Transcript Golden Age in China and Japan

Golden Age in China and
Japan
Chapter 12
Miss Isler
World History
Two Great Dynasties in China
Sui Dynasty Reunited China
Sui Wen-ti, 500 CE, united northern and
southern China under strong central
government
Called Sui Dynasty (pronounces sway)
Son followed, Yang-ti
Yang-ti built the Grand Canal- cut across
the center of China, tying the Yellow River
and the Yangtze River together
Grand Canal
United northern and southern China both
politically and economically
Allowed rice to be transported from south
to north
Sui dynasty short, eventually people
annoyed with their constant spending
(Yang-ti one of most hanted emperors in
Chinese history)
People rebelled, Yang-ti murdered
T’ang Dynasty
T’ai-tsung, rebel general, took over
– Golden Age of China- rich and powerful
T’ang Dynasty ruled 300 yrs
Took over Korea
T’ai-tsung lowered taxes and took lands from
wealthy landlords and gave to peasants
Wu Zhao
She strengthened T’ang rule
Only woman to ever rule China in her own
name
She encouraged the spread of Buddhism
Scholar-officials Governed China
Those who wanted to be government officials
had to pass exams on Confucius
Those who passed were free from taxes or
serving in the army
Followed the fashion of growing fingernails long
(2 inch nails showed they didn’t labor)
Gave China a very intelligent governing class,
not based on family wealth
Gentry- large, well to-do group of ppl below
nobles, but above commoners
T’ang Dynasty Lost Power
Could not control vast Empire they built
with such low taxes, but if raised, then
revolts- losing control
Battle of Talas- Chinese lost to Arabs in
west, central Asia in Muslim hands
755- revolts against the T’ang emperor,
and Chinese rulers never gained control
again. By 907, T’ang dynasty gone.
Sung Dynasty
907, several kingdoms in China
960, Sung T’ai-tsu (soong tye-dzoo)
declared himself emperor
Nomads, Hsia (shee-ah) and Tatars (thatuhrz) took over northern lands, and
contributed to China never regaining this
property
Sung emperors tried to buy peace with
them (silk, silver, etc.) Worked for 100 yrs
Tatars
Tatars invaded, pushed Sung emperors to
southern China, thus by 1126, Sung only
controlled south of Yangtze River
However, China prospered- sold rice, tea,
fish, etc. at markets of Hangchow
Introduction of paper money (before
copper coins)
Porcelain
Only Chinese knew recipe for porcelain
(hence calling it china)
In bright, vibrant colors
Sung Dynasty the golden age of painting
Painted on silk, used black paint (a first)
Technology
Printing, gunpowder, and the compass- all
hed revolutionary impact on the world
All originated in the T’ang Dynasty and
developed during the Sung
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Decline of Sung
Collapsed due to abandonment of
northern half of China to the Tartars
By 1200s, lost southern half to Mongols
Poetry
Most lives in cities- full of art
Poems talked of nature, focused on a
single moment, and were brief
Haiku