x min read
East Asia
Introduction
If there’s one superpower that you must be familiar with in Unit 1: The Global Tapestry, it’s China. At this point in history, China is so well off that you wouldn’t even believe it.
Economically, socially, culturally, politically, these guys are doing fantastic. You probably would recognize this considering that this was their golden era in their long 2000+ year reign. There was no better point in history for them than now.
Of course, this would soon change once the Mongols arrive and take close to everything from them (of course, that being minus the things they didn’t take away; including land from the nobles and even some laws in place).
Let’s talk more in-depth.
Thematic Focus + Historical Thinking Skill + Learning Objective
The thematic focus of this subunit deals with the variety of internal and external factors that contribute to the formation of new states, as well as their expansion and decline. Governments are maintaining order through a multitude of institutions, policies, and procedures; alongside the way in which governments obtain, retain, and exercise power in different ways.
Connecting this to what you’re about to read, the Chinese government was known for implementing systems (one such being the inclusion of the civil service examination and Confucian principles) and ideas to better processes inside their government hiring and running. Let’s just say that it was huge. China was stronger, better, smarter, and more well off as a result of this decision. A change in their government and society, contributing to the era of wealth and prosperity that we know them for.
Historical Thinking Skill
The historical thinking skill of this subunit (not unit) specifically is contextualization. This means implementing context into your explanations, which is crucial when writing big important essays like the DBQ or LEQ in May.
The task is:
Identify and describe a historical context for a specific historical development or process.
We’ll be doing this later, so leave it for now. Just be aware of it, because it’ll be important.
Learning Objective
The learning objective is as described:
Explain the systems of government employed by Chinese dynasties and how they developed over time.
Again, we’ll do this later. Just keep aware of it. As a side note, completing these learning objectives and mastering your historical thinking skills will be worth every minute of effort leading up to the exam. So, yes if you’re asking, it’s worth your time.
The Start Of Song China
Before Song China, there were just a bunch of broken, separated, regionalized kingdoms. Of course, there was a dynasty rule before the Song (Tang), but in between those two points in time, there was no central rule. China was simply decentralized.
This all changed when the soon-to-be ruler of Song China, Emperor Taizu, decided to unify these decentralized kingdoms into one society, one empire, a new dynastic rule, the Song Dynasty.
The Song Dynasty Begins
Emperor Taizu founded Song China in 960 AD, which marked a significant era in Chinese history (as we mentioned earlier), characterized for its notable advancements in technology, culture, economics, and really everything that everyone around them (which wasn’t close geographically, no joke). Emperor Taizu, whose name was originally Zhao Kuanyin, was a military general under the Later Zhou, the last of the Five Dynasties. He came to power through a mutiny that he apparently didn’t start, but took advantage of, persuading his troops to consider his as the “emperor”.
Once he was in power, Taizu implemented policies to reduce military power among warlords and centralized authority, which helped lay a stable foundation for the dynasty.
What you need to know the most was that under the Song, China experienced significant developments such as the growth of a money economy, advanced in technology (this includes the discovery of gunpowder and invention of the compass), improvements in agriculture, and a flourishing of arts and culture. The civil service examination system was also expanded during this period, which helped to create a more meritocratic government. Essentially, this means that instead of letting people into the government because of their last name, you’re let in based in on what you know. So, no you weren’t guaranteed to be let in just because your dad owned the place; at least not anymore.
Origin of Confucianism
And of course, we can’t forget confucianism. To make it simple, Confucianism originated in China during the 6th to 5th centuries BCE with the teachings of Confucius, also known as Kongzi or Kong Fuzi. Confucius was a philosopher and educator who sought to address the social and political turmoil of his time, the Spring and Autumn period, by advocating moral virtues and ethical governance. His ideas emphasized the importance of family, respect for elders, and the virtues of righteousness, propriety, and benevolence.
What’s Happening In China? (1200 – 1450 AD)
Let’s get to the juicy stuff.
Now that we’ve entered the post classical period, what’s actually going on in China?
