Cultures of East Asia 618 1644 C E

Cultures of East Asia 618 -1644 C. E.

The Tang Dynasty (618 -907 CE) Wide discontent over conscripted labor in Sui dynasty p Military failures in Korea prompt rebellion p Emperor assassinated in 618 p Tang Taizong takes throne as second emperor p Built capital at Chang’an n Law and order n Taxes, prices low n More effective implementation of earlier Sui policies n

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

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

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

Tang Dynasty, 618 -906 C. E.

Tang Decline p Governmental neglect: Emperor obsessed with self pleasure/satisfaction p Several internal rebellions and external warfare during the 8 th and 9 th c. C. E. p Tang decline continues, rebellions in 9 th century, last emperor assassinated (907) p China is divided until 960 C. E.

Song Dynasty (960 -1279 CE) p Emphasis on administration, industry, education, arts p Military not emphasized p Direction of first emperor, Song Taizu (r. 960 -976 CE) Former military leader n Made emperor by troops n Instituted policy of imperial favor for civil servants, expanded meritocracy n

The Song dynasty, 960 -1279 C. E.

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

Growth of the Tang & Song Dynasties Developed fast-ripening rice (Vietnam), 2 crops/ year p Technology: iron plows, use of draft animals p Soil fertilization, improved irrigation p Terrace farming p Urbanization p n Chang’an world’s most populous city: 2 million residents Southern Song capital Hangzhou: over 1 million n Cosmopolitan nature of cities linked to silk/spice trade n

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

Patriarchal Social Structures p Increased emphasis on ancestor worship Elaborate grave rituals n Extended family gatherings in honor of deceased ancestors n p Footbinding gains popularity

Technology and Industry Porcelain (“Chinaware”) p Increase of iron production p Gunpowder invented p Earlier printing techniques refined p n n p Woodblock printing during the Tang Moveable type by mid-11 th century Development of independently produced paper money n n Not as stable, not honored during periods of unrest Govt. claims monopoly on money production in 11 th c.

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

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

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

Neo-Confucianism Song dynasty refrains from persecuting Buddhists, but favors Confucians p Neo-Confucians influenced by Buddhist thought p Zhu Xi (1130 -1200 CE) important synthesizer p Popular to 20 th century p

China and Southeast Asia p Korea Silla Dynasty: Tang armies withdraw, Korea recognizes Tang as emperor n Technically a vassal statue, but highly independent n Strong influence of China on Korean culture (Buddhism) n p Vietnamese adaptation to Chinese culture, technology n But ongoing resentment of political domination n Assert independence when Tang dynasty falls in 10 th c. n

The Mongols: Nomads of Asia 1206 -1370

Nomadic Economy and Society Rainfall in central Asia too little to support large-scale agriculture p Grazing animals thrive, central Asians turn to animal herding p n n n Food Clothing Shelter (yurts) Migratory patterns to follow pastureland p Small-scale farming, rudimentary artisanry p Trade links between nomadic and sedentary peoples p Nomads engage in long-distance travel p

Nomadic Society Governance basically clan-based p Charismatic individuals become nobles, occasionally assert authority p Unusually fluid status for nobility p n n p Hereditary, but could be lost through incompetence Advancement for meritorious non-nobles Nomadic Religion n Appeal of Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, Islam, Manichaeism from 6 th c. CE Turkish script developed in part to record religious teachings Conversion to Islam in 10 th century due to Abbasid influence

Military Organization Large confederations under a khan p Authority extended through tribal elders p Exceptionally strong cavalries p n n Mobility Speed

Chinggis Khan (1167 -1227) The Making of the Mongol Empire Temüjin, b. 1167 p Father prominent warrior, poisoned c. 1177, forced into poverty p Mastered steppe diplomacy, elimination of enemies p Brought all Mongol tribes into one confederation p 1206 proclaimed Chinggis Khan: “Universal Ruler” p

Mongol Political Organization Broke up tribal organization p Formed military units from men of different tribes p Promoted officials on basis of merit and loyalty p Established distinctly non-nomadic capital at Karakorum p

Mongol Arms Mongol population only 1 million (less than 1% of Chinese population) p Strengths: n Cavalry n Short bows n Rewarded enemies who surrender, cruel to enemies who fight p

