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(Specific year unknown)
The standardiation of coins, weights, and measures brought prosperity in terms of population, food, and national money storage. Allowed the lowering of taxes and spread of networks till beyond China. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Tang/sui-econ.html
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Emperoro Yang, Yangguang finished constructing the Grand Canal, a series of artificial waterways (about 2,000km), to facilitate trade between the north & south China. He linked early dug canals and formed a network throughout China that integrated economies and became the economic foundation for political & cultural unity. It also served as the principle route for internal trade. http://history.cultural-china.com/en/34History7905.html
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http://library.thinkquest.org/20443/grandcanal.html -
Yang Jian dropped ill and soon died, or killed, to chinese books, by Yangguang. It is written that "the prince have hid his "true face", until YangJian caught him, and wanted to change his heir, but his son had murdered his father."
(In present found written records, Yang Jian has died of natural illness, not killed; winner writes, historians wrote biased, badly of Yangguang)
Yang Guang became the emperor. http://history.cultural-china.com/en/46H9791H13776.html
(also from chinese docs)
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(Specific year unknown)
The new political system of three ministries and six departments by Yang Jian, and the further push and enhancement of the Imperial Examination System along with the improved military enlistment system (by Yang Guang), allowed more detailed work division, and equal wealth between the people. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/sui/
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(Specific year unknown)
Population and flourishing trade allowed enough food surplus to fill the National Food Storage, and naturally, led to the dramatic increase of population. Originally only about 30 million people during the first year of Sui, by the reign of Yang Guang, population reached up till around 400 million people in China. http://www.chinatravelrus.com/profile/history/sui-dynasty.html
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Astronomy - Calculated the days in a year
Architecture - Consturcted the world's first suspended bridge
(earlier than Europeans 800 years)
Geography - Drew more than a thousand rows of the geography of China -
The unification of China meant the combination of people from different tribes, and areas in one single empire. To create unity between the people from various background, Buddhism was greatly encouraged. During the Sui Dynasty, the amount of temples and monks greatly increased. http://www.legole.com/discover_china/view_chinesehistory_5_689_-Sui-Dynasty.htm
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However, big projects require labor and money, therefore taxes from the people, hostility towards his rule grew, and disloyalty filled the dynasty.
The dependence upon Imperial Examination System was strongly opposed by powerful families as it decreased their power, and that Sui yearly sent armies to fight against Korea, decreasing labor powers, are the main cause of rebellions. http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/yanglu/ECC_HISTORY_SUI DYNASTY.htm
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Trade flourished from handicraft industry as it played a key role in Chinese economy. Especially from textile industry of silk making and pottery industry of Chinese porcelain making, along with cermaics industry, paper making, tea-leaf industry, and metallurgic industry. http://totallyhistory.com/tang-dynasty-economy/
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Commercial activities of trade with both domestic and international increased with the help of the development of the agriculture and handicraft industry. New cities were established wherever trade was strong, which became actual sites for markets to sell handicrafts ad textiles. http://totallyhistory.com/tang-dynasty-economy/
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being the most ambitious and intelligent, Li Shimen, the second son of Li Yuan had helped his father in rebelling and establishing the Tang, yet his father decreed that the first son should be crowned prince. At XuanWu Gate, Li Shimen set-up a palace coup and killed his two other brothers. http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22874.htm
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Tang Shan Zhang, a Buddhist monk set out on a trip to India to attain Buddha’s Screw. He went pass India, Nepal, Pakistan, and beyond, then returned to Chang'an with 657 Buddhist teachings. The books were then translated to Chinese, which further advanced the spread of Buddhism throughout china http://www.vbtutor.net/xiyouji/ptangsanzhang.htm
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During the reign of Wu Zetian, Empress Wu encouraged agricultural acitivities to raise the economic output and the national revenue. Continue using the equal-field system, there were less burden on the commoners, and a stabilized environment within the dynasty. There were also impressive land development as she founded many barren land and turned them into farmland. http://www.chinavoc.com/history/tang.htm
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Taking over as the emperor, Li LongJi led Tang into the second golden era, "Opening the Origin". As people began to escape from taxation, they set-up the system to register people that are escaping from the tax. Then instead of relying on official bureaucracy, more and more tasks were handed over to offices of temporary characters.
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During the Tang Dynasty, culture flourished, pottery and poet particularly. The poetry of Li Bai and Du Fu were specially respected and influential, affecting the Chinese literature ever since. http://web.whittier.edu/academic/english/chinese/libai.htm
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The carving of religious buddhist art on Longmen in Luoyang has began in the Sui, and finished in the Song, but mostly done during the Tang Dynasty. In 755, the carving finally entered it's final phase. These carvings are significantly representative of the art skills during the Sui, Song, but most of all, the Tang Dynasty. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1003
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(755-762) Conflict between the ruling class and the common people filled the empire, also known as the TianBao Rebellion was the turning point of Tang Dynasty. The conflict reigned through three emperors, starting from Tang XuanZong. Population declined up to 36 million people, though most was due to the breakdown of the census system during the war. http://history.cultural-china.com/en/34History9711.html
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Instead of filling the military units with majority of peasants that had to be absolved into a certain unit, Tang expanded the use of proffesional soldiers to guard Chinse borders, the palace, and various imperial important places. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Tang/tang-event.html
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New types of formation of farmland came into use. Steps farmland, using the river to fertilize the land, using the sand on beaches, and having the farmland on top of lakes. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/song/
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Not long after claiming the throne, he instituited reforms for commoners, however, these reforms were strongly opposed by upper classes. Nevertheless, his reign was a period pf peace and prosperity. Although nondestructive, gunpowder was used in war for the first time.
