Compare And Contrast Tang And Song Dynasties

During the end of the 6th century (centuries after the Han dynasty), the Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties brought back imperial centralized rule to China. At this time, there was great prosperity for China as they experienced great agricultural practices, technological innovations, interactions with trade, spread of religion (Buddhism), and having impact on other cultures (Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and central Asia).

1. The Restoration of Centralized Imperial Rule in China: After the fall of the Han dynasty, three major kingdoms arose that allowed China to restore centralized imperial rule: the Sui, the Tang, and the Song.

The Sui Dynasty: The duke of the Sui, Yang Jian, along with many other emperors during the dynasty’s realm, demanded much requirements

in order to establish a strong, centralized government.
Construction of palaces, granaries, repairs on walls, labor services, military forces, high taxes
Grand Canal was the Sui’s most labored project as it allowed trade ranging from northern to southern China to happen (work completed by second emperor, Sui Yangdi
The Tang Dynasty: After the assassination of Sui Yangdi’s death which caused the end of the Sui, the Tang dynasty arose as a new leader declared himself emperor and established a new dynasty and with the help of other emperors, China become a powerful, prosperous, and productive, society.

3 policies that contributed to much of the success of early China: maintenance of communication networks and transportation, land distribution for equal-field system, and the reliance on a merit based off of bureaucracy

Communicating with neighboring lands allowed trade, cultural values, and diplomatic contacts to facilitate (neighboring lands recognized Chinese emperors as overlords - delivered gifts and perform kowtow)

The Song Dynasty: Due to the lack of good leadership towards the mid-eighth century of the Tang, the Song dynasty emerged and restored centralized imperial rule in China again, however, they never did formed an authoritative state due to the lack of focus on combat.

Administration helped to bring centralized imperial government into

China
2 problems that weakened the dynasty and lead to its demise: finance and military

2. The Economic Development of Tang and Song China: Though economic development of agriculture, technology, industry, and commerce developed during the Tang dynasty, it was more evident during the Song dynasty which led to both dynasties’ times becoming more prosperous as it encouraged trade and production to happen.
Agricultural Development: Despite their weakness in having a strong military base, the Tang and Song had much agricultural developments that increased population growth.

Encountered fast-ripening rice which benefited the Tang and Song to new food crops; adapted to improved agricultural techniques (heavy iron plows, oxen and water buffaloes, soil enrichment with manure and organic matter, irrigation systems: reservoirs, dams, dikes, canals, pumps, waterwheels)

Wealth and agricultural activity influenced having patriarchy within their society; within the patriarchal society, there came foot binding and ironically a female emperor, Wu Zhao

Technological and Industrial Development: A generous amount of food encouraged people to improve and invent new technological and industrial devices.

Improved: Porcelain and metallurgy

Invented: gunpowder, printing (block-printing technique), and naval technology

The Emergence of a Market Economy: From goods ranging from food supply to technological/industrial goods, it allowed open markets to appear in China.

The invention of paper money came from the search for other ways to cash

3. Cultural Change in Tang and Song China: Communication with other societies allowed changes to be made within cultures during the postclassical era of

China.
The Establishment of Buddhism: Brought over by Buddhist merchants over the silk roads, Buddhism began to interest the Chinese, however, despite its adoration, Buddhism was shamed upon by Daoists and Confucians in the late Tang and demanded Buddhists, along with Zoroastrians, Nestorian Christians, and Manichaeans to be persecuted.
Buddhism became popular due to the fact that it had high standards of morality, promised salvation, and intellectual sophistication
Neo-Confucianism: Unlike the Tang, the Song did not shame Buddhists but rather supported native Chinese cultural traditions to achieve restriction of further influence of foreign religions.
Neo-Confucianism consisted the thoughts of Buddhism and Confucian values

4. Chinese Influence in East Asia: Neighboring lands of China (Korea, Vietnam, and Japan) were deeply influenced by Chinese society and values that they assembled societies that represented themselves in a bigger aspect of east Asian society.
Korea and Vietnam: Despite their difference responses to Chinese imperial expansion, both Korea and Vietnam adopted Chinese cultural and political beliefs.
Chinese influence in Korea consisted of Korean royal officials observing the Chinese court and remaking their court much like theirs, scholars, studied Chinese literature and thought in attempt to grab Koreans interest in the Confucian beliefs
Chinese influence in Vietnam consisted of the Viets building an administrative and bureaucracy system based off China’s, agricultural methods, irrigation systems, Chinese schools, and administrative techniques
Early Japan: Though never invaded by the Chinese, Japan’s political and cultural structures were deeply influenced by Chinese traditions.
Chinese influence on (Nara) Japan consisted of the value of having a centralized imperial government, court much like the Tang, Chinese-style bureaucracy, equal-field system, moved their capital much like Chang’an, support of Buddhism and Confucianism
(Heian) Japan borrowed Chinese characters and literature was a replica of the Chinese
Medieval Japan: Consisting of the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, Medieval Japan was an era that fell upon the mix of Chinese influence and political life that was dominated by court in Japan, due to this, Japanese culture and society were able to take extraordinary components.
China’s influence on Japan includes Confucian values, Buddhist religion, structure of writing, and ideal of centralized imperial rule
The influences during Medieval Japan remained and also affected later periods of Japanese development