Tang & Song China

Two Great Dynasties in China

• During the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, China becomes the most wealthy, powerful, and advanced country in the world.

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• Main Idea:
• Tang and Song China experienced an era of prosperity and technological innovation.

• Why it Matters Now:
• Chinese inventions from this period, such as printing, gunpowder, and the compass, changed history.

• The Tang Dynasty World View:

• The Song Dynasty World View:

• looks east towards the sea

• west along the Silk Road

Song Political Structure

• Built on Tang
• Embedded belief system
• Confucianism
• Structure: Departments
• Personel
• Finance
• Rites
• Army
• Justice
• Public Works
• Censorate: Oversee all departments

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• Increased Trade throughout China, but also Europe, Africa. Goods are produced for trade
• Paper Money developed to keep up with growing wealth and demand

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Trade/Foreign Contacts

• Silk Road
• west; Tang Dynasty

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Trade/Foreign Contacts

• Silk Road
• west; Tang Dynasty
• Ocean-going ships
• east, Song Dynasty
• Korea
• Japan
• India
• Persian Gulf
• east Africa

Agriculture

• imported fast-ripening rice from Vietnam

Agriculture

• imported fast-ripening rice from Vietnam
• allowed two crops each season instead of one

Agriculture

• imported fast-ripening rice from Vietnam
• allowed two crops each season instead of one
• fueled population increase
• Allowed more time to be spent on culture

Science and Technology

• mathematics flourished

Science and Technology

• mathematics flourished
• adopted the use of algebra and the concept of zero

(BONUS: Who invented the concept of Zero?)

Science and Technology

• mathematics flourished
• adopted the use of algebra and the concept of zero
• invented movable type

Science and Technology

• mathematics flourished
• adopted the use of algebra and the concept of zero
• invented movable type
• developed gunpowder

Inventions of Tang and Song China

Golden Age of Art

• wealth, education, and urban culture = artistic achievement

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Golden Age of Art

• wealth, education, and urban culture = artistic achievement
• great poetry
• Li Bo and Du Fu

Golden Age of Art

• wealth, education, and urban culture = artistic achievement
• great poetry
• Li Bo and Du Fu
• Three-color ware & porcelain was one of the greatest contributions of the Tang Dynasty

Golden Age of Art

• wealth, education, and urban culture = artistic achievement
• great poetry
• Li Bo and Du Fu
• Three-color ware & porcelain was one of the greatest contributions of the Tang Dynasty.
• Many figurines, predominantly horses and camels, were produced.

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• Most of these pieces have been found in the more affluent tombs of the Tang period

Buddha representations in art change how he looks…

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Buddhist Stupa (India) evolves into �Pagoda (China)

Social Status

Chinese Society

• Emperor
• Bureaucracy (scholars, functionaries)
• Clergy
• Buddhism, Confucian Thought
• Peasants

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Period of Progress and Stability

Open minded, tolerant of new ideas

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Social Status

• Women: aspects
• In cities and at court more respected, more of a voice
• Subordinate position in society
• Footbinding
• The richer people and higher class families began binding the feet of girls
• essentially crippled the girls for life
• made girls more submissive, as well as signifying the status of the family.
• Small feet were thought to be beautiful and the majority of women (except ethnic minorities) had their feet bound. The foot binding custom spread to the lower classes as well as among the peasants. However, this proved disastrous as it rendered girls less capable of carrying out labor on the farms. http://www.chinatravel.com/facts/song-dynasty.htm

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Yan Liben Portrait of the Emperors

Li Sixun

Wang Wi

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/song-dynasty.html