Transcript The Tang & Song Dynasties

Two Golden Ages in
China:
Tang & Song Dynasties
Two Great Dynasties in China
During
the Tang
(618-907) and
Song (960-1279)
dynasties, China
became the richest,
powerful, most
advanced country
in the world.
Main Idea:
Tang & Song China
experienced an era of
prosperity and
technological
innovation.
Why it Matters:
Inventions from this
period such as
printing & gunpowder
dramatically changed
history.
Tang Dynasty Accomplishments
Rulers such as Li Yuan, the 1st
emperor, expanded Chinese empire.
-----How? Vietnam, Tibet, and Korea
became tributary states (independent
but had to show loyalty, pay taxes to
China)
Enlarged civil service system
Tang Dynasty Accomplishments
Established land reform (redistributed land to
peasants)- Think: Where have we seen this
before?....
Effect of land reform: tax revenue from
peasants
Grand Canal was built- linked Yellow
(Huang He) to Yangzi River)
Song Dynasty
Controlled less territory than
the Tang
Economy expanded, especially
in farming due to better irrigation
and crop production
Foreign trade exploded under
both dynasties
Chinese Society
Three main social
groupings:
1. Gentry
(landowners)
2. Peasants
(farmers)
3. Merchants
(Businessmen)
Most
Status of Women
remained
within the home but
enjoyed great
authority over family
affairs.
Absorbed into
husband’s family after
marriage.
This reflects
Confucian traditions.
Achievements of Tang/Song
Mechanical clock
Gunpowder (huge in
warfare, empirebuilding)
Block print, movable
type
Smallpox vaccine
Landscape painting
Poetry (Li Bo/ Li
Bai- Tang poet)
Inventions of Tang and Song China
 Most
of these pieces have been found in the more
affluent tombs of the Tang period
The Tang and Song Dynasties Compared
Tang Only
Expanded
empire by
establishing
tributary
states,
adopted
Buddhism
Both
Prospered due
to trade,
improved
agriculture,
great art &
literature,
created ordered
society
Song Only
Ruled smaller
empire,
developed into
great sea
power,
created
movable type