China's Golden Age

2. TThhee DDyynnaassttyy SSoonngg
"The Dynasties Song”--- sung to the tune of "Frère Jacques”
Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han
Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han
Sui, Tang, Song
Sui, Tang, Song
Yuan, Ming, Qing, Republic
Yuan, Ming, Qing, Republic
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong

4. CChhiinnaa’’ss GGoollddeenn AAggee::
TThheemmeess
Major Themes:
•China emerging as a “superpower” among the third-wave civilizations
•China’s deep influence on East Asia—political, cultural, social
•The impact that interaction with other peoples had on China
(international trade, nomadic military threat – tribute system)
•Buddhism spreads and becomes part of popular culture
•Economic revolution—most highly commercialized economy in
the world
•China’s economy and technological innovations had effects throughout
Eurasia
•Rapid population growth (50 million under Tang, 120 mil. by
1200)

5. Six DDyynnaassttiieess PPeerriioodd
• "Period of Disunity" or Six Dynasties Period
• 220-589 CE
• The empire fragmented after Han fell
• The North was dominated by invaders from the
borderland and the steppes
• The South was ruled by successive "Chinese"
dynasties.
• Buddhism spread rapidly between 300-800 CE

6. Six DDyynnaassttiieess PPeerriioodd
• Six successive dynasties had their capital at Jiankang (Nanjing)
• Divisions between the North and South developed and
remained part of Chinese history for centuries
• Chinese in the South thought of themselves as the true
inheritors of Han ancestry---looked with scorn on the North
due to the strong impact of nomadic culture from the steppes
on the northern region
• Lack of internal conflicts allowed the South to flourish and
become a center for Chinese art, literature, and intellectual
thought.

7. Six DDyynnaassttiieess PPeerriioodd

8. SSuuii DDyynnaassttyy
By 589 BCE, Emperor Wendi of the Sui
dynasty had forcefully reunited northern and
southern China once again after over 300
years of disunity.
By 581 BCE – Sui dynasty established-- Sui
rulers provided the political, institutional,
and economic foundations for the Tang &
Song Dynasties

10. Sui DDyynnaassttyy,, 558811--661188
CC..EE..
 Grand Canal constructed—one million peasants labored for 5
years on its completion—massive amounts of deaths
 Canal was a major technological breakthrough—
foreshadowing the rise of an advanced China
 Grand Canal connected the Huang He and Yangtze Rivers—
economic and military unification
 Established an army of professional soldiers.
 People were overworked and overtaxed
People revolted in 618 and assassinated the Sui emperor

11. GGrraanndd CCaannaall

12. Sui DDyynnaassttyy,, 558811--661188
CC..EE..
• The two emperors of Sui were devoted Buddhists and promoted
the creation of numerous Buddhist temples and sculptures.
• Second emperor, Yangdi (569–618) rebuilt the eastern capital of
Luoyang and established relations with Taiwan and Japan.
• Military expansion eastward established colonies along the
overland trade routes
• Then failed campaigns, especially against Korea, led to political
disarray, rebellions, and dynastic downfall.

13. Buddhist meditation caves at Luoyang date to the Sui dynasty

14. TTAANNGG DDYYNNAASSTTYY
PPOOLLIITTCCAALL OOVVEERRVVIIEEWW
661188--990077 CCEE

18. Emperor TTaaiizzoonngg:: 662266--
664499 CCEE
Tang Taizong (“Great Ancestor”)
 Li Shimin was second emperor --took the
name Tang Taizong
 an important general—came to power in 626 after
killing brothers and forcing father, Tang Gaozu, into
retirement
 Expanded China’s borders deep into Korea
and Central Asia (Afghanistan)
 Reformed the government
 Role of the military expanded
 Role of scholar-officials expanded
 Exam emphasized Confucian values of loyalty
and service