Politically
Politically, the Song dynasty is renowned for its highly developed bureaucracy (definition below) which was expanded from earlier dynastic structures. The civil service examination system, which started under the Sui and Tang dynasties, was further elaborated and became more central to governmental function than ever before.
This system cultivated a class of scholar-officials, or literati, who dominated the government and influenced Chinese politics and culture profoundly. The examinations were based on Confucian texts and ideals, which reinforced a governance philosophy centered around moral righteousness and practical wisdom.
Government Structure
The structure of government in Song China is as follows:
- Censorate – This was the position that oversaw every bureaucratic position below them
- Personnel
- Finance
- Rites
- Army
- Justice
- Public Works
This was a system, that strengthened with Confucianism, was able to last China close to 1000 years. Crazy.
Now, why was Confucianism so beneficial for government? To put it simply, Confucian ideals saw the world in a hierarchal fashion. Everyone had their place in society, and if everyone correctly stayed in their place, society was bound for organization and proper function. People were subject to their rulers. Women were subject to men. Children were subject to their fathers. You get the point.
This organization kept society, and government intact and strong. For example, if you make a burger, you want every ingredient to be nicely and properly placed, one above the other. Right? Because, if it isn’t, it loses its structure and everything falls apart. You can think of government in any society as the same way. If it isn’t properly structured, it’s bound for failure and for collapse.
Pretty much, what you need to know for politics is this:
- Civil service examination alongside the inclusion of implemented Confucian ideals in government helps to strengthen the bureaucracy, develop a stronger and more unified society; which as you can probably imagine, is a heavy hitter when it comes to developing a strong economy that is consistently generated a steady flow of income.
- China’s government and political system was so strong because of its structure. With it, it was able to outlast far longer than many other government systems we see in the course.
Economically
Let’s make this easy. We already recognize Song China for its incredible wealth. However, what exactly was that wealth from, and how was it sustained?
Origin of Wealth
There’s a few, so let’s go over them all (or a least a majority of them):
- Agricultural Developments: China -over the years- is known for their clever agricultural innovations, such as the ones used for farming rice. Speaking of rice, the most impressive development by far was the use of Champa rice. What made this rice so special is that it could be farmed 3x as much, and was drought resistant. If you aren’t someone that works with vegetation, you might not understand how groundbreaking this is. A crop that doesn’t require water. A crop that can feed 3 times as many people as right now. And to make it better (or worse), China endured a flood around the time of its first harvest, which made it perfect for usage. Let’s just say that the result was an explosion in population. No joke, the population doubled. That’s how much food there was.
- Paper Money: The problem with typical minted coins is that they’re heavy, and are a lot to carry around everywhere. With this form of money however, it wasn’t. Additionally, there wasn’t any sort of limit that they could make. Connecting it to our current global economy, don’t you see why gold is so valuable? It’s simply because gold has a limit. There is only a limited amount of gold in the world. With paper money on the other hand, there is no limit. Money can now be printed endlessly without stop.
- Trade & Commerce: Although China might have been geographically lonely, it had a huge population to work with, and the most popular trade route during the 13th century, the Silk Roads. It was interconnected, and merchants could travel all over the place to trade their goods. The economy was booming and thriving beyond imagination. And with the introduction of paper money, there was now more trade than ever. More people to support. Easier money to transport. More consistent flow of goods all over the region.
- Urbanization & Cultural Flourishing: To put it simply, with more people, there is a higher demand for living and housing. As a result, urbanization increases and thus results in the birth of trade hubs. As we see in Europe, when a lot of people move to a certain area for living, and they stay there, naturally, trade hubs will form and merchants will move/trade there to make some good old profits. On the other hand, cultural flourishing (Confucianism, art, architecture) also supported and even proved itself as a sign of the immense wealth shown by China. Of course, you probably won’t need to know that for the exam, but it’s good to know.
How Wealth Was Sustained
The two big reasons here are a) a rise in population, b) explosions in innovation, and c) rises in connectivity. Let’s explain:
- As innovation continues, so does agricultural innovation. Just because we discovered Champa rice doesn’t mean that we’ll stop there. They are going to continue and are going to find other ways to generate even more food, increase the population even further, and make even more money.
