Chapter 9China and the World:

East Asian Connections

500 – 1300

Collapse of Han

“Period of Disunion” 220-589nobility vs. wealthy families vs. northern nomads

Confucianism declined (why?) as

Daoism and Buddhism gained

FYI, this is

the time of

the legend of

Mulan

Grand Canal

Unity - Short lived Sui dynasty 589-618

Tang Dynasty 618-907

Emperor Taizong(599-649)

-Expanded Empire

-Increased Education

-Welcomed Christian

and other

missionaries

The Jesus Sutras c. 635The Lord of Heaven sent the Cool Wind to a

girl named Mo Yen. It entered her womb and

at the moment she conceived. The Lord of

Heaven did this to show that conception

could take place without a husband. He

knew there was no man near her and that

people who saw it would say, “How great is

the power of the Lord of Heaven.”…

… Mo Yen became pregnant and gave birth

to a son named Jesus…

… When Jesus Messiah was born, the world

saw clear signs in heaven and earth. A new

star that could be seen everywhere

appeared in heaven above. …. He was born

the Messiah and after five years he began to

preach the dharma.

… From the time the Messiah was 12 until he was 32 years old, he

sought out people with bad karma and directed them to turn around and

create good karma by following a wholesome path. After the Messiah

had gathered 12 disciples, he concerned himself with the suffering of

others. Those who had died were made to live. The blind were made to

see. The deformed were healed and the sick were cured.

… For the sake of all living beings and to show us that a human life is

as frail as a candle flame, the Messiah gave his body to these people of

unwholesome karma. For the sake of the living in this world, he gave up

his life.

… After the Messiah had accepted death, his enemies seized the

Messiah and took him to a secluded spot, washed his hair and climbed

to “the place of skulls,” which was called Golgotha. They bound him to

a pole and placed two highway robbers to the right and left of him. …To give one’s life like the Messiah is a mark of great faith.

Claims that Jesus (Yuzasaf) survived

the crucifixion and traveled east

Is the tomb of Jesus in Kashmir?

Song dynasty 960-1279

wealthiest, most skilled, and most

populated country on earth (pop ~120 million)

Chinese Golden Age 618-1279Tang and Song dynasties

C.S. Exam continued, but favored wealthy

Neo-

ConfucianismAdapted elements of

Daoism and Buddhism

Morality and

Rationalism

Neo-Confucianism and Civil Service system

reduced influence of merchants and military

Efficient

bureaucracy

and education

system with

printed books

Movable Type Printing (Song)

Paper Money

Economy boomediron and steel

production increased

Rice Production Increasednew strain from Vietnam

Some attempts at land redistribution

Trade with Arabs revived Silk Road

Tea Became

Popular

Leshan Giant BuddhaBuddhism

Bodhidharma(~400-500)

Indian Buddhist

Monk who

introduced

Buddhism to

China, invented

Kung-Fu and

“created” tea

“Do not believe

in traditions

because they

have been

handed down

for

generations.”

“Do not

believe in

anything

merely on the

authority of

your teachers

and elders.”

Why would this be a problem?

800s = Backlash

against Buddhism

-Foreign origins

-Wealthy

monasteries

-Conflicts with

Confucian order

Some violence, but eventual assimilation

Wild Goose Pagoda

GunpowderSulfur, Charcoal, & Potassium Nitrate (Saltpeter)

Improved the magnetic compass (Han)

Chinese folk music - Red River - pipa solo by Liu Fang ____.avi

Thriving arts and culture

Women lost

rights from Tang

to Song

Confucian obedience

but

property rights and

some education

Wu Zhao(625-705)

China’s Only Female

Emperor (Tang)

Foot Binding

“The Golden Lotus”

China and the Northern NomadsTrading and Raiding

The Tribute System“barbarian” civilizations must honor and acknowledge

Chinese superiority in order to gain access

Respect given to those who gave it

Tribute

System in

Reality

China often

paid tribute to

avoid violence

Ethnic groups – To blend or not to blend?Northern steppe not

good for farming =

nomadic societies

Uighurs

China and Eurasia – Lasting Effectspaper, printing, gunpowder, metallurgy (cast iron),

compass, an engine of economics

Vietnam adopted Chinese culture and religion

A tribute state with rebellions, cultural

and class distinctions

KoreanKoryo Dynasty(935-1392)

Many ideas adapted

from China

-Printing

-Civil Service Exam

-Confucianism

-Architecture

Koryo

A tribute relationship with China to

maintain peace

Cultural Exchange - Silk Road goods

Buddhism in KoreaTripitaka Koreana

81,258 printing blocks

JikjiKorean Buddhist document

printed in 1377

The world's oldest movable metal type printed book

1200s Mongol Invasions of the Koryo Dynasty

Confucianism – Good or Bad for Korea?

Choson (Joseon) Dynasty 1392-1897

outside influence didn’t eliminate

Korean culture

Rewarded meritand

Promoted

Education and

Sciences

King Sejong(r. 1418-1450)

Hangul1443

Japan (Nipon)

“Land of the Rising Sun”

Importance of the Sea

Earliest peoples worshiped nature spirits called Kami

Amaterasu

Sun Goddess

This will become the Shinto

Shotoku Taishi

(574-622)

Regent To Japanese Empress

Spread ideas

inspired by China

-------------------------Government,

religion, philosophy,

art, education,

music, calligraphy

Zen

Buddhism

Discipline and meditation to

reach enlightenment

Kinkaku-ji

Women not

negatively

affected by

Confucianism

Later women lost

rights due to rising

warrior class

patriarchy

Feudal

Japan1100s-1600s

No strong

centralized

state

Landowning Daimyo (nobles)

needed protection

Japanese Feudalism-Samurai given

land by Daimyo in

exchange for

service

-Peasants worked

land in exchange

for safety

Nagoya Castle

Osaka Castle(Rebuilt)

Samurai(Those Who Serve)

-----------------------------

Bushido(way of the warrior)

Strict code of honor and

loyalty (p. 415)

Seppuku

Ritual

Suicide

Minamoto Yoritomo(1147-1199)

Won a war of many Daimyo

1192 Named 1st

Shogun

Kamakura Shogunate 1192-1333

(Yoritomo Clan)Emperor = a ceremonial position

1281 Kublai Khan

attempted to invade Japan

A Typhoon (kamikaze) Sank Many

Mongol Boats

Fighting weakened Kamakura1400s collapse and power struggle