19. Emperor TTaaiizzoonngg:: 662266--
664499 CCEE
Tang Taizong (“Great Ancestor”)
 Expanded the exam system
 Education & talent became keys to social mobility—reduced the
power of the old landowning elites
 Talented class of bureaucrats were generally loyal to the dynasty
and worked to strengthen the state
 Needed to place loyal officials all over the empire as China grew
– also placed relatives in charge of regions
 Placed military bases along Silk Road – believed in well-trained
military but sought balance between peace & war
 Land reform – put more land into the hands of farmers –
increased food production & utilized the Grand Canal for
shipping food grown in the south

20. TTaanngg CCaappiittaall aatt
CChhaanngg’’aann
 Capital city at Chang’an (Xian) became a cosmopolitan center of learning
and trade…foreign goods, religions, fashions seen here due to numerous
merchants, dignitaries, pilgrims
**Under the Tang
dynasty, China became
a center for foreign
exchange in goods and
ideas
**Expanded network of
roads and canals
helped to further unify
and strengthen China

21. EEmmpprreessss WWuu ZZhhaaoo 662255--
770055
 The only female Empress in China’s
history who ruled alone—vicious in her climb to top
 Searched for outstanding individuals
to attract to her court (successful and powerful people always
surround themselves with the best of the best)
 Empress Dowager Wu conducted military campaigns that completed
the conquest of Korea
 Korea paid tribute, sinification (extensive adaptation of Chinese
influences) of Korea occurs
 Respected and listened to the people
 Buddhism was the favored state religion.
 Financed the building of many
Buddhist temples.
 BUT… She appointed cruel and sadistic ministers to seek out her
enemies

22. Buddhism iinn TTaanngg CChhiinnaa
Buddhist sculpture at Longmen
Caves near Luoyang, works
commissioned by
Empress Wu and late husband
Gaozong

23. BBuuddddhhiissmm && SSttaattee
SSuuppppoorrtt
 Mahayana Buddhism reached its greatest influence in China
under the Tang
 Tang patronize Buddhism while promoting Confucian
education.
(1) Endow monasteries
(2) Host Buddhist ceremonies at court
(3) Art, literature, architecture—Buddhist themes widely
seen
 Empress Wu (r. 690-705) tries to make Buddhism state
religion→ powerful monks and monasteries

24. Emperor XXuuaannzzoonngg 771122--
775566
 Became emperor after slaying Wu’s grandson
 Active ruler early on: reduced power of the Buddhist
monasteries, ordered a new census, addressed issues with
land distribution, strengthened military on the frontiers
 Initiated a brief golden age of peace and prosperity---great
patron of poetry, music, and painting (he was also an artist)
 Favored both Daoism and Tibetan Buddhism
 Interest in Tibetan Buddhism and love for the courtesan Yang
Guifei led to weakening of his power

25. Battle ooff TTaallaass 775511 CCEE
 Clash between the Arab Abbasid caliphate and the Tang
dynasty over control of central Asia
 Abbasids united with many of the local tribes and had the
superior force
 Of the tens of thousands the Tang sent into battle, only a
small percentage survived.
 Potentially could have led to Arab invasion of China – but low
supplies and the challenge of crossing the Hindu Kush
mountains led the Abbasids to retreat
 Tang lost control of the central Asian trade routes – marks a
long decline for the Tang

26. Rebellion ooff AAnn LLuusshhaann
775555--776633
 An Lushan was a military governor of three strategic
provinces in the northeast—half Turkish descent
 An Lushan with 100,000 troops started a rebellion against
Xuanzong that forced him to flee –attacked the capital of
Luoyang
 Yang Guifei and her relatives killed
 To recover capital—Tang had to make alliances with the
Turks and give up many rights
 Begins the long slow decline of the Tang

27. BBuuddddhhiissmm iinn CChhiinnaa::
CCrriissiiss
• 9th century—An Lushan rebellion sparked resentment towards
anything foreign
• Buddhism now seen as foreign as well as contradictory to the
Confucian-based family system
• 841-845—260,000 monks and nuns were forced to return to
secular life
• Monasteries, temples and shrines were confiscated or
destroyed
• Ban on use of precious gems for Buddhist images
• Persecution did not cause Buddhism to vanish---remained an
important part of Chinese popular religion

