Resurgence of Resurgence of Empire in East AsiaEmpire in East Asia

China: Sui, Tang, SongChina: Sui, Tang, Song

Women: Women:

Slide 35Slide 35

A fine, and complete presentation by Janet Pareja, Signature School, Evansville, IN

Collapse of Han Dynasty: 220 CECollapse of Han Dynasty: 220 CE

350 years of chaos:350 years of chaos:

• WarWar

• InvasionInvasion

• ConquestConquest

• Foreign RuleForeign Rule

• Regional Regional

KingdomsKingdoms

SUI Dynasty: Restored OrderSUI Dynasty: Restored Order

• 66thth Century Century 30 30 yearsyears

• Demanded:Demanded:– High TaxesHigh Taxes– Conscripted Labor Conscripted Labor

• Repair wallRepair wall• MilitaryMilitary

Grand Canal Grand Canal United ChinaUnited China

• Southern Grain to North• Military travel• Commerce• Roads, Trees & Post

Houses along canal

Sui Yangdi tied Yangtze with Huang He: Hangzhou & Beijing

Grand CanalGrand Canal

• 1,200 miles long1,200 miles long

• Politically & economically Politically & economically

integrated North and integrated North and

SouthSouth

CarriedGrain

Carried Troops & messages

Carried Manufactured Goods

Fall of SUI DynastyFall of SUI Dynasty

PEASANT UNREST:•Conscripted labor & Forced Military Service

•High Taxes

•Military reverses in Korea

…Emperor fled court…

Assassinated 3 yrs later…

Tang DynastyTang Dynasty

Tang TaizongTang Taizong – Dashing military

commander since 16– Energy, ability,

ruthlessness– Killed brothers & forced

father to abdicate

““People, People, not Heaven, not Heaven, shape human shape human

destiny”destiny”

-Tang Taizong

TANG:TANG:

300 years300 years::

618-907618-907

22. Transportation & Commercial . Transportation & Commercial Network (Roads) Network (Roads)

Wealth and Security GuaranteedWealth and Security Guaranteed– Roads– Horses– Runners– Inns– Post Stations– Stables

Linked to Silk Roads; also regional trade

3. 3. Equal Field SystemEqual Field System

• Redistribution of LandRedistribution of Land– FertilityFertility– Family NeedsFamily Needs– 1/5 hereditary1/5 hereditary

• But Later…But Later…

– Bribery, intimidationBribery, intimidation– Not enough land left to give!Not enough land left to give!– Buddhist monasteries took land out of Buddhist monasteries took land out of

circulation, but paid no taxes…circulation, but paid no taxes…

4. 4. Bureaucracy of MeritBureaucracy of Merit

• Confucian Scholarship• Civil Service Exam• Smaller, & more competitive• Emphasis on Ancestor

Worship

• Emperors came & went… Bureaucracy stayed…

New Territory New Territory & Tribute System& Tribute System

• ManchuriaManchuria• TibetTibet• Western ChinaWestern China

• JapanJapan• VietnamVietnam• KoreaKorea

-- SillaSilla • MongoliaMongolia• Malacca, Malacca,

Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia

Visitors to Tang Court

Tang DeclineTang Decline

• Weak LeadershipWeak Leadership– Neglectful, womanizing EmperorsNeglectful, womanizing Emperors

• Equal Field System failedEqual Field System failed

• BankruptcyBankruptcy - Taxes insufficient to - Taxes insufficient to support Bureaucracy & Militarysupport Bureaucracy & Military

• Army weakenedArmy weakened by peasant revolts by peasant revolts hire Turkic mercenaries hire Turkic mercenaries

• Military commanders Military commanders WarlordsWarlords

Song China – 300 Years

960-960-12791279

Economic Powerhouse of Asia!Economic Powerhouse of Asia!1.1.Agriculture: New Agriculture: New

Crops & Crops & TechnologiesTechnologies

• Fast Ripening Rice –Fast Ripening Rice –

ChampaChampa– VietnamVietnam– 2X year2X year– Population UP:Population UP:

• 45 M in 60045 M in 600• 115 M in 1200115 M in 1200

TerracingTerracing

• Water pumped up

• Water wheels

• Irrigation

Heavy Iron PlowHeavy Iron Plow

Food DistributionFood Distribution

Grand CanalGrand Canal

2. Improved 2. Improved Manufacturing Manufacturing

• PorcelainPorcelain• Metallurgy Metallurgy • (iron, steel)(iron, steel)

– Ag toolsAg tools– WeaponsWeapons– Bridges & pagodasBridges & pagodas– Spread throughout East AsiaSpread throughout East Asia

3. 3. New TechnologiesNew Technologies: : tell us what?tell us what?

