T H E I R R E N A I S S A N C E …

EAST ASIAN POSTCLASSICS

SUI DYNASTY (589-618 CE)

• Greatest accomplishment was the completion of the Grand Canal• Connected the Huang He River

to the Yangtze River, thus geographically connecting the two biggest Chinese River Valleys

• Fell because of overtaxing the peasants• Accepted Buddhism

TANG DYNASTY (618-907 CE)

• Tang rulers expanded the empire and strengthened the central government, without overtaxing the peasants.

• Restored the vast Chinese bureaucracy by restoring the civil service examination system• Once you passed the

exam, you would become a part of an elite group called the gentry

SONG DYNASTY (960-1279 CE)

• Merchants in China grew rich from trade with the nomads of central Asia and the people of western Asia and Europe• Traded goods like silk,

porcelain, and gunpowder• Junk Ships

ERA OF PROSPERITY AND GROWTH• China grew in population, trade, wealth, new ideas, and artistic

achievements• Population

• China's population doubled from 50 to 100 million• Due to a new crop of rice that ripened faster

• 10 cities with populations of 1 million or more• Science and Technology

• Science• Porcelain, Mechanical Clock, Printing, Gunpowder, Paper Money, Magnetic Compass

• Math• Developed algebra, used the zero and negative numbers

Foot Binding

THE MONGOLS

• Pastoralists• Constantly attacking the wealthy

Chinese dynasties but never united under one ruler

• Temujin slowly defeated rival clans and in 1206 accepted the title Genghis Khan, or universal ruler of the Mongol clans.• Following 21 years of conquering,

Genghis Khan had accumulated the largest empire the world had ever seen

KUBLAI KHAN

• Kublai Khan founded the Yuan dynasty in China after he united all of the warring states• Decided to attack Japan in

the late 1200s with the largest seaborne invasion force in history until WWII• A kamikaze, or “divine

wind”, destroyed most of Kublai Khan’s navy ending his attempt to conquer Japan

• Marco Polo would visit the court of Kublai Khan for 17 years, bringing back stories of vast wealth and innovation that would spur explorers to find quicker routes to China

FEUDAL POWERS IN JAPAN• Japan is characterized by its geography, being an island nation,

and its early religion called Shintoism, or “way of the gods”• The Japanese adapted some of the Chinese culture, especially Buddhism

(Taika Reforms - 640s)• The Heian Period in Japan from 794-1185 was the Golden Age of

Japanese culture and the beginning of aristocratic power• Lady Murasaki’s 11th century masterpiece, The Tale of Genji, is an account of

the life of a prince in the imperial court and is considered the first novel

THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR

• Started after the Gempei Wars• Japan is steeped in tradition,

especially when it comes to their warriors• Samurai – a bodyguard of a lord

meaning “one who serves”• Each samurai would follow the

code called Bushido• Bushido – the samurai code

meaning “way of the warrior”• Japan always has an emperor,

but the true power resides with the shogun• Shogun – the military dictator

meaning “supreme general of the emperor’s army”

• Daimyo – Landed aristocrats

SINIFICATION OF EAST ASIA

• Korea (Heavily)• After the Chinese

Conquered the Choson dynasty in 108BCE

• Vietnam (Moderately)• Trung Sisters 43CE• Split• North – Trinh• South - Nguyen

• Japan (Minimally)• 838CE – End of Chinese

Envoys