Transcript Chinese Renaissance Sui to Song

Sui Dynasty, 581-618 C.E.
 “Land Equalization” System –>
land redistribution
 Unified coinage
 Established army of
professional
soldiers

People were overworked
and overtaxed!
Financial Stress
 War for
Korea
further
strains
finances
 Grand Canal
constructed
 Strained
financial
resources
The Grand Canal
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 C.E.
High point of Chinese history
Imperial examination system
perfected
Liberal attitude towards all religions
 Spread of Buddhism in China
Golden Age of foreign relations with
other countries

Japan, Korea, Persia
Tang Gov’t. Organization
Tang Dynasty, 618-907 C.E.
 New technologies:
 Printing
--> moveable print
 Porcelain
 Gunpowder
 Mechanical clocks
 More cosmopolitan culture
 Reestablished safety of Silk Road
 Tea came into China from
Southeast Asia
Empress Wu Zetian, 624-705
 Only Chinese Empress to rule alone
 Searched for outstanding individuals
to attract to her court
 Constructed new irrigation systems
 Buddhism was favored state
religion
 Financed building of many
Buddhist temples
 BUT… She appointed cruel and sadistic
ministers to seek out her enemies
Foot-Binding in Tang China
 Broken toes by 3 years of age.
 Size 5 ½ shoe
on the right
Foot-Binding in Tang China
Mothers bound their daughters’ feet.
Foot-Binding in Tang China
 For upper-class girls,
it became new custom
Results of Foot-Binding
End of Tang Dynasty
 Causes of decline
 Misrule
 Court intrigues
 Economic exploitation
 Rebellions
 Made
it possible for northern invaders
to defeat them
 Next 50 years saw fragmentation of
China
 Five
northern dynasties
 Ten southern kingdoms
Song [Sung] Dynasty,
960-1279 C.E.
 Creation of urban, merchant
middle class
 Neo-Confucianists wanted
to purify Confucianism

 Increased emphasis on education &
cheaper availability of printed books
 Magnetic compass
made China great
sea power!
Confucian Inspired Sayings
"Women are to be led and
to follow others.“
"A woman ruler is like a
hen crowing.“
"Woman's greatest duty is
to produce a son."
Confucian Inspired Sayings
"We should not be too familiar
with the lower orders or with
women."
"The woman with no talent is
the one who has merit.“
"Those who cannot be taught,
cannot be instructed. These
are women and eunuchs."
Confucian Inspired Sayings
"A husband can marry twice, but
his wife must never remarry.“
"Man is honored for strength; a
woman is beautiful on account of
her gentleness."
"Disorder is not sent down by
Heaven, it is produced by
women."
Song Peasant Family
Song Began Rice Cultivation
Song Rice Cultivation