The Sui Dynasty (589-618 CE)

• Regional kingdoms succeed collapse of Han dynasty

• Yang Jian consolidates control of all of China, initiates Sui Dynasty

• Massive building projects– Military labor– Conscripted labor

The Grand Canal

• Intended to promote trade between north and south China– Most Chinese rivers flow west-east

• Linked network of earlier canals– 1240 miles– Roads on either bank

• Succeeded only by railroad traffic in 20th century• Longest canal or artificial river in the world

today!

The Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE)

• Wide discontent over conscripted labor in Sui dynasty

• Military failures in Korea prompt rebellion• Emperor assassinated in 618

– Tang Dynasty initiated

.The Sui and Tang dynasties, 589-907 CE

Tang Taizong• Second emperor of Tang dynasty (r.

627-649 CE)• Murdered two brothers, thrust father

aside to take throne• Strong ruler

– Built capital at Chang’an– Law and order– Taxes, prices low– More effective implementation of earlier

Sui policies

Major Achievements of Tang Dynasty

• Transportation and communications– Extensive postal, courier services

• Became the golden age of literature in China.• Equal-field System

– 20% of land hereditary ownership– 80% redistributed according to formula

• Family size, land fertility– Worked well until 8th century

• Corruption, loss of land to Buddhist monasteries, aristocratic land accumulation

Bureaucracy of Merit

• Imperial civil service examinations– Confucian educational curriculum

• Some bribery, nepotism• But most advance through merit

– Built loyalty to the dynasty– System remains strong until early 20th century

Tang Military Expansion and Foreign Relations

• Manchuria, Korea, Vietnam, Tibet

• One of the largest expansions of China in its history

• Established tributary relationships– Gifts

• China as “Middle Kingdom”– The kowtow ritual

Tang Decline• Governmental neglect: Emperor obsessed with

music, favorite concubine• 775 rebellion under An Lushan, former military

commander• Captures Chang’an, but rebellion crushed by

763• Nomadic Turkish Uighur (WEE-goor)

mercenaries invited to suppress rebellion, sacked Chang’an and Luoyang as payment

• Tang decline continues, rebellions in 9th century, last emperor abdicates 907

The Song Dynasty, 960-1279 C.E.

Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE)• Emphasis on administration, industry,

education, the arts• Military not emphasized• Direction of first emperor, Song Taizu (r.

960-976 CE)– Former military leader– Made emperor by troops– Instituted policy of imperial favor for civil

servants, expanded meritocracy

Song Weaknesses

• Size of bureaucracy heavy drain on economy– Two peasant rebellions in 12th c.– Internal inertia prevents reform of bureaucracy

• Civil service leadership of military– Lacked military training– Unable to contain nomadic attacks– Jurchen (a Tungusic people (Siberian) who inhabited

the region of Manchuria) conquer, founding the Jin Empire, forcing Song dynasty to Hangzhou, southern China (Southern Song)

The Song Dynasty, 960-1279 C.E.

Agricultural Economies of the Tang and Song Dynasties

• Developed Vietnamese fast-ripening rice, 2 crops per year

• Technology: iron plows, use of draft animals (North - Oxen, South – Water Buffaloes)

• Soil fertilization, improved irrigation– Water wheels, canals

• Terrace farming

Population Growth

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

600CE

1000

Millions

• Result of increased agricultural production

• Effective food distribution system– Transportation

networks built under Tang and Song dynasties

Strict Social Hierarchy

PeasantsPeasants: Majority population who were predominantly

farmers living in small villages

MerchantsMerchants: Could acquire wealth but always held low social status

due to their wealth coming from the work of others. Could own land and

educate sons to enter the Gentry

GentryGentry: Wealthy landowners, focused on Confucian ideals, focus on civil service

Urbanization

• Chang’an (currently Xi'an) world’s most populous city: 2 million residents– Southern Song capital

Hangzhou: over 1 million

Patriarchal Social Structures

• Increased emphasis on ancestor worship– Elaborate grave rituals– Extended family gatherings in honor of

deceased ancestors• Footbinding gains popularity

– Increased control by male family members

Footbinding

Technology and Industry• Porcelain (“Chinaware”)• Increase of iron production due to use of coke,

not coal, in furnaces– Agricultural tools, weaponry

• Gunpowder invented • Earlier printing techniques refined

– Moveable type by mid-11th century– Yet complex Chinese ideographs make wood block

technique easier• Naval technology

– compass

A typical junk ship from the Song Dynasty

Emergence of a Market Economy

• Letters of credit developed to deal with copper coin shortages– Promissory notes, checks also used

• Development of independently produced paper money– Not as stable, riots when not honored

• Government claims monopoly on money production in 11th century

China and the Hemispheric Economy

• Increasingly cosmopolitan nature of Chinese cities

• Chinese silk opens up trade routes, but increases local demands for imported luxury goods

Cultural Change in Tang and Song China

• Declining confidence in Confucianism after collapse of Han dynasty

• Increasing popularity of Buddhism• Christianity, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism,

Islam also appear• Clientele primarily foreign merchant class

Dunhuang

• Mahayana Buddhism especially popular at Dunhuang in western China (Gansu province), 600-1000 CE– Cave temples

• Buddhist temples, libraries• Economic success as converts donate

land holdings• Increase popularity through donations of

agricultural produce to the poor

Conflicts with Chinese Culture• Buddhism:

– Text-based (Buddhist teachings)

