Chapter 12 and 14 (Tang/Song + Mongols) Flashcards
Tang/Song dynasty duration
early 7th - late 13th CE
Hangzhou
prosperous city located in the Yangzi delta, described as the best city in the world by Marco Polo
Yang Jian
first emperor of the Sui dynasty, securing support from nomadic military leaders and not supporting confucianism, conquering Zhou and south Chen kingdom to reunite the core regions of China.
Yangdi
Second and last emperor of Sui dynasty; murdered his father to get throne.
- restored bureaucracy entrance examinations
- built the Chinese canal system
- assassinated in 618
what social groups were negatively effected by the revival of the scholar-gentry class?
the aristocrats and militaristic nomads
what area did Yangdi fail to recapture between 611-614?
Korea
Li Yuan
“the Duke of Tang” or Gaozu, he was the first Tang dynasty emperor who saved imperial order after death of Yangdi. He had originally been a minister for Yangdi.
Tang Taizong
son of Li Yuan
what department ran the to day to day in China?
Executive departments, comprised of six ministries.
Bureau of Censors
Kept track of officials and reported their misdeeds/shortcomings.
Chang’an
the Capital of the Tang Dynasty, with the largest population in the world of 2 million people
Ministry of Rites
Administered exams to students of government schools or those recommended by distinguished scholars.
Jinshi
title given to those who passed the hardest of the exams, on Chinese literature, becoming automatic dignitaries and promised prominent government positions.
pure land Buddhism
Emphasized salvationist aspects of chinese buddhism. becoming popular among the masses of chinese society because it provided a certain refuge from the wars and turmoil.
Chan/Zen buddhism
More popular among the elite/educated classes, this buddhism stressed meditation and appreciation of natural beauty.
in what ways did early Tang dynasty rulers patronize buddhist monasteries?
endowing monasteries, sending emissaries to India
Empress Wu
supported buddhist establishments and tried to make Buddhism the state religion, building multistory statues of the buddha and large pagodas.
how did daoists oppose buddhism’s spread?
daoists monks began to stress their own magical and predictive capibilities
what did confucian scholars do to counteract buddhism’s spread?
Confucian scholars and administrators started to convince Tang rulers that buddhist monastic establishments posed a threat to the economy, since their land resources could not be taxed.
Emperor Wuzong
openly persecuted Buddhism by destroying monasteries in the 840s, lessening Buddhist influence in favor of confucian idealogies.
Xuanzong
Leading chinese emperor of the Tang Dynasty, though he encouraged over expansion (r. 713-755)
Yang Guifei
Royal concubine during reign of Xuanzong; introduction of relatives into the royal administration led to a failed but costly revolt for new dynasty, which resulted in her execution.
when did the last emperor of tang resign?
907 CE
Zhao Kuangyin
Founder of Song Dynasty, originally a general, took the title of Taizu. He failed to overcome the northern Liao dynasty that remained independent. A scholar as well as a warrior
Liao Dynasty
Founded in 907 by Khitan peoples from Manchuria, maintained independence from Song China.
Khitans
Nomadic peoples from Manchuria that were militarily superior to the Song Dynasty but influenced by Chinese culture. Forced humiliating treaties on Song in 11th century.
sinified
to be influenced by Chinese culture, as the Liao dynasty was, seeing Song china as culturally but not militarily superior
when and how did the Song Dynasty end?
in the 13th century, by defeat from the Mongols
compare the Song Dynasty to Tang in terms of strengths.
Weak, both militarily, territorially, and politically. Their administration was very focused on warding off the things that had led to the downfall of the Tang dynasty
Zhu-Xi
most prominent neo-confucian scholar, stressed importance of applying confucian principles to everyday life and action
neo-confucians
scholars that emphasized ancient confucian practices, greatly influencing later dynasties and making Chinese rulers less receptive to outside thoughts/influences by stressing tradition and indigenous thought.
greater emphasis on a patriarchy began
what did neo-confucians believe was the best guide to the future?
historical experience
Tangut
Rulers of the Xi Xia kingdom of northwest China, a regional kingdom during Song china that was eventually conquered by the Mongols in 1226.
Xi Xia
Kingdom of Tangut peoples north of Southern Song dynasty that collecting tributes, draining Song resources and burdening the peasant class.
why did the Song dynasty pay tribute to the Xi Xia kingdom?
for protection of their northern borders.
Wang Anshi
Confucian scholar and Chief Minister of Song emperor in 1070s who introduced sweeping reforms based on Legalists and advocated for greater state intervention in society, revamping the lax military and stressing analytical thought rather than the memorization of confucian classics.
