Focus: How did the Song and Tang Dynasties create the foundations for a Golden Age”?

Quickly Copy the following material:

CHINA:•Sui Dynasty-589-618•Tang Dynasty – 618-907•Song Dynasty-960-1270

Government-Imperial rule led by scholar bureaucratsTrade and Transportation- Grand CanalAgriculture and Economy- Equal-Field System, Flying Cash, paper money, Fast-Ripening riceTechnology and Industry-Porcelain, gunpowder, printing, compassSocial Structure-Gender and Class-Foot binding

Excerpts from Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance

By Sima GuangThe year 642, summer, fourth month. The Emperor Taizhong spoke to the

Imperial Censor ChuSuiliang saying, “Since you, Sir, are in charge of the Diaries of Action and Repose, may I see what you have written?”

Suiliang replied, “The historiographers record the words and deeds of theruler of men, noting all that is good and bad, in hopes that the ruler will not

dare to do evil. But it is unheard of that the ruler himself should see what is written.”

The emperor said, “If I do something that is not good, do you then record it also?”

Suiliang replied, “My office is to wield the brush. How could I dare not to record it?”

The Gentleman of the Yellow Gate Liu Ji added, "Even if Suiliang failed to record it, everyone else in the empire would” — to which the emperor replied, “True.”

Working in Pairs- respond to the following questions.

1. What function does the author see for history?

2. How does the author’s understanding of history (that is, the art of writing history), as conveyed in this paragraph, compare to your own?

3. What can you conclude about the power of emperors from this short description of a conversation between a Tang emperor and two of his officials?

Sui Dynasty – 589-618

Grand Canal

Tang Dynasty-618-907

Northern Song Dynasty-960-1279

Southern Song Dynasty

Taizong – Tang Dynasty

Ch’ang-an during the Sui and Tang Dynasties

Tang Camel

Porcelain – “Chinaware”

Block Printing

Footbinding – “Lotus Feet”

Technology

Select ONE of the technological or cultural developments of the Tang and Song Dynasties. (compass, porcelain, gunpowder, block printing, footbinding)

Write a “thank you letter” or a “no thank you letter” explaining how their invention has altered the course of history. Be sure to explain at least one specific historical example of the effect of this technology on world history. You may begin your letter, “Dear China, thank you for….”

You must create ONE GROUP paper and be prepared to share out your responses during the last 10 minutes of class. I will collect the paper at the end of the period.