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Nov 18, 620
Chang'an
The city of Chang'an means perpetual peace and was used by 10 dynasties. Its modern name is Xi'an. During the Tang dynasty, Chang'an became the new capital and was the center of bureaucracy. -
Nov 18, 625
The Ministry of Rites
The Ministry of Rites was the ministry in charge of the examination of government officials. This allowed a higher standard and tested the ability of people in positions of power. -
Nov 18, 626
Jinshi
Jinshi were the people who passed the philosophical and legal exams administered by the Ministry of Rites. Jinshi were considered very priviledged and their names were announced throughout the empire. They ruled the highest imperial and metropolitan level. However others obtained their positions through family connections. -
Nov 18, 700
Chan/Zen Buddhism
This strain of Buddhism was more attractive to the elite classes because of its stress on meditation and appreciation of nature and its beauty. This strain of Buddhism later spread to Japan and was named Zen Buddhism. -
Nov 18, 700
Mahayana Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhism or pure land Buddhism was very popular in China during the pre-Tang and Tang period. It was during this time that Buddhism became more prominent than Confucianism because it gave people refuge from an age of war and turmoil. -
Nov 18, 705
Empress Wei
Empress Wei was the husband of the son of Empress Wu. She poisoned her husband to place her son in the position of power. However, her plan was foiled and lead to a palace revolt that resulted in her destruction. -
Nov 18, 712
Emperor Xuangzong
Emperor Xuanzong was the prince who foiled Empress Wei's plans. His reign was the peak of the Tang, but he lost interest in governing and met Yang Guifei, a beautiful woman. This eventually led to a palace revolt and a civil war to remove him due to his ineffectiveness. The Tang was never as powerful again. -
Nov 18, 730
Yang Guifei
Yang Guifei was a very ambitious woman. Upon getting together with Emperor Xuanzong, she quickly maneuvered up the ranks and also brought her family into key positions of power. She sparked a lot of favoritism and jealousy, eventually leading to her forced execution. -
Nov 18, 1127
The Southern Song Dynasty
After they were defeated by the Liao, the Song moved to the South and reestablished an empire. The military was controlled by the scholar-gentry, and Confucianism grew once again. The civil service exams were reformed and bureaucracy was big again. Although not militarily powerful, the Southern Song was known for its strong culture and arts. -
Emperor Wendi
Emperor Wendi was a member of a prominent Chinese family in the North, and his daughter had married to the Zhou emperor. Wendi seized the throne and called himself Emperor Wendi and established the Sui Dynasty. -
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty came to power after the Sui, and proceeded to surpass it in every way. The empire stretched further than China today. The Tang was known for the greater role of the scholar-gentry and decreasing role of the aristocracy. There was complex bureaucracy that ran the huge empire and was an amazing feat back then. -
The Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was formed after the Tang weakened after Xuanzong's death. Zhao Kuangyin was able to consolidate power and eliminate all but one of his enemies. He established the Song Dynasty, but was eventually defeated by his enemy, the Liao Dynasty. -
The Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty was a dynasty of nomadic Khitan peoples. Adept at war, they easy utiized the Song's weakness and defeated them. This allowed them to become the power of the North, while the Song ran to the South. -
Grand Canal
The Grand Canal was built under the Sui and Tang dynasties and was and is the world's largest man-made waterway. Around six million of the labor forced used to construct the Canal died. This Canal linked the Yellow and Yangi-tze River and became an essential source of life in China. -
Emperor Yangdi
Emperor Yangdi was the successor of Wendi, who he killed to take over the throne. Yangdi was the second and second-last emperor of the Sui dynasty. The milestones of his reign were the weakening of the nomadic peoples, milder legal code, educational reforms, and reinstated the examination system for bureaucrats. Under Yangdi, the scholar-gentry class became more prominent and played a larger role in the ruling class. He was also very extravagant and forced thousands to make his projects a reality. -
Emperor Li Yuan
Li YuanAfter Yangdi's failure, , averted the crisis of anarchy, won the war for the throne and established the Tang dynasty. Under his rule, the Tang expanded as far as Afghanistan and the threat of nomadic invasions was almost eliminated. He used the Turks to conquer and suppress these nomadic peoples, and also taught them to speak Chinese so that later they may integrate into Chinese society. The Tang would grow to rival or even outclass the Han. -
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty started not by gaining Chinese support, but by g aining nomadic support from the North. This allowed the Sui to dominate the North and conquer the weaker and divided South. The Sui is known for lowering taxes, widespread granaries, which allowed grains to be distributed during times of hardship. However, the Sui eventually fell due to the emperor's excesses. -
Empress Wu
Empress Wu were known for being a powerful female leader of the Tang. Her reign was marked with strong support for Buddhism, even making it state religion. She was also a patron of the arts, commissioning many Buddhist statues and paintings. The picture above is of a Tang dancer. -
Emperor Wuzong
Emperor Wuzong was the emperor known for the persecution of Buddhists. This was a result of the widespread and rapid growth of the religion which had caused fear for Confucians. Monks and nuns were forced to flee and monsteries were given to landlords. -
Chinese Junks
Chinese Junks were the best ships of their time period. They had watertight bulkheads, sternpost rudders, oars, sails, compasses, baboo fenders, and gunpowder rockets. They were also used by the great explorer Zheng He. Junks had a profound effect on China because they facilitated greater trade and commerce.
