The Beginning of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 12 (1 of 3)

Postclassical China (450 C.E. – 1450 C.E.)

(During this period, China ruled mostly by 2 dynasties)

Tang Dynasty

(618 C.E. – 907 C.E.)

Song Dynasty

(960 C.E.– 1279 C.E.)

Background: China Leading Up to Postclassical Period

Late 100s C.E.

220 C.E. – 589 C.E.

China experienced Era of Division (China politically divided)

Han Dynasty collapsed (had ruled China through most of classical period)

Era of Division (220 C.E. – 589 C.E.)1. Regional kingdoms fought

for control

2. Nomadic groups attacked and conquered much land

3. Great Wall divided by regional kingdoms and became weak

4. Landowning aristocracy held great political power

5. Non-Chinese nomads ruled most of China, and foreign idea like Buddhism grew

6. Cities shrank, trade decreased, and little new technology

So Long Era of Division, Welcome Sui Dynasty

Sui rose to power in

580s, ending 400 year Era of Division

Wendi

First emperor of Sui Dynasty

Got support of nomadic military commanders and conquer southern China

Yangdi

Beat back nomadic invaders to expand China’s

borders

As scholar-gentry gained power, aristocrats and

nomadic military commanders lost power

Improved education, restored exam system, and promoted scholar-gentry

class (educated elites)

Murdered his father, Wendi, to take power

Yangdi = CrazyYangdi became irrational and

overspent greatly on public works

Forced thousands of peasants to work (built canal system)

Launched failed war against Korea

Due to overspending and failed war, many in empire revolted

Yangdi assassinated in 618, ending the short-lived Sui Dynasty

Li Yuan

Became emperor of China after the assassination of Yangdi, beginning the Tang Dynasty (618 C.E. -907 C.E.)

Tang DynastyCompleted repairs on

Great Wall that Sui had started

Built frontier armies by recruiting nomadic

peoples

Tang expanded China by defeating nomadic

groups which had long plagued China

Defeated nomads by playing one group

against another

Tang united north China (plains) and south China (Yangtze River) for first time since Han

Tang rebuild the Chinese bureaucracy – key to reviving China

Tang used scholar-gentry class as leaders,

and Confucian ideas used

Rise to power of scholar-gentry class

meant loss of power of aristocratic families

The Return of the Bureaucrats

Growing Importance of Examination System

Tang set up academies to train future bureaucrats

More scholar-

gentry than under Han

Tang expand exam system (determined

job)

Ministry of Rites

Ministry of Rites established to administer the exam. Exams were

open to all, but having family connections helped. Government jobs (bureaucracy) given based on

exam performance

Chinese Buddhism

2 Major Buddhist Sects in China:

1) Pure Land Buddhism

2) Chan Buddhism (a.k.a. Zen Buddhism)

By time the Tang took over, Buddhism was major force in China

Buddhism flourishes early in

Tang Dynasty under leadership of Empress Wu

(690 C.E.- 705 C.E.)

By 850 C.E., China had over 50,000

Buddhist monasteries and Buddhism was

major force in China

Chinese Buddhism Comes Under Attack

Tang promoted Confucian teachings and Buddhists lost

power

Confucians upset with growth of Buddhism and

begin to persecute Buddhists

Tang leaders convinced Buddhism posed economic

threat (monasteries not taxed)

Buddhism criticized as a foreign religion

(from India)

Wuzong (841-847)

Chinese emperor

who began persecution of Buddhists

Monasteries closed and monks had to return to civilian life

Buddhism survived in China, but lost all political influence