1. The Resurgence of Empire in East Asia
Chapter 15
The Resurgence of Empire in East Asia

2. The Sui Dynasty ( CE)
Regional kingdoms succeed collapse of Han dynasty
Yang Jian consolidates control of all of China, initiates Sui Dynasty
Massive building projects
Military labor
Conscripted labor

3. The Grand Canal
Intended to promote trade between north and south China
Most Chinese rivers flow west-east
Linked network of earlier canals
2000k (1240 miles)
Roads on either bank
Succeeded only by railroad traffic in 20th century

4. The Tang Dynasty ( CE)
Wide discontent over conscripted labor in Sui dynasty
Military failures in Korea prompt rebellion
Emperor assassinated in 618
Tang Dynasty initiated

5. Tang Taizong Second emperor of Tang dynasty (r. 627-649 CE)
Murdered two brothers, thrust father aside to take throne
Strong ruler
Built capital at Chang’an
Law and order
Taxes, prices low
More effective implementation of earlier Sui policies

6. Major achievements of Tang Dynasty
Transportation and communications
Extensive postal, courier services
Equal-field System
20% of land hereditary ownership
80% redistributed according to formula
Family size, land fertility
Worked well until 8th century
Corruption, loss of land to Buddhist monasteries

7. Bureaucracy of Merit Imperial civil service examinations
Confucian educational curriculum
Some bribery, nepotism
But most advance through merit
Built loyalty to the dynasty
System remains strong until early 20th century

8. Tang Military Expansion and Foreign Relations
Manchuria, Korea, Vietnam, Tibet
One of the largest expansions of China in its history
Established tributary relationships
Gifts
China as “Middle Kingdom”
The kowtow ritual

9. The Sui and Tang dynasties, 589-907 C.E.

10. East Asian Sphere of Influence under Tangs
Korea, Japan, Vietnam united by:
Confucian Thought, political social values
Buddhism-as refined in China
Literary and writing system used by elites in all of these societies.

11. Tang Decline
Governmental neglect: Emperor obsessed with music, favorite concubine
755 rebellion under An Lushan, former military commander
Captures Chang’an, but rebellion crushed by 763
Nomadic Uighur mercenaries invited to suppress rebellion, sacked Chang’an and Luoyang
Tang decline continues, rebellions in 9th century, last emperor abdicates 907

12. Song Dynasty ( CE)
Emphasis on administration, industry, education, the arts
Military not emphasized
Direction of first emperor, Song Taizu (r CE)
Former military leader
Made emperor by troops
Instituted policy of imperial favor for civil servants, expanded meritocracy

13. The Song dynasty, C.E.

14. Song Weaknesses Size of bureaucracy heavy drain on economy
Two peasant rebellions in 12th c.
Internal inertia prevents reform of bureaucracy
Civil service leadership of military
Lacked military training
Unable to contain nomadic attacks
Jurchen conquer, force Song dynasty to Hangzhou, southern China (Southern Song)

15. Agricultural Economies of the Tang and Song Dynasties
Developed Vietnamese fast-ripening rice, 2 crops per year
Technology: iron plows, use of draft animals
Soil fertilization, improved irrigation
Water wheels, canals
Terrace farming

16. Population Growth Result of increased agricultural production
Effective food distribution system
Transportation networks built under Tang and Song dynasties

17. Urbanization Chang’an world’s most populous city: 2 million residents
Southern Song capital Hangzhou: over 1 million
Several cities over 100,000

18. Patriarchal Social Structures
Increased emphasis on ancestor worship
Elaborate grave rituals
Extended family gatherings in honor of deceased ancestors
Footbinding gains popularity
Increased control by male family members

19. Footbinding

20. Cast of Bound foot: The Golden Lotus of Feminine Beauty

21. Technology and Industry
Porcelain (“Chinaware”)
Increase of iron production due to use of coke, not coal, in furnaces
Agricultural tools, weaponry
Gunpowder invented
Earlier printing techniques refined
Moveable type by mid-11th century
Yet complex Chinese ideographs make wood block technique easier
Naval technology

22. Emergence of a Market Economy
“Flying cash:” letters of credit developed to deal with copper coin shortages
Promissory notes, checks also used
Development of independently produced paper money
Not as stable, riots when not honored
Government claims monopoly on money production in 11th century

23. China and the Hemispheric Economy
Increasingly cosmopolitan nature of Chinese cities
Chinese silk opens up trade routes, but increases local demands for imported luxury goods

24. Cultural Change in Tang and Song China
Declining confidence in Confucianism after collapse of Han dynasty
Increasing popularity of Buddhism
Christianity, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, Islam also appear
Clientele primarily foreign merchant class

25. Dunhuang
Mahayana Buddhism especially popular in western China (Gansu province), CE
Buddhist temples, libraries
Economic success as converts donate land holdings
Increase popularity through donations of agricultural produce to the poor

26. Conflicts with Chinese Culture
Buddhism:
Text-based (Buddhist teachings)
Emphasis on Metaphysics
Ascetic ideal
Celibacy
isolation
Confucianism:
Text-based (Confucian teachings)
Daoism not text-based
Emphasis on ethics, politics
Family-centered
Procreation
Filial piety

27. Chan (Zen) Buddhism Buddhists adapt ideology to Chinese climate
Dharma translated as dao
Nirvana translated as wuwei
Accommodated family lifestyle
“one son in monastery for ten generations of salvation”
Limited empahsis on textual study, meditation instead

28. Persecution of Buddhists
Daoist/Confucian persecution supported in late Tang dynasty
840s begins systematic closure of Buddhist temples, expulsions
Zoroastrians, Christians, Manicheans as well
Economic motive: seizure of large monastic landholdings

29. Neo-Confucianism
Song dynasty refrains from persecuting Buddhists, but favors Confucians
Neo-Confucians influenced by Buddhist thought
Zhu Xi ( CE) important synthesizer
Popular to 20th century

30. China and Korea
Silla Dynasty: Tang armies withdraw, Korea recognizes Tang as emperor
Technically a vassal statue, but highly independent
Chinese influence on Korean culture pervasive

31. China and Vietnam Vietnamese adaptation to Chinese culture, technology
But ongoing resentment at political domination
Assert independence when Tang dynasty falls in 10th century

32. China and Early Japan Chinese armies never invade Japan
Yet Chinese culture pervasive
Imitation of Tang administration
Establishment of new capital at Nara, hence “Nara Japan” ( CE)
Adoption of Confucian, Buddhist teachings
Yet retention of Shinto religion

33. Heian Japan ( CE)
Japanese emperor moves court to Heian (Kyoto)
Yet emperor figurehead, real power in hands of Fujiwara clan
Pattern in Japanese history: weak emperor, power behind the throne
Helps explain longevity of the institution

34. Japanese Literature Influence of Chinese kanji characters
Classic curriculum dominated by Chinese
Development of hiragana, katakana syllabic alphabet
Court life: The Tale of Genji
Written by woman with weak command of Chinese, becomes classic of early Japanese literature

35. Institution of the Shogun
Civil war between Taira and Minamoto clans in 12th century
Minamoto leader named shogun, 1185 CE
Ruled from Kamakura, allowed imperial throne to continue in Kyoto

36. Medieval Japan
Kamakura ( CE) and Muromachi ( CE) periods
Decentralized power in hands of warlords
Military authority in hands of samurai
Professional warriors