Transcript File

The Sui Dynasty (581-618 CE) followed by the Tang Dynasty and preceded by the Southern and
Northern Dynasties in China; it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes.
The Sui Dynasty, founded by Emperor Wen, or Yang Jian, held
its capital at Chang'an (present-day Xi'an), also known during
Sui as Daxing (大興). It was marked by the reunification of
Southern and Northern China and the construction of the
Grand Canal, though it was a relatively short Chinese dynasty.
It saw various reforms by Emperors Wen and Yang: the Equalfield system, initiated to reduce the rich-poor social gap,
resulted in enhanced agricultural productivity; governmental
power was centralized and the Three Departments and Six
Ministries system officially instituted; coinage was
standardized and re-unified; defense was improved, and The
Great Wall was expanded. Buddhism was also spread and
encouraged throughout the empire, uniting the varied people
and cultures of China.
This dynasty has often been compared to the earlier Qin
Dynasty in tenure and the ruthlessness of its
accomplishments. The Sui dynasty's early demise was
attributed to the government's tyrannical demands on the
people, who bore the crushing burden of taxes and
compulsory labor. These resources were overstrained in the
completion of the Grand Canal—a monumental engineering
feat—and in the undertaking of other construction projects,
including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. Weakened by
costly and disastrous military campaigns against Goguryeo
which ended with defeat of Sui in the early seventh century,
the dynasty disintegrated through a combination of popular
revolts, disloyalty, and assassination.
The Tang Dynasty (618–907 C.E.) was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty;
it was founded by the Li (李) family, who seized power after the collapse of the Sui Empire.
The Tang Dynasty, with its capital at Chang'an–the most
populous city in the world at the time, is regarded by
historians as a high point in Chinese civilization—equal to or
surpassing that of the earlier Han Dynasty. Its territory,
acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers, was
greater than that of the Han period, and rivaled that of the
later dynasties. The enormous Grand Canal of China, built
during the previous Sui Dynasty, facilitated the rise of new
urban settlements along its route as well as increased trade
between mainland Chinese markets. The canal is to this day
the longest in the world.
With its large population base, the dynasty was able to raise
professional armies of hundreds of thousands of troops.
Various kingdoms and states paid tribute to the Tang court,
while the Tang also conquered or subdued several regions.
In Chinese history, the Tang Dynasty was largely a period of
progress and stability. Like the previous Sui Dynasty, the Tang
Dynasty maintained a civil service system by drafting officials
through standardized exams. There were many notable
innovations during the Tang, including the development of the
early compass, woodblock printing, improvements in cotton
and silk textile production. The central government largely
withdrew from managing the economy, but the country's
mercantile affairs stayed intact and commercial trade
continued to thrive regardless. But eventually social unrest
lead to a violent up rise that in essence ushered in the end of
the Tang’s dynastic rule.
The Song Dynasty (960-1279 succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was
followed by the Yuan Dynasty; it was divided into two periods—a northern and southern one.
During the Northern Song the Song capital was in the northern
city of Bianjing and the dynasty controlled most of inner China.
The Southern Song refers to the period after the Song lost
control of northern China to the Jins. During this time, the
Song court retreated south and established a new capital.
Although the Song Dynasty had weakened, the Song economy
was not in ruins, becoming the first government in history to
issue banknotes or paper money.
It was also the first Chinese government to establish a
permanent standing navy. To repel the Jin, and later the
Mongols, the Song also developed revolutionary new military
technology augmented by the use of gunpowder.
Social life during the Song was vibrant. Neo-Confucianism
became once again a guiding force in their society and
government. This new version of Confucianism incorporated
old ideas with Buddhist influences. Women’s rights remained
low and practices like foot binding began.
The spread of literature and knowledge was enhanced by the
earlier invention of woodblock printing and the 11th-century
invention of movable type printing. Pre-modern technology,
science, mathematics, engineering, and other intellectual
pursuits flourished over the course of the Song. One key
development that centered around their understanding of
astrological activity and magnetic energy lead to
improvements to the compass. This gave rise to better boats,
called Junks.