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Medieval Asia:. Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties in China. S- for Sui, S- for small T- for Tang, T- for trade S- for Song tralatralala. Sui. Sui Dynasty (561-618 C.E .). Yang Jian reunified China after many years of division Strengthened central control of government
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Medieval Asia: Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties in China S- for Sui, S- for small T- for Tang, T- for trade S- for Song tralatralala
Sui Dynasty (561-618 C.E.) • Yang Jian reunified China after many years of division • Strengthened central control of government • Instituted competitive written exams for selection of officials • Constructed Grand Canal connecting Huang He and southern rivers • Facilitated grain shipment to north • Increased importance of southern region • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9hU6PdEgEs
But… • Sui only lasted two reigns • Ambitious projects led to unrest • crushing burden of taxes • compulsory labor (corvée) • to complete the Grand Canal • to reconstruct the Great Wall • Li Yuan (Tang) took advantage & seized throne
T’ang Dynasty China (618-907 C.E.) • Expanded into Korea, Vietnam, Central Asia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yguW_CsC4Qo
T’ang Culture • Chang’an – cultural capital of East Asia • Visited by merchants, pilgrims, missionaries, students • Many religions practiced – but Buddhism most popular • Buddhists persecuted in late dynasty -fears of wealth, foreign origins – never again dominant in China • T’ang art often used the horse as its motif because of the importance of communication in the Empire.
The T’ang Social • Early T’ang lowered taxes by redistributing land of wealthy nobles to peasants - equal-field system. • Taxes gradually rose because of military spending -large army required to keep control of the huge empire. • The Civil Service System was continued creating a governing class. • Tributary relationships and the kowtow restored.
The Empress Wu was not a nice person. While Empress Wu was still a concubine in the imperial Tang household, she disposed of a rival by murdering her own son, and then claiming her rival did it. In her own vicious, ruthless, scheming way, she was absolutely brilliant. Taking power from the ill emperor she was an efficient ruler who brought about needed social change. Tang Empress Wu (690-705)
T’ang Economics • Promoted foreign trade especially of luxury goods • Agriculture improved due to the use of the iron plow, irrigation improvements - water wheels, dams and pumps and the use of high-yield Champa rice from Vietnam. • Paper money stimulated trade but also inflation. Tea Dealers Merchants gain status, (They will lose it later.) Paper money
Fall of the T’ang • Careless leadership (music and mistresses) • Corruption • Huang Chao stole from the rich and gave to the poor. • Emperors gradually gave power to military leaders until they had no power left. • Military rebellions weakened Tang internally (An Lushan) Huang Chao
An Lushan Rebellion • Xuanzong – Grandson of Empress Wu -a great ruler, who brought the T’ang to its height of prosperity and grandeur, fell in love with a consort - Yang Guifei, • Yang took advantage of her power to fill high administrative positions with her corrupt cronies. • Her favorite was a general named An Lushan, who quickly accumulated power. • An Lushan eventually decided that he would make a pretty good emperor, and launched a rebellion. • The civil war lasted for eight years, • Peace established by Uighur forces – who then looted capital city • End of period of prosperity Yang Guifei
Song Dynasty (960-1279C.E) • Begun by scholarly general Song Taizu – his troops elevated him to emperor • He emphasized industry, education and art over the military. • The proportion of those living in the south continued to increase throughout the Song dynasty
Song Economics • Population reaches 100 million with ten cities over a million. • Rice (Champa) replaced wheat as the main crop of China. Two crops a year, Fertilizer. Terracing. “Green Sprouts Program”. • Trade flourished with Central Asia and India as well as internally. (Tea, cotton, porcelain and silk ,Grand Canal) • Customs taxes - vital source of revenue. • Production of iron and steel surged as coke used to power the forges. (First Industrial Revolution) • 16.5 million arrow heads produced each year • Bridges and pagodas used steel • Paper money (copper money too heavy)
Song Porcelain • Porcelain made lighter and thinner and was exported in vast quantities • In general, the shapes of Sung dynasty are simple and sedate by comparison to what preceded them and what was to follow. • Likewise, the glazes tend to be monochromatic and subtle, a fluid, integral part of the form of the vessel they cover, with a depth of color and texture that invites the spectator to both touch and contemplate
Marco Polo’s account… “The coinage of this paper money is authenticated with as much form and ceremony as if it were actually of pure gold or silver: for to each note a number of officers, specially appointed, not only subscribe their names, but affix their signets also: and when this has been regularly done by the whole of them, the principal officer… having into vermilion the royal seal committed to his custody, stamps with it the piece of paper, so that the form of the seal tinged with vermilion remains impressed upon it.”
Song Technology • Gunpowder used in warfare • Extremely accurate astronomers • Printing: first printed book was DiamondSutra (Buddhist religious text). Movable type developed in the 1040’s. More books written in Chinese than all languages combined until 1750. • Landscape painting inspired by Daoists • Naval technology: rudders, huge ships • Magnetic compass perfected
Song Art Landscape painting, poetry and calligraphy excel.
Tea • In T’ang dynasty became a major crop especially in the Southeast • Song government established a monopoly • Used this to ensure a supply of horse for the military (Tibet, Mongolia, Central Asia not suitable for tea-growing) • Became popular in Japan with arrival of Buddhist monks
Song Social • Scholar elite was broader & better educated - anyone can take the exams, but only the wealthiest of families could afford the extensive preparation required by the examinations. . • Cheaper books (block printing) =spread of literacy • Neo-Confucianism emerged - Status of merchants fall, wisdom over wealth, tradition more important, acceptance of authority, importance of order, selfless over selfish, group over individual. • Became very popular in Korea & Japan
Song Women • Richer families kept wives & daughters at home • Tended children, prepared meals, spun, wove, sewed, took care of silk worms • Women married between 16 & 20 – arranged by families • Men often took concubines as wife got older – her children were considered equal to those of the wife!Neo-Confucianism blamed for decline in women’s status “Better for a widow to die of starvation than to consider remarrying” • Foot binding introduced amongst elite
The Song is Over! • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFB6T3B8uhc • The Song had never been a military power • Outside invaders gradually weakened the Empire (Tibet, Manchurian Mongols, Qidan, Jurchen) • Taxes were so high that many peasants were forced to sell their land. Investment money was spent on luxuries. • By 1042 the Song paid 200,000 ounces of silver a year in tribute. • Mongols toppled the Song Dynasty and establish the Yuan Dynasty • Surplus population slow innovation.
Chinese Dynasty Song (to the tune of “Frere Jacques”) Shang Zhou (“Joe”) Qin (“chin”) Han Shang Zhou (“Joe”) Qin (“chin”) Han ( -------------- 400 years of Disunity ---------------) Sui (“sway”) T’ang Song Sui (“sway”) T’ang Song Yuan Ming Qing (“ching”) Republic Yuan Ming Qing (“ching”) Republic Chang Kai-Shek, Mao Zedong
