Tang and Song Dynasty By Ms. Escalante
1. What do you think this poem is about? Poetry Warm-up:
The Tang rulers developed an imperial state. This is related to an empire. The Tang used ideas from the Sui Dynasty to organize the government. The Capital was Ch ang-an on the Wei River. This was an important because it was located on major trade routes. The Imperial State
Chinese Government A Law Code The Tang Government was set up like a pyramid with the emperor on the top. The second highest level was the emperor s advisors. Below the advisors was the bureaucracy. A bureaucracy is a government that is divided into departments. Each department in China was in charge of a certain area. Such as taxes, agriculture, and the army. Tang rulers created a new code of law. It listed all of the laws of China so that the same laws could be used everywhere. China used this system from about 624 until the late 1200s.
The Tang needed to educate people to work in the bureaucracy. People had to take an exam given by the government. The exam tested knowledge of Confucian ideas, poetry, and other subjects. A person who took the exam could become a scholar official. This is an educated person with a government position. Almost all of them came from the upper class because only the rich could afford to the education needed to pass the test. Scholar Officials
After the Tang, the Song Dynasty ruled from 960 to 1279. They expanded the exam system. It set up more schools and changed the exam to cover more practical subjects. More people took the exams and got jobs in the government. The Song Dynasty
Travel China became the wealthiest nation in the world because of its improved transportation system. The Tang and Song Dynasty built many roads and waterways. Better transportation helped trade and tie the empire together. Trade Traders used the new roads to move grain, tea, and other goods. Along the roads were inns in which travelers could stay. Runners carried government mail on the roads. Waterways were connected to major rivers and made transportation faster. The magnetic compass was a new technology that improved travel. Travel and Trade
Around AD 1000, Chinese farmers began planting a new type of rice from south Asia. This rice grew faster than other types. More food made the population grow to 100 million. The farmers also used terraced rice fields. Creating more food. This meant less people had to be farmers and more could work in trade. Agriculture
The growth of trade, led to a rapid expansion in the use of money, in the form of coins. Because coins were heavy and hard to carry, the government began to print paper money. They were the first to do this. Commerce
Poetry The Tang and Song Dynasties were among the most creative periods in China s history. Three Tang writers-li Bai, Du Fu, and Wang Wei were considered the greatest poets of all time. A Golden Age Art Tang artist produced beautiful pottery figurines. Landscape paintings also became very important.
Because the Chinese loved learning they developed new technology. They invented wood block printing. This is carved blocks with characters to print entire pages. They also created movable type. They used paper and printing to make the first printed books. This allowed them to record their knowledge in printed form. Printing
The Chinese invented gunpowder, which they used for fireworks. Later it changed warfare by making deadly new weapons possible. The Chinese made the first magnetic compass, which spread to Europe. It helped make the European Age of Exploration possible. Technology
The Chinese influenced daily life by exporting porcelain and tea to the world. Porcelain is a hard white ceramic often called China. People desired porcelain for its beauty. It became one of China s most valuable exports. For centuries tea was used for medicine. During the Tang and Song dynasty it became the most popular drink. Later traders brought tea from East Asia to Europe Porcelain
Chinese Vases