The Tang and Song Dynasties

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The Tang and Song Dynasties
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The Tang Dynasty

• 618-907 BCE

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Founding of the Tang

• At 18 Tang Taizong lead his fathers armies to
  overthrow the Sui and found the Tang Dynasty

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About Tang Taizong

• Very intelligent
• Great military leader
• Studied the teachings of Confucius and modeled
  his government by them

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The Golden Rule
Ren- The philosophy of loving others while
exercising self discipline. The Golden Rule
would put the concept of Ren into action. What
is the Golden Rule? What you do not wish for
yourself, do not do to others.
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Confucius on.
Politics- Leaders needed to practice self
discipline. This would allow them to remain
humble and treat their subjects with
compassion. Do you see this today? Education-
Main objective of education is to teach students
to live with integrity (adhering to moral values,
incorruptible). What do you think the main goal
of education is today?
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Confucius Sayings

• Respect yourself and others will respect you
• It does not matter how slowly you go as long as
  you do not stop
• Everything has its beauty, not everyone sees it

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Taizong as Emperor

• Understood problems of common people
• Tried to make their lives better
• Changed land distribution
• more land to peasants
• bigger family more land

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Taizong as Emperor

• United China got borders under control
• Fair taxation system
• Helped trade and manufacturing
• porcelain
• metal smelting
• cloth production
• silk
• paper

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Life Under the Tang Dynasty

• Seen as a peaceful and prosperous
• Finished made use of Grand Canal
• Empire was the largest it had ever been
• Use of Merit System
• Lose power after lousy leaders and rebellion

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The Song Dynasty

• 960 CE- 1279 CE

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Song History

• Ruled longer than Tang, but with less territory
• Under constant threat from Mongols in the north
• Continued advances in agriculture
• New rice strains
• New farming techniques
• Also made heavy use of grand canal
• Ended by Mongol invasion in 1279

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Life Under the Song Dynasty

• China was again peaceful and prosperous
• Height of Art, Poetry and Music
• Age of Invention
• Gunpowder
• Magnetic Compass
• Paper Money
• Printing books
• Strong trade- as far as Mid. East and Africa

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Who were the Mongols?

• Nomads from the plains of Central Asia
• Tough military force
• Genghis Khan- grew empire to include China,
  Korea, Russia and parts of Eastern Europe,
  southwest to the Persian Gulf

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Kublai Khan- MongolRuler of China

• Grandson of Genghis Khan
• Responsible for completing the conquest of China
  (Song Dynasty)
• Took Song Dynasty when he was 20 years old

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• Yuan Dynasty
• Center in Beijing
• Yuan means beginning
• Kublai Khan becomes emperor of China

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China under Mongol Rule

• Did not allow old Chinese ruling class to govern
  China
• Government positions went to Mongols and
  foreigners, NOT Chinese
• Mongols kept their own language and customs
• Allowed many religions to be practiced

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Fall of Mongols

• China prospered under Kublai Khan ( mail system,
  trade and roads were good)
• BUT
• The Khans or emperors after him were not as great
• 1368-peasant uprising ended Mongol rule in China