The Resurgence of Empire in East Asia (Sui-Tang-Song and Beyond)

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the major people, institutions, and developments from the East Asian chapters (Sui, Tang, Song, and Japan).

Sui Dynasty (589–618 C.E.)

Short-lived reunifier of China after the Han; built the Grand Canal; relied on mass military and conscripted labor; collapsed from overextension.

Yang Jian (Emperor Wen of Sui)

Founder of the Sui Dynasty who consolidated control of all of China and initiated the Sui regime.

Grand Canal

Artificial waterway linking northern and southern China to promote trade; about 2,000 kilometers; connected earlier canal networks.

Chang’an

Capital of the Tang Dynasty; major political and cultural center; site of centralized governance.

Tang Taizong (r. 627–649 C.E.)

Second emperor of the Tang; built a strong, orderly state and expanded and refined earlier Sui policies.

Equal-field system

Land distribution policy allocating land by formula; about 20% hereditary; 80% redistributed; aimed to prevent land concentration and assure tax base.

Imperial civil service examinations

Merit-based testing system using Confucian curriculum to recruit officials; promoted loyalty and stability; long-lasting tradition.

Tributary relationships

Network where neighboring states offered gifts to China in exchange for recognition and trade; China viewed itself as the Middle Kingdom.

Kowtow

Ritual bowing/submission in which foreign leaders prostrated before the Chinese emperor as part of tributary relations.

An Lushan Rebellion (755 C.E.)

Major Tang rebellion that devastated the dynasty, temporarily captured Chang’an; suppressed by 763 C.E.; contributed to Tang decline.

Tang Decline

Cycle of neglect, rebellion, and external pressure; led to the fall of the Tang and the end of centralized power.

Song Taizu

First Song emperor who rose from military leadership; promoted civil-military balance and expanded merit-based recruitment.

Southern Song

Phase of the Song Dynasty after 1127 when the capital and government moved south to Hangzhou due to northern conquests.

Jurchen

Nomadic people who conquered northern China, establishing the Jin dynasty and forcing Song to retreat south.

porcelain (chinaware)

High-quality ceramic porcelain produced in China; a major export and hallmark of Chinese industry.

Iron production with coke

Industrial advance using coke in furnaces increased iron output for tools and weaponry.

Gunpowder

Invention of explosive powder used in weapons and fireworks; transformed military technology.

Moveable type

Printing method with movable individual characters; enhanced information dissemination and literacy.

Paper money

Monetary system using paper currency; emerged in Song China; initially unstable and prone to riots when not honored; state monopoly developed later.

Letters of credit

Early financial instruments (promissory notes, checks) to address coin shortages and facilitate trade.

China and the Hemispheric Economy

Cosmopolitan urban centers; silk trade linked China to broader networks; demand for imported luxury goods.

Buddhism in China

Mahayana Buddhism flourished with temples, land donations, and patronage; blended with Chinese culture and politics; later confronted by Confucianism and Daoism.

Chan (Zen) Buddhism

Meditation-focused Buddhist school in China; later influential in Japan as Zen.

Pure Land Buddhism

Mahayana school emphasizing rebirth in Amitabha’s Pure Land; popular among laypeople for its accessibility.

Persecution of Buddhists (late Tang)

Daoist/Confucian-backed crackdown on Buddhist institutions; temples closed and monastic land confiscated in the 840s.

Neo-Confucianism

Revived Confucian ideology incorporating Buddhist metaphysical ideas; prominent in Song; sought to reinterpret ethics and governance.

Zhu Xi (1130–1200 C.E.)

Leading Neo-Confucian philosopher who synthesized Confucian ethics with Buddhist ideas and shaped later education and civil service.

Chinese influence in Korea (Silla)

Tang campaigns and cultural influence; Silla maintained autonomy while recognizing Tang authority and adopting Chinese culture.

Vietnam under Chinese influence

Vietnam adapted Chinese culture and technology; resisted political domination and asserted independence after Tang decline.

Early Japan (Nara period)

Japanese adoption of Chinese administrative models; capital established at Nara; Buddhism and Confucianism integrated with Shinto.

Nara Japan (710–794 C.E.)

First unified Japanese government modeled on Tang institutions; centralized court at Nara; enduring Chinese influence.

Heian Japan (794–1185 C.E.)

Period of courtly culture at Heian (Kyoto); emperor as figurehead; real power held by the Fujiwara regents.

The Tale of Genji

Classic work of Japanese literature by Murasaki Shikibu; reflects Heian court life; influenced by Chinese literary culture.

Kamakura Period (1185–1333 C.E.)

Military-dominated era in which real power rested with the shogunate and samurai rather than the emperor.

Muromachi (1336–1573 C.E.)

Ashikaga shogunate period; decentralized political authority; era of civil wars and cultural flourishing.