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Nov 10, 600
Economic events of the Sui Dynasty
1) Grand Canal-> facilitated trade between Northern and Southern China; economical way to transport food crops in large quantities.
2) Three parts of tax system-> in grain, in textiles or other materials, and in military service for 20 days per year.
3) Int'l trade along the Central Asian trade routes and with S.E. Asia promoted. Chang'an and Luoyang had markets that supplied the metropolitan pop.
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Nov 10, 600
Political events of the Sui Dynasty
1) Demands in building a strong centralized gov't. -> construction of palaces and granaries, repairs on defensive walls, and dispatch of military forces.
2) Sui redressed the overfull organization abuses, restrained political corruption, and saved government expenditures.
3) The three-grade system - state, prefecture and counties into a two-grade system, carrying out “the System of States and Counties”.
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Nov 10, 600
Social events of the Sui Dynasty
1) Compulsory labor services was demanded.
2) Equal-Field System initiated by emperors Wen and Yang to undertake the social gap between the rich and the poor, creating a new model of governance after centuries of division.
3) Emperor Yang restored Confucian education and the Confucian examination system for bureaucrats. -> supporting educational reforms, he lost the support of the nomads.
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Nov 9, 626
Wu Zhao: The Lady Emperor (626-706 C.E.)
Wu Zhao became a concube at the court of Tang Taizong, where she attracted notice because of her intelligence, wit, and beauty. Later years, she sized the opportunity to direct affairs as administration of the court; organized a secret police force-> she ordered brutal punishment for those who stood in her way. Was an unique woman who publicly and offically wielded power in a rigidly patriarchal society.
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Nov 9, 701
Wang Wei (701-761 A.D.)
Wang Wei was a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty. He was regarded as the greatest poet when he was alive. People also called him “Buddha of Poetry“, for his sincere cultivation in Buddhism. He was also a painter and introduced 'pure landscape' style of painting to China. Wang Wei built the "Wangchuan Villa" which was a garden and one of the famous gardens of the Tang Dynasty.
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Nov 9, 712
Du Fu (712-770 C.E.)
The Confucian Du Fu had extraordinary thematic range and was a master and innovator of all the verse forms of his time. Du Fu was born to a prominent but declining family of scholar-officials. He was a restless traveler, and the poems of this early period show him to be a young man given to revelry, military and hunting arts, painting and music.
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Nov 9, 755
An Lushan (703-757 C.E.)
As a military governor he became a political figure, frequently visitedthe capital, and became a personal favourite of the emperor and his consort. In 752, An Lushan was the most powerful general in the empire. In 755, he mounted a rebellion and captured the capital at Chang'an, as well as Luoyang. His revolt was short-lived because in 757 a soldier murdered him.
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Nov 9, 1012
Cai Xiang (1012-1067
Cai Xiang was a chinese calligrapher, scholar, official, structural engineer, and poet. He also had the reputation of the greatest calligrapher in the Song Dynasty. His highest rank was Duanmingdian Xueshi which was a secretariat Drafter of Duanming Court, in charge of written communication of imperial government.
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Nov 9, 1037
Su Shi (January 8, 1037- August 24, 1101)
Su Shi was a writer, artist, poet, calligrapher, pharmacologist, and statesman of the Song Dynasty, also one of the major poets in the Song Era. His writings writings are of great value in the understanding of 11th century Chinese travel literature. Su Shi emphasized originality, expressive force and artistic value of the literature. He also developed the idea of "Paintings by scholars"
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Nov 9, 1045
Huang Tingjian (1045-1106)
Huang Tingjian was a Northern Song-Dynasty poet and calligrapher. Student of Su Shi and enjoyed equal fame with Su. Huang was admired for his essays, poetry, and especially for his calligraphy. In poetry, his poems were quite unique in style and can be found in his Collected Works of Mr. Huang Yuzhang. In calligraphy, one of his works include the Poem on the Pavilion of Rustling Pine Trees.
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Nov 9, 1051
Mi Fu (1051–1107)
Mi Fu was a Chinese painter, poet, and calligrapher. In painting, he had the "Mi Fu" style and involved the use of large wet dots of ink applied with a flat brush. In calligraphy he is the best known for his calligrapher in Song dynasty but unfortunately, he didn't reach the level of calligraphers in Tang dynasty.
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Nov 9, 1061
Wang Anshi (December 8,1061- May 21, 1086)
Wang Anshi was a chinese poet and prose writer, best known as a governmental reformer who implemented his unconventional idealism through the “New Laws,” or “New Policies,” of 1069–76. He became a prime minister in 1069, he designed reforms to help the common people, but these reforms were opposed by the upper class.
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Nov 9, 1103
Yue Fei (March 24, 1103-January 27, 1142)
Yue Fei was a patriotic general and was concerned about the situation of the nation and determined to protect it from Jurchen's invasion. Recognized from battles, he was appointed general commissioner, the highest rank in the army. Yue Fei was a man of both literal and military ability. Finally, His last campaign against the northern invaders was a sweeping victory.
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Nov 9, 1130
Zhu Xi (1130-1200)
Zhu Xi was the most important representative of Song Neo-Confucianism. As a prolific writer, e maintained a deep commitment to Confucian values emphasizing proper personal behavior and social harmony. He adapted some ideas from Daoism and Buddhism into his form of Confucianism. Zhu Xi and his fellow scholars codified the Four Books.
