Strub Tang-Song Powerpoint

1. T’ang Dynasty
The second of the four greatest dynasties, the T'ang
combined aggressive military and economic expansion with
political stability and creative achievement. Traffic along
the Silk Road was brisk with both import and export trade.
Among its notable artistic contributions were sophisticated
figure painting, tricolored ceramic tomb figurines, and
exquisite porcelain. A significant development of this
period is the use of rare, cobalt blue glazes. The T'ang
revered both horses and camels, figures of which were
placed in the burials of the royalty and aristocracy, along
with gold and silver ornaments.
618-907 CE

2. Basic Theme: Recovery
 After the collapse of the Han Dynasty, the Period of Six
Dynasties arises (220-589 CE)
 Scholar-Gentry declines…rise of landed nobility; hence,
less emphasis on learning and merit positions; more focus
on older traditions
 Non-Chinese nomads control much of China: division
 Buddhism introduced to China…replaces Confucianism
with focus on spiritual life and self-renewal
SUI DYNASTY (589-618 CE)
 Emperor Wendi: Lowers tax burden, ensures stable food
supplies through establishment of granaries (storage)
 Emperor Yangdi: Legal code reformed; scholar-gentry
restored to authority; yet…public works projects (Grand
Canal) and military campaigns (Korea) deplete treasury;

3. T’ang Dynasty Emerges: Government
 Chang’an: The Imperial City
 1 million people, including foreigners
who were traders and merchants…
cosmopolitan in nature
 30 square miles
Restoration of Confucian Ideals:
Civil Service Exams
 Supported by government schools
 Limited to terms of 3 years
 Moved to different districts
 Reduced power of great families

4. Government: Administration
 Military based on local militia loyal to Emperor; not
mercenaries
 Revenue system – based on land tax
 Government monopoly on salt, tea, and liquor
 Rebuilt road and canal network with post stations
Theme: Consolidation Under T’ang
 Empire expands into Southeast Asia, Tibet, Korea
 Continued restoration of scholar-gentry as basis for proper,
stable governance through Confucian ideals: continued
restoration-improvement of civil service exams…adds second
level of examination for lower-level government positions.
 While technically based on merit, government positions

5. Culture
Golden Age of Art and Literature
http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/dynasty-tang.cfm
Art
 Glazes on Pottery
 Focused on Human Figure
 Monochromatic: Use of one color
with varied shading

6. Dish in the Shape
of a Leaf
Night Shining
White

7. Porcelain
Porcelain was first made in China in the 6th and 7th centuries CE from porcelain
clay (known as kaolin, after the Gaoling Mountains of southeastern China). Chinese
potters mixed the kaolin clay with a powder ground from a stone called baidunzi, a
rock that contains feldspar, a glassy mineral. It is fired at very high temperatures
above 2372°F (1300°C), which causes the surface of the clay to
melt and become smooth as glass.
Early porcelains were undecorated and were used by the Imperial court and
exported as far as the Middle East. Blue and white porcelain is painted with blue
paint made from cobalt and then covered with a clear glaze, which can withstand the
high temperatures of the kiln. Other kinds of porcelain are painted after the object
has been fired in the kiln.
The word "porcelain" comes from an Italian word porcellana or "little female
pig," the Italian name for small white cowrie shells. The first Italian travelers to China
saw beautiful Chinese porcelains and thought that these ceramics were made from
ground-up sea shells. The name has remained, however,
even though they are not made from shells.