- With higher rates of connectivity is the higher usage of paper money. More people using this form of currency = continued sustenance of X.
- With higher rates of connectivity is the increase and continued sustenance of high rates of trade and commerce all over China. After all, it as a region is interconnected so much so that China is making heavy bank off of it, alongside the merchants involved in this form of business too.
- With a rise in population and a rise in connectivity is the increase in urbanization over China, and the continuous flourishing of old and new cultures either originating in China, or from elsewhere.
Culturally
China was heavily prosperous in culture as well. Let’s explain.
Before we start, we must note that there are a bunch of things going on culturally in China. The reason they flourished as well as they did was as a result of culture. Although a good economy and government do play a role, if people are unhappy and aren’t at rest, then society is going to ultimately be in shambles.
The common trend among well-developed and thriving civilizations in history is that culture is flourishing in some way.
#1: Buddhism
Back to China, we firstly see the explosion in Buddhism and its spread all across China thanks to the Silk Roads. This form of Buddhism was known as Mahayana Buddhism. It was a version of Buddhism that wasn’t atheistic, consisted of multiple deities, and originated from the Vietnamese.
What you’ll eventually end up seeing later in this course is the construction of new Buddhist schools, emphasizing the sudden enlightenment and having a large influence and impact on Chinese art, poetry and culture.
#2: Confucianism
Originating from the ideas developed by Confucius, Confucianism started in the 6th century and emphasized principles that revolutionized Chinese ideals and governance as we see in the Song Dynasty.
Of course, not all things last forever. The same goes for Confucianism. There’s a specific reason why it’s actually called “Neo-Confucianism” rather than just “Confucianism” during this era. The reason is because what you’re seeing is actually a new version of Confucianism, its rebirth and re-implementation.
Principles
As a side note, you probably won’t ever need to know these for the exam. But, they don’t hurt to know.
- Ren (仁, “Humaneness” or “Benevolence”): Involves treating others with compassion and empathy. Confucius defined it as “loving others” and it forms the basis for many other Confucian virtues.
- Li (礼, “Ritual” or “Proper Behavior”): A set of ritually correct and socially accepted norms of behavior. In Confucian thought, rituals are not only religious ceremonies but also include everyday practices, such as courtesy and politeness.
- Xiao (孝, “Filial Piety”): The importance of respecting and honoring one’s parents and ancestors.
- Yi (义, “Righteousness”): Justice and doing what is morally right based on one’s role in society, regardless of personal interest.
- Zhi (智, “Wisdom”): Knowing what is right and what is wrong and being aware of the proper conduct in various social situations.
- Junzi (君子, “Noble Person”): Someone who always strives to perfect their moral character and to embody the virtues of ren, li, yi, and xiao. The Junzi is also expected to be a leader and a role model in society, guiding others through moral behavior and ethical leadership.
The OG dynasties of China consists of brutal, unethical, and outright cruel behavior – behavior that would never be permitted today. That’s what made Confucianism so impactful in Chinese society – it went against all of that.
Impact on Song China
What you’ll tend to find is that Neo Confucianism had more of an impact politically than it did culturally. If anything, Confucianism was able to do the following:
- Influence ethical and moral behaviors. Neo-Confucianism deeply influenced the ethical behaviors and moral decisions of individuals by promoting virtues such as righteousness, propriety, and filial piety. These values were integrated into daily life, influencing family structures, business practices, and social interactions. Maybe the reason China was at such peace and harmony had something to do with Confucianism. Just think about it.
Social
China is a crossroads of interaction. It’s -pretty much- next to the Indian Ocean routes, and is right in the middle of the Silk Roads. Travelers and merchants from every angle are coming into China and are introducing new concepts, ideas, beliefs, and technologies into the region.
In essence, socially, China is thriving. Although they were extremely isolated (that being until the 1800s) during this period, they still were heavily interconnected. It was because of this connection that they discovered Champa Rice, a rice that was drought resistant, and could be farmed up to 3x more than normal rice.
