AP World History: Song Dynasty in East Asia (1200-1450)

12 Questions

What was the primary reason for the constraint of foot binding in China?

To signify deference to men

What was the characteristic of Neo-Confucianism that emerged in China between 770 and 840?

It combined rational thought with abstract ideas of Daoism and Buddhism

What was the major difference between the aristocracy in Korea and China?

Korean aristocracy maintained more power and allowed less social mobility

What was a characteristic of Vietnamese social structure?

Vietnamese villages operated independently of a national government

What was the contribution of Nasir al-Din al-Tusi in mathematics?

He laid the groundwork for making trigonometry a separate subject

What was the characteristic of the bureaucracy in Vietnam?

It was based on loyalty to the village peasants

Which of the following best describes the impact of the Song Dynasty on China's economy?

The development of the world's most commercialized society

What was the primary purpose of the tributes in China during this period?

To honor the Chinese emperor and gain income

What was the significance of the Grand Canal in China during this period?

It was an efficient waterway transportation system that enabled China to become the most populous trading area

What was a result of the development of agriculture in China during this period?

The increase in population due to increased food productivity

What was a characteristic of the Song government's approach to social welfare?

It provided aid to the poor and established public hospitals

What was a result of the spread of gunpowder technology from China?

It spread to all parts of Eurasia via traders on the Silk Roads

Study Notes

Religious Diversity in China

Buddhism arrived in China from India via the Silk Roads, with three forms: Theravada, Mahayana, and Tibetan Buddhism.
Buddhism emphasized the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

Neo-Confucianism in China

Evolved between 770 and 840, combining rational thought with Daoist and Buddhist ideas.

Feudalism in Japan

Japan was a feudal society without a centralized government for hundreds of years.
Landowning aristocrats (daimyo) battled for control, while most people worked as rice farmers.
In 1192, the Minamoto installed a shogun (military ruler) to reign, but regional rivalries among aristocrats persisted for four centuries.
Not until the 17th century did shoguns create a strong central government that unified the country.

Korea's Connection to China

Korea had a direct relationship with China and a tributary relationship.
Korea centralized its government in the Chinese style.
Koreans adopted Confucian and Buddhist beliefs.
The aristocracy maintained power, limiting social mobility.

Vietnamese women enjoyed greater independence in their married lives compared to Chinese women in the Confucian tradition.
Vietnamese preferred nuclear families, with father, mother, and children living together.
Villages operated independently of a national government, with no political centralization.
A merit-based bureaucracy of educated men emerged, with officials owing allegiance to village peasants rather than the emperor.

Developments in Dar al-Islam

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi advanced mathematics, making trigonometry a separate subject.
‘A’ishah al-Ba’uniyyah was a prolific female Muslim writer, describing her journey toward mystical illumination.
Medical advances and hospital care improved in cities.

Developments in East Asia

China: The Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty (960-1279) brought great wealth, political stability, and artistic and intellectual innovations to China.
China developed the greatest manufacturing capability in the world.
China became the most commercialized society, shifting from local production to market production.
Buddhism and Confucianism spread, and China's bureaucracy expanded through meritocracy, allowing for greater social mobility.

Economic Developments in Postclassical China

The Grand Canal: an efficient waterway transportation system that enabled China to become the most populous trading area in the world.
Gunpowder: technology spread from China to Eurasia via traders on the Silk Roads.
Agriculture: elaborate irrigation systems and heavy plows increased productivity, leading to population growth.
Tributes: an arrangement in which other states paid money or provided goods to honor the Chinese emperor.

The Song government provided aid to the poor and established public hospitals for healthcare.