1. Essential Question:
Why were the Tang & Song Dynasties considered the “golden age” of China?
Warm-Up Question: ?

2. Classical China
During the Classical Era, the emperors of Han China created large empire & developed numerous innovations
The Silk Road trade route brought Chinese luxury goods to Europe & Asia and increased cultural diffusion
Civil service exams for gov’t employees based on Confucian teachings
Silk-making technology that attracted trade from outside China

4. Post-Classical China
Like the Roman Empire, Classical China under the Han Dynasty entered an era of decline & eventually fell

5. Over the next 350 years, more than 30 local dynasties rose & fell
After the Han Dynasty collapsed in 220 A.D., no emperor was strong enough to unify China
Over the next 350 years, more than 30 local dynasties rose & fell

7. In 589, China was unified again & a strong central government was restored...
…the restoration of the examination system allowed intelligent bureaucrats to help manage the empire
During the Tang & Song Dynasties, China experienced an extended “golden age” & became the richest, most powerful, & most advanced country in the world

9. The Golden Age of Post-Classical China
Emperors did their best to try to protect the routes along the Silk Road
Chinese merchants relied on ocean routes as well to trade with India & Arabia
Text
Increased trade led to the spread of Chinese culture (centralized gov’t, Confucianism, & writing) to Korea, Japan, & Southeast Asia
centralized government, Confucianism, Buddhism, and writing
For the 1st time in China’s history, emperors encouraged foreign trade

10. Increased trade helped spread Buddhism throughout China

12. Chinese Innovations Class Activity:
The Tang & Song dynasties were eras of major technological advancement:
The technologies helped make China the most advanced country in the world
Much of China’s technology spread to other people across trade routes
Class Activity:
Working with a partner, guess what each of the following 10 Chinese innovations are

13. 1. Mechanical Clock

14. 2. Magnetic compass

15. 3. Gunpowder

16. 4. Printing Press

17. 5. Paper money

18. 6. Chinese writing

19. 7. Ship building

20. 8. Vaccination

21. 9. Silk weaving

22. 10. Porcelain

23. Improvements in Agriculture
Fast-Ripening Rice ( got this from the Vietnamese after military expansion) Now they can produce rice twice a year!!
Increased Agricultural production
Population Growth (60 to 115 million)

25. Gender Roles Roles of women Roles of men
Confinement
homemakers, confined, limited rights
Women not educated
Roles of men
Could “roam” and other “relationships” were ok
Men allowed great freedom
Men favored in inheritance, divorce
Foot binding – common and showed patriarchy*

27. Foot binding The mincing steps. The swaying hips
Foot binding The mincing steps. The swaying hips. The little nubbins at the ends of women's legs, carefully tucked into miniature, ornate shoes. For 1,000 years, tiny, curved feet were considered the ultimate standard of feminine beauty in China, leading about 3 billion Chinese women to bind their feet during this time.

28. Foot-Binding in Song China
Broken toes by 3 years of age.
The Han Synthesis term refers to the emphasis on Legalism, but with a touch of Confucianism. The Han dynasty recorded Confucius’s teachings (The Analects) and put a big emphasis on the family.
Founded the Imperial University
Required examinations to become bureaucrat (civil service system)
Soldiers dropped to lowest status.
Confucianists at work; Daoists at home.
The Han tried to replace literature, including Confucius’s writings, lost during the Qin Dynasty. Created new works of literature and music. Scroll painting began during this time. Iron was now used for plows and weapons. Acupuncture was invented. Invented a crude seismic sensing tool, so they could send troops and food to the scene of an earthquake!
Inventions include: paper (105 CE), sternpost rudder on ships, water mill, wheelbarrow, furrowed cultivation
Show map for Silk Road trade. It brought Chinese together into one civilization, creating a common culture. Economically, it brought much wealth to the Han, as they exported much more than they imported.
Wudi’s public schools taught Confucianism. Grand School in capital. In 100 years, 30,000 studied there.
Size 5 ½ shoe on the right

29. Foot-Binding in Song China
The Han Synthesis term refers to the emphasis on Legalism, but with a touch of Confucianism. The Han dynasty recorded Confucius’s teachings (The Analects) and put a big emphasis on the family.
Founded the Imperial University
Required examinations to become bureaucrat (civil service system)
Soldiers dropped to lowest status.
Confucianists at work; Daoists at home.
The Han tried to replace literature, including Confucius’s writings, lost during the Qin Dynasty. Created new works of literature and music. Scroll painting began during this time. Iron was now used for plows and weapons. Acupuncture was invented. Invented a crude seismic sensing tool, so they could send troops and food to the scene of an earthquake!
Inventions include: paper (105 CE), sternpost rudder on ships, water mill, wheelbarrow, furrowed cultivation
Show map for Silk Road trade. It brought Chinese together into one civilization, creating a common culture. Economically, it brought much wealth to the Han, as they exported much more than they imported.
Wudi’s public schools taught Confucianism. Grand School in capital. In 100 years, 30,000 studied there.
Mothers bound their daughters’ feet.

31. The End of the Golden Age
Despite the wealth & culture during under the Tang & Song Dynasties, the Chinese were briefly overthrown by the Mongols
From 1279 to 1368, foreign nomads called the Mongols ruled China
, less that 100 years.

32. The Ming emperors encourage overseas trade…
In 1368, the Chinese overthrew the Mongols & established the Ming Dynasty
The Ming emperors encourage overseas trade…

34. …and began a series of explorations led by Zheng He to demonstrate Chinese superiority

35. Read the excerpt from Zheng He and the Treasure Fleet Expeditions
Zheng He had better ships & traveled farther than any European explorers would for 100 years
With a fleet of over 100 ships, Zheng He led 7 different expeditions
Zheng He explored areas along the Indian Ocean & Africa, expand trade, & collected tribute from foreigners

36. Chinese Isolation
After the 7th treasure fleet voyage in 1433, Chinese leaders unexpectedly ended the expeditions & retreated into isolationism
Scholar-officials complained that Zheng He’s voyages used valuable resources that were needed to defend China
China’s official trade policy was to keep the influence of outsiders to a minimum
China’s geography & gov’t policies kept it relatively isolated for the next 300 years until European merchants in the 1800s demanded access to Chinese trade