Sui, Tang & Song Dynasties

Sui, Tang & Song DynastiesGlobal I: Spiconardi

Sui Dynasty (581 C.E. 618 C.E.)

SuiIn 581 C.E., Yang Jian (Emperor Wen) reunites China by founding the Sui DynastyThe Sui supported both Buddhism & DaoismEmperor Wen was BuddhistCapital was in Xian

all the people within the four seas may, without exception, develop enlightenment and together cultivate [promote] fortunate karma, bringing it to pass that present existences will lead to happy future lives, that the sustained creation of good causation [action] will carry us one and all up to wondrous enlightenmentExcerpt from Wens edicts. Who is Wen reminiscent of?The Grand Canal

...The Grand Canal got more attention than other waterways because it was the main route to the capital city. Officials used it to travel to the court. Above all, its purpose was to carry grain from the south to the north. Taxes were paid in rice that was used to feed the court and pay the wages of workers and the armyEven when steamships plied the coast, the grain continued to be carried on the Grand Canal until 1901, for this provided jobs for many people.Source: Lyn Harrington, The Grand Canal of China, Rand McNally & CompanyWhat are two reasons the Grand Canal was important to the Chinese?

The Grand CanalWen and his son, Sui Yangdi, build the Grand CanalGrand Canal 1,400 mile long canal that linked the Huang He & Yangtze RiversPurpose was to ensure that grain could be transported to the capitalOver 5 million workers constructed the canalTree lined roads with post offices were built parallel to the canal

Fall of the SuiStrain on LaborOverworked on Grand Canal & rebuilding of the Great WallMajor losses in northern military campaignsFarmers forced to leave land to fightPropitious paws" and Fortunate feetAble bodied Chinese would deliberately break arms & legs to avoid military conscription

Tang Dynasty (618 C.E. 907 C.E.)

Tang DynastyFound by Li Yuan (Emperor Gaozu of Tang)Empress WuConcubine who is the only recognized ruling empress in Chinese historyHad secret policePersecuted, killed, tortured enemiesEmbraced BuddhismDespised by Confucian scholars & moralists

Empress Wu is rumored to have even killed her own daughterWhy would Confucian scholars not approve of Empress Wus reign?Reign of the TangContinued construction on the Great Wall and Grand CanalSecured territory from northern nomadsLeads to re-opening of the Silk Road and revival of trade

Tang coinReign of the TangBureaucracy, Confucianism, & Civil ServiceRestored bureaucracy within ChinaReintroduced civil service examsOpened schools to prepare students for serviceStudied Confucianism and poetryGolden Age of Chinese literatureMix of meritocracy & aristocracy (new class of people)Gentry powerful class of well-to-do people who enjoy a high social status due to position in the government

Tang Achievements & ContributionsPorcelain bone-hard, white ceramic; better known as chinaValuable export for the ChineseTechnology behind its production was secret for centuries

Arts flourished under the TangTang Achievements & ContributionsBlock Printing one block on which a whole page is cut then printed on paper

Tang Achievements & ContributionsGunpowderFirst used for fireworks and then military application

Song Dynasty (960 C.E. 1279 C.E.)

Song are able to restore a Chinese empire after warlords over ran the TangSong Achievements & ContributionsMechanical clock operated by running water

Song Achievements & ContributionsMoveable Type A printer could arrange blocks of individual characters in a frame to make up a page for printing

Song Achievements & ContributionsPaper CurrencySong government minted paper money to replace bulky strings of metal currency used by merchantsContributed to the development of a large scale commercial economy

Song Achievements & ContributionsMagnetic CompassHelps China become a sea powerTrade routes along Pacific Ocean and Southeast Asia grow

Song Achievements & ContributionsPaintingsReflected the Daoist love of natureBlack is ten colorsArtists did not use bright colors

321Identify:

3 Tang Achievements

2 Song Achievements

1 way in which the Sui Dynasty is similar to the Qin Dynasty