Transcript Topic #9_Civilizations in Asia 500-1650

1-30-2017
• What is the dynastic cycle? How was it
explained/justified in ancient China?
• Which Chinese dynasty took China to its
greatest expansion & power?
• What was the major Chinese trade route
that linked China to the Middle East &
Western Europe?
Topic 9: Civilizations of
Asia (500–1650)
Tang and Song China
During the Tang and Song
dynasties, China experiences
an era of prosperity and
technological innovation
The Tang Dynasty Expands China
• Brief Reign of the Sui Dynasty
– Sui Dynasty, established by Wendi,
lasts from 581 to 618.
– Main accomplishment: completing
the Grand Canal, which expands
trade.
– Forced labor, high taxes, lead to
revolt; Sui emperor is assassinated
in 618.
Tag Dynasty Reunifies China
• China restored to earlier glory of the Han
dynasty with Tang dynasty in 618
• Tang Rulers Create a Powerful Empire
– Tang Dynasty (618-907) begun by brilliant emperor
Tang Taizong. – took the throne from his father who
was a general under the Sui Dynasty
– Made Vietnam, Tibet, and Korea tributary states –
remained self-governing but had to acknowledge
Chinese supremacy and send regular tribute to the
Tang emperor
Govt. & Econ Grows
• Wu Zhao—only women in China to assume
title of emperor.
• Restored Han dynasty system of uniform
government – Confucianism comes back in
• Tang rulers expand and unify the empire, and
strengthen the government.
• Land reform – broke up large agriculture
holdings and redistributed the land to the
peasants, weakened the powerful landowners
and increased government revenues
Bureaucracy & Decline
• Scholar-Officials
– Tang rulers revive civil service examination system.
– Theoretically, exams are open to all men, even commoners.
– Practically, only rich can afford necessary education to take
exam.
– Growth of bureaucracy cuts power of nobles.
• The Tang Lose Power
– Tang rulers increase taxes in mid-700s, causing hardship.
– Attacks on empire increase; in 907 the last Tang emperor is
killed.
Song Dynasty Restores China
• Turmoil Followed by Strong Rule
– In 960, Taizu reunites China, and proclaims Song
Dynasty (960-1279).
– Song rulers unable to recapture lands lost in the west
and north.
– In 1100s, Jurchen people arise in Manchuria and set
up their own empire.
– In 1127, Song rulers are forced south; build new
capital at Hangzhou.
– Southern Song empire lasts from 1127 to 1279.
An Era of Prosperity and Innovation
• Growth
– Population doubles during Tang and Song Dynasties to 100
million.
– China becomes the most populous country in the world.
• Science and technology
– Chinese invent gunpowder, porcelain, mechanical clock,
paper money.
– Moveable type—blocks of individual characters—makes
printing easier.
– In mathematics, Chinese develop the use of negative
numbers
• Agriculture
– Advances in farming contribute to population growth.
– Main advance: new strain of rice that produces two crops a
year (Champa rice).
Su Song’s Astronomical
Clock
Growth in Trade
• Trade and Foreign Contacts
– In early Tang period, trade with the west was over the Silk
Road.
– During Tang decline, Chinese depend more on ocean
trade routes.
– Trade stretches from Japan to Southeast Asia, India,
Africa.
– Trade helps Buddhism spread.
– Huge rise in productivity creating surpluses - allowing
pursuit of commerce, learning, and the arts
– Trade grew exponentially
– Tea introduced to China from Southeast Asia
– Paper money used to improve trade
Chinese Art & Architecture
• A Golden Age of Poetry
and Art
– Tang period produces great
poetry, including works by
Li Bo, and Tu Fu.
– Pagoda – multistoried
temple with eaves that
curve up at the corners
– Song period known for
brilliant painting.
Tuesday 1-31-2017
• What was the gentry?
• What are tributary states? Which dynasty
in China set up Vietnam, Korea, and Tibet
as tributary states?
Changes in Chinese Society
• Levels of Society
– Power of noble families fades.
– Wealthy scholar-officials form new upper class, called
the gentry.
– Urban middle class below gentry in social structure
– Gentry class valued scholarship more than physical
labor – studied mostly Confucian thought and ideas
• The Status of Women
– Status of women always lower than men in China.
– The status falls even lower during Tang and Song
periods.
– Foot binding of upper-class girls becomes a new
custom. – showcases women’s subordinate
position
The Mongols!
