CHINA

Ch. 12, sec. 1 & 2

Tang Dynasty (618-907)

Unified China Tang Taizong- emperor

Greatly admired Reformed government Military leader Historian

Established tributary states Vietnam, Tibet, Korea Forced to recognize Chinese supremacy and

pay tribute

Song Dynasty (960-1279)

Weak army Strong wealth and culture Expanded farming- surplus of

food! Shipped grain on the Grand

Canal Lots of trade

Remember the porcelain found in East Africa? That was from the Song Dynasty!

Chinese Society

Gentry- land owning nobles Peasantry- worked in the fields Merchants- bottom social class of society

But they did have social mobility!

Women Ideal picture of beauty Foot binding White face, big hair

Culture

Painting Nature

Architecture Pagoda

Porcelain Writing

Focus on poetry

Mongol Empire

Mongols invade China in the 1200s

Ghengis Khan “universal ruler” Conquered lots of land Pacific Ocean to eastern

Europe Fierce conquerors,

peaceful rulers Brought trade with

Europe

Mongol Empire

Mongol Rule

Kublai Khan Ghengis’ grandson Fully captured all of China

Marco Polo European traveller Worked in Kublai Khan’s palace Described the riches of China

Ming Dynasty

Means brilliant Founded in 1368 by a

peasant leader, Zhu Yuanzhang

Lead a rebel army to defeat the Mongols after Kublai Khan’s death

Restored civil service system Test to become govt official Prevented corruption

Economy and Culture

Huge rice crops in the Chang River Valley

Created terraces- cut steps into hills

Revival of arts and literature First detective stories Famous novel: The

Water Margin Famous blue and white

porcelain china

Chinese Fleet Sails the Seas- p. 195 Zheng He