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China Reunified: Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasties (500-1300CE)

Today’s LEQs: What came after the Han Dynasty? What changed and continued?

Reunification

After Han Dynasty (220 CE), China fell into period of disunity Not as traumatic (or permanent) as

the fall of Rome (Western half) Uncertainty and disorder paved

way for Buddhism China reunified under Sui Dynasty

Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE)

Founded by Wendi Utilized legalism Focused on building

projects (utilized labor taxes): Reinforced Great Wall Built Grand Canal

South grew drought-resistant champa rice (diffused from modern Vietnam)

Sui Dynasty

Restored Confucian exam system & bureaucracy

Launched expensive military campaigns but often unsuccessful (i.e. Korea)

Second emperor, Yang Di, assassinated by his own ministers in 618 CE

Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE) Military man, Gao Zu, restored order

and declared himself new emperor China became grew larger than ever

before Continued use of Tribute System as

means of “controlling” neighbors Activity: Compare the Tribute System in THEORY vs. Tribute

System in PRACTICE (Use pages 387-389)

Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE)

Tang economy very strong due to advanced infrastructure (roads, waterways, canals) and trade Grand Canal: continued to stimulate

trade Silk industry made China

exceptionally wealthy (although no longer a monopoly – secret got out some time between Han and Sui Dynasties)

State and Religion

Confucian exam system was back, but Buddhism’s hold was strong

Many Tang rulers had strong Northern nomadic roots and were devout Buddhists Mahayana (Buddha

= a god) Empress Wu patronized

Buddhism

The Ladies

Tang Dynasty Buddhism raised the status of women during that Dynasty

Nomadic pastoralist influence also allowed women more freedom

State and Religion

Support of Buddhism aroused the envy of Confucian and Daoist rivals Attacked religion as alien and barbaric Confucian leaders emphasized economic

loss▪ Monasteries not taxed▪ Couldn’t conscript peasants working on

monastic estates for labor tax 845 CE – Emperor began persecution of

Buddhists; Weakening centralized contro; Tang

Dynasty declined by 906CE

Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE)

In 960 a new military commander reunited China

Military focus on subduing strong northern nomadic pastoralists beyond the Great Wall

Song Economy and Society

Culturally and economically impressive Steady population growth Urbanization – largest cities on earth at

that time! Commercial Revolution (paper

money, banking, and credit) Port of Canton (Guangzhou) became

world’s busiest trade center

Religion

Confucianism restored: Neo-Confucianism Sought to prove the superiority of

Chinese thought systems over foreign ones (Buddhism)

In reality, it blended in Buddhist and Daoist ideas (sneaky, sneaky!)

Song Art & Lit

Well educated men expected to excel in many fields – spent evenings writing songs and poems

Art celebrated the beauty of the natural world and often included poetry

Enjoying art was an event!

Women and Neo-Confucianism

Used to justify subordination of women

Neo-Confucians attacked Buddhists for promoting independence for women in monasteries as nuns

Women excluded from education Chinese subjugation of women was

most obvious in foot-binding (lasts right up until early 20th century)

Foot Binding

Foot Binding

Foot Binding

Foot Binding

Foot Binding

Visual 9.4

5 Sentence Summary

On a maximum of five sentence strips, explain how China influenced your assigned region and/or how the outside world influenced China

Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Nomads to the North, Eurasia, “Outside World” influences China

In your notes, respond to this quote with evidence and support:

“If Chinese economic growth and technological achievements significantly shaped the Eurasian world of the third-wave era, that pattern of interaction was surly not a one-way street, for China too was changed by its engagement with a wider world.”