• Emphasis on Metaphysics

• Ascetic ideal– Celibacy– Isolation

• Confucianism:– Text-based (Confucian

teachings)– Daoism not text-based

• Emphasis on ethics, politics

• Family-centered– Procreation– Filial piety

Chan (Zen) Buddhism• Buddhists adapt ideology to Chinese climate

– Dharma translated as dao– Nirvana translated as wuwei

• Accommodated family lifestyle– “one son in monastery for ten generations of

salvation”• Limited emphasis on textual study,

meditation instead

Persecution of Buddhists• Daoist/Confucian persecution supported in

late Tang dynasty• 840s begins systematic closure of

Buddhist temples, expulsions– Zoroastrians, Christians, Manicheans as well

• Economic motive: seizure of large monastic landholdings

• Limits growth but does not eradicate faiths

Neo-Confucianism

• Song dynasty refrains from persecuting Buddhists, but favors Confucians

• Neo-Confucians influenced by Buddhist thought– Syncretic blend of both faiths

China and Korea

• Silla Dynasty: Tang armies withdraw, Korea recognizes Tang as emperor

• Technically a vassal statue, but highly independent

• Chinese influence on Korean culture pervasive

China and Vietnam

• Vietnamese adaptation to Chinese culture, technology

• But ongoing resentment at political domination

• Assert independence when Tang dynasty falls in 10th century

China and Early Japan

• Chinese armies never invade Japan• Yet Chinese culture pervasive • Imitation of Tang administration

– Establishment of new capital at Nara, hence “Nara Japan” (710-794 CE)

• Adoption of Confucian, Buddhist teachings• Yet retention of Shinto religion

Japan and the United Japan and the United StatesStates

Hokkaido

Honshu

Shikuku

Kyushu

Okinawa

IslandsIslands

CitieCitiess Sappor

o

Hiroshima

Kobe Tokyo

Nagasaki

Kyoto

YokohamaNagoya

Osaka

Mt. FujiMt. Fuji

Global Tectonic PlatesGlobal Tectonic PlatesJapan -- On the “Fire RimJapan -- On the “Fire Rim

of the Pacific”of the Pacific”

Japanese Earthquakes: 1961-Japanese Earthquakes: 1961-19941994

Rice Farmer’s Farmhouse:Rice Farmer’s Farmhouse:Okutsu Town, Okayama Okutsu Town, Okayama

PrefecturePrefecture

Terrace Terrace RiceRice FarmingFarming

Yamato Period: 300-710Yamato Period: 300-710

“Great Kings” era

Began promoting the Began promoting the adoption of Chinese culture:adoption of Chinese culture:

a Confucianism.Confucianism.a Language (Language (kanjikanji characters). characters).a Buddhist sects.Buddhist sects.a Chinese art & architecture.Chinese art & architecture.a Government structure.Government structure.

Heian Japan (794-1185 CE)

• Japanese emperor moves court to Heian (Kyoto)

• Yet emperor figurehead, real power in hands of Fujiwara clan– Pattern in Japanese history: weak emperor,

power behind the throne– Helps explain longevity of the institution

Heian Period: Cultural Heian Period: Cultural BorrowingBorrowing1.1.Chinese writing.Chinese writing.

2.2.Chinese artistic styles.Chinese artistic styles.

3.3.Zen Buddhism Zen Buddhism

4.4.BUT, not the Chinese BUT, not the Chinese civil civil service system! service system!

Japanese Literature

• Influence of Chinese kanji characters– Classic curriculum dominated by Chinese

• The Tale of Genji– One of rare Japanese language works of

fiction written by a woman.

Institution of the Shogun

• Civil war between Taira and Minamoto clans in 12th century

• Minamoto leader named shogun, 1185 CE• Ruled from Kamakura, allowed imperial

throne to continue in Kyoto

Medieval Japan

• Kamakura (1185-1333 CE) and Muromachi (1336-1573 CE) periods

• Decentralized power in hands of warlords• Military authority in hands of samurai• Professional warriors

FeudaFeudal l

SocietSocietyy

The emperor The emperor reigned, but reigned, but

did not always did not always rule!rule!

FeudalismFeudalismA political, economic, and social

system based on loyalty, the holding of land, and military service.

Japan:Japan: Shogun

Daimyo Daimyo

Samurai Samurai Samurai

Peasant PeasantPeasantPeasant

Land

Land

Protection

Loyalty

Loyalty

Food

Code of Code of BushidoBushido* Fidelity* Politeness* Virility* Simplicity

Seppuku: Seppuku: Ritual SuicideRitual Suicide

Kaishaku – his “seconds”

It is honorable to die in this way.

Full Samurai AttireFull Samurai Attire

Samurai SwordSamurai Sword

European Knight Samurai Warrior

vs.

Medieval WarriorsMedieval Warriors

Knight’s Armor Samurai Armor

vs.

Medieval WarriorsMedieval Warriors

Zen Buddhisma A Japanese variation of theMahayana form of Buddhism, which came from India through China.a It reinforced the Bushido values of mental and self-discipline.

Osaka Castle

Caernorfon Castle, Wales

Hyper-Nationalism

ShintoShinto

Polytheism

AncestorWorship

The Worldof the kamiMinimize

sin &guilt

GreatCreator

Torii Gate, Miyajima Island

Torii Gate in Winter

A Tunnel of Torii GatesInari Mt., Kyoto

Kabuki Theater

An interior of a Kabuki theater.An interior of a Kabuki theater.

Chanoyu : Tea Ceremony

Origami : The Art of Japanese Paper

Folding

Calligraphy

Haiku : 17-syllable poem

Matsuo BashoMatsuo Basho, Master of , Master of HaikuHaiku

Spring departs.Spring departs.Birds cryBirds cryFishes' eyes are Fishes' eyes are filled with tears.filled with tears.

Japanese Garden for Meditation

Japanese Zen Garden

Japanese Sand Garden