China: Life after the Han

1. China: Life after the Han

2. Setting the Stage • Han Dynasty collapsed in 220 C.E. • China struggled to be unified and more than 30 local dynasties rose and fell. • Sui Wendi – first emperor of the Sui dynasty. • Unites Northern and Southern China once again. • Strong Central Government. • Hey! Hey! It is known as the Golden Age!!!! • - Rich, powerful, and most advanced country during its time.

3. Sui Wendi • Sui dynasty (589-618): Lasted only two emperors. • Greatest Accomplishment – Grand Canal. • - Water way connected Huang He (Yellow River) and the Yangtze River. • 5 years – 1,000 miles • Thousands died build the canal and rebuilding the great wall. • 618 – revolt and second emperor strangled by member of the imperial court.

5. Tang Dynasty • Ruled nearly 300 years (618 – 907). • Tang Taizong reign lasted 627 – 649. • - Reconquered Northern and Western lands that China lost under the Han dynasty. • 668- Reigned over Korea. • Empress Wu Zhao had real power from 660 to 690 during a succession of weak emperors. • 690 – Wu Zhao took the title of Emperor for herself. Only woman to ever do so in China.

7. Tang Rulers • Strengthened the central government of China. • Expanded network of roads and canals begun by the Sui. • Lowered taxes (remembered mistake of Sui Emperor) • Took some land from the wealthy and gave to peasants. • Promoted foreign trade and improvements in agriculture.

8. Scholar-Officials • Tang needed to manage vast empire – restored China’s bureaucracy. • Civil Service Exam by the Han restored and expanded to recruit good officials. • - Schools opened to train young scholars in Confucianism, poetry, and other subjects that covered the exam. • Only a few passed. • Exam open to all.

9. Scholar-Officials • Civil Service Exam – Talent and education became more important than noble birth in winning power. • - Many moderately wealthy families shared in China’s government.

10. Tang Loses power • Mid- 700s: • To pay for military expansion raised crushing taxes. • - Brought on hardships to people and still could not pay for the rising cost of government. • Famine – Peasants joined bandit gangs. • Empire to vast – could not control it. • 751 – Arab armies soundly defeated Chinese on China’s western frontier at the Battle of Talas. • Chinese lost control of Central Asia. • Foreign and internal attacks weakened power. • 907- Chinese rebels sacked and burned the Tang capital at Chang’and killed the child emperor.

11. Song Dynasty restores China • End of the Tang Dynasty rival warlords split China into kingdoms. • 960 – General reunited China proclaimed himself Song Taizu – First Song (Sung) emperor. • Lasted 960 – 1279. • Ruled smaller empire than Han and Tang, China remained stable, powerful, and prosperous.

13. Song Dynasty • Song armies never regained the western lands lost after 751 or the Northern lands. • Tried to buy peace with their Northern enemies. • - Annual tribute of Silver, Silk, and Tea. • 1100s – Jurchen conquered Northern China and established Jin empire. • Song forced to retreat south across the Huang He. • 1126 – Song emperors ruled only Southern China.

16. Quick Video • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO7NHZJ-eE4&list=CLqr7xzEodC74

17. Era of prosperity and Innovation • Period of Tang and Song dynasties was one of intense growth. • - Population, trade, wealth, new ideas, and artistic achievements. • - Population grew to 100,000,000 by the Song era. • 10 cities – 1 million in population each.

18. Science and Technology • Important inventions: • Movable type and gunpowder. • What is the movable type? • A printer could arrange blocks of individual characters in a frame to make up a page for printing

19. Gunpowder • Led to bombs, grenades, small rockets, and cannons. • Other inventions: • - Porcelain, the mechanical watch, paper money, and use of the magnetic compass for sailing. • 1000-1200: • - Developed Algebra and began using Zero.

20. Agriculture • 1000: imported fast-ripening rice from Vietnam. • - Harvest two rice crops a year.

21. Foreign Trade • Tang dynasty: guarded the silk road • - Eventually lost control of the trade route. • Song Period: Turned to sea trade • Goods sent to Korea, Japan, Africa, and other colonies. • Chinese became tea drinkers and religions such as Islam and Christianity spread through the country.

26. Levels of Society • Tang and Song: Old aristocratic families faded and much larger upper class emerged. • - Scholar officials and other well to do people were called the gentry. • Middle class: merchants, shopkeepers, skilled artisans, minor officials. • Bottom: Laborers, soldiers, and servants. • Largest class:……….Peasants.

27. Status of Women • Woman’s work was deemed less important to the family’s prosperity and status – Upper Class. • Foot binding: A young girl would have feet bound very tight with cloth. • - Broke the arch and would form a “lily-foot” • - It would cripple women but showed a high status. • Peasant women worked in the fields and helped produce an income.

31. I always say put your best foot forward