• GunpowderGunpowder

• Naval TechnologyNaval Technology– Iron nailsIron nails– Water proofingWater proofing– Canvas & bamboo sailsCanvas & bamboo sails– RuddersRudders– CompassCompass

BANKING!!BANKING!! tell us what?tell us what?

• Banking InstrumentsBanking Instruments

• Paper Money: Paper Money: Jiao ziJiao zi

Printing Press!Printing Press!

Cheap BooksFast printingHuge quantities

Literacy rates UP, especially compared to West

Literacy spread to other Eastern locations

Literature• Neo-Confucian

Philosophy

• Buddhist Writing

• Poetry Poetry – Prosperity– Political stability– Urban themes

Urban & Urban & CosmopolitanCosmopolitan

Chang’an: largest city in the world

Trade: Luxuries

Imports:• Spices – Islands, India• Horses & melons – Central Asia• Feathers & tortoise shell – Vietnam• Pearls, incense – India, Arabia

Exports:Silk, Porcelain, Laquerware

Tang Silk Tapestry

.

Women in Chinese SocietyWomen in Chinese Society

Inspiration for

Statue for Beijing Olympics

"Women who were full-figured (even "Women who were full-figured (even plump) were considered attractive plump) were considered attractive by men, as men also enjoyed the by men, as men also enjoyed the presence of assertive, active presence of assertive, active women. In an example of the latter, women. In an example of the latter, the foreign horse-riding sport of the foreign horse-riding sport of polo from Persia became a wildly polo from Persia became a wildly popular trend among the Chinese popular trend among the Chinese elite, as women often played the elite, as women often played the sport (as glazed earthenware sport (as glazed earthenware figurines from the time period figurines from the time period portray). portray).

The preferred hairstyle for women The preferred hairstyle for women was to bunch their hair up like "an was to bunch their hair up like "an elaborate edifice above the elaborate edifice above the forehead," while affluent ladies wore forehead," while affluent ladies wore extravagant head ornaments, extravagant head ornaments, combs, pearl necklaces, face combs, pearl necklaces, face powders, and perfumes. "powders, and perfumes. "

Time of Societal Change?Time of Societal Change?

• Strict Patriarchy Strict Patriarchy in most classes:in most classes:– Preserve family fortunes &

solidarity• Make advantageous marriages

– Tighten Belief System - Venerate ancestors w/ more elaborate rituals.

– Tight supervision by father, husband – benefit the greater family in all classes.

Tang WomenTang Women

• Graceful, Beautiful, Graceful, Beautiful, DelicateDelicate

• Upper class- Upper class- – Play instrument, Play instrument, – Paint, Paint, – May read, and May read, and – Other past times…Other past times…

Ah, what we do for Beauty!Ah, what we do for Beauty!

Different definitions of Beauty, different investments…Different definitions of Beauty, different investments…

People in all times, places…People in all times, places…

mailto:info@amazon-tribes.com?subject=Native%20Pierced%20Ears

How far would YOU go?

Why?

Foot bindingEvidence of STRICTLY Patriarchal Society?

LiteratureLiterature

Poetry: Li Bo,

Du Fu

Buddhist writing

Neo-Confucianist writing

Drinking Alone by MoonlightDrinking Alone by Moonlight •Li Bai, translated by Arthur Waley,

•  花間一壺酒。 A pot of wine, under the flowering trees;•獨酌無相親。  I drink alone, for no friend is near.

•  舉杯邀明月。 Raising my cup I beckon the bright moon,•  對影成三人。 With her, and my shadow, we make three people.•  月既不解飲。 The moon, alas, is no drinker of wine•;  影徒隨我身。 Listless, my shadow creeps about at my side.

•  暫伴月將影。 Yet with the moon as friend and the shadow as slave•  行樂須及春。 I must make merry before the Spring is spent.•  我歌月徘徊。 To the songs I sing the moon flickers her beams;•  我舞影零亂。 In the dance I weave my shadow tangles and breaks.

•  醒時同交歡。 While we were sober, three shared the fun

•;醉後各分散。  Now we are drunk, each goes their way.•  永結無情遊。 May we long share our eternal friendship,

•  相期邈雲漢。 And meet at last in paradise.

Quiet Night ThoughtsQuiet Night Thoughts

• The moonlight glistens in front of my bed.• I thought it was the frost on the ground.• I lift my gaze to view the shimmering

moon,• Then lower my head, and miss my

homeland.

Li Bai Themes– Wine & Drinking– Daoism– Fantasy Imagery– Violated technical rules of style– Wrote from various view points

– incl. personae of women– Time at court & time

“wandering” alone– Influenced Modern Chinese,

Japanese & Western Literature

In both versions of Ebcot’s Circle-Vision 360 film in the China pavilion, Li Bai serves as the narrator and guide of the film.

About Du Fu

I met Du Fu on a mountaintopI met Du Fu on a mountaintopin August when the sun was hot.in August when the sun was hot.

