China and Japan: Learning, Culture, and Empires

1. Unit 7 Asia

2. Foreword • Asia, we focus on China and Japan, was a center of learning and culture. • China had a large unified empire ruled over by a series of dynasties. • China invented paper money, porcelain, gunpowder and made improvements in transportation and agriculture. • Japan, during the Heian period, a golden age in art and literature. Japan produced great art, poetry and world’s first novel. • Japan developed a military government, Shogun, run by generals and warriors, samurai.

3. Chapter 7 China Reunifies

4. Preface • Following the destruction of the Han dynasty in 220 AD a period of civil war and chaos called the Period of Disunion gripped China. • China was reunified by the Sui, Tang and Song dynasties. Dynasties could rule for hundreds of years. The reunification lasted 700 years. • Buddhism brought major religious changes to China.

5. Period of Disunion • From 220 to 589 AD China was ravaged by the Period of Disunion (POD). China was divided into several warring military kingdoms. War was common. • Nomads settled in Northern China and adopted Chinese culture. Some Chinese adopted nomadic practice. Cultures blended. • Many Chinese unwilling to live under nomadic rulers fled to Southern China. As a result, northern culture blended with southern culture. • Blending altered Chinese culture. New art, music, food and clothing developed. Chinese culture spread.

6. The Sui Dynasty • Yang Jiang ended the POD by conquering southern China in 589. This act created a unified China under the Sui dynasty. • The Sui restored order and built the Grand Canal connecting N. and S. China. • The Sui dynasty only lasted from 589 to 618 AD.

7. Tang Dynasty I • In 618 a former Sui official overthrew the government and started the Tang dynasty which would rule for 300 years. • The Tang increased Chinese territory to the east. • The Tang are seen as the golden age of Chinese civilization. • Tang ruler Taizong promoted unity by reforming the military, creating law codes, and implementing the equal field land reform system.

8. Tang Dynasty II • Tang ruler Xuangzong inaugurated a flourishing of culture wherein the finest Chinese poets wrote. • In 655 Empress Wu, the only women ruler of China (?), seen as brilliant and talented but vicious, took control of China from her weak sons. • She chose advisers based on merit rather than class rank. She brought prosperity and stability. • The Tang dynasty eventually fell and China reverted to chaos. Warring kingdoms arose. This period of civil war is known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms and ran from 907 to 960 AD.

9. The Song Dynasty • The Song dynasty reunified China and ruled from 960 to 1279. • Although much territory was lost, the Song dynasty was a time of great accomplishment.

10. Buddhism I • Buddhism originated in India circa 500 BC. Although Buddhism came to China during the Han dynasty, there were few Buddhists in China. • During the POD many Chinese adopted Buddhism. Buddhism offered comfort in a time of suffering. By the end of the POD Buddhism was well established in China. • The wealthy became patrons and funded the building of architecturally splendid temples and Buddha statues.

11. Buddhism II • During the Sui and Tang dynasties Buddhism had many converts. • Chinese missionaries introduced Buddhism to Japan, Korea and the rest of Asia. • Buddhism influenced Chinese art, literature and architecture. • The Age of Buddhism was 400 to 845 AD.

12. Buddhism Is Persecuted • A Tang emperor began a crusade against Buddhism. He burned texts and temples. He confiscated Buddhist lands and temples. Some were repurposed as schools. • Chinese Buddhism was weakened but not destroyed. It continued to influence life, art and literature. • Overtime Chinese Buddhism was influenced by Confucianism and Daoism producing a new form of Buddhism.

13. Chapter 7 Tang and Song Achievements

14. Preface • The Tang and Song dynasties saw periods of economic, cultural and technological advancement. • Advances in Agriculture led to increased trade and population. • Cities grew and developed. Progress ensued. • The arts and the number of inventions flourished. • China amassed great wealth.

15. Agricultural Advances I • China is an agriculture based economy. • In the dry, cool N, they grow wheat, barley, grains. In the wet, warm S, they grow rice. • In the Song dynasty irrigation was improved. In addition to underground wells the Dragon Backbone Pump was invented allowing one person to do the work of several. This invention allowed for elaborate irrigation systems. • The amount of land cultivated increased. With a new fast ripening rice, three times as much rice could be planted in a year.