Mongols: Nomads of the Asian
Steppe
• Geography of the Steppe
– Steppe—dry grassland of Eurasia—provides
home for nomads.
– Two main expanses: Central Asia to eastern
Europe, and Mongolia.
– Steppe has little rain, dramatic seasonal
temperature differences.
Nomadic Way of Life
• The Nomadic Way of Life
– Steppe nomads are pastoralists—herd domesticated animals.
– Way of life teaches Asian nomads to be skilled horse riders.
– Nomads travel in clans—kin groups are linked by a common
ancestor.
• Genghis Khan Unites the Mongols
– About 1200, Genghis Khan—”universal ruler”—unites Mongols.
– In early 1200s, he begins a campaign of conquest.
– By 1225, Genghis Khan controls central Asia.
KHAN!!!!!
• Genghis the Conqueror
– A brilliant organizer and
strategist.
– Uses brutality to terrorize his
enemies and force surrenders.
• Death and Succession
– Genghis Khan dies in 1227.
– Successors continue conquests
for 50 years.
– The Mongols conquer territory
from China to Poland.
The Khanates
• In east, Mongols conquer northern China and invade
Korea.
• In west, Mongols take Kiev and threaten Vienna and
Venice.
• In 1250s, Mongols turn their attention to Persia.
• By 1260, Mongol Empire split into khanates of four
regions.
•
•
•
•
Khanate of the Great Khan (Mongolia & China)
Khanate of the Golden Horde (Russia)
Chagatai Khanate (Central Asia)
Ilkhanate (Persia)
More Mongols
• The Mongols as Rulers
– Mongol rulers are tolerant of other peoples
and cultures.
– Some Mongols adopt local ways, leading to a
split among khanates.
• The Mongol Peace
– Peaceful period from mid-1200s to mid-1300s
is called Pax Mongolica.
– There was much east-west trade and
exchange of ideas during this period.
Kublai Khan Become Emperor
• A New Emperor
– Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis,
becomes great khan in 1260.
– Kublai conquers China by 1279. –
defeats Song emperor in 1279
• Beginning a New Dynasty
– Kublai established the Yuan Dynasty (12791368), a period of peace and prosperity.
– Kublai adopts Chinese ways, and builds capital
at Beijing.
Some Failure in Japan
• Failure to Conquer Japan
– In 1274 and 1281, Kublai tries but fails to
conquer Japan.
– The Massive second invasion was destroyed
by a typhoon.
Mongol Rule in China
• The Mongols and the Chinese
– Mongols live separately from Chinese and follow own
laws.
– Mongols keep top government posts, and put
Chinese in local positions.
– Kublai extends Grand Canal to Beijing, and builds a
highway.
• Foreign Trade
– Trade increases under Kublai, sending Chinese
products to other lands.
– Kublai invites merchants from other lands to China.
Marco Polo at the Mongol Court
– Venetian trader, Marco Polo, visits China in
1275.
– Polo returns to Venice in 1292; tells stories
of what he saw in China.
• Fabulous cities, fantastic wealth
• Burning “black stones (coal) to heat Chinese
homes
• Kublai Khan’s government and trade in Beijing
– These stories were gathered in a book, but
most readers doubt its truth. – sparks
European interest in the riches of Asia
The End of Mongol Rule
• Declining Power
– Failed expeditions to Southeast Asia show
weakness of Yuan Dynasty.
– High taxes cause resentment.
• Yuan Dynasty Overthrown
– Kublai dies in 1294; successors are weak.
– In 1300s, rebellions break out, leading to
formation of Ming Dynasty.
• Decline of the Mongol Empire
– Mongol rule collapses in Persia in the 1330s;
in Central Asia in the 1370s.
– By the end of the 1300s, only Mongol rule in
Russia remains, the Golden Horde.
How Did the Ming Restore Chinese
Rule?
Early Ming rulers sought to reassert Chinese greatness
after years of foreign rule. To accomplish this, they did the
following:
• Restored the civil service system and made the exams
more rigorous than ever
• Revived Confucian learning
• Repaired the canal system that linked regions and made
trade easier
• Made Chinese cities home to many industries, including
porcelain, paper, and tools
• Developed new technologies, which increased output in
manufacturing
• Supported a revival of arts and literature
Wednesday 2-1-2017
• To you consider Genghis Kahn to be a
successful ruler? Why or why not?
