Tang/Song China

The Restoration of Centralized Rule in China

o The Sui Dynasty
Yang Jian imposed tight political discipline
Rose to power after Mongolian leader appointed him as
duke and he claimed the throne
Placed enormous demands on their subjects in the
course of building a strong, centralized gov
First time China Unified after collapse of Han
Construction of granaries and palaces and carries out
extensive repairs on defensive walls, dispatched military
forces to central Asia and Korea, levied higher taxes,
and demanded compulsory labor services
Construction of the Grand Canal
Sui Yangdi built canal to facilitate trade between
northern and souther China, to make rice and
other crops from Yangzi River valley available to
residents of northern regions
From Hangzhou in the south to imperial capital of
Changan in the west to Zhuo in the north
Integrated Northern and Southern China
Starts in southern China and goes up North
o Southern China is strong in rice
Allowed cities in the North, like Beijing, to have
food(rice)from the south
Sui Yangdis dependence on high taxes and foreign labor
led to hostility and in late 610s rebellions broke out in
northern China
618-Minister assassinated the emperor
o The Tang Dynasty
A rebel seized Changan and proclaimed himself
emperor of a new dynasty that he named Tang, after his
ancestral land
Second emperor=Tang Taizong
Provided an effective, stable government
Built a splendid capital at Changan
Saw himself as a Confucian ruler who heeded the
interests of his subjects
Banditry ended, price of rice remained low, and
taxes levied on peasants amounted to 1/14th of
the annual harvest-although with rent payments
and labor services, the tax was somewhat higher
Era of unusual stability and prosperity

3 policies-maintenance of transportation and

communication network, distribution of land according
to the equal-field system and reliance on a bureaucracy
Originated from the Sui Dynasty, but Tang applied
most
Maintained an extensive communications network
based on roads, horses, and sometimes human runners
Maintained Inns, postal stations, and stables
Using couriers on horse, Tang court could
communicate with the distant cities in the empire
in about 8 days
Equal-field system governed allocation of agricultural
land. Its purpose was to avoid concentration of landed
property that had caused problems in the Han. Land
allocated to individuals and families according to need
and lands fertility, one-fifth of which could be passed
down as a hereditary possession and tBhe rest
redistributed later.
In later years, the system began to weaken as rising
population placed additional pressures on the land,
favors, bribery, or intimidation let influencial families
retain their land.and Buddhist monasteries took up
increasing amounts of land. (lasted 13 years)
During the 1st half of Tang Dynasty-it provided a
foundation for stability and prosperity
Relied on a merit based bureaucracy, as reflected by
performance on imperial civil service exams.
Recruited gov officials from the ranks of
candidates who had progressed through
Confucian education and mastered a sophisticated
curuculam focusing on classic Chinese Lit and
philosophy
Some powerful families used influence, but most
people in power won posts because of intellectual
ability
Generally loyal and worked to strengthen the
state
Used military to extend its influence into
Manchuria in the north and conquer northern
part of Vietnam. Forced the Silla kingdom in Korea
to acknowledge the Tang emperor as overlord.
Also conquered the northern part of Vietnam
Authority imposed westward to the Aral Sea,
including part of Tibet.

Tributary relationships with subordinate states

Again following the Han, Tang rulers of China (the
Middle Kingdom) would receive envoys from
subordinate states, who would bring tokens and
gifts and perform the kowtow for the emperor
who would in turn receive confirmation of their
authority and be given lavish gifts. Mainly
symbolic: Chinese authorities in truth often had
little control over subordinate lands, but the ritual
of the tributary system fostered trade, cultural
exchange and diplomacy.
Maintaining tributary relationships with China and
neighboring lands, recognize chinese emperors as
overlords
Fall came when a casual and careless leader neglected
public affairs in favor of music and his mistress
An Lushun captured capital, ended shortly, but left
dynasty in a weakened state
Tang imperial house never regained control of affairs,
equal field system fell apart, taxes failed to meet needs
One uprising led by Huang Chao embroiled much of
Eastern China for almost a decade
Tang emperors granted greater power to regional
leaders, who became the effective rulers
o The Song Dynasty
Never built a powerful state
Least militarized, emphasis on civil admin, industry,
education, and arts
First emperor=Song Taizu
He and his army subjected warlords to their
authority and consolidated Song control in China
Organized a central admin that placed military
forces under tight supervision
In exchange for their loyalty, handsome rewards
Expanded bureaucracy based on merit by making
more opportunities for individuals to seek a
Confucian education and take civil service exams
More centralized than early chinese
Financial-Bureaucracy used all of Chinas surplus
production and imperial treasury came under
great pressure. Efforts to raise taxes, aggragated
the peasents who rebelled twice
Military-Scholar bureaucrats had little military
education and little talent for military