16. Agricultural Advances II • Under the Song, new crops (cotton) were introduced. Farming efficiency improved. • Tea production increased. • Agricultural surpluses increased government tax revenue. Food became abundant throughout China. A surge in population occurred. China grew from (Tang) 60 million to (Song) 100 million. • China was the world’s largest population.

17. Chinese Cities • Most food flowed to the crowded bustling cities. • The Tang capital was Changan with a population of 1 million, the world’s largest. • It was a diverse trading city with Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Persian and European residents. Buddhists, Daoists and Christians coexisted. • Under the Song, their capital, Kaifeng, had a million people and 12 more cities had 500 thousand inhabitants.

18. Internal Trade • Most trade happened within China. Trade and agriculture made China rich. Rivers were China’s trade routes. • The Grand Canal, a series of waterways and canals, world’s largest, begun by the Sui and improved by the tang, allowed goods and crops to travel great distances from farms to cities.

19. External Trade • Under the Song, external trade was over land routes to India and SW Asia as well as with Japan and Korea in the east. • Chinese exported tea, rice, spices, jade and SILK. (Its manufacture method was kept secret.) • Chinese imported food, plants, wool, glass, gold and silver. • Under the Song, maritime (sea) trade became crucial. China opened its Pacific ports to foreign trade. • Porcelain, a thin pottery, exports be came quite profitable. • Increased robust trade made China’s economy quite strong. • The merchant class grew in power and influence. • The Song developed the world’s first paper money system.

20. The Arts • The Tang had many great artists and writers. • Wu Daozi painted murals celebrating Buddhism and nature. • Li Bo and Du Fu wrote beautiful poetry. • The Song were known for their literature. • Li Qingzhao was China’s most famous female poet. She tried to capture a moment in time. • Both the Tnag and Song produced exquisite clay objects, often with a celadon glaze.

21. List of Inventions • The Chinese invented paper (105 Han dynasty), woodblock printing (Tang), wood block book (868), gunpowder (Tang/Song), moveable type (Song), the magnetic compass (Han/Tang) and paper currency (900’s Song).

22. Invention Details • Cai Lun might have invented paper in 105. • Wood block printing uses an entire page carved on a single block of wood. The block is inked and pressed to a page. • Gunpowder is a mix of elements used in guns and explosives. At first for fireworks and signals it later became a weapon. • A compass shows direction using the earth’s magnetic field. The compass made long distance voyages possible. • Moveable type are a set of characters used to print books. It can be rearranged and reused repeatedly.

23. Chapter 7 Confucianism

24. Preface • Confucianism is the dominant philosophy in China. • Confucius lived 1,500 years before the Song dynasty (SD). He was born 551 BC during the Period of Disunion AKA the Three Kingdoms. • Confucianism influenced the SD(960 -1279) government. The SD saw improvements in agriculture, urbanization, trade, art and invention. • Scholar-Officials ran the Song dynasty government. • How does this compare to Plato’s philosopher – kings or Age of Reason enlightened despots?

25. Confucius's Teachings • Confucianism focuses on ethics (right behavior) in individuals, society and government. • Two basic principles govern how one should live one’s life:1). Ren: concern for others; 2). Li: appropriate behavior. Confucius taught that society would function best if everyone followed Ren and Li. • Confucius said that everyone had a position and proper role in society based on their position. Order comes from everyone behaving appropriately for their given place within society. (Reminiscent of Hindu dharma and caste system.) • For example, the young must obey the elder generations. Children must obey their parents. Common people must obey their rulers.

26. Confucianism After Confucius • Although his followers spread the teachings of Confucius after he died, the Qin dynasty officially oppressed Confucianism. • Yet, by the Han dynasty, Confucianism had become the official state philosophy. • However, during the Period of Disunion, Buddhism became the major religion of China and it overshadowed Confucianism as people abandoned Confucianism for Buddhism. • Buddhism remained quite powerful during the Sui and early Tang dynasties. Confucianism stressed ethics (social philosophy) whereas Buddhism stressed release from desire and suffering (spiritual philosophy). • As Buddhism gained influence, Confucianism lost influence. • Confucianism stressed education

27. Neo-Confucianism • Confucianism had a renaissance in the late Tang dynasty as scholars attempted to use Confucianism to improve Chinese government and society • Neo-Confucianism (NC) was created in the Song dynasty. NC stressed proper behavior while incorporating spiritual aspects from Buddhism and Daoism concerning the meaning of life. • NC grew in influence during the Song dynasty and NC became the official government philosophy/teaching after the Song dynasty. • An example of NC issue: If man is good by nature, why does he do bad things? What is the cause of evil?

