1. China

2. SUI DYNASTY
Han dynasty had collapsed in 220 and for 350 years no emperor could reunite China
Nomadic rulers reigned over China
Sui Wendi united China again in 589
Built the Grand Canal, major waterway connecting north and south China
Built on slave labor
Sui are short lived and collapse in 589, largely due to an upset public

3. Tang Rulers Create a Powerful Empire 618-907
Territorial expansion
Influence over Korea
Tang Taizong
Empress Wu Zhao declared herself emperor in 690
Lowered taxes

4. Scholar Officials Revived and expanded civil service examination
Those who passed the exams were called scholar gentry
In theory exams were open to everyone but really the wealthy could only afford the education necessary
Many moderately wealthy families shared in China’s government

5. The Tang Lose Power Tang reimpose taxes to pay for continued expansion
Couldn’t defend borders anymore
907 Chinese rebels sack and burn Tang capital

6. The Song Dynasty Restores China 960-1279
Song had less territory but this was China’s golden age
Had to pay large tributes to northern nomadic groups who finally invaded them anyway
After 1126 the Song were reduced to the Southern Song dynasty

7. An Era of Prosperity and Innovation
China’s population soared to almost 100 million
Most populous and advanced country in the world
Movable type
Gunpowder
Porcelain
Clock
Compass
Paper money
Algebra
Negative numbers

8. Agriculture Improvements in the cultivation of rice
New rice varieties from Vietnam
Leads to population increase

9. Trade and Foreign Contacts
Silk roads with armies guarding it
Sea travel with new instruments like the compass and the Chinese junk (ship)
Chinese culture spread to east Asia
Tea adopted by the Chinese through contact with Southeast Asia

10. The Golden Age of Art
Scholar gentry expected to write poetry and own fine painting
Li Bo was a famous poet
Du Fu praised Confucian virtues
Painting showing the Daoist influence
Black ink instead of colors

11. Status of Women Women always subservient to men
This pattern worsened during the Tang/Song era with the return of strong Confucian values (Neoconfucianism)
Footbinding began