great Wallreconstruction of Great Wall– Attacked Korea – costly & disastrousAttacked Korea – costly & disastrous– Defeated by Turks 615Defeated by Turks 615– Assassinated – 618Assassinated – 618– early 7early 7thth C - dynasty disintegrated - C - dynasty disintegrated -

popular revolts, disloyalty & popular revolts, disloyalty & assassinationsassassinations

Tang DynastyTang Dynasty Scholar-gentry elite based on Scholar-gentry elite based on

examinations (not family connections)examinations (not family connections) Highest offices went only to individuals Highest offices went only to individuals

able to pass exams based on the able to pass exams based on the Confucian classics/Chinese literature – Confucian classics/Chinese literature – some social mobility possiblesome social mobility possible BUTBUT central administration dominated by a central administration dominated by a small number of prominent familiessmall number of prominent families

Overland trade routes - Silk Road - Overland trade routes - Silk Road - reaching as far as Syria and Rome reaching as far as Syria and Rome

Confucian ideology supremeConfucian ideology supreme Result Result imperial unity & imperial unity & power of power of

the aristocracy reducedthe aristocracy reduced Bureau of CensorsBureau of Censors closely watched all closely watched all

officials.officials. Specialized exams administered by Specialized exams administered by

Ministry of PublicMinistry of Public RitesRites

*Powerful cultural influence over Korea & Japan

Tang era gilt-silver ear cup with flower

motif

Tang /Song EconomyTang /Song Economy Silk routes reopened - greater contact with Silk routes reopened - greater contact with

Buddhist, Islamic regionsBuddhist, Islamic regions Sea tradeSea trade

– Use ofUse of Junks – Junks – increasedincreased maritime maritime commercecommerce

RESULT RESULT Commerce expandsCommerce expandsCreditCredit - deposit shops- deposit shopsFlying moneyFlying money

Dev. of cities & urban pop. growth – Tang Dev. of cities & urban pop. growth – Tang capital – Changan – pop. 2 million – largest capital – Changan – pop. 2 million – largest city in world at timecity in world at time

group of wealthy commoners--the mercantile group of wealthy commoners--the mercantile class--arose class--arose

printing & education spread, private trade printing & education spread, private trade grew, and a market economy began to link the grew, and a market economy began to link the coastal provinces and the interiorcoastal provinces and the interior

Landholding & gov’t employment no longer Landholding & gov’t employment no longer the only means of gaining wealth and prestige the only means of gaining wealth and prestige

Court portrait painting of Emperor Taizu of Song (960–976)

Buddhism becomes fully entrenched in Buddhism becomes fully entrenched in Chinese cultureChinese culture

Split in BuddhismSplit in Buddhism– Mahayana Mahayana Buddhism popular in era of turmoil Buddhism popular in era of turmoil– ChanChan (Zen) Buddhism common among elite - stressed (Zen) Buddhism common among elite - stressed

meditation & appreciation of natural & artistic beautymeditation & appreciation of natural & artistic beauty

Empress Wu (690-705) supported BuddhismEmpress Wu (690-705) supported Buddhism– Endows monasteriesEndows monasteries– Tried to make Buddhism the state religionTried to make Buddhism the state religion– 50,000 monasteries by c. 85050,000 monasteries by c. 850

Persecution of Buddhism under Emperor Wuzong Persecution of Buddhism under Emperor Wuzong – 841-847841-847– Monasteries destroyedMonasteries destroyed– Lands redistributedLands redistributed

Confucian re-emerges as central ideologyConfucian re-emerges as central ideology

Tang DeclineTang Decline

– Mistress - Mistress - Yang Guifei – Yang Guifei – gained powergained power– Relatives gain power in govtRelatives gain power in govt

755 - Revolt led by An Lushan - 755 - Revolt led by An Lushan - Chinese Chinese general (Iranian/Turkish) - proclaimed general (Iranian/Turkish) - proclaimed himself emperor; later killed by his own sonhimself emperor; later killed by his own son

RESULTRESULT civil war; Yang Guifei executed civil war; Yang Guifei executed – blamed for rebellion– blamed for rebellion

Central government lost its grip on the local Central government lost its grip on the local administrationadministration

907 -- last Tang emperor resigns907 -- last Tang emperor resigns- Warlordism broke out - China divided into - Warlordism broke out - China divided into north and south - many small shortlived north and south - many small shortlived dynastiesdynasties

Paintings of Yang Guifei & An Lushan

Emperor Xuanzong (713-756)Emperor Xuanzong (713-756)

Song DynastySong Dynasty Zhao Kuangyin (Taizu) - birth of Zhao Kuangyin (Taizu) - birth of

Song dynastySong dynasty– Scholar-gentry given power Scholar-gentry given power

over militaryover military– Revival of Confucian Revival of Confucian

ThoughtThought– Libraries established, old Libraries established, old

texts recoveredtexts recovered

Neo-confuciansNeo-confucians - stressed - stressed personal morality & male personal morality & male dominancedominance– Hostility to foreign ideasHostility to foreign ideas– Gender, class, age Gender, class, age

distinctions reinforceddistinctions reinforced

Scholar in a Meadow, 11th century

The Spinning Wheel, by Northern Song artist Wang Juzheng -one of the earliest representations of the invention