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Nov 10, 1200
Economic events of the Song Dynasty
1) Traded along the SE coast and nautical travel in the Pacific & Indian Ocean regions and controlled much of the Eastern Silk Road.
2) Agricultural production-> foundation of economic development-> fast-ripening rice that enable cultivators to harvest two crops per year.
3) Shortage of copper coin-> letters of credit came to use. a.k.a "flying cash"-> enabled merchants to deposit goods or cash.
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Nov 10, 1200
Political events of the Song Dynasty
1) Civil service examinations were further refined-> goal of only allowing the most worthy potential scholars to gain posts in gov't.
2) Neo-Confucianism emphasized rank, obligation, tradition, respect for authority & order which reinforced class & gender distinctions.
3) A tribute system was created, in which neighboring states were “rewarded” for keeping the peace.
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Nov 10, 1200
Social events of the Song Dynasty
1) Patriarchal Social Structures-> veneration of family ancestors became much more laborate -> Highly practiced and strengthened.
2) People were educated, they could become calligraphers, painters, poets, engineers and gov't officials.
3) Urbanization-> had restaurants, noodle shops, taverns, teahouses, music halls, theaters, etc. They had a nice social life.
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Sui Yangdi (604-618 C.E.)
Second emperor of the Sui Dynasty, and he completed works on the canal to facilitate trade between northern and southern China. Generally agreed that he assassinated his father to get to the throne and his elder brother. Yangdi's construction projects served Chinal well over a long term. In 618 a disgruntled minister assassinated him and it brought the dynasty to an end.
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Emperor Tang Taizong (618-649 C.E.)
Second emperor of the Tang dynasty. Emperor Tang was both ambitious and ruthless because in making his way to the imperial throne, he murdered two of his brothers and pushed his father aside. He worked out various systems and decrees favorable to the development of economy. He also advocated frugality, opposed corruption, and lightened the burden on the people.
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Wu Daozi (680-740
Wu Daozi lost both of his parents when he was young and had a hard time making a living. He studied hard and was talented in art, he earned himself a good reputation as a painter by the time he was 20 years old. He then became an imperial painter and was not allowed to paint except on the emperor's orders. His works exhibited an expressionist style.
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Huang Chao (unknown- July 884)
In 875 he collected a group of several thousand followers and joined the numerous rebellions then sweeping the country. The revolt reflected and fueled popular discontent. He proclaimed himself the first emperor of the Daqi dynasty, In 907 the last Tang emperor abdicated his throne and the dynasty came to an end.
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Song Taizu (960-976 C.E.)
Song Taizu was the first emperor and founder of the Song Dynasty and reigned for about 16 years. He began his career as a junior military officer, and had a reputation for his honesty and effectiveness. He headed reforms with spirit, such as strenghtening centralization, taking over local military power, and appointing civilians to be local officials and much more.
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Economic events of the Tang Dynasty
1) Extensive communication networks based on roads, horses, ad sometimes human runners; provided rest and refreshments for travelers.
2) Creation of paper money & lines of credit led to increased trade both inside & outside of China; facilitated commercial transactions.
3) The Equal-Field System helped by peasants receiving land and in exchange for tax payments in grain & return of land.
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Social events of the Tang Dynasty
1) Upper class women-> right to inherit property if all male heirs had died, could remarry & were allowed to move about freely in public.
2) Patriarchal Social Structures-> remained highly patriarchal in most social practices & customs.
3) High knowledge of poetry & literature became part of the Civil Service Examinations.
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Political events of the Tang Dynasty
1) Revived the Confucian tradition of a “scholarly gentry” of gov’t bureaucrats – both well-educated & ethical in their decisions.
2) Relied heavily on bureaucracy based on merid, as reflected by performance on imperial civil service examinations.
3) Established a Bureau of Censors to keep track of gov’t officials & their actions
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Emperor Suiwen (AD 541-604)
Named Yang Jian, was born in Huayin, Hongnong. During his reign, he ended the long lasting chaotic situation in China and subdued all aboriginal tribes, bringing peace to China. He established the Great Sui as title of his country, changed the title of his reign to Kaihuang, and gave an imperial edict for amnesty
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Period: to
The Tang Dynasty (618-907 C.E)
Rebel leader, seized the ancient capital city of Chang'an and procalimed a new dynasty, the Tang Dynasty. The dynasty had extensive networks of transportation and communications. They helped the people in need, they alloted land according to their needs.
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Period: to Nov 9, 1279
The Song Dynasty (960-1279 C.E.)
Founded by Song Taizu, who reigned from 960 to 976 C.E.
They had both military and financial problems, which included enormous bureaucracy and high salary devoured surplus, and civil bureaucrats in charge of military forces. They also had external pressures from the semi-nomadic Khitan and nomadic Jurchen. At last, The song moved to the South and ruled Soutch China until 1279 C.E.
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Period: to
The Sui Dynasty (589-618 C.E)
The Sui Dynasty waws formed when Yang Jian unificated China. He was the first emperor and was a military servant. The Sui Dynasty had high taxes and compulsory labor services, and re-established the Centralized administrative system of the Han dynasty. They also help to repair the Great Wall of China.
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