Key Factors In The Tang-Song Era

1. Describe the key factors in the Sui-Tang era that made for the restoration of a strong, unified Chinese empire after centuries of turmoil?
The restoration of a strong, unified Chinese empire after centuries of turmoil was made possible through the reestablishment of a centralized empire, the revival of Confucian ideas and the enhancement of the scholar-gentry administrators. The creation of a bureaucracy allowed for control from the imperial palace all the down to district level. To have effective administrators to run the bureaucracy, the civil service exam was a must. It allowed for the state officials to be educated in principles essential to a successful bureaucracy. Another key factor was Neo-Confucianism, which allowed for social harmony

Confucian scholar-administrators held a growing campaign which tried to convince Tang rulers that the Buddhist monastic establishment posed economic challenges to the imperial order. This campaign was held because the Tang had lost huge amounts of revenue because monastic lands were not taxed.

4. Describe the innovations and socioeconomic developments accounted for the widespread prosperity of the Tang/Song era?
The widespread prosperity of the Tang/Song era was made possible through innovations and socioeconomic developments such as canal building, Chinese junks, deposit shops and flying money. The Grand Canal allowed for the movement of people and goods between from west to east, while the junks allowed the Chinese sailors and merchants to become a dominant force in Asian seas. The use of deposit shops and flying money allowed for the safer travels of the merchants at this time.

5. Explain the main social effects of these

It caused rulers to promote peasants to migrate to land occupied by people of non-Chinese descent ad well as military garrisons to protect the new settlements and complete the task of subduing non-Chinese people. Policies, such as breaking up the great estates of the old aristocracy and distributing land equitably among free peasant households of the empire, were adopted.

6. How did the scholar gentry become such a dominant force in Chinese politics and society?
The scholar gentry became such a dominant force in Chinese politics and society because they held a high status and prominent role. Those who were able to pass the difficult exams and earn position in high offices were treated with reverence and achieved special social status. They were also granted access to refined pleasures the elite could enjoy and had a great influence in the revival of Confucian ideas and values.

7. In what ways did relations between Chinese and Nomadic peoples to the North shape Chinese dynasties?
The relations between Chinese and Nomadic people to the North shaped Chinese dynasties by allowing the Song to maintain a well-organized and productive army. The Grand Canal was also originally created because of the Nomadic people to the North, and it ultimately, allowed to migration and commercial