o Nomadic peoples flourished along Chinas

northern border
o Khitan demanded and received large tribute
payments of silk and silver from the Song
State
o The Jurchem conquered the Khitan and
captured the Song capital
Eventually fell to the Mongols
o Agricultural development
Vietnam=new strains of fast ripening rice that led to
two harvest crops per year=surplus food
Increased use of iron plows, oxen, water buffaloes
Enriched the soil with manure and organic matter
Extensive irrigation systems
Reservoirs, dikes, dams, canals, pumps, water
wheels
Could grow on terraced mountainsides
Rapid expansion of pop
Reflected productivity of agricultural economy and
organized distribution of food through
transportation networks built by the Sui and Tanf\g
Tang=Changan=most populous city
Song=Hangzhou=most populous
Increased food production=commercialized agricultural
economy
Cultivators focused on crops that grew well in their
region
Market-oriented cultivation
Tang=tightening of patriarchail social structures
Song=veneration of family ancestors became much
more elaborate than before
Attended annual rituals venerating deceased
ancestors
Popularity of foot binding among privledged
classes in song
o Impractical for lower class and peasants
o Enhanced attractiveness, display social
standing, and gain control over their
daughter
o Like veiling, placed women under tight
supervision of men
o Technological and Industrial Development
Porcelain-thinner, lighter, and more adaptable
Chinaware-fine porcelain

Production of Iron and steel surged

Chinese could use coke instead of coal and produce
better grades of metal
Iron production increased almost tenfold(9-12th)
Most iron and steel went to weaponry and agricultural
tools or bridges and pagodas
Invented gunpowder, printing, and naval technologies
Using gunpowder in bamboo=primitive bombs
Led to metal-barreled cannons
Printing became common during Tang
Used block printing techniques
Then, reusable, movable type
o Produced texts quickly, cheaply, and in huge
quantities
By 9th centuries=printed Buddhist texts, Confucian
works, calendars, agricultural treatises, and
popular works
Tang=spices + exotic products of se Asian islands
Song=sailed ships with iron nails, waterproofed with
oils, furnished with bulkheads, driven by canvas sails,
and steered by rudders
The magnetic compass
o Emergence of a Market Economy
Tang and Song experienced a shortage of copper coins
that served as money, then letters of credit came in
known as flying cash that enabled merchants to
deposit goods or cash at one location and draw the
equivalent from another
Invented paper money
Problem=counterfeiting
Gov often printed more value than what they
actually had in cash reserves-uncommon-meant a
loss in public confidence in paper money
Printed paper money provided a powerful stimulus
to Chinese economy
Chinese consumers developed a taste for exotic
goods=stimulated trade
Kingfisher feathers=tortoise shell from vietname
Horse and Melons from central Asia
Pearls and incense from India
Chinese sent abroad silk, porcelain, and
laquerware
o Establishment of Buddhism

After Han, Confucian suffered a loss of credibility

Buddhism=popular in Tang and Song
Oases became sites of Buddhist missionary efforts
Buddhism attracted chinese because of their high moral
standards, intellectual sophistication, and promise of
salvation
Buddhists had sizable estates donated by wealthy
converts
Monasteries became important elements in local
Chinese communities
An ascetic ideal
Follow a celibate, monastic lifestyle, but Chinese
morality centered on family and filial piety, and
encouraged procreation so that generations would be
able to venerate ancestors
Monasteries paid no taxes, foreign origins
Translated words to Chinese audiences
Encouraged celibacy, but recognized validity of family
life and offered Buddhism as a faith that would benefit
the extended Chinese family: one son in the monastery
would bring salvation for generations
Result= syncretic faith of Buddhism with chinese
characteristics
o School=Chan
o Chan Buddhists had little interests in texts,
but emphasized insight
o This syncretic Buddhism became popular in
Song and Tang
o Pilgrims played roles in establishing
Buddhism as a popular faith in China
Daoists and Confucians despised and resented=
called it an alien superstition
Tang emperors ordered closure of monasteries
and expulsion of Buddhists, Zoroastrians,
Nestorian Christians, and Manichaens (wanted to
seize property)
o Neo-Confucianism
Song emperors supported native Chinese traditions in
hopes of limiting influence of foreign religion, supported
Confucian
Confucians of the Song dynasty drew inspiration from
Buddhism bc their thoughts reflected the influence if
Buddhism and Confucian(neo-concianism)
Song= Zhu Xi