Mongol Conquests Conquest of China by 1220 p Conquest of Afghanistan, Persia p n p emissaries murdered, following year Chinggis Khan destroys ruler Ravaged lands to prevent future rebellions n Large-scale, long-term devastation

The Mongol Empires after Chinggis Khan

Khubilai Khan (r. 1264 -1294) p Grandson of Chinggis Khan p Rule of China p Ruthless warrior, but religiously tolerant n Hosted Marco Polo p Established Yuan dynasty (to 1368) p Unsuccessful forays into Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma, Java p Two attempted invasions of Japan (1274, 1281) turned back by typhoons

Mongol Rule in China p Strove to maintain strict separation from Chinese Intermarriage forbidden n Chinese forbidden to study Mongol language n Imported administrators from other areas p Tolerated religious freedoms p

The Mongols and Buddhism Shamanism remains popular p Lamaist school of Buddhism (Tibet) gains strength among Mongols p n n Large element of magic, similar to shamanism Ingratiating attitude to Mongols: khans as incarnations of Buddha

Decline of the Yuan Dynasty in China Mongols spend bullion that supported paper currency p Public loses confidence in paper money, prices rise p From 1320 s, major power struggles p Bubonic plague spreads 1330 -1340 s p 1368 Mongols flee peasant rebellion p

The Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty (1368 -1644) p p Ming (“Brilliant”) dynasty comes to power after Mongol Yuan dynasty driven out Founded by Emperor Hongwu (r. 1368 -1398) n p p Used traveling officials called Mandarins and large number of eunuchs to maintain control Emperor Yongle (r. 1403 -1424) experiments with sea expeditions, moves capital north to Beijing to deter Mongol attacks Ming emperors encourage abandonment of Mongol names, dress n n Support study of Confucian classics Civil service examinations renewed

The Great Wall of China p p Origins before 4 th century BCE, ruins from Qin dynasty in 3 rd century BCE Rebuilt under Ming rule, 15 th-16 th centuries n n 1, 550 miles, 33 -49 feet high Guard towers; Room for housing soldiers

Ming Decline and Collapse p Decline n n p 16 th century maritime pirates harm coastal trade Navy, government unable to respond effectively Emperors secluded in Forbidden City, palace compound in Beijing Emperor Wanli (r. 1572 -1620) abandons imperial activity to eunuchs Collapse n n n Rebels take Beijing in 1644 Manchu fighters enter from the north and retake city Manchus refuse to allow reestablishment of Ming

Medieval Japan

Japan’s Warrior Society p p 12 th c. CE – government had lost power - local clans began to fight for control Shoguns rule Japan, 12 th-16 th centuries n n n p Large landholders with private armies (samurai) Emperor merely a figurehead Constant civil war: 16 th century sengoku, “country at war” Control of Daimyo (Great Names) n n n Approx. 260 independent territorial lords Shogun requires leaders alt. attendance (every other year) Beginning 1630 s, shoguns restrict foreign relations

Tokugawa Shogunate p Tokugawa Ieyasu (r. 1600 -1616) est. military govt. n n p Relations with the West n n p Bakufu: “tent government” – pyramid hierarchy Establishes Tokugawa dynasty (1600 -1867) Increased trade with Europeans (esp. Portuguese) By 1650 allowed only trade with the Dutch Feudal Culture n n Haiku poetry – 3 lines, 17 syllables Kabuki drama – could last all day (stylized dance & song)

China and Early Japan p Chinese armies never invade Japan p Yet Chinese culture pervasive p Imitation of Tang administration n Establishment of new capital at Nara, hence “Nara Japan” (710 -794 CE) p Adoption n of Confucian, Buddhist teachings Retention of Shinto (the way of the kami) religion

Heian Japan (794 -1185 CE) p Japanese emperor moves court to Heian (Kyoto) p Yet emperor figurehead, real power in hands of Fujiwara clan Pattern in Japanese history: weak emperor, power behind the throne n Helps explain longevity of the institution n

Japanese Literature p Influence n of Chinese characters Classic curriculum dominated by Chinese p Development of syllabic alphabet p Court life: The Tale of Genji n Written by Murasaki Shikibu (woman with weak command of Chinese), becomes classic of early Japanese literature

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