The Third Empire lasted from 960- 1368 AD. At the beginning, there were 5 dynasties competing for the main power in China. The Song dynasty won in 960. Many changes were made to Chinese culture during this era which is why it is sometimes called the Chinese Renaissance. The new religion was called Neo-Confucianism. It was based on Confucianism that was already being practiced, but mixed in principles of Daoism and Buddhism.
Economic changes in China include advancements in industry, agriculture, and commerce. The Chinese invented gunpowder, mined coal and iron, made paper, created block printing (similar to a stamp) that made making books easier so they were more accessible, and became the first people to use furnaces by smelting technology. They also created paper money. Agriculture was changed by the addition of new fertilizers, new methods of water control, and the method of crop rotation harvesting. This was when they would harvest rice, then beans, then rice again (for example) instead of rice and beans, a longer waiting period, then rice and beans again.
Better boats and transportation methods meant that commerce was easier. Common imports included textiles, spices, and medicines. Common exports included silk, copper, and porcelain. At this time, the Chinese were the only ones who knew how to make porcelain which is why it is sometimes called 'china' today. Transportation also meant that artists could travel abroad to paint new landscapes. Previously, painters never signed their name because all buying and selling was local so everyone would just know who the artist was. Now that paintings were being sold abroad, artists wanted recognition so they put their names at the bottom of the picture. Red ink seals also showed ownership of property and became popular among the wealthy.
Most medicines during this time were herbal treatments, but one new innovation was acupuncture. They figured out certain spots of a person's body that when a needle was put there would speed up their natural healing. Acupuncture is still widely used today and was a very effective breakthrough.
In 1127 AD, North China was taken by the Golden Tartarus. The Song dynasty may have shown considerable contributions to culture, but their one weakness was military strength. The capital was moved to Hangzhou, and now most major cities were south of the Yangtze river. Most common people were farmers, but the lifestyle in cities was a lot better, so a lot of urbanization was taking place as people moved closer to cities.
Gardening became popular as well. Gardens were meant to imitate nature, unlike English gardens at that time, so ponds, small waterfalls, rare flowers, rocks, and small trees were often used.
One practice that started during this era is foot binding. Women with tiny feet were considered attractive because in golden shoes, they looked like lotus petals. This is why they were called 'Women of the Golden Lotus'. When a girl was 4 or 5 years old, her toes would be bent under the balls of her feet so they would not be able to grow. This was very painful and irreversible. Foot binding was continued up until 1949 when it was banned.
This time of renewal of culture wouldn't last forever. In 1206, Temujin brought several Mongol tribes together and became Chingghis Khan: the universal Mongol leader. He wanted to conquer all the known civilizations and become an ultimate power. Most civilizations were not at the height of their power making it an ideal time for this conquest. In the west, Constantinople had just fallen, and in the east, the Song dynasty was not a strong military power. Chingghis Khan took over Central Asia, North China, and Tibet by 1227. After his death, his successors took Korea in 1231, Kiev, Moscow, Poland. and Hungary in 1240, and Baghdad, and the Middle East by 1251. When they had South China in 1279, this new Mongol Empire had become the greatest land empire in history. The capital of this empire eventually became Beijing. A new dynasty had begun in 1271, the Yuan dynasty, meaning that China was now completely under Mongol rule.
Common Chinese people were not affected a lot by the new ruling, but the upper class felt the effects. Mongols now held all government positions and created new laws. Women also had more freedom than they had been allowed during the Song dynasty.
One positive effect for China's legacy was that since the people no longer were a part of government, time for new forms of art had been created: Peking Opera and the novel, both of which are still around today. Another positive influence was that since the Mongols controlled so much land they brought various innovations from the different civilizations they controlled. For example, playing cards, gunpowder, and paper money were brought to Europe, and China was introduced to math, astronomy, and map-making. It is also thought that all these trips from Asia and the Middle East into Europe was how the Bubonic Plague got to Europe.