Jurchens
Founders of the Jin kingdom that succeeded the Liao dynasty in northern China, annexing most of the yellow river valley and forcing the Song dynasty to flee to the south.
Jin
Kingdom north of the Song Empire, established by the Jurchens in 1115.
Southern Song
Rump state of Song dynasty that was carved out of domains once ruled by the Tang dynasty and Northern Song, culturally one of the most glorious periods in Chinese history.
Grand Canal
Built in 7th century during reign of Yangdi, nearly 1200 miles long, designed to link north China plain with Yangtze River basin
Kuriltai
Meeting of all Mongol chieftains at which the supreme ruler of all tribes was selected.
Khagan
Supreme ruler of all Mongol tribes, elected to be Chinggis Khan
Tumens
Basic fighting unit of Mongolian army: consisted of 10000 Calvary men, divided further by ten into smaller units.
Khwarazm
Islamic empire ruled by Muhammad Shah, taken violently by Mongols after insolence of Shah.
What two kingdoms were in northern china at the time of southern song?
Xi Xia(the tangut) and Jin
Karakorum
Capital of Mongol Empire under Chinggis Khan from 1162 to 1227
Batu
Ruler of Golden Horde, one of Chinggis Khan’s grandsons, responsible for the invasion of Russia beginning in 1236
Ogedai
Third son of Chinggis Khan, succeeding him as Khagan of the Mongols following his father’s death
Golden Horde
One of four subdivisions of the Mongol empire after death of Chinggis; originally ruled by Batu, making up much of modern south central Russia.
Khanates
Four regional Mongol kingdoms following the death of Chinggis Khan: Golden Horde Empire, Ilkan Empire, Chaghatai Empire, Empire of Kubilai Khan
Battle of Kulikova
Russian army victory over the forces of the Golden Horde, helping to break Mongol hold over Russia
Prester John
A mythical Christian monarch whose kingdom had supposedly been cut off from Europe by the Muslim conquests. Chinggis Khan had originally been believed to be this ruler.
Who ruled the Ilkan Empire? Where was it located?
Hulegu, a grandson of C. Khan. Ilkan Empire was located below the Caspian Sea, east of Arabian peninsula and west of India
Baibars
Commander of Mamluk forces at Ain Jalut, eventually defeated Mongol forces through Christian territory. The mamluks were originally sold in slavery in Egypt where they rose to power and established a dynasty.
Berke
A Ruler of the Golden Horde, converted to Islam. His threat to Hulegu combined with Mamluk strength in Egypt caused the stalling of further Mongol conquests in the Middle East
Kubilai Khan
Grandson of Chinggis Khan. Commander of Mongol forces responsible for conquest of China, becoming Khagan in 1260, establishing sinicized Mongol Yuan dynasty in China in 1271
Dadu
Presently called Beijing, it was the capital of Kubilai’s Yuan china.
Chabi
Influential wife of Kubilai Khan, promoting the interests of Buddhism in China, indicates the refusal of Mongol women to adopt the restrictive role of Chinese women.
Where did Marco Polo visit?
The Yuan dynasty under Kubilai Khan in China.
What two classes in China did the Mongols promote, further alienating the Confucian scholar gentry class?
Artisans and Merchants
Why did merchants prosper in Yuan China?
Mongols promoted the improvement of transportation and the expansions of the supply of paper money.
What form of popular entertainment flourished in Yuan china? How did this effect Actors and Actresses?
Musical dramas, ex: the romance of the west chamber. Actors and actresses were raised from the status of “Mean People” to fame and fortune.
Romance of the West Chamber
A chinese novel written during Yuan period. Indicative of the continued literary vitality of China during Mongol rule.
How did Kubilai treat the peasantry?
Treated them well, forbidding Calvary men from converting farming lands into pastureland, and restoring the granary system for times of famine. He also lowered tax and the burden of forced labor, and planned to enact a rudimentary educational system for the peasant class.
White Lotus Society
Secret religious society dedicated to overthrowing Yuan Dynasty in China, typical of peasant resistance to Mongol rule
Yuanzhang Zhu
The given name of the Hongwu emperor, the founder of the Ming Dynasty.
Ming dynasty
Succeeded Mongol Yuan dynasty in China in 1368: lasted until 1644: initially mounted huge trade expeditions to southern Asia and elsewhere, but later concentrated effort on internal development within China.
Timur-i Lang
Also known as Tamerlane, leader of the Turkic nomads, beginning in 1360s from base at Samarkand. launched series of attacks in Persia, the Fertile Crescent, India, and southern Russia. Empire disintegrated after his death in 1405
Samarkand
City in Kwarazm Empire that eventually formed the base for Tamerlane’s expansion in the 1360s