Emphasized proper personal behavior and social

harmony
o Family rituals-writing
o High moral standards
o Academic and philosophical investigations
were important for practical affairs
Illustrates influence of Buddhism in Chinese society,
even though neo-confucians rejected Buddhism, their
writings adapted Buddhist themes and reasoning to
Confucian interests and values
Officialy recognized creed from Song Dynasty until early
20th century
o Korea and Vietnam
Chinese armies ventured into Korea and Vietnam
Both borrowed chinese political and cultural traditions
and used them in their own society
Tang conquered much of Korea, but Silla rallied to
prevent Chinese domination
Chinese forces withdrew and the Silla king recognized
Tang emperor as overlord
Korea then entered a tributary relationship with China
Allowed Korean merchants to trade in China
Silla kings built a new capital Kumsong modeled
on the Tang capital at Changan
Korean elites turned to Confuscius, Chinese
schools of Buddhism attracted interest. Chan
Buddhism, promoted individual salvation, won
peasants and commoners
China and Korea=very Different
o Korea=Royal Aritocrats dominated
o Korea never established a bureaucracy
based on merit
o Korea modeled Chinas government by
organizing their own bureacracy
Vietnam and China
Tang invaded Vietnam and conquered cities
Viets adopted Chinese agriculture; methods and
irrigation systems, schools, and admin techniques
Viets studies Confucian texts, authorities entered
into a tributary relationship with Chinese court
Viets mounted revolt against tang
Women=more predominant in Viet
o Active in business

Viet admin system and bureaucracy based off

China
Viet ruling classes prepared by pursuing a
Confucian education
Buddhism won a huge following in Vietnam

o Early Japan
Adopted a chinese style Bureacracy, equal field system,
official support for Buddhism and Confucianism
Capital=Nara(replica of Tang capital and Chinas capital
Changan)
Still practiced Shinto
Veneration of ancestors
Nature deities and spirits
Japan moved capital from Nara to Heian
Heain Period=emperor as supreme political authority,
emperors were ceremonial figureheads, power in
aristocratic clan
Split between publicly recognized imperial
authority and separate agent of effective rule
o Accounts for longevity
o Bc emperors have not ruled, they are not
subject to deposition during turmoil
Most lit imitated Chinese models and was written
in the Chinese language
Officials kept records in chinese
Aristocratic women made the most notable
comtributions to lit in the Japanese language
o The Tale of Genji (Japanese text)
Heian period fell- Minamoto emerged and enables a
shogun(military governer) and established seat of their
gov at Kamakura
Japanese society recognized Chinas traditions but
developed along its own path
o Medieval Japan
Kamakura and Muromachi
Provincial lords wielded effective power and
authority in local regions where they controlled
land and econ
Little use for Chinese bureaucracy
Valued military talent and discipline
Samurai-mounted warrior was the most distinctive
role in political and military affairs
o Professional warriors

o Enforced authority and extend claims to

other lands
o Agricultural surplus and labor services of
peasants
o Observed code know as bushidoemphasized loyalty to ones lord
o Avoid dishonor and humiliation
o Samurai who failed died by Seppuku-ritual
suicide by disembowelment

Class Notes
Tang(military) vs Song-Ummayads (military)
Exam=educated=better gov=make better decisions
Both Tang and Song used civil service exam(but song used more)
Social Effects-Anybody can take the test, allows anybody the
ability to become a higher class (social mobility, but limited)
Exam based on Confucian Ideals
Porcelain- Pottery
Steel-Stronger and More flexible (better, but takes longer)
o Than Iron
Confucianism started a philosophy-lost influence with fall of Hanchange it to neo-confuciamsim
Tribute-payment like rent
China(east Asia) was the cultural hub for east asia(like india for
south asia)
Shogun-feudalism type gov(dont have a centralized gov, all
locally based)
Peasent, samurai, and shogun
Samurai-fight all day long
Peasent- work in the field
Bushido code-restrain samurai