Song Dynasty Effects on China SPICE

Social Political Cultural Economic

- During the Song dynasty, China - The Song dynasty - abundance of and - The Song
was experiencing increasing established an enduring state excellence in arts and dynasty
industrialization, so men began to structure by reviving literature. The dynasty established a
take over what had previously structures from China’s past established economic period of
been one of the women’s only dynasties. prosperity which led its economic
jobs: weaving. - The examination system inhabitants to feel secure prosperity and
- Similarly, because of the rise of was first established by the enough financially to spare growth as well as
neo-Confucianism, which believed Han dynasty, however it was some of their time to a stable state
in subjugation to superiors, revitalized and made more create long-lasting works of system which led
women were forced to appear as significant by the Song art. its inhabitants to
meek, delicate, and obedient to Dynasty. This merit-based - Painting, poetry, and feel financially
men. A physical representation of exam system would allow ceramics were some of the secure.
this is foot binding for elite men to become members of most popular art forms
women, a painful practice which the bureaucracy if they during the Song Dynasty.
gradually broke down the bones passed. Thus, the state - It was also considered an
in women’s feet to give them a bureaucracy was always intellectual golden age as
more small, fragile appearance. staffed by the cream of the well as an arts one. This is
- However, not all changes were crop of China. because of the rich debates
for the worse, as in the Song - Another facet of the Song’s its scholars partook in
dynasty, women were finally enduring state structure was about neo- Confucianism,
allowed to control their own the Censorate, an agency amongst other ideas.
dowries and properties from their which would oversee all
families. other governmental offices
- Women were even able to be to make sure that they were
educated in order to raise smarter efficient.
sons.

Song Dynasty China’s Effects on Korea, Vietnam, and Japan:

