Major Changes in Political Structures, and Social and Economic Life Occurred During Tang, Song and Sui Dynasties
The Tang dynasty
The Tang dynasty existed between 618 and 907 in China. It was led by a Tang emperor. The emperors took over power through coups. By means of military force, the dynasty would expand its political influence and the empire borders. The newly captured regions would be ruled as protectorates. The dynasty was ruled by the imperial families and the elite in the society such as the Li family (Xiong, 2000). The dynasty used its large population top make a large army and professionals in their society who played a key role in facilitating trade in Asia. The army protected the empire. The dynasty was made of several kingdoms. The kingdoms paid to the Tang dynasty courts. The Tang had a strong cultural system that spread to the neighboring states such as Vietnam and Korea (Morton & Lewis, 2000). .
The Tang dynasty generated income in several ways. Among them was controlling the silk route trade, maritime trade, and the tribute paid by its protectorates. Agriculture was also a key economic activity. Irrigation was greatly improved during this period with the invention of the Waterwheel technology (Morton & Lewis, 2000). It improved the productivity of the lands and saved a lot of labor. The development in irrigation led to high agricultural produce. Handicraft business was also popular during the period. Ceramics and silks were the key products from the handicraft business. These items attracted traders from far and wide.
The social life during the Tang dynasty was greatly supported by religion. The main religion was Buddhism and Daoism. The religions generated ideologies that directed ways of people in the Dynasty. The monks played a critical role in the dynasty’s leadership. They used to pray for the leaders in the society in return for gifts. People also borrowed culture from other societies such as India, Middle East, and Central Asia. The Tang society was Confucian. The Chinese literature and art flourished during the period. Tang urban women were liberal during this period. However, those in the countryside were rather reserved. The reign of the Tang Dynasty presents the most glorious period in the Chinese history regarding advancement in culture, economy, politics, and military power (Xiong, 2000).
The Sui dynasty
The dynasty ruled in between 581 and 618. It was a combination of the Southern and the Northern dynasties. It was led by an emperor under a centralized form of governance. One of the most renowned emperors is Yang Jian. He had divided the dynasty into several administration units that were uniform in ways of governance. The administrators were skilled people whose operation was supported by skilled corps. The political system comprised of three departments and six ministries. The ethnic rule of Han Chinese such as the Confucian rituals dominated the dynasty. The Dynasty was governed by the use of a set of administrative rules and penal codes that were quiet lenient. Recruitment into leadership was achieved using an Imperial Examination System (Xiong, 2000).
The major economic activities of the Sui dynasty were agriculture and trade. The centralized form of government was meant to ensure that there was economic equality throughout the dynasty. The Grand Canal that linked Luoyang capital to Chang’an played a key role in promoting the agricultural and trade activities between the two regions.
The Social life of the Sui dynasty was by large inspired by religion. Buddhism was widespread in the dynasty. Confucian rituals played a central role in the governance of the dynasty. The great wall and poetry were developed during the Sui dynasty (Xiong, 2000).
The Song Dynasty
The dynasty existed in two different periods. Firstly, the period between 960 to 1127 during the Northern and then 1127 to 1279 during the Southern Song (Hansen, 2000).
The dynasty was led by an emperor who was also a symbol of unity between the two empires. The dynasty had a central government led by the emperor under a very bureaucratic system. The empires’ administrators were recruited by means of a civil service examination. The administrative units were the prefectures and the districts. The administrators would not serve in one unit for more than three years without transfer. Administrative soldiers played a key role in maintaining law and order.
The Social life of the Song dynasty was tied to religion. Religion guided people in matters pertaining to their daily activities, beliefs, and education. Buddhism and Daoism were the key religions in the dynasty. The people worshiped by the use of sacrificial offerings. There were several public festivals in the dynasty such as the Qingming and the Lantern Festivals. The elite in the society enjoyed theatrical drama. Visual arts developed greatly during the Song dynasty. They included painter and writing calligraphy. Literature and poetry were highly developed at the period. The elite population controlled the control people. Rural-urban migration was common in search of better life.
The major economic activities of the Song dynasty were agriculture and trade. The dynasty prospered greatly due to advancement in science and technology. This advancement contributed largely to high productivity in the Song’s economy. Paper money was developed during the Song dynasty. The great inventions at the period are the gunpowder, the compass, and the typography invention (Hansen, 2000).
References
Hansen, V. (2000). The open empire: A history of China to 1600. WW Norton.
Morton, W. S., & Lewis, C. M. (2005). China: Its history and culture (pp. 126-7). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Xiong, V. (2000). Sui-Tang Chang’an: A Study in the Urban History of Late Medieval China (No. 85). Center for Chinese Studies, The Universi.