Ch. 8: Asian World (China, Mongols, and Japan)

gunpowder

invented in the 9th century china, plays a role in war, mining, and fireworks

the sui dynasty

reunified china after the fall of the han dynasty and 300 years of civil war; built a great canal connecting the yellow and yangtze rivers

tang dynasty inventions

• gunpowder

• tea

• flamethrower

• steel

• porcelain

Marco Polo

• explorer from Europe (Venice)

• described the Chinese cities as some of the wealthiest and largest cities on earth

• stayed in China for 17 years

• met Kublai Khan

Temujin

• rough early life

• led the Mongols

• elected as Genghis Khan

  • meaning: strong ruler

• led the largest land empire in history

• organized Mongolia into pastoral clans

after Genghis Khan

• dies in 1227

  • failing health

  • fell off horse/war injuries

• his son takes over, continues expansion

• split into khanates after son dies

• 4 khanates = 1/son

Kublai Khan

• Genghis Khan’s grandson

• established Yuan Dynasty

• capital city: Khanbaliq

  • now known as Beijing

• tried to take Japan…failed 2x

  • relied on cavalry (not good in mountainous Japan)

End of Mongols

• too much conquest

• Black Plague impact

• civil wars and revolts

• Ming Dynasty

Neo-Confucianism

• teaches that fulfillment comes from participation in the world not from withdrawal from it

• divides world into a materialistic and a spiritual world - humans are the link between the two

• Confucianism’s response to Buddhism and Daoism