Chapter 14

The Resurgence of Empire

in East Asia

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The Sui Dynasty (589-618 C.E.)

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

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The Grand Canal

Intended to promote trade between north and

south China

Most Chinese rivers flow west-east

Linked network of earlier canals

2000 kilometers (1240 miles)

Roads on either bank

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The Tang Dynasty (618-907 C.E.)

Wide discontent over conscripted labor in Sui

dynasty

Military failures in Korea prompt rebellion

Emperor assassinated in 618 C.E.

Tang dynasty initiated

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Tang Taizong

Second emperor of Tang dynasty (r. 627-649

C.E.)

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

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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 eighth century

Corruption, loss of land to Buddhist monasteries

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Bureaucracy of Merit

Imperial civil service examinations

Confucian educational curriculum

Most advance through merit

Educational opportunity widely available

Built loyalty to the dynasty

System remains strong until early twentieth century

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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

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The Sui and Tang Dynasties, 589-907 C.E.

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Tang Decline

Governmental neglect: emperor obsessed with

music, favorite concubine

775 C.E. 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 ninth

century, last emperor abdicates 907

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Song Dynasty (960-1279 C.E.)

Emphasis on administration, industry, education,

the arts

Military not emphasized

Direction of first emperor, Song Taizu (r. 960-976

C.E.)

Former military leader

Made emperor by troops

Instituted policy of imperial favor for civil servants,

expanded meritocracy

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The Song Dynasty, 960-1279 C.E.

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Song Weaknesses

Size of bureaucracy heavy drain on economy

Two peasant rebellions in twelfth century

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)

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Agricultural Economies of the Tang

and Song Dynasties

Developed Vietnamese fast-ripening rice, two

crops per year

Technology: iron plows, use of draft animals

Soil fertilization, improved irrigation

Water wheels, canals

Terrace farming

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Population Growth

Result of increased

agricultural production

Effective food

distribution system

Transportation

networks built under

Tang and Song

dynasties

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Urbanization

Chang’an world’s most populous city: two

million residents

Southern Song capital Hangzhou: over one million

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Patriarchal Social Structures

Increased emphasis on ancestor worship

Elaborate grave rituals

Extended family gatherings in honor of deceased

ancestors

Foot binding gains popularity

Increased control by male family members

Wu Zhao (626-706 C.E.)

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Foot Binding

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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-eleventh century

Yet complex Chinese ideographs make wood block technique easier

Naval technology

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Emergence of a Market Economy

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 eleventh century

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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

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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

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Dunhuang

Mahayana Buddhism especially popular in

western China (Gansu province), 600-1000 C.E.

Buddhist temples, libraries

Economic success as converts donate land

holdings

Increased popularity through donations of

agricultural produce to the poor

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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

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Schools of 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”

Chan school; Zen Buddhism

Pure Land school

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Persecution of Buddhists

Daoist/Confucian persecution supported in late

Tang dynasty

840s begins systematic closure of Buddhist

temples, expulsions

Zoroastrians, Christians, Manichaeans as well

Economic motive: seizure of large monastic

landholdings

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Neo-Confucianism

Song dynasty refrains from persecuting

Buddhists, but favors Confucians

Neo-Confucians influenced by Buddhist thought

Philosopher Zhu Xi (1130-1200 C.E.)

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China and Korea

Silla Dynasty: Tang armies withdraw, Korea

recognizes Tang as emperor

Technically a vassal state, but highly independent

Chinese influence on Korean culture pervasive

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China and Vietnam

Vietnamese adaptation to Chinese culture,

technology

But ongoing resentment at political domination

Assert independence when Tang dynasty falls in

tenth century

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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” (710-794 C.E.)

Adoption of Confucian, Buddhist teachings

Yet retention of Shinto religion

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Heian Japan (794-1185 C.E.)

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

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Japanese Literature

Influence of Chinese kanji characters

Classic curriculum dominated by Chinese

The Tale of Genji

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Institution of the Shogun

Civil war between Taira and Minamoto clans in

twelfth century

Minamoto leader named shogun, 1185 C.E.

Ruled from Kamakura, allowed imperial throne to

continue in Kyoto

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Medieval Japan

Kamakura (1185-1333 C.E.) and Muromachi

(1336-1573 C.E.) periods

Decentralized power in hands of warlords

Military authority in hands of samurai

Professional warriors

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Borderlands of postclassical China:

Korea, Vietnam, and Japan

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