Sui, Tang, Song Dynasty

Hattie Roberts
AC1008797
HS 150 World Civilizations I
Assignment 05

    Sui Dynasty (589 – 618 CE) was a short lived Imperial Chinese dynasty, preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties. It unified China for the first time after nearly four centuries of north-south division.   It was followed by the Tang Dynasty.   Founded by Emperor Wen of Sui, the capital was Chang’an.   His reign saw the reunification of Southern and Northern China and the construction of the Grand Canal, connecting the Yellow and Yangtze River for easy trading. The canal was used to carry rice and other agricultural products.   Wendi was the first emperor to build a centralized government, created legal codes (social security); Buddhism was also spread and encouraged throughout the empire, uniting varied peoples and cultures of China.(Refer to pages 277; Wikipedia,2012).

    Tang Dynasty (618 – 907); was the ruling years for the Tang Dynasty add on to the Sui foundations.   Two capitals were made Changan and Luoyang. The Tang Dynasty witnessed a flowering of Chinese culture, creativity and sculpture. One reason for this explosion of culture was the influence of Buddhism, which affected art, literature, and philosophy, as well as religion and politics.   Monasteries sprang up throughout China, and as under the Sui, Buddhist monks served as advisers at the Tang imperial court.   Taizhong ruled 636 to 649 most admired emperors. (Wikipedia, 2012).

    Song Dynasty (960-1279), it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yang Dynasty.   It was the first government in world history it issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a permanent standing navy.   This dynasty also saw the first known use of gunpowder, as well as first discernment of true north using a compass.   In the Tang and Song dynasties China began more trading.   They exported tea, silk, porcelain, and many unique items.   They used canals and the ocean to...