Medieval Chinese Literature (Volume B)

Background

Period of Disunion (220–589)

• Han Empire crumbles• “Way of Great

Peace,” 184• Three Kingdoms

Period• Shu, Wu, and Wei• invasion by non-

Chinese in 316

Buddhism

• Four Noble Truths• Eightfold Path• conversion in China• relationship to

Confucian beliefs• Silk Road

transmission

Daoism

• Master Texts of Laoizi and Zhuangzi

• Daoist practices• relation to Buddhism• recluse culture• “Seven Sages of the

Bamboo Grove” • Tao Gian

Sui and Tang Dynasties (589–907)

• Chang’an, the old northern capital

• canal between the Yangzi and Yellow rivers

• grid pattern for urban design

• tea and printing• Buddhism• Buddhist Diamond

Sutra, 868

Tang Decline (755)

• civil service exam• changes in poetic

style• Wang Wei, Li Bo, Du

Fu• Yuan Zhen, “The

Story of Yingying” • Emperor Xuanzong

and Yang Guifei, 755• Bo Juyi, “Song of

Lasting Regret”

Song Dynasty (960–1279)

• loss of aristocratic power

• Hangzhou court• Mongol invasion• printing technology• reexamination of the

Confucian classics• Li Qingzhao, “song

lyrics”

Tang China

Which of the following contributed to the weakening of the Han Empire (206 B.C.E—220 C.E.)?

a. natural disastersb. a poorly organized armyc. inflationd. emigration

Test Your Knowledge

What religion spread widely, and quickly, throughout China, prior to the Tang and Song dynasties?

a. Christianityb. Buddhismc. Islamd. Zoroastrianism

Test Your Knowledge

The Sui Dynasty united, at least in part, an otherwise disjointed Chinese nation by building what?

a. the Great Wall of Chinab. a bridge linking the east and westc. a canal between two major riversd. trade routes to the north and south

Test Your Knowledge

Which of the following was invented under the Tang Dynasty?

a. printingb. fireworksc. the auto loomd. dynamite

Test Your Knowledge

Printed in 868, which of the following is considered to be the oldest printed book?

a. the Kama Sutrab. the Taoc. the Vulgate Bibled. the Buddhist Diamond Sutra

Test Your Knowledge

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