8. Glazed Porcelain
Stoneware Vase:
Cobalt blue glaze
Stoneware
with green
glaze
Stoneware with abstract
floral motif Earthenware
with polychrome
glaze

9. The range of subjects of T’ang poetry is diverse. Some reflect the
social situations and conflicts at that time, revealing the darkness
of feudal society; some sing the praises of just wars and express
patriotic thought; some depict the beauty of the homeland; in
addition, some describe personal aspirations and encounters,
affection, friendship as well as joys and sorrows of life. In a word,
neither the natural phenomena, nor the political movement,
working life, social customs or personal feelings could skip the
eyesight of the insightful poets, which became their themes for
writing
To Friend Tan-Chiu
 Poetry flourished as a
My friend is lodging high in the Eastern Range,
reflection of society and Dearly loving the beauty of valleys and hills.
culture: a sign of the political At green Spring he lies in the empty woods,
stability of the era And is still asleep when the sun shines on high.
A pine-tree wind dusts his sleeves and coat;
 Poetry often reflected the A pebbly stream cleans his heart and ears.
human relationship to nature I envy you, who far from strife and talk
Are high-propped on a pillow of blue cloud.
LI BAI (701-762
CE)

10. Technology
Cast iron Coal as fuel
Crossbow Waterwheels
Gunpowder Paper Currency
Compass Wheelbarrow
Porcelain Wallpaper

11. Religion:
Introduction - Rejection of Buddhism…
Restoration of Confucianism
 Less focus on material, physical things….more on spirituality
 Zen Buddhism…focus on meditation
Buddhism temporarily become state religion…but…discontent begins to
take shape as Buddhism…
 Has foreign origins
 Suggests removal from society while Confucianism encourages
engagement
 Tax exempt status of Buddhist monasteries
 845 CE: Emperor Wuzong orders destruction of Buddhist temples
and monasteries; monks and nuns must abandon completive
Buddhist lives; Buddhism never fully recovers its status in Chinese
society

13. Collapse
 Revenue base began to erode
 Imperial land grants to notables who avoided taxes
 Upper levels of government begin to be filled with
imperial relations without civil service
 Population grew more quickly than land and money
could support
 Began outlawing contact with other ethnicities
 Regional governors use disorder to seize greater
authority; nomadic non-Chinese destabilize regional
and central governments; empire increasingly
divided
 Military increasingly staffed with mercenaries

14. Song
Dynasty
966-1279

15. Beginnings
Follows Five
Dynasty Period and
later Zhou Period
General Guo Wei
rival of Later Zhou
conquered middle
Yangzi region of Chu
Kingdom of Shu of
Sichuan

16. Government
 Issued paper currency credited
growth of commerce
 Civil Service recruited for higher posts
from educated who passed three
levels of imperial examinations
 Personal Property assessed for
Taxation
 Trained Militia and supplied with Arms
 Strengthen Loyalty and Quality of
Army

17. Government
Government Schools
Open to anyone of
ability
Allowed others a chance at office
holding
Paid Mongols and others in silk
and other goods as a way to
pacify would be attackers

18. Culture
Song Poetry
 Wáng Ānshí
 Zeng Gong
Paintings focusing on Landscapes
Harmony between humans and
nature
Patronized by Rich Urban Merchants
Popularization of Vernacular
Language

19. Summer Mountains

20. Scholar on Horseback with Traveling Hat

21. Chinese Song dynasty Henan jar

22. Glazed Clay Jar

23. Technology
Improved Ships with
Farming water-tight
Techniques – compartments
Irrigation, Waterwheels
fertilization, Incline Planes
metal tools and Canal Locks
proto-
machines Gunpowder
Mortars

24. Depletion of Empire
Shrank in size,
gave up land
including Taipei,
Abandoned Tibet
Manchuria in Khitan
control
Vietnam and Korea
more independent

25. Collapse of Northern Song
Alliance with Jurchen against
Khitan
Unimpressed with Song’s
military abilities
Captured capital of Kaifeng 1126
Treaty with Jurchen fixed border
at Huai River
 Pay annual tribute

27. Collapse of Southern Song
Attacks by Jurchen and Mongols
 Attacks by Jurchen take over
Northern China
 Song establish Southern Song
Dynasty
 Including Chinghis and Kubilai
Khan
Mongols eventually take over Song
China and establish Yuan Dyansty