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Sui (581-618) and Tang (619-960) China

Sui (581-618) and Tang (619-960) China. October 4, 2012. Review. What is the relationship between Laozi and the Daoist religion? What was the relationship between the peoples of India and the peoples of Central Asia? What were the differences between northern India and southern India?

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Sui (581-618) and Tang (619-960) China

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  1. Sui (581-618)and Tang (619-960) China • October 4, 2012

  2. Review • What is the relationship between Laozi and the Daoist religion? • What was the relationship between the peoples of India and the peoples of Central Asia? • What were the differences between northern India and southern India? • What is the difference between Vedic religion and Hinduism?

  3. Hindu Paths to Salvation • Brahminical orthopraxy. Performing traditional rituals and following your own dharma. • Renunciation. Adopting an ascetic life-style in order to escape the attachment to this world that causes reincarnation • worship of various gods. Puja • Yoga as a means of disciplining the body and the mind so that you can gain full awareness of the nature of true reality. • Sometimes summarized as knowledge, ritual, and devotion.

  4. Major Gods of Hinduism • Vishnu, and his avatars Krishna and Ram • Shiva • Devi (the goddess)

  5. Religious Change • Buddhism entered China near the end of the Han but faced many obstacles. • However, after the Han fell, it became the dominant religion, particularly in the north. • Buddhism became sinified. It became a Chinese religion. • Religious Daoism also emerged in the late Han. • Confucianism developed new family rituals.

  6. Sui and Tang China • The Rapid rise and fall of the Sui • Reunification, the Grand Canal, and defeat at the hands of Koguryŏ • Tang: China’s “Golden Age” • Bureaucracy gains on the aristocracy • The Tang Law Code • The Six Ministries and the Censorate • The Tang turns slightly away from Buddhism

  7. Changes in Chinese society • Shang---a small ruling class of chariot-riding warriors. • Zhou --feudalism--both control of force and control of ritual used to maintain power. Status is hereditary. • Han--an educated aristocracy replaces warriors as feudalism declines • Tang--bureaucrats began to challenge aristocrats. Landownership and education grew in importance.

  8. Aristocrats and Bureaucrats • aristocrat: someone whose high status and power are due to their family background. Aristocrats thus are somewhat independent of government, particularly of the emperor, because they have an independent power base in their land-holdings and in their inherited charisma • bureaucrat: an appointed government official who has certain duties and responsibilities defined by this position in the bureaucracy. Since his official power comes from his official appointment, he is more dependent than an aristocrat on the government which appointed him.

  9. Tang government • Rule by law: there was a law code applied throughout the empire. • There were six ministries (Personnel, Revenue, Rites, War, Punishments, and Public Works), plus a Censorate • The central government appointed local officials. • This is not feudalism. It is centralized government, not layered government.

  10. Women of Tang • Empress Wu-- r. 690--706 • Called herself the Maitreya Buddha • Yang Guifei (719-56) • the beauty who brought down an empire • Women, with unbound feet, played polo

  11. Tang and its Neighbors • The Tribute system • China as centre of the world • Tang was a cosmopolitan society, with many foreign residents • 751 was a bad year: • defeated by Arabs in the west, • Khitan (Qidan) in the north, • and Nanzhao in the south

  12. Neighbouring countries • Vietnam is the Chinese territory of Annam • Tibet is strong and at war with Tang • Turks-fighting back and forth • The rise of the Uighur allied state • Japan--limited ties • Korea: Tang and Silla defeat Koguryŏ and Paekche. Silla becomes a tributary state. • Parhae (Pohai) is also a tributary state. • India and Southeast Asia: envoys (and tribute) exchanged with some states.

  13. Tang Culture • Guanyin (Bodhisattva of Compassion) becomes depicted as female. • Porcelain (China) is invented • Tri-color glazed pottery is developed • Tang poetry: • Regulated verse • Free-flowing verse (like Turkish folk songs) • China’s greatest poets: Li Bai and Du Fu

  14. A Li Bai Poem • 對酒不覺瞑 • 落花盈我衣 • 醉起步溪月 • 鳥還人亦稀 • Facing Wine--I don’t notice the dusk • Falling flowers cover my robe • Drunkenly I rise, and walk with the moon in the stream • Birds have gone back, and people are few.

  15. Impact of buddhism • printing (woodblocks) • New forms of architecture and art (sculpture in particular) • the adoption of the chair • the use of sugar • the drinking of tea • The Tang temporarily withdrew most official support for Buddhism in 845--Buddhist temples took too much land off the tax rolls.

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