- Vietnam: became exceedingly similar to China because China ruled over it for over a
thousand years, and thus it had a very similar government (political) to China; would
also adopt the tribute system
Socially, not affected (women kept their freedoms)
- Korea: Socially influenced by confucianism; previous rights of women were negatively
impacted through the use of filial piety> Women giving birth/raising young children in
parents home, funeral rites in which a husband was buried in the sacred plot of his
 wife's family, remarriage of widowed or divorced women, and female inheritance of of
property eroded was independent from China and has been for centuries. It has
essentially rejected many of China’s core values such as Confucianism and formed its
own culture. Korea’s new capital Kumsong was modeled after Chang’an, China’s capital.
Korea also engaged in frequent trade with China which led to the diffusion of many
aspects of Chinese culture such as silks, prominent religious texts, ceremonial clothing,
artwork, etc. Kept political independence through the Tributary System
- Japan, who is quite distant from China (via oceanic gap), was heavily influenced by
China, but did so voluntarily, unlike Vietnam. Japan also experienced several cultural
changes in response to China’s influence. For example, Chinese Buddhism began to take
hold as a prominent religion in the country. Neo-Confucian teachings and texts were also
adopted by Japan and were very important and influential for Japanese scholars.
Politically, Influenced Japan into a centralized bureaucratic state
changes and continuities in pastoral societies after the rise of Islam.
Context: politically fragmented (stretching across Atlantic Ocean, North Africa, Middle East, to
India)
Pastoral societies after the rise of Islam changed because a lot of them gradually became more
and more entwined in the Islamic Empire. This civilization was just fragile enough for various
pastoral societies ranging from Turkish to Mongolian to take full control. Because of this,
pastoral societies began to exercise significant power which they had not obtained before. They
also became significant perpetuators of the Islamic culture and Muslim religion. The land of
pastoral societies, especially the Ottoman Empire (a collection of various Turkish warrior
groups), may have expanded, but they still maintained their quest for riches and greater land.
(crusades led by Roman Catholics in order to convert people of other regions; fought against
islam)
* Women in Dar al-Islam (Islamic Empire 1200-1450) enjoyed a lot more freedom than their
counterparts in Christendom. They could divorce, own land, and pass on property, giving them a
higher status than before the spread of Islam. However over time, conservative elements in
Islam saw an increased role with harems and facial coverings.
Why did the Byzantine Empire collapse?
The Byzantine Empire collapsed because of tensions between its own religion, the
Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Roman Catholic Church. This came to a head when both
Church leaders disavowed each other and a divide was formed in Christianity. Because the pope
held the belief that his religion was the only true religion, he launched the Crusades (started by
Western European Chritisnans) against Islamic and Jewish societies, amongst others. During the
fourth Crusade, western forces seized the capital of Constantinople from the Eastern Orthodox
Church and then proceeded to rule it for half a century. This effectively ended the Byzantine
reign.
Christianity/ Eastern Orthodox-
Eastern Orthodox- Branch of christianity that developed in Eastern part of Roman Empire–
gradually separated from Western Christianity mostly on matters of practice— Subordination of
church to political authorities, married clergy, use of leavened bread in eucharist, sharp
rejection of authority of Roman popes- Western Christendom- Roman catholicism- separated
from Eastern Orthodoxy with major break occurring in 1054 C.E- Recognition of authority from
pope
To what extent did European civilization change after 1000?
Europe’s civilization changed greatly after 1000 because of a better climate (end of the
iceage?) which allowed for a new phase in Europe’s development: the High Middle Ages.
This was characterized by a fluctuation in population (35M-80M), new settlements,
general agricultural expansion, less serfs, and better wages/living conditions for people because
the Plague left Europe with a shortage of labor.
Another factor contributing to all these positive changes was the various new
technological advances in agriculture such as the three-field crop rotation. There were also a lot
of industrial technology advancements which led to women being integrated into the workforce
more than ever before. Despite this, men continued to stress their dominance over women.
What were the major political and cultural effects of the Crusades?
- In Europe, there were significant, long-lasting consequences derived from the Crusades.
- Spain, Sicily, and some of Byzantium were permanently taken into the control of West
Christendom.
- The Crusades also spurred an uptick in trade and pillaging of the Islamic world’s artifacts
by Europeans who had never come in contact with Islamic culture before.
- Europe also learned from the Crusades how to produce goods on plantations through
slave labor, which would have immense, indescribable impacts on Europe, the Americas,
and Africa, to name a few.
- The Crusades also promoted antisemitism and views that Judaism was a less righteous
religion and that somehow Jews were less pure than others, a belief that would have an
incalculable impact on all Jewish people later in history in the form of the Holocaust.
Aztec Empire:
- formed by the Mexica people who created an alliance with two other powerful states.
They then began their aggressive conquest and expansion.
- Were inspired by the Mayan civilization.
- Aztecs created a tributary system with neighboring states.
- Aztecs established the glorious capital city of Tenochtitlan (with a population of
150-200,000 people!) which was characterized by vast marketplaces, palaces, and
temples.
- In Mesoamerica.
 - Decentralized power structure.
- Far more unstable and less structured than the Inca.
- the Aztec had an inclination toward expansion and takeover
Inca Empire:
- Inca state had a labor system rather than a tribute system. It was called the Mit’a system
and required conquered people to work on state projects.
- Both the Aztec and Inca civilizations were situated on the coasts of their respective
locations, which was likely a prominent factor of what allowed their civilizations to form.
- the Inca were content and sparked less conflict within their society and against other
societies.
- The Incan Empire was far larger than the Aztec state.
- The Incan Empire was quite bureaucratic.
- Were inspired by the Wari civilization.
- Aztec and Inca civilizations were similar in that they both acquired empires by means of
military conquest
- Columbus merged all the empires which previously had no contact.
VOCABULARY TERMS:
● China’s economic revolution took place during the Song dynasty and was characterized
by rapid population growth, the obtaining of a drought-resistant form of rice which led
to achievements in agricultural production, and more trade within China which
increased industrial production. This all facilitated the emerging golden age of China and
led to China becoming the most populous and rich civilization on Earth.
● Foot binding was a painful practice of elite women in China who were forced to wrap
their feet from a young age which gradually broke down their foot bones to give their
feet a delicate appearance. This was influenced by the revitalization of patriarchal
structures during the Song dynasty.
● Hangul is the Korean writing system which contains 24 letters and is used in both North
and South Korea. It was invented by King Sejong to promote literacy. It persisted for
centuries.
● Chu nom is the Vietnamese writing system which is based on the Chinese writing system
but with several new characters. It was first used around 1209 and it was popularized in
the Tran Dynasty. It was the country’s main writing system and was used in many pieces
of literature for centuries and provided a way for educated women of the time to write.
● The Bushido code of conduct is an unwritten Japanese code for samurai which stressed
the importance of servitude and loyalty. It was influenced by Confucianism and
Buddhism. Japanese culture was heavily influenced by this code.
● The Abbasid caliphate was an Arabic dynasty which somewhat ruled over the Islamic
world beginning in 750. Though the beginning of their reign was eventful and
 prosperous, with them establishing a capital in Baghdad, their political presence was
soon ignored by many local governors/commanders who exercised autonomy.
Eventually, Turkic pastoralists gained political control from the Abbasid caliphate in the
11th century.
● The Seljuk Turkic Empire was an empire controlled by Turkic-speaking pastoralists who
wrestled control of the Islamic empire out of the hands of the Abbasid caliphate. They
controlled this empire for the 11th and 12th centuries. This period was a turning point
for Turks because they were becoming more ingrained in Islamic culture.
● The Ottoman Empire (14th-20th century) was a collection of the Turkish warrior groups
from Anatolia who took control of the Islamic Empire and brought with them a long
period of political unity and stability. The Ottoman Empire was vast.
● al- Andalus was what Muslims referred to Spain as. It was a site of rich cross-cultural
interaction between Christians, Muslims, and Jews even when it fluctuated between
periods of persecution and toleration. When Islam conquered Spain, it flourished and
became a brief but prosperous and diverse civilization with splendid culture and cities
with an emphasis on Islamic culture and language.
● The Byzantine Empire was an ancient Christian state which held power for centuries and
was a continuation of the Roman Empire which stretched through Greece, Syria, Egypt,
and Anatolia amongst other territories. It was a great world power and was tied heavily
to the Eastern Orthodox Church.
● Caesaropapism is a term which originated in the relationship between the Eastern
Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Empire. The relationship entailed the emperor
taking a role similar to a pope in the Church and overseeing many duties such as
appointing leaders, councils, holding sessions, and making decisions about doctrine.
● The Crusades were a series of lootings and massacres of non-Christian societies and
peoples which were launched by the Catholic Church in 1095. They targeted the Islamic
Empire and Jewish people. It led to misfortune and chaos for the people targeted but
also new artistic influences for Europeans.
● The European Renaissance was a period from the 14th-17th centuries in European
history marked by a revival of classical teachings and the creation of new, influential
pieces of art such as the Mona Lisa. During this time, people rediscovered Ancient
Greecian and Roman texts. The Renaissance transformed Europe from the Middle Ages
to a civilization more similar to the one we see today.
● The Maya, Aztec, and Inca Empires were all civilizations formed in the Americas. The
Mayan and Aztec civilizations were mesoamerican, while the Inca Empire was located in
South America. They were all very unique and distinctive, with separate languages,
cultures, and governments. They shared little to no contact with each other, but were all
influenced by past civilizations in their area. They were rich, diverse, and influential.
Abbasid Caliphate-> Seljuk Turkic empires-> then Ottoman empire all in control of islamic
empire