Introduction

• Objective: SWBAT (Students Will Be Able To) explain the systems of government employed by Chinese Dynasties and how they developed over time.

I. Sui Dynasty (589-618 CE)

• Unification of China

  • Yang Jian unified China through military campaigns and claimed the Mandate of Heaven.

• Grand Canal

  • Completed by Sui Yangdi, facilitating trade between Northern and Southern China.

• Military Expeditions

  • Campaigns into Korea led to popular discontent and rebellions, resulting in the emperor's assassination.

II. Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE)

• Establishment

  • A rebel leader took control of Chang’an to create the Tang Dynasty.

  • Tang Taizong rose to power by eliminating his father and murdering two brothers.

• Policies for Success

  1. Transportation and Communication

     • Extensive road system created with inns, postal stations, and stables.

  2. Equal Field System

     • Land distribution based on needs; faced issues due to political corruption and increased population.

  3. Merit-based Bureaucracy

     • Civil Service Examinations through Confucianism offered opportunities from diverse backgrounds to hold office.

• Downfall

  • Resulted from neglect and invasion by foreign powers.

III. Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 CE)

• Governance and Ideology

  • Deeply rooted in Confucian ideology, emphasizing stability, order, and legitimacy.

  • Confucianism: Focuses on hierarchical structures, filial piety, and moral governance as the philosophical basis for authority.

• Imperial Bureaucracy

  • Comprised of scholar-officials selected via civil service examinations based on Confucian classics, allowing meritocratic ascension.

• Early Song Leadership

  • First ruler: Emperor Taizu (960 to 976 CE) known for reuniting China post-fragmentation.

IV. Innovations of Song China

• Woodblock Printing

  • Advanced printing technology made books accessible; the Diamond Sutra (868 CE) being the earliest printed book.

• Movable Type Printing

  • Invented by Bi Sheng using clay for more efficient printing processes.

• Gunpowder

  • Discovered by alchemists, influencing warfare.

• Compass

  • Improved navigation and trade.

• Junk Ships

  • First wooden ships based on Southeast Asian designs, used for trade and military purposes.

• Paper Money

  • Introduced government-issued paper notes, facilitating commerce; Jiaozi emerged as a form of promissory note.

• Advancements in Medicine

  • Medical advancements such as Compendium of Materia Medica by Li Shizhen.

• Mechanical Clocks

  • Invented by Su Song featuring a water-driven escapement mechanism.

• Porcelain Production

  • Renowned for high-quality products.

• Agricultural Advances

  • Champa Rice

  1. Increased agricultural productivity and food security.

  2. Supported population growth, urbanization, and trade.

  3. Enhanced government revenue.

• Hydraulic Engineering

  • Grand Canal and Dujiangyan Irrigation System improved agricultural and transportation efficiency.

• Architectural Innovations

  • Introduction of bracket sets allowed for complex building structures, notably enhancing the Grand Canal.

• Cultural Flourishing

  • Scientific and poetic achievements; notable figures include Su Song, Shen Kuo, poets Li Bo and Du Fu.

V. Life in Song China

• Buddhism's Presence

  • Established long before the Song Dynasty, introduced during Han Dynasty via the Silk Road.

• Neo-Confucianism

  • Merged Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, developing a comprehensive philosophical system marked by figures like Zhu Xi.

• Women's Roles

  1. Increased restrictions and expectations for femininity.

  2. Expanded property rights allowing women limited control over doweries and inheritance.

  3. Education promoted to improve family fortunes.

  4. Foot Binding: Restricted women's mobility as a cultural practice symbolizing beauty and status, causing long-term physical harm; persisted until the 1920s.

VI. Decline of the Song Dynasty

• Jin-Song Wars

  • Internal conflicts between the Jin (Jurchens) and the Song led to division; Southern Song observed after losing northern territories.

• Mongol Conquest

  • Mongols overtook the Jin by 1234 and the Song by 1279.

  • Kublai Khan became the first emperor of the Yuan dynasty.

VII. The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE)

• Foundation

  • Founded by Zhu Yuanzhang (Hongwu Emperor), marked by the restoration of Han Chinese sovereignty and cultural identity.

• Architectural Achievements

  • Extensive rebuilding of the Great Wall and construction of the Forbidden City, symbolizing cultural endurance.

• Maritime Expeditions

  • Led by Admiral Zheng He from 1405 to 1433, extending Chinese trade and diplomatic influence across the Indian Ocean.

• Challenges

  • Late Ming suffered from internal strife, corruption, financial burdens on peasants, and weakness against the Manchu invasions leading to its decline.