Reunification+and+Renaissance+in+Chinese+Civilization+The+Era+of+the+Tang+and+Song+Dynasties

Tang and Song Dynasty



What do we know about where this was created? What have we learned about this topic? Society that may be relevant? || The Tang dynasty emerged after the brief Sui dynasty. The Sui proceeded the Han, after a period of political and economic chaos resulting from a struggle for power. Li Yuan, the Duke of Tang only rose to power after the assassinations of Yangdi and Wendi, who assumed power for the Sui dynasty. Under Yangdi, the Chinese bureaucracy began to restore back to its former glory. Its borders had expanded as a result of a powerful military force. Yangdi also made an attempt to restore Confucian values and the scholar gentry. In rebuilding the bureaucracy, returned the tests that qualified one to be a bureaucrat. They were administered by the Ministry of Riyes, and those who passed gained the title of jinshi. They held high positions and offices. || Who is the intended audience? How might they receive this? – quotes to support your claims? || This document was intended for the nephew of the Prime Minister. He might receive this letter well, because it constantly praises him for his "outstanding talents in service," military campaigns, among other feats. || What is the purpose of this document? Read between the lines, support claims with a quote || The purpose of this letter, is to ask the nephew of the Prime Minister to help Wu secure a position in the bureaucracy. He praises the official, hoping to make a good impression and to gain his favor. "Grant me some small salary, and a share of however slight in your deeds of merit." looking for new post and looking for salary looking to impress high official || Support with quotes || The main idea of this document, is to plead the nephew of the Prime Minister to help him attain a job. He wants to remain in office, even though he is "lacking in talent." "Be quick to bestow your special favour on me... || How does this relate to the big picture? What can it tell us as historians? Relate to ESPIRIT if possible || The document shows some leeway in the Chinese bureaucracy. Positions did not entirely depend on passing exams and gaining the title of jinshi, but connections also played an important role. Wu writes this letter directreed to a high ranking official, which relates to the social aspect of the ESPIRIT. This high ranking official could possible help Wu seize a job in the bureaucracy or help him get a promotion. It shows that there might be a way around/ loose interpretation in the rigid bureaucracy of China. ||
 * 001: APPARTS Chart**
 * Document: Ties That Bind: Paths to Power**
 * Author – Who created this? What do we know about the author? What might influence their opinions? || This document was created by the Tang author Niu Su. It was sent by a local functionary, Wu Bao, to a high official to whom Wu hoped to impress, and in that, secure a promotion to imperial bureaucracy. Niu Su's opinion might be influenced by the fact that the letter will go to a high ranking official. In the letter, he praises the high official, "General Li" for his great work and never treads on any of his follies, mistakes of government, or talk lowly of the empire. ||
 * **Place** – Where and when was it created - || It was created in the Tang dynasty, in China ||
 * ** Prior Knowledge **
 * ** Audience **
 * ** Reason for Creation **
 * ** The Main Idea **
 * ** Significance **