As you can probably imagine, it was a huge economic boost. China was doing better than ever. This was one of those reasons.
Commerce and Trade
Although it isn’t important now, the networks of exchange is going to be important just next unit. So, here’s a few things that you need to know for now:
- China was in a really good spot, though it didn’t seem like it. They had merchants coming in from all areas, and were able to trade with many other peoples thanks to the routes in their area.
- The Silk Roads was a hub for exchange for pretty much anything. Ideas? Done. Culture? Done. Religion? Done. Technologies? Done. Paintings? Done. You get the point. It was because of these routes that Song China was introduced to a bunch of new things, things that revolutionized its spot in history.
- Innovation. As a result of the high rates of connectivity, China was able to make their own special inventions. A few are paper, gunpowder, the compass, moveable type, silk, and porcelain. As you can see, it’s quite a decent amount of stuff. China was stacked from bottom to top.
Important Figures
- Zhou Kuangyin (927 -976): born Zhou Kuangyin, founder of the Song Dynasty
- Emperor Qinzong (1100 to 1161): born Zhao Huan, last Emperor of the Northern Song
- Emperor Gaozong (1107-1187): born Zhao Gou, founder of the Southern Song
Resume
Learning Objective: Explain the systems of government employed by Chinese dynasties and how they developed over time.
Let’s draft this together. In this lesson, we learned that:
- China implemented the civil service examination system in their bureaucracy to select the most applicable, optimal officials for the position. This is especially important regarding the organized and hierarchical structure developed to keep society in line at all times.
- Confucianism, originating from the ideas of Confucius (or Kong Fuzi), was a heavy contributor in the government systems implemented inside of the Song Dynasty. It was because of Neo Confucianism that China was able to outlast many other societies, civilizations, and empires. Its hierarchal view on the world is what inspired the system seen in China, a system that ordered people based on status and their place in society.
With just those two governance-related details, we can craft a response.
Answer: Chinese dynasties, specifically Song China, implemented hierarchal systems in government to strengthen Chinese societies and to build a strong foundation and keep government intact and well-kept. With the addition of other inclusions, such as Neo Confucian values and the implementation of the Civil Service Exam, the governmental systems employed by Song China between 1200-1450 were strong, highly beneficial to the growing economy and growing population, and influx of travelers from surrounding regions. These systems were highly structured, but would soon change with the invasion of the Mongols. Such changes would forsee changes in centralized rule, the ruling classes, military organization, and the removal of the civil service examination.
- Note: Some of these details haven’t been covered yet (regarding the Mongols specifically), so don’t worry.
Historical Developments
In simple terms:
- Continuity: The Song Dynasty continued to use Confucianism as the core ideology. Confucian principles guided the governance and ethical norms of the state, continuing a long-standing tradition that shaped Chinese government and society.
- Innovation: While adhering to traditional Confucian values, the Song Dynasty also introduced new technologies and administrative reforms that modernized the state and improved efficiency. Innovations included the introduction of paper money, advancements in agriculture such as the adoption of new rice varieties, and improvements in civil service examinations which broadened opportunities for finding and promoting talented officials.
- Diversity: The Song Dynasty’s bureaucracy was complex and structured but also adaptable, capable of managing the vast and culturally diverse population of China. This period saw significant urban development and growth in commerce, both domestically and with foreign lands, facilitating cultural exchange and economic diversity.
Vocab
- Bureaucracy: A hierarchical structure of government in which the will of the emperor is carried out.
- Essentially, when the emperor makes a rule, the bureaucracy (made up of all the officials who carry out his will) makes sure that everyone keeps that rule.
- This is significant because during the Song Dynasty, the Imperial bureaucracy was able to grow in scope and maintain their rule.
Conclusion
Get ready for a bunch more of these. They’re gonna come out fast, and we’re gonna prepare you like you can’t even imagine for this AP World Exam. Are you prepared? Only a week is left!
If you’re currently stressing as for how to answer MCQs for AP World History: Modern, feel free to check out our most recent post on it here.
