History Tang and Son Dynasties

NOTE ON THE SUI

Sui dynasty united China after 300 years of chaos

Tang Dynasty

Defeated the Sui Dynasty and conquered to Afghanistan

Tributary States

Areas that recognized Chinese power and had to pay a tax (Vietnam, Kora, Tibet)...sons of tribal leaders were sent to the capital

Tang Gov't

rebuilt the bureaucracy based on Confucian ideas (ex: the civil service exam), had a new law code, scholar gentry (nobles),

empire divided into provinces, 6 ministries

Jin See

ones who passed highest level of exam

Empress Wu

woman who became empress of Tang Dynasty...she spread Buddhism, lowered taxes, made more land for agriculture

Women in the Tang

ran family affairs at home, could never remarry, arranged marriages, dowry to get married

The Growth of Buddhism

became popular...50,000 monasteries built throughout China this concerned Confucian Scholars became concerned as monastic lands were not taxed and Buddhists and scholar gentry began to have power struggles....this leads to Buddhists being attacked

Tang Population

Tang population grew with cities there being the biggest in the world

Economic Change Under the Tang

Land was redistributed to the peasants...this decreased the power of the land lords and encouraged peasants to move into unsettled areas

Equal Field System

Each man got 13 acres of land

Peasant Taxes

grain, cloth, and labor

Increase in Trade

Trade flourished through the building of canals

The Grand Canal

linked 2 major rivers, is 1200mi long and connected China through transportation and better communication

Results of Increased Trade

began tor reopen trade with the Middle East exporting manufactured goods such as paper, porcelain/ceramics, paper, and silk...the Tang had best ships in world : Chinese Junks

Chinese Junks

had watertight bulk heads, sternpost rudders, oars, sails, compasses, bamboo fenders, and gunpowder propelled rockets for self defense

Markets Flourished

supervised by the gov't, used guilds to protect merchants, banks and paper money were used,

Song Dynasty

defeated the Tang because they had grown weak

Song Military

military was subordinate to the civilian gov't and was weaker than the Tang's gov't

Gov't Changes Under Song

Confucian Scholars were paid more, civil service exam was made easy to take...bureaucracy became boated

Economy Under Song

remained dominated by agriculture, farming shifted form North to South, grew wheat and rice...two new types of rice form Vietnam, Trade also flourished with the grand canal

Trade Under the Song

Trade flourished with the grand canal, traded with India, Middle East, and Africa....traveled in improved junks and used paper money and compasses (like the Tang)

Song Society

population grew...10% of pop. lived in cities

Hangzho

capital center of wealth and trade

Song Social Structure

scholar gentry was on top, then peasants, then merchants

Scholar Gentry

wealthy land owners, scholars, and gov't officials

Peasants

farmers and artisans...lived in self-sufficient villages, village elders settled disputes

Merchants

lowest in status due to Confucian values of not profiting off others

Status of Women

declined...foot binding, lived in extended families (w/ husbands family)

NOTE****

Confucianism dominated life

Art of Tang and Song

Paintings of landscapes and Daoist themes, had colorful ceramics and porcelain

Literature of Tang and Song

Buddhist and Daoist poetry like the Libo and Defu

Architecture of Tang and Song

Pagodas

Pagodas

multistory temples that have upturned roofs pointed at the ends

Calligraphy of Tang and Song

moveable type

Luxuries of Tang and Song

candles and furniture

Technologies of Tang and Song

abacus, gun powder, wheelbarrow, compass, plows, crossbow

End of the Songs

grew weak and corrupt and then invaded by the Mongols

Neo-Confucianism