Example of Chinese pottery

Women’s Status – Tang / Early Women’s Status – Tang / Early SongSong

Elite women had broader opportunities / careersElite women had broader opportunities / careers Empresses Wu, Wei & Mistress Yang Guifei – signif. Empresses Wu, Wei & Mistress Yang Guifei – signif.

political powerpolitical power Legal code supported women’s rights in divorceLegal code supported women’s rights in divorce Some wealthy, urban women had lovers - example of Some wealthy, urban women had lovers - example of

female independencefemale independence Marriage brokers - professional female match-makersMarriage brokers - professional female match-makers Partners were of the same age; marriage ceremonies did Partners were of the same age; marriage ceremonies did

not take place until pubertynot take place until puberty

Rights of women deteriorate in late Song DynastyRights of women deteriorate in late Song Dynasty – stressed the roles of homemaker and motherstressed the roles of homemaker and mother– advocated advocated physical confinementphysical confinement of women of women– emphasized the importance of emphasized the importance of bridal virginity, wifely bridal virginity, wifely

fidelity, and widow chastityfidelity, and widow chastity– Men were permitted free sexual behavior & remarriageMen were permitted free sexual behavior & remarriage– fewer Buddhist monasteries (fewer women monks)fewer Buddhist monasteries (fewer women monks)– New laws favored men in New laws favored men in property property inheritance & inheritance & divorcedivorce

Women excluded from Women excluded from education systemeducation system Footbinding - painful, mobility restricting practiceFootbinding - painful, mobility restricting practice

The The Status of Status of women women improved during improved during Tang & early Tang & early Song –started Song –started declining during declining during the late Song – the late Song – WHY?WHY?

Tang and Song Prosperity: Golden Tang and Song Prosperity: Golden Age - Expanding Agrarian ProductionAge - Expanding Agrarian Production

Peasants encouraged to migrate to new Peasants encouraged to migrate to new areas; gov’t provided irrigationareas; gov’t provided irrigation

Canals builtCanals built New crops & technology increased yields.New crops & technology increased yields. Aristocratic estates broken up - more Aristocratic estates broken up - more

equitable distribution of land for equitable distribution of land for freefree peasants peasants

Confucian scholars believed peasants were Confucian scholars believed peasants were essential for a stable and prosperous social essential for a stable and prosperous social orderorder

Scholar-gentry replaced aristocracyScholar-gentry replaced aristocracy

A red lacquerware food tray with gold foil engraving designs of two long-tailed birds and a peony (12th -13th C)

Chinese ships of the Song period featured hulls w/ watertight compartments (1085–1145)

Technological / scientific discoveries—Technological / scientific discoveries—new tools, production methods, weaponsnew tools, production methods, weapons—passed to other civilizations - —passed to other civilizations - altered altered the course of human developmentthe course of human development

Arts / literature passed to neighboring Arts / literature passed to neighboring regions—central Asia, Japan, and regions—central Asia, Japan, and Vietnam. Vietnam.

Engineering feats - Grand Canal, dikes Engineering feats - Grand Canal, dikes and dams, irrigation systems, and bridgesand dams, irrigation systems, and bridges

Banks & paper money stimulated Banks & paper money stimulated prosperityprosperity

Explosive powder – Tang invented - Explosive powder – Tang invented - fireworks / Song adapted for military use fireworks / Song adapted for military use

Song armies & navies - flamethrowers, Song armies & navies - flamethrowers, poisonous gasses, & rocket launcherspoisonous gasses, & rocket launchers

Chairs, tea drinking, the use of coal for Chairs, tea drinking, the use of coal for fuel, compasses, & kitesfuel, compasses, & kites

Tang & Song achievements in science, technology & culture

A trebuchet catapult - used to launch the earliest type of explosive bombs

Song dynasty falls to Song dynasty falls to MongolsMongols

Southern Song - Southern Song - 1127–1279 - Song lost 1127–1279 - Song lost control of northern China to the Jin Dynasty control of northern China to the Jin Dynasty

Song court retreated south of the Yangtze Song court retreated south of the Yangtze River & established their capital at Lin'anRiver & established their capital at Lin'an

Kubilai Khan defeated Jin &Kubilai Khan defeated Jin & founded the founded the Yuan dynasty in Northern ChinaYuan dynasty in Northern China

The Chinese The Chinese economyeconomy, until the 18th C, was a , until the 18th C, was a world leader in market orientation, overseas world leader in market orientation, overseas trade volume, productivity per acre, trade volume, productivity per acre, sophistication of tools, and techniques of craft sophistication of tools, and techniques of craft production. production. – COTCOT China, as a civilization, retained many China, as a civilization, retained many

traditional patterns, but it also changed dramatically traditional patterns, but it also changed dramatically in the balance between regions, in commercial and in the balance between regions, in commercial and urban development, and in technology. urban development, and in technology.

– Outside influences - Buddhism – Outside influences - Buddhism – sinifiedsinified