china pt 2 Flashcards
Xuanzang
When the emperor banned foreign travel the famous monk had to escape through the northwest border. When he returned after 16 years the emperor embraced him and showered him with gifts.
Xuanzang was Chinas most famous Buddhist pilgrm and accomplished translator of texts from Sanskrit to Chinese.
Tang Code
First Chinese law code to survive in full.
Composed of two sections: one, goes into general principles of criminal law, the second lists speciifc offenese and punishments.
Later chinese dynasty adopted many aspects of the Tang code as well as neighboring countries.
Local magistrates was to simply decide which article applied and then sentence culprit accordingly.
Punishment varied depending on social status.
Code reflected legalist thinking but also confucius ideals.
Emperor Wu (Wu Zhao)
wife of emperor Gaozong.
She ruled through him and after he died thru their son.
690 seized power outright and became emperor wu founding the zhou.
She started out as a low-ranking concubine for emperor taizong. Had child with the new emperor and when her husband had stroke, she became de facto ruler.
She created her own corp of secret police who carried out gruesome punishments to her opposers.
Used buddhism to legitimize her rule.
Emperor Xuanzong
took office after the murder of the Tang ruler by followers of Wu.
Tang regained stable ruling with Xuanzong.
Ruled over large territory for 40 years.
Brought efficiency to government institutions.
Six Boards
divided the task of governing among 6 ministries, called the six boards.
Revenue, Civil Appointments, Rites, Public Works, Punishment, and War.
Remained in use until 20th c. 6 boards were supervised by the department of state affairs.
Western and Eastern Markets
western was the center of foreign quarter.
Non-Chinese built religious institutions dedicated to the religion of their homeland.
Many of the buildings of the tang were made of wood and did not survive.
Many Buddhist temples through both.
The Eastern market specialized in locally produced goods. Tang code prevented unfair trading practices.
An Lushan Rebellion
was a rebellion led by An Lushan a general for the emperor in control of 3/10 divisions in the army and commissioner of the Imperial stables.
Others suspected him of plotting a revlot but the emperor supported him.
His powerful army easily took capital Luoyang causing emperor to flee. Rebellion was put down after 8 years of fighting.
Battle of the Talas River
a battle fought between Chinese and Islamic caliphate forces.
China lost. Fought in modern day Kazakhstan. Which resulted in the central Asia region turning away from China and towards Islamic rule.
The Chinese secret of making paper became known to the Islamic world as well.
Precious Consort Yang
the wife of the emperor’s son when he fell in love with her, she became a Daoist adept and then married the emperor.
Adopted an Lushan as honorary son.
When her and the emperor were fleeing from the rebellion he had her killed.
Bai Juyi
one of Chinas most popular poems by bai juyi is “ A Song of Unending Sorrows” written 2 generations after precious consorts death.
The poem told the emperor’s love for precious consort yang.
Was able to pass the literary examination and gain a low-ranking post in the library. Believed that merchants and their sons should be able to take the exam.
Han Yu
one of the great prose stylist of the tang. Sought to restore the elegance of CHinese prose. Implemented a new prose style “ prose of antiquity “