28. Scholar-Officials I • The Song dynasty required bureaucrats (unelected government officials) take and pass difficult civil service examinations before being appointed to their positions. • This series of written essay examinations tested an applicants knowledge of Confucianism. • Students studied for these exams for years. Only a few who sat for the exams passed them. • Those who passed became Scholar-Officials for life in the Chinese government.

29. Scholar – Officials II • Scholar – Officials (SO) were an elite corps of government workers that held a lofty position in Chinese society. • They had some criminal immunities if they broke the law and often became rich from the bribes they received from people seeking assistance from the government. • They were highly admired and respected. • Typical responsibilities might include office work/management, road maintenance, irrigation systems, public works, record keeping, taxation. • The SO system brought stability to the government. Why? • The goal was to locate talented, intelligent (even commoners) government officials.

30. Chapter 7 The Yuan and Ming Dynasties

31. Preface • Throughout Chinese history nomads have attacked China in the north. These attacks became more frequent and damaging during the Song dynasty. • During the Yuan dynasty, the Chinese were ruled by the Mongol Empire. • Under the Ming dynasty, the Chinese became independent of the Mongol dynasty. • The Ming dynasty was a period of stability, prosperity, government reform and isolationism.

32. The Mongol Empire is Born • The Mongols were nomads that lived in the vast plains north of China. • In 1206, they were united under a khan, ruler, named Temujin who was given the title Genghis Kahn, which means Universal Ruler. • Genghis organized the Mongols into a powerful army and led them on bloody conquests of Asia and Eastern Europe. • They were legendary for their cruelty and the terror they inspired in their enemies and victims. • Kahn’s raiding horde would kill all the men, women and children in a village, then destroy the village, and ruin all the farmland. • Why was he so destructive?

33. The Mongols Turn to China • Within 20 years of becoming Kahn, Genghis had conquered most of Asia. • In 1211 he attacked China. By 1227, when Genghis died, the Mongols had conquered all of N China. • Genghis’ sons and grandsons continued to raid Asia and Eastern Europe in a reign of terror and destruction. (181)

34. Kublai Kahn • In 1260, Genghis’ grandson Kublai Kahn assumed leadership of the horde and conquered all of China and declared himself emperor of China in 1279. • This marked the Mongol Ascendancy AKA as the Yuan dynasty. China was ruled by foreign rulers. • Obviously the Mongols had a different culture, ethnicity, religion, language, clothing and customs. • The Chinese were highly resentful of being ruled by people they saw as uncivilized and rude. • Throughout history many people have been ruled by foreigners, different ethnicities, why were the Chinese so angry?

35. Yuan Dynasty • Kublai Kahn was a tolerant emperor. He allowed the Chinese to keep their culture. • Some Mongols adopted aspects of Chinese culture like Confucianism. • Nonetheless, the Mongols controlled the Chinese and prohibited Confucian scholars from gaining influence. • Taxes were high during the Yuan dynasty.

36. Mongol Pubic Works • Tax revenue funded massive public-works projects requiring the labor of thousands of Chinese. • Projects included extending the grand canal, building new roads, erecting new palaces, improved the postal roads, and completed a new capital at Dadu, near Beijing.

37. The Pax Mongol • Mongol soldiers kept the peace throughout China while keeping tabs on the Chinese. • The soldiers kept overland trade routes open. • Sea trade with India and SE Asia continued. • The Mongols welcomed foreign traders.

