Asian Empires Ch 12

Empires of China Section 1

Tang Dynasty Who: Li Yuan; Li Shimin; Chinese & Tang family What: a dynasty that was formed in China after a revolt that brought back China’s glory by reunifying it Where: China When: 618-907 Why: this dynasty restored China’s earlier glory; carried the empire to new heights, conquered some of central Asia = expanded China; rebuilt bureaucracy & enlarged the civil service system; eventually lost territ. & there was corruption & famine = downfall

Tang Taizong Who: founder of the Tang dynasty; ruler of China (Li Shimin) What: a brilliant general, government reformer, Historian Where: China When: 618- Why: he became China’s most admired emperor; revolted from his father to est. new dynasty; Tang rulers carried the empire & built China to new heights; conquered territories= expanded china = China had more power; founded Tang dynasty = imp dynasty in China

Tributary States Who: Chinese emperors & people What: independent state that has to acknowledge the supremacy of another state & pay tribute to its’ ruler Where: Asia When: 220-618 Why: Tibet, Korea, & Vietnam were self-ruling & governing however they had to acknowledge Chinese supremacy in the region of Asia; they had to send regular tribute ($$) to the Tang Empire; kept China in power & # 1

Land Reform Who: Chinese Tang Emperors What: broke up large agricultural holdings & redistributed land to the peasants; a policy that the Tang dynasty had Where: China When: 618 Why: this policy strengthened the central government by weakening the power of large land owners= increased government revenues; Tang emperors more powerful; peasants now could own land & would be able to pay taxes

Tang (workbook) Tang Taizong founded the dynasty by overthrowing his father & starting new Land Reform= increased gov’t revenues, made central power more powerful Rebuilt the bureaucracy Developed a flexible new law code Enlarged the civil service system Set up schools to prepare males for civil service exams = could get govt jobs Conquered centralAsia = more land = more power

Tang Dynasty (workbook) Tang Taizong founds the dynasty Reinstated a powerful bureaucracy & centralized government Created a new law code = helped to strengthen the govt Instituted the land reform system=took power away from nobles & gave to emperor Set up schools to educate the men for Civil Service exams = become Civil service workers= merit based for the 1st time Conquered Central Asia = expanded land = more pwer Decline due to corruption, famine, & losing territ

Song Dynasty Who: Zhao Kuangyin, scholarly general, Song Chinese What: a dynasty that ruled China for 319 years after the Tang but controlled less territ Where: China When: 960-1200s Why: they faced constant threat of invaders from the North; during the Song period- great time of achievement= Chinese econ expanded b.c. improved farming methods & open border policy; the Grand Canal reached its peak during this time; foreign trade flourished= govt issued paper money (didn’t exist anywhere else!) ; well ordered society- gentry & peasants

Gentry Who: scholars & officials What: a wealthy landowning class of people Where: China When: 960-1200s Why: they could afford to spend years studying the Confucian classics in order to pass the civil service exams & get govt positions; when not in govt positions they served in provinces as allies to the emperors

Dowry Who: Chinese brides What: the payment that a woman brings into a marriage to give to husband & she can never remarry Where: China When: 500-1650 Why: famlies valued boys more than girls; when girls married she brought this dowry as a gift to the husband’s family- she now became part of his family & left to live with them- this dowry was to give her hubby’s fam $$ for taking her in

Pagoda Who: Chinese What: a multi-tiered structure with eaves that curve up at the bottom that evolved from India’s Stupa WherE: China When: 500-1650 Why: many important Chinese nobles used this as their house; Buddhist themes dominated Chinese architecture & created a large Indian/Hindu influence throughout China

Section 2

Genghis Khan Who: Mongol chieftan What: united warring tribes as one under his control and then conquered Asia; brilliant Mongol leader, “Universal Ruler”; greatest conqueror in history Where: Mongolia, invades Asia & Europe When: 1162-1227 Why: under his leadership he united the Mongols & they conquered a vast empire from Pacific Ocean all the way to E. Europe; had highly trained armies; imposed strict military discipline & demanded loyalty; ruled his lands with toleration & justice; tried to conquer China but didn’t live to complete- his grandson started the Yuan dynasty in China

Kublai Khan Who: Genghis Khan’s grandson; founder of Yuan dynasty What: finished invading China for the Mongols & started the Yuan dynasty (the foreign run dynasty) in China Where: from Mongolia, took over Northern China When: 1279 Why: he ruled all of China & Korea & Tibet; he tried to prevent the Mongols from being absorbed into Chinese civilization; he decreed that only Mongols could serve in the Chinese military & hold govt positions- keeping Mongols on the top of society

Yuan Dynasty Who: Khublai Khan & the Mongols What: a foreign run, Mongol dynasty in China Where: China When: 1227-1368 Why: this dynasty was foreign-run by the Mongols in China= they wanted to stay Mongol, not become Chinese= strict social structure- Mongols are at the top (govt, milit jobs), other foreigners- middle & Chinese at the bottom = Chinese don’t like them; Khublai rebuilt & extended the Grand Canal to reach his capital; Blended Mongol & Chinese cultures, customs, & traditions

Marco Polo Who: Italian merchant What: a traveler & merchant from Venice, Italy who traveled to China during the Yuan dynasty Where: from Italy, went to China When: 1254-1324 Why: he visited China during the Yuan dynasty; he got there in 1271; he traveled across Persia & Asia- spent 17 years in China learning about it; when he returned to Italy he wrote about his travels= educated Europe about Asia= Europeans wanted to get there for the goods= Exploration

Ming Dynasty Who: Zhu Yuanzhang, Zheng He What: new dynasty of China that sought to reassert Chinese greatness after years of foreign rule Where: China When: 1368-1435 Why: This dynasty sought to reassert chinese greatness after years of foreign rule; moved capital to Nanjing; restored Civil Service system= govt jobs; got rid of corruption; economically improved = better farming methods & new crops from the Americas (corn, sweet potatoes); better methods of printing (moveable type) = mass produced many books = more educated ppl; blue & white porcelain; sent Chinese on explorations – Zheng He (the famous explorer)= trading throughout Asia increased & Chinese brought back exotic animals ; voyages showed strength of rulers; lost interest in exploration; eventually weakened b.c. of attacks & fell

Zheng He Who: Chinese explorer, Admiral & diplomat What: he commanded 7 exploration expeditions for the Chinese Ming dynasty Where: China When: 1405-1433 Why: he wanted to explore to promote trade & collect tribute from lesser powers across the western seas; he explored the seas of SE Asia, India, Red Sea, & E. Africa= Chinese settled in these regions; exotic animals returned to China & these voyages showed local rulers the power & strength of the Chinese empire.

Section 5

Matrilineal Who: SE Asian women What: inheritance through one’s mother; you trace your family lineage through your mother’s family line Where: Southeast Asia When: 500-1650 Why: this method of tracing one’s family line was accepted & practiced in SE Asia; because of this, women had some freedom in choosing or divorcing their marriage partners; women also kept their traditional rights; women had greater equality in SE Asia

Stupa Who: Indians WHAT: magnificent dome shaped shrines that were used to worship Buddhism Where: India When: 500-1650 WHY: this piece of architecture was used as a shrine for Buddhists, specifically in India; these were similar in grandness to the European Gothic Cathedral which was being built at the same time

Paddies Who: Vietnamese What: fertile rice fields Where: Vietnam, SE Asia When: 500-1650 Why: the river in Vietnam irrigated these fields & made them fertile= they grew rice which provided food for the growing population