589 - 618 Sui Dynasty

• First dynasty after Han

618 - 907 Tang Dynasty

• Founded by Li Yuan
• Former general for last Sui emperor

960 - 1279 Song Dynasty

• Never militarily as strong as Tang
• Economic and Cultural golden age

Rivers! (East to West)

• Yangze River
• Yellow River

Themes of Tang-Song Era

• Tribute System
• Revived imperial institutions
• Economic/Cultural Golden Age

The Tribute System

• The Chinese want...
  • "Tribute" - Goods from the north
  • "Kowtow Ceremony"
• The Barbarians want...
  • "Gifts" - Goods from China
  • Manufactured Luxury Goods
  • Brides

Revived Imperial Institutions

• Imperial Households
  • Six Ministries
  • Bureau of Censors
    • Provinces - Provinces - Provinces
      • Districts - Districts - Districts
        • Subdistricts - Subdistricts - Subdistricts

Neo-Confucianism

• Revival of Confucian Ideas (towards the late Tang & Song dynasty)
• Neo-Confucian Values
  • Personal Morality
  • Rank
  • Obedience
  • Education
  • Reverence for Elders
• Confucian State Exam Systems are brought back (Song)
  • It is the most important method of choosing government officials
    • Completely about Confucianism and using Confucianism to analyze government problems (ex: What would Confucius do if there was a flood? etc.)
  • What social groups lost power because of this system?
    • Soldiers
  • Positive Aspects?
    • Peaceful
    • Competent leaders
  • Negative Aspects
    • Reinforces societal divisions
    • Individualism
    • Xenophobic
    • Inflexible!
  • During the Tang era
    • ~30 men per year pass the highest exams
  • During the Song era
    • 5-fold increase in successful top-flight examinees
  • Total Candidates ~1000 CE
    • <30,000 people
  • Total Candidates ~1250 CE
    • ~400,000 people
  • First/only Premodern Government-Based on Intellectual Education!
  • Not hereditary
  • Not priestly
  • Not military
  • Song successfully avoid domination by military elites!