China Flashcards
Why did the Tang dynasty decline?
Casual and careless leadership brought the dynasty to a crisis from which it never fully recovered.
Who mounted a rebellion that weakened the tang dynasty, and when.
An Lushan, 755 AD
Who was needed to help suppress An Lushan’s rebellion, and what were they like.
The Uighurs, a nomadic turkish people.
How did the Tang dynasty end?
- bureaucratic systems like the equal filed system and the tax system failed to meet dynastic needs.
- Imperial armies were unable to resist the encroachments of the turkish peoples.
- A series of rebellions devastated the countryside.
Who gradually became the effective rulers of China as the Tang dynasty came to an end, and why?
Military commanders, because the Tang emperors granted them more and more power in an effort to control rebellions.
When did the last tang emperor abdicate the throne?
907 AD
The Equal-Field system
Ensured equal distribution of land to avoid land being only in the hands of a few. Land was allotted to individuals and their families but was redistributed when the original recipients needs and circumstances changed.
Who ruled China between the Tang and Song dynasties
Warlords
Who reimposed centralized imperial rule on China.
The Song Dynasty
Was the song dynasty powerful. Why?
No, because they mistrusted military leaders and therefore military affairs took a backseat.
First song emperor
Song Taizu
How did song taizu consolidate military power
He convinced his generals to retire and organized a centralized administration that placed military forces under tight supervision.
What was the strength of the song rulers.
Developing a more advanced bureaucracy. They regarded all officials as servants of the government and rewarded them handsomely. They also expanded the bureaucracy based on merit.
What were the 2 problems of the Song dynasty.
- Their huge bureaucracy devoured China’s surplus production, and the more bureaucrats there were, the more resources they consumed. This placed a huge strain on the imperial treasury.
- Scholar-bureaucrats led Song armies and made military decisions but had no idea what they were doing. This led to China not being in control of their region in the same way that previous dynasties were.
Who demanded large payments of silk and silver from the Song.
The Khitan.
Who conquered the Khitan and northern China, capturing the Song capital, and setting up the Jin empire.
The nomadic Jurchen.
What was the Song dynasty that survived after the encroachment of the Jurchen called.
The Southern Song.
What happened to the Song dynasty after the establishment of the Jin empire.
They moved their capital from Kaifeng to Hangzhou and survived only in southern China.
In what area was the Song dynasty successful.
Economics. It transformed China into the economic powerhouse of Eurasia.
Agricultural progress during the Song dynasty.
Introduced a new strain of quick ripening Vietnamese rice. Used heavy iron plows and harnessed oxen and water buffaloes to prepare the land for cultivation. Enriched soil and created extensive irrigation systems.
What did agricultural progress during the Song dynasty lead to, and what did this lead to?
Surplus production, which led to a huge population boom and a lot of urbanization.
How did family structures change during the song dynasty.
They became more patriarchal, and more tightly knit. Veneration of one’s ancestors also became more important.
What was foot binding and what was its purpose.
It was when strips of cloth were wrapped around girls’ feet to prevent natural foot growth. It resulted in tiny, malformed feet. This was done to enhance the girl’s attractiveness, and make them easier to control, as they couldn’t walk properly.
What woman ruled China, and when.
Wu Zhao, from 626-706.
How did Wu Zhao hold on to power.
China was male dominated, so many wanted her gone, but Wu organized secret police to monitor dissident factions, punished those who stood in her way, and undercut aristocrats who threatened her rule.
What materials weres masterfully produced during the Tang and Song dynasties.
Porcelain, Iron, and Steel.
What new substance was invented during the Tang dynasty.
Gunpowder.
When did printing become common, and why was it important?
The Tang era, because it made texts able to be produced quickly, easily, and in huge quantities.
How did the Chinese travel across water. What did this lead to?
They sailed on advanced ships and navigated with compasses. This led to increased trade and dissemination of Chinese naval technology.
What stimulated China’s economy during the Tang and Song dynasties?
Increased agricultural production, improved transportation systems, population growth, urbanization, and industrial production.
What alternatives to cash were developed, and how did they work?
