East Asia

1. East Asia

2. After the Han Dynasty • After the Han dynasty collapsed in 220 CE, no emperor was strong enough to hold China together • 581 CE- Sui Dynasty • Only lasted for two emperors • Grand Canal- connected North and South China • Increased trade- cities developed along the route

3. Tang and Song Dynasties • Two of the most influential of the Chinese Dynasties were the Tang and Song Dynasties • These dynasties were important in developing China’s culture prior to the Mongol invasions.

4. Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) • Founded by Li Yuan and Li ShiMin (father and son) • Li ShiMin takes on the name Tang Taizong • Strong military expanded the empire- forced neighboring lands of Vietnam, Tibet, and Korea to become tributary states • While they remained self-governing, they had to acknowledge Chinese supremacy and send regular tribute ($) to the emperor • Brings wealth to China, expands trade and cultural diffusion, but increases Chinese ethnocentrism

5. Tang Dynasty • Restored uniform government throughout China • Rebuilt bureaucracy and established a flexible new law code • Expanded civil service system (based on Confucian teachings), built schools to prepare male students for the exams • Land Reforms- broke up large land holdings and redistributed land to peasants • Strengthened the government- weakened the power of large land-owners, brought in more money via taxes • Expanded network of roads and canals • Decline- corruption, high taxes, drought, famine, rebellion, border attacks

6. Empress Wu • Wu Zetian originally came to the court of Tang Taizong to become one of the emperor’s secondary wives • After his death, she became the favored wife of his son and successor • Rose above rival wives to become the empress • Virtually ruled China for many years on behalf of her sick husband • Created a secret police to spy on her opposition • Was declared emperor of China in 690- the only woman in China to be declared so • Found the best people to help her run the government (scholars rather than wealthy military men), lowered taxes for peasants, increased agricultural production, strengthened public works

7. Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE) • Established by a scholarly general named Zhao Kuangyin • Ruled for slightly longer than the Tang, but controlled less territory • Faced constant threat of invaders in the north Together, the Tang and Song Dynasties are thought of as a Golden Age in China- time of wealth and prosperity with achievements in math, science, and technology

8. Well Ordered Society • Society was rigid during these dynasties- very strict social system • At top of society was the emperor, whose court was filled with aristocratic families • Huge bureaucracy oversaw China’s huge population • Officials came from scholar gentry • Departments included tax collecting, government revenue, medicine, astronomy, mathematics • Gentry- wealthy landowners who valued scholarship over physical labor • Supported a revival of Confucian thought

9. Confucianism and Civil Service • Confucianism developed in China around 500 BCE • Philosophy of ideas concerning social order and good government • Harmony occurs when people accept their place in society • Filial piety- respect for one’s father, elders, and ancestors • It is a ruler’s responsibility to provide good government, and in return the people will be loyal subjects • Confucianism preached the value of education, and influenced the development of the civil service exam which gave government jobs based on merit rather than family ties

10. Peasants, then Merchants? • Majority of Chinese society were peasants • Worked the land, living on what they produced • Lived in small, self-sufficient villages • Could move up in society through education and government service • Although merchants could be wealthy, they sat at the bottom of the social hierarchy • Confucian tradition- lowest status because their wealth came from the labor of others

11. Status of Women • Chinese society was patriarchal- valued boys more than girls • Women “became a part” of husband’s family- never allowed to remarry, had no access to dowry • Women had power in household by managing the home- servants and family finances • Subordinate position of women reinforced by custom of foot binding during the Song dynasty • Small feet were a symbol of beauty and a sign of wealth/status • Extremely painful, led to crippled-style of walking • Peasants who needed their daughters to work in fields rejected the practice, but most women did have their feet bound

12. Buddhism in the Tang and Song • Buddhist merchants visited China as early as the second century B.C. • Found a popular following in Tang and Song China • Emphasized high standards of morality, intellectual sophistication, and a promise of salvation • Not taxed by government • Monks free of labor and taxes Review- Buddhism Goal is to reach Nirvana Life is suffering because of desire End desire by following the Eight-fold Path Reincarnation to keep trying to get to Nirvana

13. Buddhist Persecution Persecution- hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs. • Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution (840’s-900 CE) • Initiated in an effort to gain war funding by stripping Buddhism of its wealth and drive foreign influences from China (other religions persecuted as well) • Buddhist land and monks not taxed • Daoists: opposed to “foreign” religion • Nirvana = spiritual death • Wanted only native Chinese religions to rule • Confucians: Had government power • Buddhist equality opposed Five Relationships • Ascetic life destroyed marital bonds & family