• What dynasty is established in China
under the command of Kublai Khan?
• Why were the Mongols successful in
Eurasia?
Exploration
Why did Ming emperors turn their back on
overseas exploration?
• Confucian scholars had little interest in overseas
ventures. To them, Chinese civilization was
superior to all others.
• The Chinese wanted to preserve ancient
traditions, which they saw as the source of
stability.
• Fleets of seagoing ships were costly and did not
produce any profits.
Timeline of China’s Dynasties, 500-1500
Geography of the Korean Peninsula
• Seventy percent of Korea is
mountainous.
• Because farming is difficult in the
mountains, most Koreans live along the
western coastal plain, Korea’s major
farming area.
• Korea has a 5,400 mile coastline with
hundreds of good harbors.
• Since earliest times, Koreans have
depended on seafood for protein in their
diet.
• Korea’s location on China’s doorstep has
played a key role in its development.
Korea United
As early as Han times, China extended its influence to
Korea. Although Koreans absorbed many Chinese
traditions, Korea was able to preserve its independence
and maintain a separate and distinct culture.
Koreans adapted and modified Chinese ideas.
Examples:
• Koreans used the Chinese civil service examination, but
adapted it to fit their own system of inherited ranks.
• Koreans learned to make porcelain from China, but then
perfected techniques of making celadon—a porcelain with
an unusual blue-green glaze.
The Choson Dynasty
In 1392, the Koreans overthrew their Mongol
conquerors and set up the Choson dynasty.
Choson rulers made important contributions to
Korean culture.
•
They reduced Buddhist influence and set up a government
based upon Confucian principles.
Over time, Confucianism greatly influenced Korean life.
• They developed hangul to replace the complex Chinese
writing system. The use of hangul led to an extremely high
literacy rate, or percentage of people who can read and
write.
Feudal Powers in Japan
Japanese civilization is shaped by cultural borrowing
from China and the rise of feudalism and military
rulers.
The Growth of Japanese Civilization
• Japan’s Location
– Japan lies east of China; name means “land
of the rising sun”
– Closest neighbor is 120 miles over water,
Korea
– 500 miles of water separate it from China
• The Geography of Japan
– Consists of about 4,000 islands in a 12,000mile archipelago, chain of islands
– Varied climate, but little land for farming
Early Japan
• Religions
–
–
–
–
Many different clans worshipped own gods
This early religion later called Shinto—“the way of the kami”
Shinto worshipers respect forces of nature, ancestors, and kami
Kami—divine spirits dwelling in nature: tree, rock, waterfall
• The Yamato Emperors
– By 400s, Yamato clan takes control, names emperor.
– For many centuries, Yamato emperors rule; sometimes in name
only .
Japanese Culture
• Buddhism in Japan
– Japanese learn Chinese ideas, customs from
contact with Korea
– Buddhism spreads widely in Japan, mixes
with Shinto practices
Chinese Influence
• Cultural Borrowing from China
– Prince Shotoku rules as regent; sponsors missions to
Tang China
– Chinese ideas, practices gain wide currency in Japan
as result
– Japanese adopt Chinese writing, art, and ways of
everyday living
– Japan does not copy China’s civil-service system
– Selective borrowing – keeping some cultural ways but
discarding or changing others
– Hana – added phonetic symbols representing
syllables, revision of the Chinese system of writing
Life in the Heian Period
• The Heian Court
– In late 700s, Japanese move capital from Nara to
Heian (modern Kyoto)
– Heian’s upper class creates a highly refined court
society
– Rules, rituals, and artistic pursuits structure court life
– The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu illustrates
Heian society
– This 11th-century masterpiece is considered the
world’s first novel
Feudalism Erodes Imperial Authority
• Decline of Central Power
– During most of Heian period (794–1185) rich
Fujiwara family rules
– In mid-1000s, large landowners build private
armies, become warlords
– Small landowners trade land to warlords in
exchange for protection
– Feudal system of local rule develops; Fujiwara
family loses power
Samurai Warriors
– Shogun – supreme military commander
– Landowners take samurai—warriors—as bodyguards
– Samurai live according to Bushido—demanding code
of behavior “The Way of the Warrior” – honor,
bravery, absolute loyalty to one’s lord
– The shogun distributed land to vassal lords who
agreed to protect them. These great warrior lords
were called daimyo. They, in turn, granted land to
lesser warriors called samurai.
