1. China in the Middle Ages

2. Section 1: China Reunites China - 1
Vocabulary
warlord
economy
reform
monastery
People and Places
Wendi
Empress Wu
Korea
Japan

3. Rebuilding China’s Empire
Han empire ended – China broke into 17 kingdoms
Warlords fought each other for control
General Wendi – founded the Sui dynasty
Wendi’s son – Yangdi – Grand Canal (links the Chang Jiang River and the Huang He River)
Shipping products thru the canal improved economy
Rebellion killed Yangdi
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Tang dynasty – begun by one of Yangdi’s generals
300 yr rule – brought reform to government
Taizong – powerful Tang ruler – reinstated the civil service exam
Empress Wu strengthened China’s military
expanded Chinese empire and regained power in Asia
Tang dynasty weakened and fell – Turks took control of the Silk Road – damaged economy
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Song dynasty was established
China prospered – cultural advances
Moved capital to Hangzhou
Lack of soldiers = loss of power.
The Sui dynasty Reunites China
The Tang Dynasty
The Song Dynasty

4. Buddhism Spread to China
Brought to China during Han dynasty A. D. 150
Idea that to find truth – give up all worldly desires
Tang dynasty supported building of Buddhist temples
Allowed people to practice Buddhism
Monasteries provided – meditation, worship, services
As this belief became more popular – Tang dynasty felt threatened
Ordered temples destroyed – A. D. 845
Spread to Korea and Japan
Chinese Buddhism
Life of Buddha
Chinese Buddhism Spreads East

5. New Confucian Ideas Neo-Confucianism Scholar-Officials
Idea – have duty to family and community to bring peace in life
Taught people to take part in life and help each other
Believed followers needed to be talented and wise
Civil Service Exams – based on Confucian ideas – tested job seekers about their knowledge
Song dynasty adopted Neo Confucianism philosophy – reduced Buddhism popularity
Neo-Confucianism
Scholar-Officials

6. Section 2: Chinese Society China - 2
People and Places
Changan
Li Bo
Du Fu
Vocabulary
porcelain
calligraphy

7. Economy Tang dynasty strengthened economy
Farmers --irrigation, grew new crops, developed new rice, grew tea
Tea became popular drink
Increased trade – Silk Road, waterways
Items traded – tea, steel, paper, porcelain, silk,

8. What is porcelain?

9. New Technologies Tang and Song dynasties Coal used for heat
Fe and C from coal produced steel
Steel – weapons, stoves, farm tools, drills,
sewing needles . . .
Printing press –block print, character carved to wood Pi Sheng invented movable type
Gunpowder invented (The Invention of Gunpowder)
Sea travel began using rudders, sails and compasses

10. Art and Literature
Changan – capitol city, where artists and writer were invited to live
Li Bo and Du Fu – popular poets
Tang dynasty is age of poetry…joy, sadness, nature.
Landscape paintings – living in NOT
controlling
Porcelain perfected- makes cups, plates, figurines, vases

11. Section 3: The Mongols in China China - 3
Vocabulary:
tribe
steppe
terror
People and Places
Mongolia
Gobi
Karakorum
Khanbaliq
Beijing
Genghis Khan
Kublai Khan
Marco Polo

12. The Mongols Mongols Rule in China Area of N. China = Mongolia
Lived in tribes - nomadic people
1206 – Temujin – elected Genghis Khan
Empire divided into fourths
Large area Pacific to Eastern Europe and Siberia to Himilayas
Brought peace – encouraged trade.
Learned about gunpowder and weapons from Chinese
Kublai Khan– 1260 became emperor
Moved the capital from Karakorum to Khanbaliq (Beijing today)
Mongols conquered China and ended Song dynasty
Yuan dynasty began – ruled 100yrs.
Mongols were Buddhists – tolerated other religions
Marco Polo visited Kublai Khan – sent of fact finding missions
Mongols conquered Vietnam, and N. Korea

13. Section 4: The Ming Dynasty China -4
Vocabulary
treason
census
novel
barbarian
People and Places
Nanjing
Portugal
Zhu Yuanzhang
Yong Le
Zheng He

14. The Rise of the Ming Yuan dynasty lost power after Kublai’s death
Chinese wanted their own groups – rebellions drove out Mongols
1368 – Zhu Yuanzhang – became emperor of China – set Nanjing as capital – founded Ming dynasty
Hong Wu – leader ---Yong Le – his son took control after his death –built the Forbidden City
Restored Civil Service Exam
Economy grew, increased farming and trade, artisans and merchants supported, novels, dramas on stage.

15. China Explores the World
Ming dynasty built fleet of ships to explore
Seven voyages from – Zheng He (Muslim, court official) took ships to India, Arabia, Asia, East Africa.
1514 – Europeans (from Portugal) arrived in China
Chinese thought Portuguese were uncivilized – wanted others to become Christians
Chinese let Europeans set up trading posts
Jesuit missionaries tried to convince Chinese to become Christian
Manchus from Manchuria invaded and weakened the Ming—captured Beijing.