China in the

Middle Ages

Section 1: China ReunitesChina - 1

• Vocabulary– warlord– economy– reform– monastery

• People and Places– Wendi– Empress Wu– Korea – Japan

Rebuilding

China’s Empire

• Han empire ended – China broke into 17 kingdoms• Warlords fought each other for control • General Wendi – founded the Sui dynasty• Wendi’s son – Yangdi – Grand Canal (links the Chang

Jiang River and the Huang He River)• Shipping products thru the canal improved economy• Rebellion killed Yangdi• ___________________________________________• Tang dynasty – begun by one of Yangdi’s generals• 300 yr rule – brought reform to government• Taizong – powerful Tang ruler – reinstated the civil

service exam• Empress Wu strengthened China’s military• expanded Chinese empire and regained power in Asia• Tang dynasty weakened and fell – Turks took control of

the Silk Road – damaged economy• ____________________________________________• Song dynasty was established • China prospered – cultural advances• Moved capital to Hangzhou• Lack of soldiers = loss of power.

The Sui dynasty Reunites China

The Tang Dynasty

The Song Dynasty

Buddhism Spread to China• Brought to China during Han dynasty A. D.

150• Idea that to find truth – give up all worldly

desires• Tang dynasty supported building of

Buddhist temples• Allowed people to practice Buddhism• Monasteries provided – meditation,

worship, services• As this belief became more popular – Tang

dynasty felt threatened• Ordered temples destroyed – A. D. 845• Spread to Korea and Japan

Chinese BuddhismLife of Buddha

Chinese Buddhism Spreads East

New Confucian IdeasNeo-Confucianism

Scholar-Officials

• Idea – have duty to family and community to bring peace in life

• Taught people to take part in life and help each other

• Believed followers needed to be talented and wise

• Civil Service Exams – based on Confucian ideas – tested job seekers about their knowledge

• Song dynasty adopted Neo Confucianism philosophy – reduced Buddhism popularity

Section 2: Chinese SocietyChina - 2

• Vocabulary– porcelain– calligraphy

• People and Places– Changan– Li Bo– Du Fu

Economy

• Tang dynasty strengthened economy• Farmers --irrigation, grew new crops,

developed new rice, grew tea• Tea became popular drink• Increased trade – Silk Road, waterways• Items traded – tea, steel, paper, porcelain, silk,

What is porcelain?

New Technologies• Tang and Song dynasties• Coal used for heat• Fe and C from coal produced steel• Steel – weapons, stoves, farm tools, drills, sewing needles . . . • Printing press –block print, character carved to

wood . . . Pi Sheng invented movable type• Gunpowder invented (The Invention of Gunpowder

)• Sea travel began using rudders, sails and compasses

Art and Literature• Changan – capitol city, where artists and

writer were invited to live• Li Bo and Du Fu – popular poets• Tang dynasty is age of poetry…joy, sadness,

nature.• Landscape paintings – living in NOT

controlling• Porcelain perfected- makes cups, plates,

figurines, vases

Section 3: The Mongols in ChinaChina - 3

• Vocabulary:– tribe– steppe– terror

• People and Places– Mongolia – Gobi– Karakorum– Khanbaliq– Beijing– Genghis Khan– Kublai Khan– Marco Polo

The Mongols• Area of N. China = Mongolia• Lived in tribes - nomadic

people• 1206 – Temujin – elected

Genghis Khan• Empire divided into fourths• Large area Pacific to Eastern

Europe and Siberia to Himilayas

• Brought peace – encouraged trade.

• Learned about gunpowder and weapons from Chinese

Mongols Rule in China• Kublai Khan– 1260 became

emperor• Moved the capital from

Karakorum to Khanbaliq (Beijing today)

• Mongols conquered China and ended Song dynasty

• Yuan dynasty began – ruled 100yrs.

• Mongols were Buddhists – tolerated other religions

• Marco Polo visited Kublai Khan – sent of fact finding missions

• Mongols conquered Vietnam, and N. Korea

Section 4: The Ming DynastyChina -4

• Vocabulary– treason– census– novel– barbarian

• People and Places– Nanjing– Portugal– Zhu Yuanzhang– Yong Le– Zheng He

The Rise of the Ming• Yuan dynasty lost power after Kublai’s death• Chinese wanted their own groups – rebellions drove

out Mongols• 1368 – Zhu Yuanzhang – became emperor of China –

set Nanjing as capital – founded Ming dynasty• Hong Wu – leader ---Yong Le – his son took control

after his death –built the Forbidden City• Restored Civil Service Exam

• Economy grew, increased farming and trade, artisans and merchants supported, novels, dramas on stage.

China Explores the World• Ming dynasty built fleet of ships to explore • Seven voyages from 1405-1431 – Zheng He (Muslim,

court official) took ships to India, Arabia, Asia, East Africa.

• 1514 – Europeans (from Portugal) arrived in China• Chinese thought Portuguese were uncivilized –

wanted others to become Christians• Chinese let Europeans set up trading posts • Jesuit missionaries tried to convince Chinese to

become Christian• Manchus from Manchuria invaded and weakened the

Ming—captured Beijing.