28. LLoonngg DDeecclliinnee ooff tthhee
TTaanngg
Victim of its own success—expanded beyond its capacity to
effectively administer its territories
Frontier generals and officials gained too much power—
staged revolts creating internal strife in the mid-700s
Tang ruled for another century but very weak and eventually
fell after Chang’an was sacked and destroyed
China entered 50 years of political turmoil until the first Song
emperor regained imperial control

29. TTaanngg CChhiinnaa SSuummmmaarryy
:: 661188--990077 CCEE
 Expanded and strengthened the central government;
expanded roads & canals; further unified the empire
 Re-conquered northern and western lands lost after the fall
of the Han
 Imperial examination system more developed
 Liberal attitude towards all religions early in dynasty—later
Tang rulers started to suppress Buddhism
 Golden Age of foreign relations with other countries—
promoted foreign trade along Silk Roads and sea routes

30. SSOONNGG DDYYNNAASSTTYY
OOVVEERRVVIIEEWW
996600--11227799 CCEE

31. SSoonngg ((SSuunngg))
DDyynnaassttyy::996600--11227799

32. NNoorrtthheerrnn SSoonngg
DDyynnaassttyy::996600--11112277

33. Shifting Global Perspectives
The Tang Dynasty World View: The Song Dynasty World View:
looks east towards the sea
Did not expand China’s borders
west along the Silk Road
Expansionist
Strong military

34. SONG DDYYNNAASSTTYY 996600--11227799
OOvveerrvviieeww
 In 960 the general Taizu reunited China and proclaimed himself the first
Song emperor
 Ruled a smaller empire than the Han or the Tang—but the Song kept
China stable, powerful, and wealthy
 After the early 1100s, northern China and the capital at Kaifeng fell to the
Manchurian people (Jurchens / Jin Empire)
 Southern Song Empire (1127-1279): grand new capital established at
Hangzhou—coastal city tied to Indian Ocean commerce, described in
Marco Polo’s 14th-century writings
 Move to the south brought huge economic growth—became economic
heartland of China

35. Southern SSoonngg DDyynnaassttyy

36. Song Dynasty: Government
• Song dynasty—economic, not military, power
• Kept a strong centralized government
• Founded by general named Taizu
– Forced the military to become under control of the government
bureaucracy
– Fought against the tribes in the north but failed
• Controversy in government over paying tribute to the
nomads—seemed weak to the military faction
• Pro-peace faction— tribute was cheaper than war,
economically good for China
• Focus of government becomes increased prosperity and
stability at home
• Diplomacy a civilian-controlled government key

37. Song DDyynnaassttyy:: SScchhoollaarr--
OOffffiicciiaallss
CONFUCIANISM CIVIL SERVICE EXAMS
 Rise of the gentry (scholar-officials) as the Song increased the prestige
and honor that came from passing the exam and working for the
government – new upper class
 Govt. bureaucracy filled by competitive exams —all the wealthy receive
similar educations and develop the same worldview
 Song did not want a government dominated by military
 Song examination system was more complex than before with different
levels
 Exams covered general education, Confucian classics, policy issues, poetry
 Only 10% of candidates allowed to pass at each level
 Talent and education became the keys to success, not noble birth

38. Song DDyynnaassttyy:: FFoorreeiiggnn
PPoolliiccyy
Tribute System: pay for protection
** In theory: Chinese saw themselves as the center of the world and
superior to non-Chinese peoples
Foreign policy goal: use the tribute system to manage
relationships with the nomadic pastoralists
Tribes would gain trading privileges with China for
acknowledging China’s superiority in the region
** In reality: The powerful tribes demanded China recognize them as political
equals
China sought horses– the tribes controlled much of the Silk Road routes
and wanted Chinese goods to trade
Used extortion to get what they wanted from China

