The Tang and the Song

After the Sui As you learned in the book activity, the Sui reunified China, but only lasted for less than 40 years. The Tang took power after the Sui fell, and they modeled their new government after the Sui, making an imperial state (imperial means related to an empire). They kept the same tax system and left the capital in the same city it already was: Ch’ang-an.

A Pyramid of Power The Tang structured their government like a pyramid. The emperor was at the very top, and below him were his chief advisers. The next level after that was what is called a bureaucracy, which is when a government is divided into departments, such as tax, agriculture (farming) and the army. All local governments had to report to the bureaucracy.

Working for the Government The Tang wanted only the best to work for the government. They gave an exam based on Confucian ideas, poetry, and other subjects. The test was very long and difficult, and most people failed. Those who passed became known as scholar-officials, and could work for the government. Almost all scholar- officials came from rich backgrounds, because only the rich could afford the education required to pass.

The Song Dynasty The Song dynasty took over ruled after the Tang, from 960 to 1279 CE. They expanded and improved the exam system, and made it so that more people could go to school, and that the exams were more based in real world knowledge. More people were able to pass the exam, but most still came from rich families.

Travel and Trade The Tang and Song dynasties build many roads and waterways, and these helped improve trade. People could more easily get goods and messages to each other, and the development of giant new boats allowed ships to make long trips more quickly and safely. They also invented the magnetic compass, which made it easier for boats to find their way.

Changes in Farming Thanks to the improved trading, Chinese farmers were able to get a different type of rice from Southeast Asia. This rice grew much more quickly, so the farmers were able to get more rice during the year, which allowed for more population. They also created terraces in hills to enable more growing area. This increase in food also meant less people had to farm, which means more people could trade and travel.

More trade = More money As trade was starting to grow in China, they needed a new system of money. It is very difficult to carry around large amounts of heavy coins. The Tang and Song dynasties were the first in the world to develop paper money to solve this problem. More trade also meant more people living in cities and towns, so China at this time had some of the only cities with over a million people living in them.

Paper and Printing Speaking of paper, the Tang and Song dynasties greatly increased the amount of paper used, as it was cheaper than writing on bamboo or silk. They also invented movable type printing, meaning they could rearrange individual characters carved in wood to print out sheets more quickly. This would not be discovered in Europe until 500 years after the Chinese started using it.

Guns, Porcelain and Tea One of China’s most important inventions is gunpowder. While China originally used it for signal flares and fireworks, it was eventually developed into weapons. People made guns and cannons, which made war much more deadly. China also made a lot of porcelain, which is a white ceramic. People from all over the world wanted Chinese porcelain, and would pay a lot for it. The Chinese also spread tea throughout the world, which became the most popular drink for a very long time.