1. The Beginning of the Tang Dynasty
Chapter 12 (1 of 3)

2. Postclassical China (450 C.E. – 1450 C.E.)
(During this period, China ruled mostly by 2 dynasties)
Tang Dynasty
(618 C.E. – 907 C.E.)
Song Dynasty
(960 C.E.– 1279 C.E.)

3. Background: China Leading Up to Postclassical Period
Late 100s C.E.
Han Dynasty collapsed (had ruled China through most of classical period)
220 C.E. – 589 C.E.
China experienced Era of Division (China politically divided)

4. Era of Division (220 C.E. – 589 C.E.)
Regional kingdoms fought for control
Nomadic groups attacked and conquered much land
Great Wall divided by regional kingdoms and became weak
Landowning aristocracy held great political power
Non-Chinese nomads ruled most of China, and foreign idea like Buddhism grew
Cities shrank, trade decreased, and little new technology

5. So Long Era of Division, Welcome Sui Dynasty
Sui rose to power in 580s, ending 400 year Era of Division

6. Wendi First emperor of Sui Dynasty
Got support of nomadic military commanders and conquer southern China

7. Yangdi Murdered his father, Wendi, to take power
Beat back nomadic invaders to expand China’s borders
Improved education, restored exam system, and promoted scholar-gentry class (educated elites)
As scholar-gentry gained power, aristocrats and nomadic military commanders lost power

8. Yangdi = Crazy
Yangdi became irrational and overspent greatly on public works
Forced thousands of peasants to work (built canal system)
Launched failed war against Korea
Due to overspending and failed war, many in empire revolted

9. Yangdi assassinated in 618, ending the short-lived Sui Dynasty

10. Li Yuan
Became emperor of China after the assassination of Yangdi, beginning the Tang Dynasty (618 C.E C.E.)

11. Tang Dynasty
Tang expanded China by defeating nomadic groups which had long plagued China
Defeated nomads by playing one group against another
Completed repairs on Great Wall that Sui had started
Built frontier armies by recruiting nomadic peoples

12. Tang united north China (plains) and south China (Yangtze River) for first time since Han

13. The Return of the Bureaucrats
Tang rebuild the Chinese bureaucracy – key to reviving China
Tang used scholar-gentry class as leaders, and Confucian ideas used
Rise to power of scholar-gentry class meant loss of power of aristocratic families

14. Growing Importance of Examination System
Tang set up academies to train future bureaucrats
More scholar-gentry than under Han
Tang expand exam system (determined job)

15. Ministry of Rites established to administer the exam
Ministry of Rites established to administer the exam. Exams were open to all, but having family connections helped. Government jobs (bureaucracy) given based on exam performance
Ministry of Rites

16. 2 Major Buddhist Sects in China:
Chinese Buddhism
By time the Tang took over, Buddhism was major force in China
2 Major Buddhist Sects in China:
Pure Land Buddhism
Chan Buddhism (a.k.a. Zen Buddhism)

17. Buddhism flourishes early in Tang Dynasty under leadership of Empress Wu (690 C.E.- 705 C.E.)
By 850 C.E., China had over 50,000 Buddhist monasteries and Buddhism was major force in China

18. Chinese Buddhism Comes Under Attack
Tang promoted Confucian teachings and Buddhists lost power
Confucians upset with growth of Buddhism and begin to persecute Buddhists
Tang leaders convinced Buddhism posed economic threat (monasteries not taxed)
Buddhism criticized as a foreign religion
(from India)

19. Wuzong ( )
Chinese emperor who began persecution of Buddhists
Monasteries closed and monks had to return to civilian life
Buddhism survived in China, but lost all political influence