Mongol rule didn't last forever. Rebellions in China started in 1368 and brought around the end of the Yuan dynasty. Like some of the other rebellions, a military leader became the new emperor. He founded the Ming dynasty which marked the beginning of China's final empire.
Economic changes in China include advancements in industry, agriculture, and commerce. The Chinese invented gunpowder, mined coal and iron, made paper, created block printing (similar to a stamp) that made making books easier so they were more accessible, and became the first people to use furnaces by smelting technology. They also created paper money. Agriculture was changed by the addition of new fertilizers, new methods of water control, and the method of crop rotation harvesting. This was when they would harvest rice, then beans, then rice again (for example) instead of rice and beans, a longer waiting period, then rice and beans again.
Better boats and transportation methods meant that commerce was easier. Common imports included textiles, spices, and medicines. Common exports included silk, copper, and porcelain. At this time, the Chinese were the only ones who knew how to make porcelain which is why it is sometimes called 'china' today. Transportation also meant that artists could travel abroad to paint new landscapes. Previously, painters never signed their name because all buying and selling was local so everyone would just know who the artist was. Now that paintings were being sold abroad, artists wanted recognition so they put their names at the bottom of the picture. Red ink seals also showed ownership of property and became popular among the wealthy.
Most medicines during this time were herbal treatments, but one new innovation was acupuncture. They figured out certain spots of a person's body that when a needle was put there would speed up their natural healing. Acupuncture is still widely used today and was a very effective breakthrough.
In 1127 AD, North China was taken by the Golden Tartarus. The Song dynasty may have shown considerable contributions to culture, but their one weakness was military strength. The capital was moved to Hangzhou, and now most major cities were south of the Yangtze river. Most common people were farmers, but the lifestyle in cities was a lot better, so a lot of urbanization was taking place as people moved closer to cities.
Gardening became popular as well. Gardens were meant to imitate nature, unlike English gardens at that time, so ponds, small waterfalls, rare flowers, rocks, and small trees were often used.
One practice that started during this era is foot binding. Women with tiny feet were considered attractive because in golden shoes, they looked like lotus petals. This is why they were called 'Women of the Golden Lotus'. When a girl was 4 or 5 years old, her toes would be bent under the balls of her feet so they would not be able to grow. This was very painful and irreversible. Foot binding was continued up until 1949 when it was banned.
This time of renewal of culture wouldn't last forever. In 1206, Temujin brought several Mongol tribes together and became Chingghis Khan: the universal Mongol leader. He wanted to conquer all the known civilizations and become an ultimate power. Most civilizations were not at the height of their power making it an ideal time for this conquest. In the west, Constantinople had just fallen, and in the east, the Song dynasty was not a strong military power. Chingghis Khan took over Central Asia, North China, and Tibet by 1227. After his death, his successors took Korea in 1231, Kiev, Moscow, Poland. and Hungary in 1240, and Baghdad, and the Middle East by 1251. When they had South China in 1279, this new Mongol Empire had become the greatest land empire in history. The capital of this empire eventually became Beijing. A new dynasty had begun in 1271, the Yuan dynasty, meaning that China was now completely under Mongol rule.
Common Chinese people were not affected a lot by the new ruling, but the upper class felt the effects. Mongols now held all government positions and created new laws. Women also had more freedom than they had been allowed during the Song dynasty.
One positive effect for China's legacy was that since the people no longer were a part of government, time for new forms of art had been created: Peking Opera and the novel, both of which are still around today. Another positive influence was that since the Mongols controlled so much land they brought various innovations from the different civilizations they controlled. For example, playing cards, gunpowder, and paper money were brought to Europe, and China was introduced to math, astronomy, and map-making. It is also thought that all these trips from Asia and the Middle East into Europe was how the Bubonic Plague got to Europe.
Mongol rule didn't last forever. Rebellions in China started in 1368 and brought around the end of the Yuan dynasty. Like some of the other rebellions, a military leader became the new emperor. He founded the Ming dynasty which marked the beginning of China's final empire.