Inner and East Asia

1. Inner and East Asia 600 - 1200

2. Sui Dynasty • Reunified China • Lasted 34 years • Collapsed - 615

3. Tang Empire • 618 – Li family gained control • Took name “Tang” • Avoided over centralization • Keep local officials in charge • Oversaw the local officials • Descended from Turkic elite of northern China • Continued Confucian system

4. Tang War Methods • Chinese weapons • Crossbow • Armed infantry • Inner Asian horsemanship • Iron stirrups

7. Buddhism • Mahayana predominated • Absorbed local gods/goddesses • Made conversion more attractive

8. Expansion • More contact with Western Asia and India • More cultural diffusion • Stronger influence of Buddhism • Absorbed wide variety of cultural ideas • Referred to as ‘cosmopolitan’ because of the diversity

10. Economy • Chang’an – capital • Connected to coast by • Roads • Canals • Grand Canal – linked Yangzi and Yellow rivers

12. Politics • Tributary system – from Han times – independent countries acknowledge the Chinese emperor’s supremacy • Sent embassies to Chang’an • Often meant more than the money sent • Could gain access to trade system of China

13. Indian Ocean Trade • Helped Judaism and Islamic influences • Build huge ocean going vessels • Carried 2 x’s cargo of Mediterranean ships • Disease moved – 7th Century • Plague of Justinian – bubonic • Also traveled to Korea, Japan and Tibet

14. Cultural Exchange • New designs for ceramics, painting and silks • Pants adopted from Turks of Central Asia • Cotton imported – replaced hemp for clothes • Un-equal balance of trade – China exported more than it imported

15. Power Struggles • 600 – 751 – Uighurs and Tibetans built rival states • Carried on extensive trade between all 3 • By 807 – political decay led to fall of Tang

16. Uighur • Originated in Northern Mongolia • Eventually moved into modern Turkey • By 8th century – moved into Inner Asia • Trade centers established • Prosperous • Literate • adaptable

17. Tibet • Stable • China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Central Asia meet • Strong cultural influences from territories • Adopted alphabet from India • Buddhist pilgrimages added knowledge • Math • farming • Astronomy • milling of grain • Divination

18. Islam practiced • Iran’s monarchical traditions • Greek medicine practiced • Marriage between Tibet king and Tang princess - Mahayana Buddhism practiced • Excelled at war – wore out both China & Tibet • 800’s – tried to abolish monasteries – Buddhist monks killed the king

19. End of Tang Empire879 - 907 • Pecked to death by ducks…. • Over expansion • Complex tax systems • Demoralized troops • Scandals • Cultural decay • Coups attempted • Huang Chao- led rebellion 879 – 881 • Tang emperors ruled until 907 in name only

20. Song Empires960 - 1279 • Central Asia • Cut off from Liao Empire and Tangguts • Established trade networks with East, West, and Southeast Asia

21. Song Industries • IMPORTANT !!!! Historians look upon the Southern Song as the premodern state and society that came closest to initiating an industrial revolution. (Bulliet 255) Advances built on Tang willingness to accept new ideas from distant places

22. Technological Advances • Introduced use of fractions • Describe phases of the moon • Developed precise calendar • 1st to note explosion of Crab Nebula - 1054 • Contributed to timekeeping • Developed compass

27. Navigation • 1090 – compass with glass covering used • Greek astrolabe used • Junk – ocean going ships • Movable rudder • Watertight bulkheads

28. Metals • Large army required weapons • Needed to control iron and coal mines in N China • 11th century – cast iron production reached @ 125,000 tons (equal to output of 18th century • Produced steel (@ 800 years before Bessemer)

31. Gunpowder • Initially developed for religious ceremonies • Song use it to fire flaming arrows • 1100’s – launch shells against enemies • Shards dismembered and killed horses and cavalry • Short range made them totally defensive

32. Song Society • Neo-Confucianism – new interpretations of Confucian thought developed at Song academies • Based on ideas of Zhu Xi (1130 – 1200) • Perfect state attainable through proper study and cosmology • More accepting of Buddhism • Zen – mental discipline could win salvation

33. Civil Service System • Government positions given based on examinations • Most talented men got the best jobs • Improved government admin • Candidates improved marriage prospects • Honor to families

34. Movable Type • Evidence prior to 1000 • Cheaper books • Promoted literacy • Changed country life • Dissemination of information on planting, irrigation, harvesting, threshing and weaving • Spreads idea from north to southern rural areas

35. Effects • Population grew to over 100 million by 12th century • Urban centers grew • Developed sewer system – diverted rivers to flush away waste and disease • Controlled rodent and insect infestations • Isolated bubonic plague to rural areas • Combated malaria

37. Economic Change • Paper money and credit used • Paper money – government issued – not very reliable • Credit – family based – more trusted and worked well for trade Tax farming – sale of tax collection roles - income generated from ‘overcharges’

38. Economic Growth • Private capital promoted development • Government did not control commercial or industrial development • ‘modern’ – growth of urban middle class

39. Women • Becoming more subordinate • Legally being disenfranchised • Socially restricted • Foot binding • Status symbol • Control • dehumanized

47. Korea • Peninsula • <20% suitable for farming • Fishing • Forests in N and E until modern times • Ruling house – Koryo • Strong Chinese influence • Adopted Confucianism and Buddhism • Developed movable type which traveled to Song China