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Empire of the Middle: China to the Mongol Conquest

Explore the political, intellectual, and economic developments of China from the Qin Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, including the impact of the Mongol conquest. Discover the rise and fall of empires, cultural achievements, and societal changes during this transformative period.

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Empire of the Middle: China to the Mongol Conquest

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  1. Empire of the Middle:China to the Mongol Conquest

  2. Time and Geography

  3. POLITICAL

  4. The Qin Emperor – Foundation of the State • After Era of the Warring States, Qin ruler reunified country through military force, administrative reorganization Warring States about 350 BCE

  5. The Qin Emperor – Foundation of the State • First Emperor had great influence • Centralization along legalist lines • Country divided into administrative units • Weights and measures standardized • First standard units of money • Writing system standardized First Emperor of Qin Empire, Feizi

  6. Qin Dynasty • Great Wall and other public works started • China expanded to north and south, first contacts with Vietnamese • Reigns had negative aspects too • Torture, harsh treatment • Burning of the books to combat Confucianism • Overthrow led to Han Dynasty

  7. Han Dynasty - 202 BCE to 220 CE • Simultaneous with Rome, aspects in common • Urban in orientation, population rural and peasant • Non-hereditary officialdom • Taxed peasants heavily Chinese copper "cash" coin, early Han Dynasty

  8. Han Dynasty - 202 BCE to 220 CE • Simultaneous with Rome, aspects in common • Collapsed due to invasion and regional revolts • Frontiers expanded: parts of Korea, Vietnam, Central Asia • Massive cultural influence: “Men of Han” factor in military, political, and commercial life

  9. Provinces controlled by Han dynasty in 190 CE

  10. INTELLECTUAL

  11. Han DynastyConfucianism • New Imperial Confucian ideology of the State • Blended elements of three of China’s systems of thought • A unified system of governance • More emphasis on obedience than before

  12. Renewed emphasis on Mandate of Heaven

  13. AESTHETIC/ INTELLECTUAL

  14. Han DynastyArts and Sciences • History – kept careful records • Mathematics, Geography, Astronomy • Invention of paper led to woodblock and refinement of painting Chinese wood blocks used for printing

  15. Han DynastyArts and Sciences • Medicine: acupuncture • Fine arts: silk, bronzes, jade, ceramics • Poetry, landscape painting, instrumental music became prominent Acupuncture is still used today.

  16. POLITICAL/ ECONOMIC

  17. Han DynastyEconomy, Government, Foreign Affairs • Canals, roads improved communications, commerce • Large cities, numerous market towns • Impressive urban markets • Iron was common, new and cheaper weapons grew armies, and expanded agricultural productivity A painted ceramic architectural model—found in a Han tomb—depicting an urban residential tower with verandas, tiled rooftops, dougong support brackets, and a covered bridge extending from the third floor to another tower

  18. Han DynastyEconomy, Government, Foreign Affairs • Government functioned through bureaucracy, members (mandarins) chosen by examination • Meritocracy brought out best talent regardless of birth • Traders and Buddhist monks made peaceful contacts with Western Asia and India • Heavy taxation eventually caused rebellion A Buddhist monk meditates

  19. End of the Han Dynasty • Later Han saw continuation of stable economy and population growth • Transition era: social and political elite changed from reliance on military strength to power based on land ownership and status on cultural sophistication • Eventually, broke down into anarchy – 135 years An Eastern-Han pottery soldier, with a now-faded coating of paint, is missing a weapon

  20. End of the Han Dynasty • Two political divisions: – North and South • Significant agrarian advance: cultivation of rice in paddies (wet rice farming) • Rice expanded population in South, which rivaled the North in civilized development Some rice is still grown in paddies, even today.

  21. POLITICAL

  22. Tang Dynasty -618-907 • Primary concern: to improve peasant tenants conditions • Reform: reallocation of land, well-field reform • gave peasants more rights to land • broke power of landed elites • Created generally efficient bureaucracy • Imperial university expanded

  23. Tang Dynasty -618-907 • Purchase peace by paying tribute to Turks and Mongolians or played one tribe off against another • Began era of Chinese-Japanese cultural contacts, also with Korea, Tibet, Vietnam • Eras produced 3 great poets, Li Po, Du Fu, Wang Wei • Devastating war began in mid-700s Du Fu Wang Wei Li Po

  24. After Tang • Internal discontent led to anarchy • China again divided for a half-century • Northern warlord bid for imperial power • Mandate of Heaven gave Chinese rationale for accepting new monarchs Mandate of Heaven

  25. INTELLECTUAL

  26. Song Dynasty - 960-1279 • Many technical innovations • Printing: moveable type • Irrigation, mining, transportation • Inventions included waterwheel, forge bellows, abacus, water clock, gunpowder • Several new large cities established in response to market pressures An abacus

  27. POLITICAL

  28. Song Internal Policies, Foreign Affairs • Internal policies • Obedience, self-discipline of bureaucracy • Generals under tight control (military was not considered high status) • Population grew to about 100 million • Marked increase in trade volume; silk now major luxury export silk became a major luxury export

  29. Song Internal Policies, Foreign Affairs • Foreign affairs • Reduced control of East Asian holdings: Tibet, Vietnam, Korea, Manchuria • Able to focus on heartland • Defeated by descendants of Chingis Khan Emperor Taizu of Song (r. 960–976), a court portrait painting

  30. RELIGIOUS

  31. Buddhism and Chinese Culture • Buddhism was greatest single foreign cultural influence • People were responsive to new faith that answered their needs • Appeal of afterlife of eternal bliss • Buddhism blended with existing beliefs

  32. Buddhism and Chinese Culture • Sanskrit translations stimulated literature • Poetry • Appreciation, joy of nature Sanskrit translated into Chinese

  33. Buddhism and Chinese Culture • Painting, sculpture, architecture all show Buddhist influences • Reaction set in against Buddhism; political power play • Neo-Confucians • Wanted to change the world through teachings of Mencius • Insisted everybody had to partake of social life • Formal education absolute necessity for decent life • Mandarins had to show signs of deep culture

  34. REVIEW

  35. Discussion Questions • There were a number of similarities between China under the Han and the Roman Empire. Why do you think that was so? Was it simply historical accident? Do those aspects of empire imply some sort of empire-building process common throughout the world? Why or why not? • The coming of Buddhism to China had enormous cultural effects. How would you compare the connection between Buddhism and Chinese culture to the connection between Christianity and the late Roman Empire? What similarities do you see; what differences?

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