Letters of credit, which enabled someone to deposit cash or goods at one place and draw the equivalent at a different place in China. There were also promissory notes, and checks.
What were the problems with printed money, and what did they lead to?
Counterfeit notes and printing more money than value was actually possessed, which led to a partial loss of public confidence in paper money.
What foreigners came to trade in China, and how did they come?
Muslim merchants from the Abbasid empire and Byzantines came to China via the silk road. Persian, Indian, Malay, and Arab mariners got to China via the Indian Ocean and South China sea.
What did the Chinese export, and where did it go?
The Chinese exported silk, porcelain and lacquerware to Asia, India, Persia, and East Africa.
What did interactions with other peoples in Tang and Song China bring? How did it arrive in China?
The religion of Mahayana Buddhism. The silk road.
Why did Buddhism gain a following in China?
After the fall of the Han, Confucian traditions suffered a loss of credibility. In an age of warlords and invasions, the Confucian tradicion had failed.
What religions besides Buddhism established communities in China after the fall of the Han?
Nestorian Christians, Manichaeans, Zoroastrians, and Muslims.
How did Buddhism establish a foothold in China?
Missionaries, residents of oasis cities converting, and cave temples.
Why did Buddhism attract the interest of the Chinese?
Its high standards of morality, its intellectual sophistication, its promise of salivation, and practical concerns. These practical concerns include land ownership, money lending, and schools, all of which were Buddhist.
How did Buddhism conflict with Chinese culture?
They had different intellectual methods, and Buddhism encouraged celibacy, while Chinese culture encouraged procreation in order to have many offspring able to venerate ancestors.
How did Buddhism tailor its message so that it was more compatible with Chinese culture?
They explained Buddhist concepts in vocabulary borrowed from Chinese cultural traditions and recognized the validity of family life. They did this while teaching that Buddhism could benefit the extended Chinese family.
How did Buddhism develop over time to be more compatible with Chinese culture?
Different schools of Buddhism appealed to different Chinese tastes and interests. Chan Buddhists made a place for Daoist values, the Pure land school said that those devoted to the Buddha would be saved and was followed by Wu Zhao.
How and why were foreign religions persecuted?
Daoist and Confucian critics of Buddhism influenced the Tang emperors to close Buddhist monasteries and expel members of foreign religions.
What is neo-Confucianism and when did it develop?
In the Song dynasty, Confucians admired Buddhist thought and drew a lot of inspiration from Buddhism. This mix of Buddhist thought with Confucianism came to be known as neo-Confucianism.
Who was Zhu Xi and when did he live?
He was a philosopher, and the most important representative of neo-Confucianism He lived from 1130-1200 CE.
Why was neo-Confucianism so important?
It influenced philosophical, political, and moral thought in east Asia for hundreds of years.
How were Korea and Vietnam influenced by China.
They both borrowed Chinese political and cultural traditions.
What was the Silla dynasty and how is it related to China?
It was a Korean dynasty. It is related to China because it was a vassal state of China, and recognized China as its overlord. However, Korea functioned mostly as an independent kingdom and benefited from relations and trade with China.
How did China influence Korea?
Korea based its court and bureaucracy on China’s, based their capitol on China’s, and were influenced by Confuciansm and Buddhism.
How were China and Korea different?
Korea did not have a bureaucracy based on merit and its society was much more dominated by ruling classes than China’s.
How did Vietnam react to Chinese imperialism?
The Vietnamese strongly resisted the Chinese in the first instance, and mounted a series of revolts even after the Chinese had won control of Vietnam.
What did the Vietnamese borrow from China?
Agricultural methods, irrigation systems, Chinese schools, administrative techniques, Confucian texts, Buddhism.
How did the Vietnamese win their independence? When?
As the Tang dynasty fell, the Viets won their independence and successfully resisted Chinese imperial expansion to the south. Early 10th century.
What was first, the Tang or Song dynasty?
The Tang Dynasty
How was Vietnam different from China?
It was different because the Vietnamese retained their indigenous religions instead of Chinese traditions, and because women played a much larger role in the economy and society of Vietnam than they did in China.
How did Nara Japan come to be?