39. Song DDyynnaassttyy:: FFoorreeiiggnn
PPoolliiccyy
Tribute System Assimilation:
**Chinese culture had little impact on the nomads of the steppes
--Pastoral societies retained their own way of life
**When nomads ruled parts of China (such as the Jin dynasty) they
often adopted aspects of Chinese culture
**China’s elites—hostile towards the influences of the nomads on
Chinese culture
– particularly did not like that nomadic women were much freer and more respected than
Chinese women
**All non-Chinese states made efforts to maintain their own
ethnic identity and to keep themselves from being absorbed by
the much more numerous Chinese

40. TTAANNGG SSOONNGG
DDYYNNAASSTTIIEESS::
EECCOONNOOMMIICC,, SSOOCCIIAALL,,
CCUULLTTUURRAALL
DDEEVVEELLOOPPMMEENNTTSS

41. EEccoonnoommiicc RReevvoolluuttiioonn::
GGrroowwtthh ooff aa MMaarrkkeett
EEccoonnoommyy
What caused the emergence of a market economy
during the Song dynasty?
Increased agricultural production
More efficient transportation routes including the growth
of sea trade
Population growth
Urbanization (growth of city living)
Industrial production, such as seen with the iron industry
Innovative financial tools

42. CChhaanngg’’aann ((XXiiaann))::
TTaanngg CCuullttuurraall MMeettrrooppoolliiss

Under the Sui and Tang—Chang’an became a center of Buddhist learning and a major
center of trade on the Silk Roads

43. KKaaiiffeenngg::
NNoorrtthheerrnn SSoonngg CCaappiittaall

• Under the Northern Song Kaifeng developed into an
economic center with a vibrant urban life as shown in
the Qingming Scroll

44. Hangzhou: EEaasstteerrnn CCaappiittaall
NNeeww HHuubb ooff SSoouutthheerrnn
SSoonngg CCuullttuurree
Under the Song, Hangzhou became a legendary city full of markets, culture, pleasure—
it was the largest and richest city in the world during the 1200s
Arab merchants revived trade along the Silk Roads and flocked to large Chinese trading
centers

45. Song ships
• Note how the Grand
Canal connects Hangzhou,
Southern Song capital, to
Beijing in the north

46. EEccoonnoommiicc RReevvoolluuttiioonn::
FFiinnaanncciinngg TTrraaddee
Growth of cities an efficient network of roads
canals - led to growth of industry, trade, and the
empires’ economy—some cities had populations over
one million
The use of a credit system (“flying money”)
Government issued paper money on massive scale –
the world’s first banknotes
Government promoted innovation
Merchants formed partnerships to fund trading
ventures
More merchants engaged in overseas trade – coming
into contact with more cultures

47. EEccoonnoommiicc EExxcchhaannggee::
LLeetttteerrss ooff CCrreeddiitt ((EEaarrllyy
BBaannkkiinngg))
Trade grew so rapidly during the Tang and Song
era that copper coin shortages developed
– Traders began issuing letters of credit (“flying
cash”) as an alternative
– Enabled merchants to deposit goods or cash
at one location and draw the equivalent cash
or merchandise somewhere else
Coin from Tang Dynasty

48. TTeecchhnnoollooggyy:: FFaarrmmiinngg
 Heavy iron plows
 Harnessed oxen and water
buffaloes
 Enriched soil with manure and
composted organic matter
 Extensive irrigation systems
 Reservoirs, dams, pumps, water
wheels
 Artificial irrigation greatly
increased agricultural production
which led to a rapid population
expansion

49. Intensive Rice CCuullttiivvaattiioonn aafftteerr
11000000 CCEE
Demographic shifts: New type of rice
from Vietnam allowed for 2 harvests a
year—feed a larger population in the
cities
**Example of how China also
economically benefitted from contact
with other societies
**Exchange of goods and ideas was not
one way
**Learned cotton and sugar production
from India leading to farming crops for
the market

50. TANG // SSOONNGG::IINNDDUUSSTTRRYY
TTRRAADDEE
 China began cotton, tea, and sugar production for export—
creation of a market-driven economy
 China lost its monopoly on silk (but still had a superior
product)
 China was the sole supplier of porcelain to the world
 Advanced metallurgy and mining—greatly expands under Song
 Sea trade—China’s long coastline had port cities that became
big trade centers—ships sailed to Korea, Japan, India, Persian
Gulf, East Africa

51. EEccoonnoommiicc EExxcchhaannggee::
TTeeaa
 Tea trading
flourished
during Tang
and Song era
 Tea was
compressed
into bricks and
used as money
 Tea came into China from
Southeast Asia.

