1. Sui, Tang, Song Dynasties

2. Period of Disunion CE
Period of disunion: the time of disorder that followed the collapse of the Han dynasty

3. Sui Dynasty 589-618 Conquered the south and unified China
Known for harsh rule: forced peasants who owed taxes to fight in the army
Created a centralized and unified state and laid the foundation for the golden age that followed

4. Sui Dynasty-Achievements
Repaired and lengthened the Great Wall
Provided security from Northern invaders which allowed cultural and economic growth
Many died while building the wall
Those who died were often buried among the walls bricks: giving the nickname “The world’s longest cemetery”

5. Sui Dynasty- Achievements
Built the Grand Canal, which connected the Yellow river in the north and the Yangzi river in the south
Connected northern and southern China
Farmers and merchants in the south (rice) used the canal
Government and military
officials could travel and
watch over citizens
Many died while building the canal

6. Tang Dynasty-Government
CE: Golden Age of culture
China was the richest most powerful country in the world
Conquered Vietnam, Tibet, and Korea as tributary states
Rebuilt bureaucracy
Civil Service exams: ability not rank

7. Tang Dynasty-Government
Only dynasty to have a female emperor: Empress Wu Chao
After her husband died she decided her sons were not capable of ruling
Ruled with an iron fist: if anyone threatened her, they risked being
killed
Chose advisors based on ability
not rank

8. Tang Dynasty-Economics
After conquering the west, the Tang were able to reopen the silk road- a system for trade, travel, communication, exchange of ideas
Connected China to central Asia and the middle east
From China to west: silk, porcelain, jade, tea, paper, printing, farming methods,
weapons
From West to China: glass
rugs, horses, silver,
medicine, spices,
Christianity, Islam

9. Tang Dynasty-Economics
Equal Field System- redistributed land to peasants
Citizens paid taxes on how much land they received
Central Government strengthened: benefited from increased number of taxpayers, limited power of wealthy landowners
Benefited commoners and peasants by giving them a chance to gain wealth

10. Song Dynasty-GovernmentCE
Song China was limited to provinces south of the Great Wall
Strengthened the system of meritocracy-jobs based on ability
Stricter civil service exams

11. Song Dynasty-Economy Chinese farming reached new heights
Irrigation techniques
Dug underground wells
Dragon Backbone pump-light portable pump that allowed farmers to scoop up water and pour it into a canal
Amount of land under cultivation increased
Discovery of fast ripening rice= 2 or 3 harvests a year

12. Tang and Song-Technology
Mechanical Clock (700s)
Gunpowder (850)
Block Printing (700s)
Moveable Type (1040s)

13. Tang and Song-Culture Landscape paintings-influenced by daoism
Pagodas: Temples
Porcelain
Li Bo and Du Fu- famous Chinese poets and Wu Daozi- famous artist lived at this time