Chinese Art During the Early Empire

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Chinese Art During the Early Empire

In this essay, I will look at the outpouring of thought, art and literature during the early empire. More so though, I will focus on what factors led to this renewed focus on culture in the early empire. It would seem that there were several factor which would lead to this renewed interest in culture in early China, but the most significant of these factors would be the re-establishment of a strong central government. This re-establishment of a strong central government laid the foundation for cultural growth. It brought with it prosperity to China, through improved infrastructure, such as the canals and graineries. As a result of these improvements, China flourished both economically, militarily and of course culturally. We first must look at some of the history of the centralization of China, which occurred, then was destroyed and then once more established. First by the Han Dynasty, then latter by the Sui and the T'ang

In 202 B.C the Han dynasty began and brought with it more contemporary thought and inovations in culture and helped china progress as a nation. This was the beginning of a glorious time and the Chinese people still refer to them selves as Han. The Han dynasty rivaled even Rome. They were however conqured by nomadic barbarians around 220AD and this threw China into its dark ages where nomadic uncetralized rule and Buddism ruled.

In 589 AD China was reunited by the Sui and began to bring back the culture that was china. By 618 though the Sui resources were exahusted from reuniting china and they were replaced by the T'ang dynastry which brought china to new peaks of organizational stability , ecomonic and milllitary strenght, and cultural spendor.

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...ld be run, but they were able to explore deeper areas of the human race and what their purpose was in the cosmos. This ability to be able to sit back and reflect upon nature the cosmos, and society, was a result of the stability of China. The Han and T'ang Dynasties brought with them strong central government that focused on carring for the people and restructuring of the beauraeaucatic system through advancement by achievement, not heiridity. This upward mobility gave anyone from any class the chance to progress in Chinese society, and thus the great thinkers, poets and artisans came not only from the small aristocratic population, but rather from the entire vast population of China. This allowed the Chinese culture to grow in all areas, so that they even rivaled great civilizations such as Rome.

Bibliography:

Hucker, Charles O. - China's Imperial Past.

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