Classical China's Renissance

China under went a Renaissance period. Their "Golden Age" began in the Tang Dynasty and continued into the Song Dynasty. Evidence that supports their Golden Age are as follows:

-regained unity under Sui Dynasty (589-618)
-extension of country's canal system (1,200 miles in length)
   -canals linked northern and southern China --> helped economy and country's prosperity
-Sui Dynasty collapsed and followed by the Tang and Song Dynasty
   -built on  foundations of unity
-during these periods known as "Golden Age" of arts and literature, setting standards of excellence in poetry, landscape painting, and ceramics
-Buddhism and Daoism incorporating into Confucianism
-Tang and Song Dynasties built a state structure that endured for a thousand years
   -6 major ministries: personnel, finance, rites, army, justice, and public works
-ability to print books
-efforts to prevent cheating: search candidates when entering hall, then place numbers rather than names
  -schools and college was a central feature of upper-class life
-Tang dynasty, "the best ordered state in the world"
-officials were all educated
-Song Dynasty--> "by far the richest, most skilled, and most populous country on earth"
   -population jump from 50-60 million to 120 million by 1200
-agriculture achievement, adoption of a fast ripening and drought-resistance strain of rice
specialized markets for meat, herbs, vegetables, books, rice, plus more
   -performers in these markets
-restaurants offered variety of delicate foods, some have vegetarian choices
-inns for all different types of groups, some only served wine, some had beds
-supplying food for cities through network of internal waterways: canals, rivers, and lakes
-by 11th century, government had 32,000 suits of armor and 16 million iron arrowheads annually, in -addition to supplying metal for coins, tools, construction, and bells in Buddhist monasteries
-inventions of printing, both woodblock and movable type, generated the world's first printed books, and by 1000 relatively cheap books on religious, agricultural, mathematical, and medical topics
-navigational and shipbuilding technologies led world
-invention of gunpowder, revolution of military affairs
-cheap transportation allowed peasants to grow crops to sell --> purchased rice and other products
-government collected cash taxes, no longer for them to give their own products to pay for tax
-growth of paper money, letters of credit, promissory notes

For the women in the Song Dynasty they endured:
-less restricted lives
-elite Chinese women had social life and much more freedom
-Confucian writers wrote that women were still subordinate to men, and must be separated
men defined with athleticism and warrior values, also were educated
-women defined by weakness, reticence and delicacy
-10th and 11th century practiced foot binding for women in elite families
   -for some it's a rite of passage for pride, enhance chances for marriage
-men run silk factories and make silk (used to be women who make it at home)
   -women tend to silk worms and spin silk thread
-women ran restaurants, sold fish and vegetables, are maids, cooks, and dressmakers
-increase in elite families led to increase number of women as concubines, entertainers, courtesans, and prostitutes--> created jealousies in the house
-women now allowed to control own dowries, inherit property from family

-China gained lots of revenue from trading
-had relationships with nomads in Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, and Japan
-non-Chinese adopted Chinese culture (language, traditions, clothing)
-interaction with close countries include peaceful trade, military conflict, political negotiations, -economic extortion, and some culture influence (both ways)


Negatives for China
Overall China had good relations with their neighboring countries Korea, Vietnam, Tibet, and Japan. They embraced Chinese culture and many of their products including clothing, silk, fancy teas, and religion. Many of the neighboring countries sent their students to China to receive the best education. Unfortunately, the changes that were imposed onto their neighboring countries clashed with their original culture.

In conclusion, I think that China did undergo a Golden Age. During this period they made many inventions, and also made technological, agricultural, political and art advances. They also were able to impose paper money to keep track of their profits and revenue instead of trading products or services for other wanted products or services.