52. TTAANNGG // SSOONNGG::
TTeecchhnnoollooggiiccaall IInnnnoovvaattiioonn
 New technologies:
 Printing  moveable-type print
using characters carved on wood blocks
 Porcelain (“china”)
 Gunpowder
 Mechanical clocks
 Magnetic compass
 Improved iron production

53. NNeeww TTeecchhnnoollooggiieess::
PPrriinnttiinngg  Tang printers used block-printing techniques
Carved a reverse image of an entire page into a wooden
block, inked the block, then pressed a sheet of paper on
top of it
 By the mid-eleventh century, Song printers began to
experiment with movable type
– Fashioned dies in the shape of characters, arranged them
in a frame, inked them, and pressed the frame over
paper sheets
– Speeded up the process and allowed printers to make
revisions and corrections
– Facilitated distribution of texts quickly, cheaply
– Allowed for printed paper money – helped create a large-scale
commercial economy

54. NNeeww TTeecchhnnoollooggiieess::
GGuunnppoowwddeerr
 During the Tang era, Daoist alchemists
learned it was dangerous to mix charcoal,
saltpeter, sulphur, and arsenic
Military officials saw possibilities—first
recorded use of gunpowder as a weapon
—919 CE
 By the tenth-century, the Tang military was
using gunpowder in bamboo “fire lances,” a
kind of flame thrower and by the eleventh
century they had made primitive bombs

55. New Technologies:
Magnetic Compass
Shipbuilding
 Magnetic compass – further improved
during the Song period
 The needle was reduced in size and
attached to a fixed stem (rather than
floating in water).
 Small protective case with a glass top
made it suitable for sea travel.
 Song sailors started using the compass to
aid in navigation around 1100
 One factor that led the Southern Song to
becoming a sea power

56. New Technologies:
Magnetic Compass
Shipbuilding
 Song made big improvements in shipbuilding -
watertight bulkheads improved buoyancy, stern-post
rudders improved steering.
 Some ships were powered by both oars and sails
and large enough to hold several hundred men.
 Southern Song needed to keep northern armies
from crossing the Yangtze River – needed a strong
navy
 Song battleships –more advanced than Tang ships
– included fire-bomb catapults, protected stations
on upper deck for crossbowmen
Tang Sea Hawk warship
Song Battleship
Rudders

57. New Technologies:
Improved Metallurgy
 Chinese craftsmen learned new
methods to improve the quality of
iron
 Iron production increased
dramatically between the 9th – 12th
centuries
 Produced high quality weaponry and
farming tools
 Also used to reinforce bridges and in
building construction
 Iron technology quickly spread –
nomadic peoples in the North
adopted it and produced their own
iron weapons
Blast furnace
Furnace pouring out iron

58. NNeeww TTeecchhnnoollooggiieess::
PPoorrcceellaaiinn
Tang craftsmen discovered how
to produce porcelain which was
lighter, thinner, and adaptable
to more uses than earlier
pottery
Strong enough and attractive
enough to be useful and beautiful
Tang and Song products gained
such a reputation that porcelain
came to be called “chinaware”
Tang Marble Glazed
Porcelain Figure