14. Economic Prosperity • Improved farming methods • New form of fast-growing rice imported from Vietnam allowed farmers to harvest two crops per year rather than one • New heavy iron plows, enriched soil with manure and compost, extensive irrigation systems • Increased trade with foreign countries- India, Persia, and the Middle East • Via both land (Silk Road) and sea • Tea introduced to China from Southeast Asia • Government issues paper money to improve trade (1st in the world) • Lighter, easier and safer to carry • Increase in food production and increase in trade lead to population increase in cities

15. Advances in Science & Technology • Using earlier advances, close observation, and analysis, the Chinese made many breakthroughs in astronomy, medicine, and military technology • Astronomy- accurate star maps and calendars • Improved acupuncture • Gunpowder- invented during the Tang and expanded in use during Song • Initially used in fireworks • Weapons- canons, “fire-lances” and other firearms • Porcelain- lighter, thinner, and adaptable to more uses than earlier pottery, also aesthetically pleasing • Song porcelain found as far away as East Africa

16. The Printed Word • First wood-block printing press (Tang) • Carved a reverse image of an entire page into a wooden block, inked the block, then pressed a sheet of paper on top of it • Song create movable-type printing press • Fashioned dies in the shape of ideographs, arranged them in a frame, inked them, and pressed the frame over paper sheets • Books faster/easier to make • Cheaper- More people can buy/afford • Literacy rates increase • Knowledge expands and new ideas circulate- Buddhist and Confucian texts, calendars, agricultural and medical texts

17. Culture in the Tang and Song • Art- painting and calligraphy were essential skills for scholar-gentry • Simple strokes and lines creating balance and harmony • Landscapes become popular • Sculptures of Buddha • Architecture- influenced by Buddhist themes • Pagoda- multistoried temple with eaves turned up • Literature- poetry was most respected form of literature • Confucian scholars were expected to master poetry as a skill • Buddhist and Daoist themes, social issues, shortness of life and immensity of the universe • Li Bo- harmony with nature • Du Fu- more realistic

18. Fall of the Song Dynasty • The Song Dynasty falls due to a variety of reasons • Weaker later rulers • Too many Scholar-Gentry and Government officials • Paid by taxes • Too expensive to maintain • Weaker military • Invaded and defeated by Mongols in 1279 CE

19. Korea • Korea is located Northeast of China- separated by mountains and the Yalu River • Peninsula with many mountains • The peninsula points towards Japan, making it the perfect cultural bridge to spread culture from China and Korea to Japan.

20. Korea and China • Korea sees itself as the ‘younger brother’ to China and accepted help in its development. • Many ideas passed to Korea from China, such as Buddhism and the Civil Service exams • Though the Koreans adopted many ideas from China they rejected the complicated Chinese writing style. They developed their own writing called hangul- the Korean phonetic alphabet that uses symbols to represent the sounds of spoken Korean. • Because it was so much easier to learn and use, Korea’s literacy rate soared Chinese….Korean

21. Japan- Geography • Archipelagoeast of Korea- 4 main islands and 3,000 smaller ones • 73% of Japan is mountainous terrain • Difficult to farm terrace farming • Can limit political unification • Seas protect and isolate Japan • Korea serves as a cultural bridge, but Japan still creates a unique and distinct culture

22. The Ring of Fire • Japan is part of the Ring of Fire- a region in the Pacific effected by earthquakes and volcanoes • Seismic activity can cause underground/ underwater earthquakes, leading to tidal waves called tsunamis • In 2011, a large earthquake occurred off the coast of Japan. That earthquake resulted in a tsunami that killed thousands of people in Japan

23. Ancient Japan • Japan’s mountains made it difficult to unite (think Greece) • Uji (clan system) develops • Decentralized, patrilineal • Each family had and maintained own warriors • There was no unifying force in Japan, politically or religiously • Most Japanese practiced a form of Shinto

24. Review- Shinto • Shinto is based on worship of Nature. The Japanese believe in harmony between living spirits. • Polytheistic- nature spirits are known as Kami • Unlike other religions, Shinto never spread beyond Japan, but can be compared to animism. • Shinto declines when Buddhism arrives in Japan around 500 CE

25. Cultural Bridge Japan owes much of its development to cultural diffusion from China, which passed through Korea, the Cultural Bridge. Though Japan receives many ideas from China, they will adapt them to their own needs.