38. Marco Polo • Marco Polo was one of the welcomed traders with special privileges. • Between 1271 and 1295 he traveled throughout China and much of Asia. • He served in Kublai Khan’s court and was greatly respected. • Upon returning to Europe, Marco wrote his memoirs and much of what we know about the Yuan dynasty comes from his writings. • Marco’s books sparked interest in China. (182)

39. The Yuan Dynasty Falls • The Mongols made the mistake of invading Japan. • In 1274 and 1281 the Mongols launched two disastrous campaigns against Japan. • The Mongols were defeated by violent storms and fierce Japanese defenders. • These failed conquests weakened the Mongol army. • Coupled with the depleted economy reeling under the cost of public works projects and Chinese resentment, China was ready for revolution. • Rebellions broke out in the 1300’s Ad and in 1368 Zhu Yuanzhang, a former monk, led a rebel army to defeat the Mongols. China was independent again.

40. The Ming Dynasty • Zhu became emperor and founded the Ming dynasty (1368 to 1644) which was one of the most stable and prosperous eras in Chinese history. • The fame of China spread overseas, huge public-works were undertaken and impressive voyages were made.

41. Zheng He I • The Ming improved ship manufacture/structure and sailing skills. • Zheng He was the greatest sailor of the Ming. • From 1405 to 1433, he led seven imperial voyages around Asia commanding huge fleets of over 60 ships of monumental size (more than 300 feet) with an accompaniment of over 25,000 sailors. This entourage was a floating city! • They sailed west through the Indian Ocean and made it as far as Persian Gulf and the E coast of Africa!

42. Zheng He II • At each port along his voyages Zheng He presented leaders with astounding gifts and urged the leaders to reciprocate. • From one voyage, Zheng He brought 30 representatives back to China. • Of course, Zheng He brought goods and stories back to China as well. • These impressive voyages are symbolic of China’s power and rank among the most famous in seafaring history.

43. The Ming as Builders • The Ming built grand majestic buildings and monuments both to impress the Chinese and their northern enemies. • The Forbidden City, a monumental extravagant palace complex, with its close to 1,000 of imperial residences, temples and governmental buildings had over 9,000 rooms! No commoners were allowed within the city. It symbolized China’s glory. • The Ming restored the Great Wall of China and extended it as well. It was extended to a length of over 2,000 miles. The wall was 25 feet high and 12 feet wide and it was inhabited by guards defending China.

44. China under The Ming • The Ming adopted isolationism and worked to eliminate all foreign influences. • The Ming reduced the influence of high ranking officials in the bureaucracy and took more of a direct control of China’s government. Nonetheless, the civil service continued. • Censors, officials appointed to audit the quality of local governments and institutions, were invested with great power under the Ming. • Zheng He was recalled and told to dismantle his fleet. • In the 1430’s AD, foreign trade was banned.

45. The Ming Dynasty is Overthrown • In 1644, the Ming dynasty was overthrown. Many believe that isolationism weakened China and allowed it to fall behind the western world in terms of scientific and technological advancement. • By the 1800’s the western world was able to gain substantial influence over this weakened China. • This last imperial period is the Qing dynasty AKA the Manchu dynasty that ran from 1644 to 1912. What effect might WWI had on this dynasty? What effect might the communist revolution in Russia have had?

46. Chapter 8 Japan

47. Geography Is Destiny • Geography shaped life in Japan. • Japan is a large group of islands east of mainland Asia. 47 • Japanese society was organized by (family) clans. • The clans became to be ruled by an emperor. • Japan was isolated from China and Korea yet influenced by both of them as well.

48. Japanese Geography • The Japanese islands are a series of mountains and volcanoes jutting out of the ocean. As a result, only 20% of Japan is flat, the coastal plains, and that is where most people lived. • Close proximity to the sea affected Japanese cultural development. They relied on the sea for their existence. • Seafood was the mainstay of their diet. Being isolated on islands led them to develop their own culture: religion, social structure and language. • The Japanese take pride in their different culture. • Nonetheless, Korea is only 100 miles away and China only 400. these cultures did influence Japan.

49. The Ainu • The Ainu probably emigrated from Siberia, eastern Russia. The Ainu language is dissimilar from all other Asian languages. The Ainu were ethnically distinct. • The Ainu fought with other people over land and lost. They were driven to one island, Hokkaido. Their culture went into decline. Many Ainu adopted other cultures and languages.

50. The First Japanese • The first Japanese lived south of the Ainu in fishing villages. The villages were ruled over by large powerful (extended families) clans. Members of the clan rode atop the social structure and were accorded respect and privilege. • Each clan was headed by a chief who had political and religious duties.