EAST ASIA POSTCLASSICAL PERIOD Background China dominated East
EAST ASIA POST-CLASSICAL PERIOD
Background • China dominated East Asia during Post-Classical Age. • China enjoyed wealth, political stability, and artistic and intellectual achievements • The fall of the Han Dynasty resulted in anarchy • Political unity returned under the Sui Dynasty (581 -618 C. E. )
The Sui Dynasty 581 -618 C. E. • • • Sui Yangdi founded empire through violence. Ruled as a hard dictator/emperor. Greatest accomplishment was the Grand Canal. Transported rice from Yangtze River valley to the north. Resulted in expanded trade. Emperor was assassinated in 618.
The Tang Dynasty 618 -907 C. E. • Rulers extended the empire further into Asia. • Was the center of a tribute system with their neighbors. • Caused China to be the economic and political power in Asia. • Tribute states required to perform the “kowtow”. • Expanded the bureaucracy with the civil service exam • Buddhism spread into China though monks. • Military leader, An Lushan, began a rebellion which weakened the dynasty.
The Song Dynasty 960 -1279 C. E • Smaller than the Tang due to nomads (Jin) taking northern land. • Size of government and bureaucracy increased. • Increased cost of government contributed to decline. • Scholar-gentry (government officials who were experts in Confucianism) in charge of military. • Nomadic invasions took over northern territory. • Dynasty ended when Mongol Empire conquered region.
Economic Developments • • • Agriculture reform led to economic growth Equal field system = all Chinese have land to farm Goal to remove land from upper classes Improvements in irrigation Fast-ripening rice brought from Vietnam Proto-industrialization = producing commercial goods without factories • Expanded foreign trade and use of paper currency • Cities of over 1 million people
Social and Cultural Developments • • Government expansion created new class = scholar gentry Scholar gentry was most influential class Merchants were the lowest class Women became more subjugated with the practice of foot binding • Inventions included: paper, printing, magnetic compass, gunpowder, fine porcelain, paper money • Poetry (Li Bo, Du Fu) and landscape painting flourished
Religious Diversity • Buddhism arrived in China via Silk Roads • Buddhist doctrines combined with Daoism (Chan or Zen Buddhism) • Native religions suffered and became syncretic • Neo-Confucianism evolved in response (blended with Daoism and Buddhism)
Korea and Vietnam • China expands north and south during golden age • Tang collected tribute from the Korean Silla Kingdom • Korea imitated China building a similar civilization (Sinification) • Koreans did not have scholar gentry, but nobles ran the gov’t • Vietnam did not assimilate with the Chinese • Vietnam lived in nuclear families in independent villages • Vietnam gave tribute to China, retained own culture, but did convert to Buddhism
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