The Resurgence of Empire in East Asia

1. The Resurgence of Empire in East Asia Sui-Tang-Song China

2. Chinese Regionalism • 220-589 (Post Han-Sui) • A time of political division, economic turmoil, and social conflict. • Regional Kingdoms:

3. “Era of Division” 220-589 C.E. • Nomadic Invasions • Endless wars amongst rival kingdoms • Re-emergence of rule by aristocrats • Decline of Bureaucracy • Decline of Confucianism • Rise of Buddhism • Economic decline • Great Wall divided • Technological stagnation • …it was bad.

4. China’s turbulent 4th century • Conquest and rule my non-Chinese peoples (Barbarians) shocked the Chinese. • Huns and Xiongnu eroded the frontier defenses.

5. Confucianism in the Regional Era • Confucianism: stressed ideas and practices that promoted social etiquette, family values, and political stability. • These ideas were criticized for their failure and their value during the regional era. • Regional monarchs began to “re-embrace” the value system, while scholars often condemned its shortcomings.

6. The Re-unification of China under the Sui

8. Re-emergence of Empire: Sui Dynasty 589-618 C.E. • Founded by Yang Jian • Valued Chin style leadership with tight political control. • Used propaganda • Conquered southern China in a Naval War

10. Return to Chin ways • Harsh, codified laws • Standardized everything • Written test for office holders • Beginnings of civil service exam • Refusal to serve in areas of birth • “eyes and ears of the ruler” • Elaborate building projects such as the capital Changan

11. Changan during the Sui

12. Emperor Yangdi and the Grand Canal • Aka Yang Guang • Great achievement: the Grand Canal • Purpose

15. Fall of the Sui • A short lived dynasty: 589-618 C.E • Despite the overwhelming success of the state economically as a result of the Grand Canal. • Failed campaigns of conquest into Korea and against Central Asian Turks • Relentless taxes to support these campaigns

16. The Tang Dynasty • Founded by Li Yuan • China’s Greatest Dynasty? Golden Age? • “Qin-Han, Sui-Tang”

17. Tang Taizong • Ambitious, Ruthless, arguably China’s greatest emperor. • Believed in a Confucian, Chin, yet benevolent state.’ • Stable, peaceful, prosperous…

18. Reasons for Tang Success? • 1. Well articulated roads and communication networks. (Canals) • 2. Equal field distribution system of land sharing • 3. Reliance on a very highly skilled bureaucracy governed by a civil service exam.

19. Civil Service Exam

20. Tang Conquest • Brought Manchuria, the Silla Kingdom of Korea, Vietnam, and as far west as the Aral Sea (Russia) under their control.

21. Tang Decline • Incapable emperors • Dynastic wars (Du Fu) • An Lushan Rebellion • Talas River Battle of 751 • Loss of Silk Roads • Transfer of Power to Islam • Buddhist Crisis of the mid 9th Century.

22. Transition • The Late Tang period saw individual armies loyal to their warlords dominating Chinese life. • Period between the Tang and Song Age saw a return to regionalism. With non-Chinese peoples ruling North China. • 907-960 China was dominated by Political Fragmentation and Rivalry.

23. The Song Dynasty • Song contradiction • Early political stability: 960-1127 • Effective monarchs • Civil Bureaucracy • Founded by Zhao Guangyin • Drunken generals story

24. Song Shortcomings and Decline • Military weakness • Economic costs of Bureaucracy • Taxation issues • Peasant woes • Rise of nomads-The Khitan, Jurchen, and the Mongols

25. Song split

27. Song Demise • 1215: lost control to Jin Dynasty • Reverted to control Southern China • 1279 Southern Song crushed by Mongols.

28. Tang/Song Culture • Neo-Confucianism • Wang Anshi: political and economic innovations • Metaphysical (being) school of Zu Xi • Good v. Evil: Confucian study and Buddhist meditation can treat evil. • His work will be studied and admired for a millenium.

29. Tang/Song Economics • “Champa” Rice: • Porcelain • Metallurgy • Paper production • “Flying Cash” • Urbanization

30. Japanese Characteristics • Geography? • Comparison with Greece? • Warrior Aristorcarcy • Rigid society • 5% of the population was slave • Hundreds of early political units • Clan based society governed by warrior chieftans • Early socieity: Yamato Clan • Religious beliefs: Shinto-the Way of the Gods

31. Japan • Early Buddhism • Deficits of Shinto faith • Diffusion of things Chinese • Seventeen Article Constitution-Buddhist and Confucian document • Taika Reforms-attempt to recreate a Confucian style system in Japan (Exam, Bureaucracy)

32. Nara Japan (710-794 C.E.) • The earliest inhabitants of Japan were nomadic peoples from northeast Asia • Ruled by several dozen states by the middle of the first millennium C.E. • Inspired by the Tang example, one clan claimed imperial authority over others • Built a new capital (Nara) in 710 C.E., modeled on Chang'an • Adopted Confucianism and Buddhism, but maintained their Shinto rites

33. Heian Japan • Heian Japan (794-1185 C.E.) • Moved to new capital, Heian (modern Kyoto), in 794 • Japanese emperors as ceremonial figureheads and symbols of authority • Effective power in the hands of the Fujiwara family • Emperor did not rule, which explains the longevity of the imperial house • Chinese learning dominated Japanese education and political thought • Buddhism exploded during this time, despite a strong reaction against it.

35. Heian Decline • Feuds amongst the great families • Local ambitions and political division • War between the Taira and Minamoto clans • Rise of Samurai class • Rise of YorimotoaMinamoto as Shogun (Kamakura Shogunate)

36. Japanese Cultural Achievements • Began to make their mark in literature. • MurasakiShikibu-a female courtess during the Heian Age wrote the Tale of Genji. • A story of court life and personality of Japanese during the age. • First novel in human history

37. Decline of Heian Japan • The equal-field system began to fail • Aristocratic clans accumulated most land • Taira and Minamoto, the two most powerful clans, engaged in wars • Clan leader of Minamoto claimed title shogun, military governor; ruled in Kamakura