Transcript Sui, Tang and Song

Sui, Tang, and Song
Sui
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Reunification of China
Shortlived - 585-618
Built the Grand Canal to connect society
Reinstated the Confucian examination system
– Confucianism had lost sway with the people following
the fall of the Han
– In the place of Confucianism, Buddhism was
established
• Buddhism played a religious, economic and political role in
China
Tang
Tang 618-907
• Early Relationship with Buddhism
– Mahayana Buddhism: bodhisattvas postponed nirvana
in order to help others achieve enlightenment
– Kings as bodhisattvas (Empress Wu)
– The role of monasteries
• Chang’an, the capital of the Tang had over 1
million people and became the center of
Communication
– Cosmopolitan city – e.g. Islamic and Jewish merchants
made their way to the city
• Tribute system – emissaries with new ideas
• Huge growth in Trade: lost monopoly on silk,
began to produce its own cotton, tea etc
Tang
• Late (840s) relationship with
Buddhism
– Destruction of monasteries
– Priests, workers and slaves become
lay people = taxpayers
– Land confiscated
• Fall of the Tang
– Internal disorder
– Buddhist uprisings
– Regional governors broke away from
the Tang and the dynasty ended
Power Struggles in Inner Asia and
China
• Tibet
– Mahayana Buddhism
– Powerful military– eventually
finds itself allied against the Tang
– To keep up with Tang power, the
leader follows the Tang example
of eradicating Buddhism
• Rebellion: the emperor is
overthrown and monks take over
– Monastic rule
Song
907-1127 and Southern 1127-1279
Song Industries
• Technological Innovations
– Much borrowed from cosmopolitan Tang
– Mathematics, astronomy, calendar making
– Su Song’s mechanical clock
• Time, day, month and lunar cycle as well as movements of some
stars and planets
– Improved compass (made it suitable for seafaring)
– Ship design improvements
• Song Army: standing army
– Iron and coal steel for weapons, armor and defensive
works
– gunpowder
Song Economy and Society
• Examination system… a
means to indoctrinate!
• Moveable type  mass production of
preparatory texts and agricultural
technologies
– Prep books indoctrinated exam takers
– Increased agricultural output…How?
– Led to population growth  100 million
• Credit system: “flying money”
• Paper money (caused inflation…)
• Women’s status declined
– Lost rights
– Bound feet became mandatory  a means
to limit the freedom of women
Most populous cities 1000
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Cordova, Spain
450,000
Kaifeng, China
400,000
Constantinople, Turkey 300,000
Angkor, Cambodia 200,000
Kyoto, Japan 175,000
Cairo, Egypt 135,000
Baghdad, Iraq 125,000
Nishapur, Iran
125,000
Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia
110,000
Patan (Anhilwara), India 100,000