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Poetry flourished in the Tang Dynasty, but in Song, lyrics prospered. Different from poetry, Chinese lyrics don't have to rhyme, and are usually sung and danced along with.
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The fully developed of the printing industry allowed the spread of literature throughout the empire, including poetry and lyrics. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/song/tech/printing.htm
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Famous for his title "Jing Zhong Bao Guo" (Loyal to Country), Yue Fei was a General that fought against the Jin (later qing dynasty), and became a national hero from his military accomplishments. He was called back by the emperor to be executed, and was willing to return to Chang’an knowing he will die because of his devotion to his country. http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa041301a.htm
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Jin troops invaded the eastern capital and took the two emperors and their wives and sons, up to few thousand nobles, and then retreated. Without the ruling family, the northern Song collapsed. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ssong/hd_ssong.htm
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The government of Song supported social welfare through different programs, such as establishing retirement homes, public clinics, pauper’s graveyards, and postal service.
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Textile Industry became advance during the Song Dynasty as handicraft makers are more skillful; Lenin flourished in the west, cotton in the south, and silk in the eastPottery industry further popularized, while more people were able to afford it. Some were own by the government, as others are own privately. http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/yanglu/ECC_HISTORY_SONG DYNASTY.htm
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Ship making became more advanced, enough to claim as number one in the world at that time. Ships of over 600 pounds were created, and the techniques were later fled into Europe. The new techniques encouraged long distance trading. Paper money in Song popularized in replacement of coinage. It is the world’s first paper money, different from credit notes. http://www.warriortours.com/intro/history/song/
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Mongols under Kubli Khan invaded and successfully conquered China and established the yuan dynasty
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Yang Jian, originally an appointed duke of northern province Sui, claimed the throne and brought all of China under a centralized imperial again after the period of Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-589 CE). http://www.chinatraveldepot.com/C159-Sui-Dynasty
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Li Yuan cooperted with foreigners to take over Chang'an, and then took all the women for the foreigners. Soldeirs fighting against Korea with family in Chang' and wanted to go save their home, but Yang Guang don't agree they go home, and he was soon killed by his soldeirs, ending Sui Dynasty. http://www.chinatraveldepot.com/C159-Sui-Dynasty
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Li Yuan was a Sui official, and rebel leader that turned his troops against Sui along with the help of foerign troops, and then soon claimed China, changing the reign title to Tang.
Fun Fact: Li Yuan is not purely Chinese afe.easia.columbia.edu/timelines/china_timeline.htm
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Overflowing with grief, Li Yuan accended his throne to Li Shimen. Tang Taizong became the emperor, and was soon known to be one of the greatest emperor in China history. http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22874.htm
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(Actual year uncertain)
Series of policies, such as Juntian System (equal division of fields), and Zutiao (tax moderation) System allowed the equal distribution of farmland and moderation of tax rates while increasing the fiscal revenue. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/sui/ -
(Specific year unknown)
In Sui Dynasty, three ministries & six department in which each took care of different affaris were set up. Local administrative divisions changed from the three-level system to a two-level system. Yang Jian abolished the system of nine ranks of wealthy families in power and improved the imperial examination system instead, and reformed the military enlistment system. http://www.chinatravelrus.com/profile/history/sui-dynasty.html
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With an effective government "inherited" from Sui, the people of Tang had a stabilized life, fine surplus of food, and recieved equal, fair treatments. The criminal rate was low, and satisfaction rate was high till a state that Li ShiMen was able to set up a "death policy" -- allowing prisoners on death row to return home and deal with their "business", then return to be executed the following year, nobody escaped. http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/yanglu/ECC_HISTORY_TANG DYNASTY.htm
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Zhao Kuangyin was a general that rebelled against later zhou, a northern province of China after Tang dynasty fell apart and broke down into 10 different provinces. He again centralized Chinese government and unified China, establishing the Song Dynasty.
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Due to the emperors neglecting public affairs, series of rebellions arose, and after the infamous Rebellion of An & Shi, Tang never fully recovered and soon turned for the worst. The last emperor soon abdicated his throne as various people threatened his position, ending the once-flourishing Tang Dynasty. China then once again dropped back into chaos. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/tang/end.htm
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Wu Zetian, the first women emperor in Chinese history, although having been in charge of affairs since 684, finally claimed herself as emperor. During her reign, she made the state official positions available to talented people through the examination system instead of relying officials from traditional families. She restricted the number of slaves within a household, and rebuilt the clan name system. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Tang/tang-event.html
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Tang Dynasty is one of the greatest contributed, strongest, and longest dynasty of China. It's influence is so strong that it partially led China into it's golden age.
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Divided by Northern Song and Western Song, Song is a dynasty of prosperos economy and radiating culture. It is often considered as another "golden age" after the Tang Dynasty.
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The Sui is another dynasty that brought the reunification of China after a previous period of chaos.