002: Group Presentation on Tang and Song Dynasty: Interactions and Technology:
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= = Tang and Song China: Group Presentation Notes: = · Wendi won support by lowering taxes · Established garnaries – held grain · Large land owners and poor peasants were taxed alike · Taxed portion of their crops to keep ganaries filled · Surplus of crops were brought to the market · Silk road routes were reopened and more protected · Paper money/ banks reduced robbery · Xuanzong let empire fall into economic distress S  · Scholar-gentry class · Before there had been no major Confucius activity · Educational reforms were initiated by Yangi in order to improve education · Educational reform was analogous to the imperial reform · Distinguised by clothes and curved roofs · Jinshi did not have to do work/ hard labor and got paid · Breaking down of state · Breaking down of aristocracy for peasant class · Men were not allowed to neglect their wives, even if he became rich during the time of their marriage · Women can take complementary husband · Tang Law Code was established and included severe punishments for those who disobeyed or disrespected the heirarchial system of elders · Parents who were assaulted were put to death · Foot binding originated in Tang dynasty P Intellectual and Religious · Bureaucracy flourished · Many bureaucrats to have high pay with little to do   · Scholar-gentry classs very economically secure · Urbanization the prreasants started to flee to the south were agriculture was favored S  · Confucianism had alreadybeen somewhat revolved · A stronger emphasis on the improvement of the scholar gentry · Scholar gentry pampered more than any class P: Intellectual and Religious · Chinese would trade overseas instead of having other people come to them; traded in ships called junks · Chinese cities would be filled with shops S  · Connection and family ties helped gain position · With age came more authority · Favored scholar gentry · Neo confucian believed that women’s role was to bear kids to continue the family · Song society was modeled on Confucianism · Ancestor worship · Foot binging was practiced · Began at 5 or 6 years old · Passed along generations · Made women only mobile in home · Confined · More common among upperclass because peasants needed to work for money P: Intellectual and Religious
 * Tang || Song || Shared ||
 * E
 * bureacracy was revived
 * Ministry of Rites --> department of executive
 * jinshi were granted special status in government and society
 * weakened aristocracy
 * family and regional ties were more important than capabilities
 * timber work unified art and structural form
 * called dugong
 * science and literature
 * Monk Yixing
 * discovered Mediterranean line
 * Diamond Sutra
 * Tang Poems
 * centered around emperors and historians
 * rewarded those who passed gvt tests the title of jinshi
 * new forms of Neo-Comfucianism revived ancient Confucian teachings
 * attempted to merge Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism
 * Buddhism was prevalent in aspects of social life
 * religion was supported by empress Wu
 * Buddhism was attacked by Confucian and Daoist rivals
 * Daoist monks tried to counter buddhism's appeals to the people standing itheir own predictive powers
 * Confucian scholar-administrators wanted the tang rulers
 * both taught that they were superior to Buddhism || E
 * elected officals only allowed to be governors
 * prevented military leaders from gaining too much power
 * civil service exams had a routine
 * three levels
 * district
 * provincial
 * imperial
 * focused on reviving Confucian ideals to govern their lives
 * revive long neglected texts and deciphered ancient inscriptions
 * libraries to store books schools opened
 * taught philosophies
 * Confucianism over Buddhism
 * || E
 *  foot binding symbolized social prosperity
 * subjugation to men, because men liked binded feet
 * Song had weakened bureaucracy
 * paranoia
 * canal building
 * trade and spread news
 * poetry had same flow
 * insight into sciences and development of technologies
 * abacus ||



**003: Summary: Changes and Continuities of the Tang and Song Dynasties** The Tang and Song dynasties emerged as a consolatory force to the decades of political turmoil in China. During both dynasties, Buddhism was continued to be a prevalent force in many social aspects (i.e. Empress Wu’s Buddha statues), but faced opposition from the revived Neo-Confucian beliefs. As China once again placed emphasis on Confucian ideals, elements of xenophobia emerged; Buddhism was viewed as foreign and Neo-Confucianism, a fusion of Confucian and Dao beliefs, was taught to be superior. These ideals also contributed to an isolationist perspective, in which China was heavily involved in trade, but more of an exporter than importer. Confucianism also reinforced a scholar bureaucracy, which was restored. This was a continuation of previous eras, in that social status within the bureaucracy continued to have a profound effect in a bureaucrat’s position, despite the establishment of the Ministry of Rites (which was intended to limit corruption within the bureaucracy). This differed from the past, due to the relative ease of these exams, allowing a significant number of scholars in the Song dynasty to profit with doing little actual work. Those who passed these exams were also granted the title jinshi. Previous practices, such as filial piety, respect for elders, and subordination of women are once again stressed by Confucianism. Under these dynasties, women’s power deteriorated, although there was some bypassing of this, such as Yang Guifei and Empress Wu, who wielded much political power. Foot binding is a prime example of the power of women; it revealed that women were regarded as nothing more than objects of pleasure.

As the two dynasties presided over China, economic improvements began to take root. Chinese government became an active sponsor in public works programs, such as irrigation systems, dikes and dams, and canals, which enabled proliferation of trade. The Grand Canal, for example, linked the north China plain with the Yangtze River Basin, increasing trade between the regions. Credit vouchers, known as flying money improved the economy and decreased robberies over long ventures. Trade over long distances was improved with the trading ships, called junks, which were used in both the Tang and Song dynasties. The Chinese merchant class also received recognition as a wealthy class in society. Agriculture during these dynasties also improved, with the introduction of the wheelbarrow, which led to expansion in agrarian production.

The Song Dynasty, following the Tang, tried to analyze the faults of its predecessor, but failed in its attempt. The Tang were, however, militarily superior to the Song. Where the Tang appointed a powerful military, the Song chose to employ scholar-bureaucrats. While the Tang had been expanding to regions as far as central Asia, the Song were attempting to make amends with Lao and Xie Xia kingdoms. This, along with lack of a military force, led to the demise of the Song, which, like previous dynasties, was conquered by nomadic forces (Kublai Khan – 1279).