Middle Imperial Middle Imperial EraEra

ChinaChina

China and Japan

Quiz: Tuesday, December 4China, Chapter 12 p. 263-276Japan, Chapter 13, 278-290Chapter 13 hint: P 286-287

Due: Four pages of notes total Two pages for each Chapter

China: Reunification & China: Reunification & Renaissance Renaissance

Recall Political Developments:Recall Political Developments:• Sui Dynasty (589-618)Sui Dynasty (589-618)

– Reunification– Completion of Grand CanalGrand Canal connecting

northern & southern China• Tang Dynasty (618-907) Tang Dynasty (618-907) – expansion

China during the Tang & Song DynastiesChina during the Tang & Song Dynasties

Song Dynasty (960-1279)Song Dynasty (960-1279)Confucian Civil Service SystemConfucian Civil Service System• Reintroduced during Sui Dynasty;

expanded in Tang & Song era, especially

• Exams based on Confucian classics

Economic RevolutionEconomic Revolution• Population doubled during

Song era• Agricultural prosperity

– New variety of rice– New cash crops – e.g. tea,

sugar– Dikes, reservoirs, & dams– Water pumps

– P. 269

Terraced rice paddies in southern Terraced rice paddies in southern ChinaChina

Economic Revolution Cont.Economic Revolution Cont.• Commercial growthCommercial growth• Manufacturing expands during this period Manufacturing expands during this period

1000-14501000-1450– Internal trade, facilitated by canals & paper $paper $– Overseas maritime trade facilitated by

magnetic compassmagnetic compass & junksjunks

• Growth in industryGrowth in industry– Esp. silk fabric, porcelain & paper– Water powered mills & bellows– Iron & steel

Chinese Junks

• Urbanization (growth of cities)Urbanization (growth of cities)– E.g. Kaifeng & Hangzhou (p. 268)

Other Technological Other Technological AchievementsAchievements

• Gunpowder• Mechanical

clock• Moveable type

(printing)

““Thunderbolt ball”Thunderbolt ball”

Social DevelopmentsSocial Developments• Growth of scholar-eliteGrowth of scholar-elite• Declining status of womenDeclining status of women

– Increasing legal restrictions– Demand in cities for domestic servants

& concubines– Foot binding

Ideal woman’s Ideal woman’s foot = 3” long!foot = 3” long!

FOOT BINDING

Lotus Shoes

• The role of Women further diminishes during and after the Song Dynasty

FOOT BINDING Q & A!• When did foot binding begin?

– Tang Dynasty (618-907) among upper class• Why?

– It’s beautiful. Right?• Another q: Would men find the deformed feet

attractive?

• Was it always the same?– No—It got much more debilitating (and

widespread) during the later Qing Dynasty. (When was the Qing Dynasty?)

• Last one – 1636-1911

• The ideal foot: approx. 3 inches long!

Cultural DevelopmentsCultural Developments

• Women poets as exception

• Refined pastimes of the elite

• Landscape painting

P. 273-275