One of Japan’s clans claimed imperial authority, and centralized Japan’s politics. They established a court, bureaucracy, and equal-field system, and supported Confucianism and Buddhism. This was all heavily modeled on Tang China.
During which period was Chinese influence most apparent in Japan? When was it?
The Nara period. 710-794 C.E.
What elements of Japanese culture stayed alive despite the influence of China?
The rites of Shinto, indigenous religion, and their own political and cultural traditions.
When was Heian Japan
794-1185 common era.
Who had the actual power during Heian Japan, and who was just a figurehead.
The emperor was just a figurehead, and the real power lay with the Fujiwara family, who controlled affairs from behind the throne.
Why did the Japanese imperial house last for so long?
The emperor was never the actual ruler, there was always a separate agent of effective rule. Because the emperors didn’t actually rule, they weren’t deposed during times of turmoil.
How did China influence Heian Japan at an intellectual level.
Literature imitated Chinese models, most people learned Chinese, and official practices were carried out in Chinese.
What is the tale of Genji about? What language is it written in? Why?
It is about Genji and his friends, who dedicate themselves to living an ultrarefined lifestyle. Their thoughts and sorrows, however, bring a melancholy spirit to the story that contrasts with their elegant surroundings. It is written in Japanese because women didn’t learn Chinese.
Why did Heian Japan decline?
It declined because the equal-field system fell into disuse, and 2 clans, the Taira and Minamoto, accumulated most of the land. These 2 clans went to war, and the Minamoto won. The Minamoto claimed to rule in name of the emperor and took control of Japan.
Which 2 periods are Japan’s medieval periods?
The Kamakura and Muromachi periods.
What were some characteristics of Medieval Japan?
Political Decentralization and the samurai.
How was Japan different during its Medieval times?
Japan was controlled by regional warlords who vied for power, and military talent and discipline was valued more than anything else. Chinese style bureaucracy was not used, and the protocol and etiquette of the courts was no longer followed.
Who played the most distinctive role in Japanese political and military affairs during Medieval Japan. Who were these people?
The Samurai. They were professional warriors.
What did the lords of Japan rely on the samurai for? What did the samurai receive in return?
They were used to enforce the lord’s authority over his own territory, and to expand his territory. The samurai received surpluses of crops in return.
When was the first issuance of government sponsored paper money?
1024.
When was the Chinese Sui dynasty?
589-618
When did Xuanzang live
602-664
When did Sui Yangdi reign
604-618
When was the Tang dynasty
618-907
When was Tang Taizong’s reign
627-649
When was Korea’s Silla dynasty
669-935
When was Japan’s Nara period
710-794
When was An Lushan’s rebellion
755-757
When was Japan’s Heian period
794-1185
When was Huang Chao’s rebellion
875-884
When was China’s song dynasty
960-976
When was the life of Zhu XI
1130-1200
When did Du Fu live
712-770
First song Emperor
Song Taizu
What sort of family was Du Fu born into?
A prominent Confucian family
What happened to Du Fu after the An Lushan rebellion
He fell into poverty and experienced difficulties.
How did Du Fu’s poetry change through the years?
In his early years he wrote about the beauty of the natural world. After the rebellion however, he lamented the chaos of the 8th century.
What material of clothes did the Chinese wear.
Silk
What coin was used as the money in China?
Copper coins
What did imports into China include?
Ivory, incense, copper ingots, sea turtle shells, rhinocerous horn.
How did the Chinese ensure equity in financial transactions?
Chinese who didn’t honor debts would be severely beaten with a cane and pay a fortune as a fine.
What was the inverse relationship between big religions and the societies they interacted with?
The values and doctrines of the religions shaped societies, but at the same time, individual societies shaped the contours of each religion.
Which major religions spread far from their origins and resulted in the changes of faith of millions of people.
Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity.
How was Buddhism modified for chine?
It was changed to appeal to Chinese Daoist beliefs and changed in ways that complimented the importance of the family in China.
Which Tang emperor was Tang Taizong? What did he do?
He was the second Tang emperor, and built a stable government.
Japan’s 2 periods in order
Nara Japan then Heian Japan