Under the shade of his big straw hatUnder the shade of his big straw hathis face was sad--his face was sad--

in the years since we last parted,in the years since we last parted,he'd grown wan, exhausted.he'd grown wan, exhausted.

Poor old Du Fu, I thought then,Poor old Du Fu, I thought then,he must be agonizing over poetry again.he must be agonizing over poetry again.

Du FuDu Fu• History

• Moral Engagement

• Technical Excellence in lushi poetry

Reply to a Friend’s AdviceLeaving the Audience by the quiet corridors,Stately and beautiful, we pass through the Palace gates,

Turning in different directions: you go to the WestWith the Ministers of State. I, otherwise.

On my side, the willow-twigs are fragile, greening.You are struck by scarlet flowers over there.

Our separate ways! You write so well, so kindly,To caution, in vain, a garrulous old man.

712-770 CE

Reply to a Friend’s AdviceReply to a Friend’s AdviceLeaving the AudienceAudience by the quiet corridors,Stately and beautiful, we pass through the Palace gates,

Turning in different directions: you go to the WestWest With the Ministers of State. I, otherwise.

On my side, the willow-twigs are fragilewillow-twigs are fragile, greening. You are struck by scarlet flowers scarlet flowers over there.

Our separate ways! You write so well, so kindly, To caution, in vainTo caution, in vain, a garrulous old man.

Li Po

Religions along the Silk RoadReligions along the Silk Road

• Buddhism

• Nestorian Christianity

• Manicheanism

• Zoroastrianism

• Islam

FaxianFaxian (337 – c. 422 CE)

• Traveled to India on Silk Roads to get training in Buddhism, and bring back scriptures.

Xuan ZhangXuan Zhang 602-664 - TANG

• Went to India: Buddhist sacred writing.

• 17-yr overland journey –autobiography & biography: provided inspiration for the epic novel:

• Journey to the West

Why was Buddhism Why was Buddhism POPULARPOPULAR in China? in China?

• Moral standards• Intellectual sophisticationIntellectual sophistication• Promise of individual salvationPromise of individual salvation

– Hope in difficult times…Hope in difficult times…• Accessible to merchants

– Mahayana• Monasteries aided the poor in

hard times

““Buddhism Buddhism is not is not

to my taste.”to my taste.”

-Emperor Tang Taizong

Why Buddhism Why Buddhism UNPOPULARUNPOPULAR??

Challenged Chinese social & cultural Challenged Chinese social & cultural traditions!traditions!

•Asceticism & celibacy Asceticism & celibacy No procreation! No procreation! No Ancestor worship!No Ancestor worship!

•Buddhist monasteries – ate up manpower & Buddhist monasteries – ate up manpower & land; did not give back:land; did not give back:

– Abuses: escaped taxes, escape state Abuses: escaped taxes, escape state labor requirements, money pit for labor requirements, money pit for donations of richdonations of rich

•FOREIGN !!!FOREIGN !!!

•Texts philosophical, otherworldly - not Texts philosophical, otherworldly - not practicalpractical like Confucianism like Confucianism

Seated Buddha, Tang

“…There is no place [in Nirvana] for the

Son of Heaven.”

-Emperor Tang Taizong

Delicate balance of court… Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism….

… … Delicate Political Balance at Delicate Political Balance at CourtCourt

Avoid Alienating: Avoid Alienating:

-citizencitizens,

-aristocracyaristocracy,

-ministersministers,

-members of the members of the

royal family… royal family…

- other potential other potential

patrons / convertspatrons / converts.

Buddhist PRBuddhist PR::Tailored Buddha’s Message….

• Borrowed words from Chinese cultural traditions:– DharmaDharma - “dao” the way– NirvanaNirvana – “wuwei” Daoist

noncompetition– MonasteryMonastery for ONE son -

salvation for 10 generations of family

Tang Response to Buddhism

Tried to Drive it out (840’s)…

NEO -CONFUCISANISMNEO -CONFUCISANISM

Can you say, Can you say,

“Syncretism?”“Syncretism?”

The Vinegar The Vinegar Tasters: Tasters: Laozi, Buddha, Laozi, Buddha, ConfuciusConfucius..

Confucian TempleConfucian Temple

NEO NEO CONFUCIANCONFUCIAN

PagodaPagoda

New Neo-Confucianist Architectural StylesNew Neo-Confucianist Architectural Styles

Neo Confucianism:Neo Confucianism:The synthesis of The synthesis of DaoistDaoist

cosmology and cosmology and BuddhistBuddhist spirituality around the core of spirituality around the core of ConfucianConfucian concern with society concern with society and governmentand government

PredominatedPredominated in the intellectual and spiritual life in the intellectual and spiritual life of of China, Korea, and JapanChina, Korea, and Japan beginning around beginning around

700. 700.

Neo Neo ConfucianConfucianSyncretismSyncretism