Chapter 10: Inner and East Asia, 600-1200 Flashcards
How did the early Tang rulers view themselves in light of Buddhist doctrine?
They viewed themselves as bodhisattvas/enlightened, and they wanted to create harmonious Buddhist societies.
What was Chang’an? What was it like? Why?
“Chang’an, ancient site, north-central China. Formerly the capital of the Han, Sui, and Tang dynasties, it is located near the present-day city of Xi’an.” https://www.britannica.com/place/Changan
It was cosmopolitan because it was a hub of communication where trade routes met and cultural influences spread, thus allowing for the spread of diverse goods and culture.
Who was Li Shimin and what did he do?
He was a Tang emperor who extended power westward into Inner Asia.
The Tang Empire retained many Sui governing practices but avoided overcentralization by?
by allowing local nobles, gentry, officials, and religious establishments to exercise power.
What internal improvement marked the high point of engineering during the Sui and Tang dynasties?
The Grand Canal, which linked China’s two major rivers, the Huang He and Yangzi.
What type of Buddhism was prevalent in the Tang Empire and what did this lead to?
Mahayana Buddhism. It led to:
- invigorated trade, language learning, and cultural exchange since it was adaptable
What were the two largest exports from Chang’an?
Silk and porcelain.
The military strength of the Tang Dynasty forced many of its neighbors to become tributary states. What are tributary states?
Nations that retain their independence, but make payments to a more dominant state.
What were the two rival states to Tang China?
The Uighur and Tibetan Empires.
What characterizes the Uighur Empire? Why were they considered “cosmopolitan?”
literate culture, strong ties to the Islamic world and China, merchants and scribes, cosmopolitan influence for Buddhist teachings, religious art from n. India, Islamic dress- MULTICULTURAL- cosmopolitan because they had strong cultural influence, caravan cities
How did Tibet create its own distinctive form of Buddhism?
Tang princess Kongjo married a Tibetan king to cement an alliance. She brought Mahayana Buddhism, which combined with the native religion to create a distinctive form of Buddhism.
What did Tibet excel at?
War. They rivaled with the Tang emperor for religious leadership and political dominance in Inner Asia.
What happened to Tibet in the 800s?
The Tibetan king wanted to follow Tang lead after 840 and eliminate the influence of monasteries. He was assassinated by Buddhist monks, and control of Tibet was passed to religious leaders.
Who was Wu Zhao and what did she cause?
She was a woman who married into the imperial family and declared herself emperor. She claimed to be a bodhisattva and favored Buddhists and Daoists. This lead to the suppression of Buddhism in the Tang Empire.
“Wuhou, or Wu-hou or Wu Zetian, (born 624, Wenshui, Shanxi province, China—died Dec. 16, 705, Louyang), Empress of China during the Tang dynasty. She began her career as the concubine of the emperor Taizong but became the consort of his son. She eliminated her female rivals and became empress in 655. By 660, through dismissal, exile, and execution, she had eliminated those who opposed her. Because the emperor was sickly, Wuhou was able to rule in his name; after his death she ruled in the name of her sons, at last declaring herself ruler in her own name in 690. To support her reign, she claimed to be an incarnation of the bodhisattva Maitreya. Though long vilified for her cruelty and her methods of maintaining power, she supported the development of a scholarly bureaucracy to replace rule by aristocratic families, stabilized the dynasty, and unified the empire.” https://www.britannica.com/summary/Wuhou
What did Tang leaders do in 840?
They tried to suppress Buddhism. In response to difficulties with the Uighurs and the Tibetans, they were worried about “barbarians ruining society,” and saw Buddhism as evidence of foreign evil. They claimed that ending Buddhist influence would restore hierarchy and social harmony. They moved to crush monasteries.
What overall led to the end of the Tang?
Military and political decay, and rebellions.
Campaigns of expansion left the empire dependent on military commanders and a complex tax collection system
An Lushan led a rebellion that forced the emperor to flee Chang’an
There was political disintegration and elite cultural decay.
