Tang and Song Dynasty

Bureacracy

A system of government with many departments led by appointed officials

Tang Dyansty

618-906, had a strong military and central government. Increased the size of China.

Tang Gauzu

Founder of the Tang Dynasty. Reformed the court system and lowered taxes. Overthrew the Yang Dynasty. After 8 years of rule, he was overthrown by his son Taizong.

Empress Wu

3rd leader of the Tang Dynasty. Given power by Emperor Taizong. She was the only female leader of China ever. Known for intelligence and skill. She created a secret police to spy on her enemies and had them arrested or killed.

Chang'an

Capital of the Tang Dynasty. It was the largest city in the world at that time. One million people lived in the city and 700,000 just outside the wall. First planned city. It was 5 miles by 6 miles.

Scholar-officials

Highly educated men who passed the civil service exam

Merit system

People are hired and promoted based on talent and skill rather than wealth and social status

Urbanization

The growth of cities (movement of people from rural to urban areas)

Song Dynasty

960-1279 had a centralized bureaucracy. Trade and industrialization became important during this empire.

Hangzhou

Capital of the Song Dynasty. It was located in the Yangtze River. (Important area for trade)

Grand Canal

1100 miles long - connected the huang and Chang rivers. Helped promote trade and is still in use today.

Money economy

A system in which people use currency rather than bartering to buy and sell goods

Porcelain

A hard white pottery of extremely fine quality

How did Chinese government change during the Tang Dynasty?

Before the Tang Dynasty, China was divided into warring states. The Tang unified China and brought back the bureaucracy that divided the government responsibilities among different departments allowing for greater stability and control. The unification promoted peace and prosperity.

Describe the arts during the Tang Dynasty.

Experienced a Golden Age. Artists produced fine works of pottery and poetry. Painting was popular as well. Tang people enjoyed music and dancing from Central Asia. (Silk, porcelain, cloth)

Why did trade prosper during the Tang and Song Dyansties?

The governments of tang and song constructed major canal systems beginning with the Grand Canal, that improved transportation of goods and people. The Silk Road was well protected. Factories and industrialization flourished. They introduced paper money rather than barter.

How did the civil service exams affect government under the Song Dynasty?

Under the Song, the civil service exam became a merit system that rewarded skill and learning. This change led to he rise of scholar officials serving in government who were more loyal to the emperor than nobles and warlords had been. Scholar officials rose in status to become the highest ranking group in Chinese society.

How did rulers try to ensure that government officials were educated and honest?

The song created a merit system that required it's scholar officials to score well on civil service exams, ensuring that they were educated. They also watched officials for corruption and took steps to move them from place to place on a regular basis to help prevent from taking bribes

What changes in farming during the Tang and Song dynasties help explain the population shift from the north to the south?

The Chinese began to grow rice, a crop suited to the warmer, wetter regions in Southern China. Rice farming produced greater yields and could support larger populations with the same amount of farmland. They grew less wheat and barley.