26. Cultural Diffusion & Selective Borrowing • Examples of cultural diffusion: • Pagodas • Buddhism • Writing (but added kana- phonetic symbols representing syllables) • Wood block prints • Despite the many ideas, beliefs and technologies that the Japanese adopted from China, there were several items they did not adopt • Civil Service Exam- instead continued to give important government position based on family connections

27. Heian Court- 794-1185 CE • Imperial period of Japanese history when many aspects of Chinese culture are imported • Period of elegant and sophisticated culture- art, writing, clothing • World’s first novel written by a woman- Tales of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu

28. Japanese Feudalism • In the countrysides of Japan, rival clans battled for control • Emperor ruled in name, but Shoguns (military governors) held real power • Powerful clans and families fought for the title of Shogun from 1100s to 1603 • A feudal system developed to provide protection and stability during the chaos • Very similar to Europe’s- rigid social structures, created social order, and was a form of protection

29. Japan’s Feudal Classes • Emperor- little actual power • Shogun- powerful military leaders • Daimyo- nobles/lords who had largearmies and large land holdings • Samurai- warrior class • Peasants- largest class • Merchants- at the bottombecause they made $ offthe work of others

30. Samurai • Samurai were the fighting aristocracy • Trained from birth to fight- true samurai had no fear of death • Given land by daimyo, built and maintained manors/castles • Protected the serfs living under them, took 40% of rice crop as payment • Followed the code of Bushido- “way of the warrior” • Emphasized honor, bravery, and absolute loyalty to one’s lord • If they violated Bushido, they were expected to commit Seppuku, a ritual suicide

31. Bushido and Chivalry • Bushido and Chivalry were both codes of moral conduct for the warrior class. • Bushido stressed honor, loyalty and bravery • Chivalry stressed loyalty, respect for women and proper fighting • The Code of Bushido was more successful in controlling the Samurai than the code of Chivalry for the European Knights

32. Mongol “fail”-boats • In the 1200s the Mongols had taken China, and quickly spread to their other territories. • However, on their attempts to take over the Mongols encountered typhoons. The typhoons destroyed the Mongol fleets. • The Japanese said the Kamikaze (divine winds) saved them from the Mongols

33. Tokugawa Shogunate • 1603- Tokugawa Ieyasu gained control over most of the Japanese archipelago • This marks the first unified Japan • Kept outward forms of feudal society, but imposed centralized government control  centralized feudalism • Forced daimyo to live in the capital city of Edo every other year, but wives and children had to live there permanently • Also could not repair castles or marry without permission from the shogun • Passed laws to keep the social order rigid and unchanging • Only samurai could hold gov’t jobs, peasants had to remain on the land, lower classes couldn’t wear luxuries like silk clothing

34. Economic Prosperity • Despite strict social order, Japan’s economy grew massively under the Tokugawa Shogunate • Fewer feudal conflicts meant that agriculture improved and expanded • Food surpluses led to rapid population growth • Internal trade increased- new roads link Edo to daimyo castles • Wealthy merchant class emerges • Despite low status under Confucian tradition (why?) gained influence by lending $ to daimyo and samurai

35. Tokugawa Isolation • The most important act taken by the Tokugawa Shogunate was the isolation of Japan- Closed Country Edict in 1636 • Japan cut itself off from trade with other people and cultures (limited trade for supplies with China and Korea), prohibits travel abroad • Japan would be isolated for over 300 years Positive effects: ● Internal trade grows ● Peace and stability in Japan ● Uniformity of Japanese culture maintained ● Japan not imperialized by Europeans Negative effects: ● Lack of cultural diffusion ● Technology falls behind (esp. military tech) ● Christianity outlawed and persecuted

36. Review Korea greatly influenced the development of early Japan by • Acting as a bridge for ideas from China • Providing Japan with the technology for industrialization • Serving as a barrier against Chinese aggression • Protecting Japan from early foreign invasions.

37. Review The code of Bushido of the Japanese Samurai is the most similar to • Belief in reincarnation and karma of Hindus • Practice of chivalry by European knights • Teachings of Judaism • Theory of natural rights of the Enlightenment writers

38. Review Which is a characteristic of a Feudal Society? • Rapid social change • High literacy rate • Industrial-based economy • Rigid class structure

39. Review A valid generalization about early Japanese culture is that Japan • Had a strong influence on the development of culture in Korea • Spread Shinto throughout Asia • Maintained a uniquely individual culture while borrowing much from other cultures • Imported almost all of its cultural ideas from China, resulting in nearly identical cultures

40. Review In Japan between 1603 and 1868 the most notable action taken by the Tokugawa Shogunate was the • Military conquest of China • Development of extensive trade with the Americas • Formation of cultural links with Europe • Virtual isolation of the country from the outside world