Song Dynasty China: State Building and Confucianism

China's Prominence (960-1279)

• China was a preeminent world power by 1000 CE.
• A comparison: "Don't mess with China", similar to Texas in the ancient world.

Song Dynasty Establishment

• In 960, China was divided into regional kingdoms following the decline of the Tang Dynasty.
• Zhao Kuangyin, a ruler from one of the kingdoms, united China, establishing the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

State Building of the Song Dynasty

• Song rulers enhanced innovations from the Tang era for a durable state structure.
• Government oversight was structured into six departments: personnel, finance, rites, army, justice, and public works.
• The Censorate supervised all departments, ensuring proper conduct.

Confucianism's Role in Government

• Confucianism shaped the government through its hierarchical understanding of reality.
• The civil service exam was reinstated and broadened, shifting power towards scholarly leaders.
• Proficiency in Confucian ideals was a vital part of the exam.

Economic Growth

• Chinese merchants engaged in trade across Afro-Eurasia.
• Afro-Eurasia encompasses the interconnected landmass of Africa, Europe, and Asia.
• Trade resulted in increased commercialization within Chinese society.
• Manufacturing transitioned from local consumption to production for distant markets.
• Around 1200, China's iron production rivaled Europe's in the 18th century.
• By the 11th century, the Chinese iron industry was producing 32,000 suits of armor and 16 million iron arrowheads annually.
• Paper money was introduced to address a shortage of precious metals used for coins.

Technological Innovations

• Gunpowder was accidentally discovered by Daoist alchemists searching for the elixir of immortality.
• Gunpowder was initially used in fireworks and pyrotechnic displays for the imperial court and later weaponized for war.

Cultural Influence on Japan

• Japan grappled with the increasing influence of Chinese culture.
• Evident in Japanese culture, the architecture of Japan's capital city, Heian resembled China's capital, Chang'an.

Religious Fusion

• China, situated at the intersection of major trade routes, saw a fusion of religious and cultural influences.
• New forms of Buddhism, like Mahayana Buddhism from Vietnam, entered China via trade routes.
• Mahayana Buddhism evolved into a religion featuring numerous deities, veneration of relics, and multiple heavens and hells.

Summary of Song China

• Song China was the wealthiest empire, attributed to its sizable population, robust agricultural foundation, and manufacturing innovations.
• It was the most unified nation, owing to a shared language, Confucian ideals, and deeply ingrained culture.