China’s Two Golden Ages, Tang and Song

Chapter 12.1, 12.2

China• Han Dynasty collapsed in 220 C.E.–Didn’t have a strong emperor

• For over 350 years, struggle over leadership

• Tang Dynasty:–Ruled for 300 years, from 618-907 C.E.–Important emperor: Tang Taizong

Tang Dynasty

• With Tang Taizong, the empire expanded (626-649)

• The only woman emperor in China was Wu Zhao, from 660-690.

• Promoted trade• Tried to use the system of civil service

examinations for government, but generally was ruled by wealthy men

Economy Grows

• Trained officials in Confucian philosophy• New law code (set of rules)• Land Reform: rulers broke up large pieces of

land and gave smaller pieces to poor peasants– Increased taxes for government

• Lots of art, culture, writing during Tang and Song Dynasties

Decline of the Tang• Government was very expensive, so the Tang

emperors imposed heavy taxes in the 700s C.E. – Made many people very poor

• Could not control their empire: it was too big• Lost territory to Arab invaders• Drought, famine, rebellions• 907 C.E: Chinese rebels burned the capital

down and murdered the last Tang emperor

The Song Dynasty:960-1279 C. E.

• 960 C.E.: a general reunites China• Trade, Education, Art, Agricultural

advancements • Economic growth– Population soared to over 100 million people– Technological advances:

• Moveable type• Gunpowder• Clocks• Paper money• Magnetic compass• Negative numbers

Structured Society in China

• Education is valued, most government officials came from the gentry class (wealthy landowners)

• Pleasants were mostly self-sufficient, not much interaction with the emperor

• Merchants were the lowest class, because their livelihood comes from the work of other people

Women in China• Women had higher status, could run family• But, society still valued boys over girls– When women married, had to leave their own

family, did not get to keep her dowry and could never remarry

• Foot binding as a sign of wealth, but also crippled girls

• Forced women to stay home

Mongolian Conquests

• Nomadic– Follow herds of

animals, and weather across the steppes of Central Asia

• Interacted with settled people a lot– Traded peacefully

sometimes, but also raided richer towns.

– Sometimes they joined settled communities

Genghis Khan

• Around 1200 C.E., united Mongolian tribes• “Universal Ruler”• Conquered huge amounts of land, massacred

many using different strategies– Brilliant organizer– Smart strategist– Cruel—used fear to conquer– Demanded loyalty– Cultural Diffusion: used military technology from

Turks and others

Kublai Khan

• Grandson of Genghis Khan• Established peace in empire– Pax Mongolica (Mongol Peace)

• Yuan Dynasty, 1280-1368 C.E.– United China again– Trade with foreigners– Cultural Diffusion with Arabia, Africa, Europe– Settled life

Marco Polo

• Italian merchant who traveled to the Yuan Dynasty

• Lived 17 years with Kublai Khan, then wrote a book of his experiences

• His writings caused Europe to be very interested in China

End of Mongol Rule

• Yuan Dynasty fell after Kublai Khan died in 1294

• Most Chinese hated the Mongols and were ready for a Chinese ruler again

• A peasant led a revolt against the Mongols and established the Ming Dynasty in 1368

Ming Dynasty

• Productive economy• New technology, art, porcelain• Exploration:– Zheng He, 1405, took 250 ships with 28,000 sailors

into the ocean, past India and into the Red Sea

• When He died, Ming ended exploration and banned large ships—historians are not sure why

• Only 50 years later Columbus sailed across the ocean