MEDIEVAL CHINA HISTORY

DYNASTIES

HAN DYNASTY

• ruled 206 B.C.- 220 A.D
• first emperor's name was Liu Bang
• lowered taxes
• agricultural and manufactural boom
• Han falls because of political corruption

AFTER 300 YEARS DISUNITY

SUI DYNASTY

• reigned 581 A.D-618 A.D
• Wendi(founder) took throne by mass murder
• to unify and lower fightsBuddhism was encouraged
• remade bureaucracy and started projects(Grand Canal)
• revolt caused by taxes ended empire

SOON AFTER, ZHENG HE CLAIMED HIMSELF

TANG DYNASTY

• ruled 618-907
• improved and was influenced by the Sui
• expanded because of great army and few rivals
• Wu Zhao was the first empress of China
• Xuanzong was son of Wu Zhao and reformed bureau

SONG DYNASTY

• ruled 960-1276
• revised civil service exams
• Tang and Song changed law, education, etc.
• travel and trade helped mingle culture thru cultural exchange
• inns added to roads and waterways rebuilt which made trade easier

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• new type of rice and construction on rice paddies improved farms
• Surplus of rice meant more to trade
• as trade increased, money used more often
• cities grew as trade brought more people
• porcelain was later made and traded

YUAN(MONGOL) DYNASTY

• Mongols were nomads that were organized by tribes
• were good fighters and used being nomads to their advantage
• went back to politicians being the ones with connections for loyalty
• Genghis Khan was essential in the founding of the yuan dynasty
• Kublai Khan was the grandson of Genghis and first emperor of dynasty

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• Marco Polo served as Kublai Kahn's official of a time
• affected trade by protecting trade routes and made travel safe
• destroyed the Abbasids after courier was killed by them

MING DYNASTY

• ruled 1368-1644
• Ming defeated Mongols by rebellion
• Hongwu killed many for treason
• Improved Great Wall and helped farmers
• Yongle similar to father but less harsh

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• Yongle enlarged capital and created forbidden city to show power
• improved empire to make self known
• trade changed because of maritime type of travel(naval)
• admiral Zheng He important to trade
• Weak rulers and taxes caused fall

QING DYNASTY

• Last dynasty
• ruled 1644-1911
• founded by Manchus

RELIGION

CONFUCIUS

• This religion was started by Confucius
• Changed political structure for sometime
• It is based after the beliefs and opinions of Confusious
• Principle was to have proper relationship education and have good conduct
• Started 600 B.C in China

TAOISM

• Based on balance and nature
• Started 550 B.C in China
• Broadened Confucius out look when blended

BUDDHISM

• Gautama or Buddah created Buddism
• Started 600 B.C in India
• Principles : all life is suffering, source of suffering is desire
• stop desire to stop suffering, and eightfold path
• Brought a lot of new doctrines to the Chinese

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

KEY INVENTIONS

• The compass helped the travelers navigate
• Rice paddies helped make a surplus of rice
• The coinage of ancient china was made by copper, tin, etc.
• The movable type helped making literature pieces easier
• Wood block printing made printing more efficient

ANCIENT CHINA's BEST INVENTIONS

• Gunpowder
• Wheelbarrow
• Paper
• Pasta

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• Seismograph
• Alcohol
• Hang glider
• Silk
• Kites