59. Song SSoocciiaall CCllaasssseess
Emperor family
Nobles still had wealth and privilege, but power decreased
Gentry
Wealthy landowners Scholar-officials who studied
Confucian doctrine passed civil
service exam
Rising middle class of urban artisans, merchants,
Merchants not as shopkeepers
respected as farmers
because they made $
off the work of
Some merchants became very
wealthy through trade
Greater social mobility -
some merchants
educated sons - enter
the gentry class
Peasants--largest % of population
Common laborers, soldiers
Farmers greatly respected by Confucian scholars
others
**China’s new prosperity had big impact on society—rise of cities,
educated gentry, social mobility more common
**Peasants grew specialized crops for the market rather than for
local consumption

60. GGeennddeerr RRoolleess
Women’s status slowly declined (despite
attempts at reform by several empresses)
 The Song Period saw women at a very low
social status—Song rulers thought Buddhism
had encouraged too much freedom for women
 Seclusion, lack of property rights, foot binding,
and exclusion from education are all examples
of their lowering status.

61. GGeennddeerr RRoolleess
 Lower class women involved in activities outside the home
(farming-rural, variety of occupations—urban)
 Silk production—many hands needed to produce silk
 Wealthy families secluded women
 Marriages were arranged with a dowry provided by bride’s
family
 Daughter went to live with in-laws permanently
 Giving birth to a male heir—top priority
 Husbands and sons provided for women (4-6 kids)
 Acceptable for wealthy husband to have mistresses

62. Gender Roles: Foot-Binding in Song
China
 New custom developed – bind the feet of young wealthy girls –
“lily feet” became a class symbol – reflected wealth and
prestige of her husband
 Later the custom spread to the lower classes – meant to
improve a girls’ marriage opportunities
 Feet are tightly bound resulting in the breaking of the arch and
curling under of the toes
 Crippled for life
 Places woman under close supervision of husband
 Size 5 ½ shoe on the right

64. Golden AAggee ooff CCuullttuurree
 China during the Tang and Song dynasties enjoyed political
stability economic growth – this often leads to new
intellectual and artistic achievements
 China became a more urban culture— dozens of cities with
populations over 100,000 more exposure to the outside
world
 Tang Song China strongly influenced the cultures of Korea
Japan
 Two great Song poets: Li Bo and Tu Fu—praised orderliness,
Confucian virtues, life’s pleasures
 Porcelain production
 Landscape paintings – pen ink drawing: Daoist influences,
appreciation for nature its power

65. Revival ooff CCoonnffuucciiaanniissmm
NEO-CONFUCIANISM (“Learning the Principle”)
** Philosophy that emerged during Song dynasty—gave
Confucianism new meaning, new structure, new relevance in
Chinese society apart from the role Confucianism played in the
civil service exam
** Confucian thinking now included some influences from
Buddhism and Daoism
**Result was a multi-religious mixture of the 3 belief systems –
traditions existed somewhat comfortably together
** More focus on social (role of the family filial piety)
applications of Confucian principles
** Neo-Confucianism emphasized self-cultivation as a path not
only to self-fulfillment but to the formation of a virtuous and
harmonious society
** Women continued to be viewed as inferior / subservient to
men

66. Song DDyynnaassttyy PPaaiinnttiinngg
Daoist influences in art—show
the beauty of nature, use of
simple lines, calm tranquil
landscape scenes

67. Song DDyynnaassttyy PPaaiinnttiinngg
**Scholar-officials practiced
the art of calligraphy and
painting
**Monochrome images of old
trees, bamboo, rocks, and
retirement retreats created
by these scholar-artists
became emblems of their
character and spirit.
**Some artists were purists in
their approach to painting
while others innovated

68. ““BBllaacckk iiss tteenn ccoolloorrss””
Black ink
drawings were
often
accompanied
by poetry

70. Wrap-Up: CChhiinnaa’’ss IInnnnoovvaattiivvee
SSppiirriitt
• China was undoubtedly the most technologically advanced
civilization of pre-modern time
• China developed the world’s first true market economy
– production for export instead of subsistence
– use of paper money to bypass coin shortages
• Tang and Song advances---had a huge impact on the
development of Asia and Europe
• Song golden age comes to an end in the 1270s with the arrival
of the Mongols (established the Yuan Dynasty)