Civilizations of Asia 500 1650 Golden age in

Civilizations of Asia 500 - 1650

Golden age in China: Tang and Song Dynasties Lesson 2

Tang Dynasty 618 - 907 -Tang Taizong re-unites China after the fall of the Han Dynasty -Restores Han bureaucratic style of government -Lowered taxes -Took some land from the wealthy & gave to the peasants -Confucian philosophy -New law code -Civil Service System

Tang China • Expands the empire • Creates tributary states • Vietnam, Tibet, and Korea • Trade flourishes along the Grand Canal and Silk Road

Tang Decline • Arabs take most of central Asia • Empire slowly shrinks • Drought • Famine • Corruption & high taxes • Revolts

Song Dynasty 960 - 1279 • Unites China • Creates a smaller empire than Tang • Improved farming methods • Grow 2 crops • Rice • Cash Crop to sell • Creates surplus of food • Creates new technology • New plow • Human-operated water wheel

Major Inventions by the Tang & Song Dynasties • Porcelain • Valuable export • Mechanical clock • Printing • Movable type • Printer could arrange blocks or individual characters in a frame to make up a page for printing • Increased learning • Gunpowder • Paper money • Magnetic compass • Used for navigation • Star maps • Calendars • Open border policy • Brought in more wealth

An Ordered Society • Emperor • Aristocratic families • Gentry • Wealthy landowners • Educated & highly influential • Peasants • Majority • Lived in self-sufficient farming communities • Could raise in society if a son was educated & passed the civil service exam

Chinese Society • Women • Status further declined during Song Dynasties • Dowry goes to husband’s family • Wife moves into husband’s house with his family • Peasant women worked in the fields • Upper class women experienced foot binding • “lily-foot” • Shows sign of wealth

The Rich Culture of Tang & Song China • Art • Balance & harmony • Statues of Buddha • Porcelain • Literature • Poetry • Architecture • Pagoda

The Mongol Empire and Ming China Lesson 3

The Rise of the Mongols • Nomadic people of the Asian Steppe • Skilled horsemen • Developed the stirrup • Discipline, ruthlessness, & courage in battle • Tricked opponents • Raid cities along trade routes • Flexibility of tactics • Composite bows

Mongols • Genghis Khan • Defeated rivals to unify Mongols • Took name Genghis Khan • “universal ruler” of the Mongols Brilliant organizer & strategists in military Used new weapons & technologies Used terror tactics 1221 – Central Asia was controlled by the Mongols • Conquered people had to pay tribute to the Mongols • •

The Mongol Empire • 1227 • Genghis Khan died from illness • His successors continued to expand the empire • • Divides territory into four large khanates (region) Controlled China to Poland Largest unified land empire in history Many areas invaded by Mongols never recovered • Populations wiped out • Destroyed ancient irrigation systems • Like in Mesopotamia

Mongol Peace – Pax Mongolica • Mid-1200’s through mid-1300’s • Over time, Mongol rulers adopted cultures • Islam was found in Russia & Persia • Mongols imposed stability & law across Eurasia • Guaranteed safe passage of trade caravans, travelers, & missionaries across the empire • Trade increased heavily • Ideas & inventions spread

Khanates • 1260 – empire divided into 4 khanates • Each ruled by a descendant of Genghis Khan • Khanate of the Great Khan • Mongolia & China • Khanate of Chagatai • Central Asia • Ilkhanate • Persia • Khanate of the Golden Horde • Russia

Mongol Rule in China • 1279 – Kublai Khan conquered China • Set up a new dynasty • Yuan Dynasty (1279 -1368) • United all of China • Opened China to greater trade • With Muslims from India, Central Asia, & Persia • Tolerated Chinese culture

Marco Polo • Marco Polo • Venetian trader • Served the Great Khan (Kublai Khan) for 17 years • • Government missions in various Chinese cities Experienced trader/merchant Spoke several languages Foreigner to China • • He was captured & imprisoned He told his stories of his adventures with the Mongols & Chinese He died in prison in 1324 Another prisoner collected his stories & was a success in Europe • 1292 – went back to Venice which was at war with Genoa (rival city) • Europeans didn’t believe the stories • Thought they were tall tales

The End of Mongol Rule • Kublai Khan died at age 80 in 1294 • Yuan Dynasty lasted for 74 more years, but had many problems • Rebellions broke out because: • • • Chinese resented Mongol rulers Famine Flood Disease Economic problems Corrupt government

The End of Mongol Rule • 1368 – Chinese overthrew Mongols in China & founded the Ming Dynasty • Most Mongols went back to the Mongolian Steppe • Some stayed & were valued for their skills in cavalry • Ilkhanate in Persia fell apart in the 1330’s • Chagatai Khans in Central Asia fell in the 1370’s • Golden Horde in Russia lasted until 1480

Impact of the Mongols • Conquered a larger area than the Romans • Fierce reputation • Pax Mongolica • Trade increased throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe • Government style • Centralized power • Fighting technique ends the medieval knight • Mongols used speed and surprise • Cannons & gunpowder ended walled cities/fortresses • Fashion • Men started wearing Mongol-style pants and jacket combination instead of tunics and robes

Ming Dynasty 1368 - 1644 • Hongwu • • • Commander of rebel army that drove the Mongols out of China First emperor of the Ming Dynasty Restored Chinese rule Confucian learning Civil service system • Art and trade flourished again • Detective stories became popular

Voyages of Zheng He • Yonglo • Hongwu’s son • Continued to strengthen the Ming Dynasty • Wanted to make contacts with other kingdoms to establish strong trade relations & wealth for China • Zheng He • Led 7 expeditions to establish contacts • Ships were called junks • Ships carried silk, metals, & other valuable goods as gifts for distant rulers

The island kingdom of Japan Lesson 5

Yamato Clan 500 - present • 1 st and only dynasty • Emperor today traces his roots to Yumato Clan • Started on island on Honshu • Shinto • “way of the kami” • Kami = superior powers that were natural or divine beings • Worship of the forces of nature

Influences from China and Korea • Korea and Japan contacts through trade, missionaries, and war • Artisans & metalworkers • Buddhism • Chinese Writing • Young nobles sent to study in China during Tang Dynasty • • Bureaucratic government & absolute power for the emperor Law code Fashion Food & Dishes • Tea • Music & Dances • Pagoda Architecture • Confucian Philosophy

Japanese Feudalism • Civil Wars led to feudalism • Kamakura Shogunate • 1185 -1333 • Emperor • Held highest rank in society but had no political power • Shogun • • Actual ruler General of emperor’s army • Daimyo • Large landowners • Samurai • • • Warriors Loyal to their Daimyo & Shogun Betray the bushido & commit seppuku • suicide • Artisans • Craftspeople (artists & blacksmiths) • Peasants • Four-fifths of the population • Merchants • Low status during closed country policy, but gradually gained influence later

Samurai vs. Knight Samurai Knight • Follows bushido code • Follows code of chivalry • Fight for lord in exchange for land • Regard women as weak creatures to be idolized and defended • Wears chain mail and plate armor • Uses broadsword and lance • “way of the warrior” • Fight for lord in exchange for an allowance • Expect women to live up to same values of honor and courage • Wears iron and leather armor • Uses sword, bows & arrows

Tokugawa Shogunate • 1603 -1868 • Created centralized feudalism • Daimyo became under shogun • Had to live in capital city every other year • Wife & kids lived in the capital city all the time • Couldn’t marry without the shogun’s permission • Only samurai could serve in the military