1 / 18

The Sui and Tang Dynasties

The Sui and Tang Dynasties. Chapter 10 (pp. 284 – 291). China’s Hegemony. For most of the period 600 – 1450 C.E., Chinese dynasties established regional hegemony over East Asia China became the strongest civilization in the world

butch
Download Presentation

The Sui and Tang Dynasties

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The Suiand Tang Dynasties Chapter 10 (pp. 284 – 291)

  2. China’s Hegemony • For most of the period 600 – 1450 C.E., Chinese dynasties established regional hegemony over East Asia • China became the strongest civilization in the world • Dynasties like the Sui, Tang and Song reconstituted governments that combined traditional sources of power & legitimacy with innovations better suited to the current circumstances

  3. The Sui Dynasty • 581 – 618 C.E. • Centralized imperial rule • Built the Grand Canal • State-sponsored commercial infrastructure • Manmade waterways that connected the major rivers in China • Increased volume/variety of trade

  4. The Tang Dynasty • 618 – 907 • Li Shiminseized China’s capital Xi’an (Chang’an) and proclaimed himself emperor of the Tang Dynasty

  5. Accomplishments of the Tang • Strong transportation/communication systems • Grand Canal • Built/maintained an advanced road system • Continued to use Silk Roads & Indian Ocean Maritime System • Cultural/technological transfers between Tang and Abbasids • Chinese merchants setup diasporic communities through Southeast Asia

  6. The Battle of Talas

  7. The Tang Tribute System • Tribute System • Existed in earlier dynasties, but was expanded/enhanced to support the enormous Tang dynasty • Neighboring realms were required to pay tribute in forms of gifts or money • China acted as “the Middle Kingdom”

  8. Religion in the Tang • Buddhism had been growing in China since its Classical Period • Mostly Mahayana Buddhism • It allowed easier incorporation to Chinese culture • Empress Wu (690 – 705) was a strong supporter of Buddhism • Contributed huge sums to monasteries and to commission paintings & sculptures • More than 50,000 temples were built • Buddhist art, literature and cultural traditions flourished • Ex. Wu Daozi

  9. The Art of Wu Daozi

  10. The Collapse of the Tang • Over time, tensions between Confucianists & Buddhists grew • Stemmed from ideological & economic differences • In the 9th century, Confucian scholar bureaucrats along with emperor Wuzong conspired to end Buddhist influence • Burned thousands of monasteries & forced Buddhist monks to flee • Results • Confucianism reemerged as dominant belief system • Tang Dynasty weakened due to internal turmoil and again China declined into a period of decentralization

  11. The Song Dynasty Chapter 10 (pp. 291 – 297)

  12. The Song Dynasty • Song reunited China in 960 • Emphasized civil administration, industry, education and art • “Golden Era” in terms of finance & technology • Strong centralized government • Increased size of merit-based bureaucratic system (civil service)

  13. Problems Under the Song • Finances • Large bureaucratic system was expensive, so taxes were raised • Led to free peasant revolts • Military • Led by scholar bureaucrats • Little understanding of how to direct armies • Jurchens (northern nomads) & other groups overran the northern part of the Song Empire • 1279, Mongols conquered the southern Song

  14. Economic Revolutions of the Tang and Song • Changes in economy began in Tang & were refined in Song • Revolutions • Increased agricultural production to deal with growing population • Fast-ripening rice from Vietnam • Improved irrigation techniques • Urbanization • Tang capital Chang’an • Largest city in the world at the time • Song capital Hangzhou

  15. Economic Revolutions of the Tang and Song • Revolutions (continued) • Technological innovations • Porcelain (chinaware) • Improved iron & steel metallurgy • Gunpowder • Movable type printing • Magnetic compass • Financial inventions • As trade grew, merchants developed paper money • Letters of credit called “flying cash” allowed merchants to move money (like a bank) • Primitive checking

  16. Neo-Confucianism • Neo-Confucianism • Focused less on social & political order, and more on the soul & spiritual relationships • Reconciled relationship with Buddhism • Influenced many civilizations throughout East & Southeast Asia

  17. Patriarchal Social Structures • Patriarchal structure grew more rigid • Especially for the upper-classes • Foot binding • Demonstrated class & subservience to males

More Related