The Kamakura Shogunate
– In late 1100s, Minamoto family wins in
struggle for power
– In 1192, Yoritomo becomes shogun—military
dictator running Japan
– Shogun rules from Kamakura, while emperor
stays in Kyoto
– Kamakura shoguns use samurai to repel
Mongol invasions (1274, 1281) - very weak
after repelling the Mongols
Thursday 2-2-2017
• What is selective borrowing? What are
some examples in American culture that
you have seen with selective borrowing?
Be sure to describe them.
• How are the samurai like the knights of
Western Europe?
The Tokugawa Shogunate
Determined to end feudal warfare, the Tokugawa
shoguns:
• imposed central government control on all Japan
• created a unified, orderly society
• required the daimyo to live in the shogun’s capital
every other year
• created new laws that fixed the social order rigidly in
place and upheld a strict moral code
• imposed restrictions on women
• oversaw economic growth, the flourishing of trade, and
the emergence of a middle class
Culture of Feudal Japan
Kingdoms of Southeast
Asia and Korea
Several smaller kingdoms prosper in East
and Southeast Asia, a region culturally
influenced by China and India.
Kingdoms of Southeast Asia
• Geography of Southeast Asia
– Area between Indian and Pacific Oceans,
includes mainland and islands.
– Five major rivers on mainland, but mountains
make travel difficult.
– Key to power in region is control of trade
routes and harbors.
Built in the 1100s,
Angkor Wat is the
world’s largest
religious structure.
The temple at
Borobudur has 92
statues of Buddha
on its top level.
Kingdoms of Southeast Asia
• Influence of India and China
– Indian traders arrive in first century A.D.; bring
Buddhism, Hinduism.
– Indian influence remains today.
– Chinese migrants and traders bring Chinese
influence.
– By 1200s, Muslims ruled northern India,
traders spread Islamic beliefs and Muslims
culture
– Indonesia has the largest Muslim population
of any nation in the world
Kingdoms of Southeast Asia
• The Khmer Empire
– By 800s the Khmer conquers kingdoms, creates
an empire.
– Khmer Empire (now Cambodia) controls
Southeast Asian mainland.
– Rulers build temple complexes in capital, Angkor.
– Angkor Wat—square mile complex dedicated to
Hindu god Vishnu.
Kingdoms of Southeast Asia
• Island Trading Kingdoms
– Sailendra dynasty rules on Java; its culture
shows Indian influence.
– Island empire Srivijaya dominated area from
600s to 1200s.
Kingdoms of Southeast Asia
• Dai Viet
– During Han Dynasty, China controls Southeast
Asia. Vietnam becomes an independent
kingdom, Dai Viet, in 939.
– Influenced by Chinese culture: Buddhism,
government.
– Keep own cultural identity; women have some
independence.
– Ly Dynasty (1009–1225) establishes capital at
Hanoi.
Korean Dynasties
• Korean Culture
– Combines Chinese culture with native traditions
• Geography of Korea
– Peninsula with little arable land; mountains and seas
isolate it.
Korean Dynasties
• Early History
– Different clans control areas; in108 B.C., Han
China conquers Korea
– Chinese introduce governing method,
religions, system of writing
– Regional powers arise; the Silla defeats
others, drives out Chinese
– Silla rule: Buddhist monasteries, bronze
sculptures, writing system
Modern Connection: Two Koreas
• Since the end of World War II, Korea has
been arbitrarily divided into two
countries—communist North Korea and
democratic South Korea.
• For years, many Koreans longed for their
country to be reunited. Hopes for such a
day rose in 2000 when the presidents of
the two nations sat down to discuss
reunification.
• In 2002, however, North Korea
announced that it was developing nuclear
weapons and would use them against
South Korea if necessary. This greatly
dimmed people’s hopes for one Korea.
Korean Dynasties
• The Koryu Dynasty
– In 935, Wang Kon takes control, forms Koryu
Dynasty, rules to 1392
– Models government on China’s civil service
system, with differences
– Mongols dominate Korea from 1231 to 1360s
– In 1392, scholar-officials overthrow Koryu
Dynasty
Korean Dynasties
• Koryu Culture
– Inspired by Song
artists; Korean
artists produce
celadon pottery
– Korean artisans
produce wood
blocks for printing
Buddhist scriptures