Science, Poetry, Technology, and Arts
- Science-Tang
- Monk Yixing, was the first to successfully measure the length of the median line
- Sun Simiao, the medicine king, wrote a medical book Qianjin Fang (Thousand Golden Prescriptions)
- Yi Xing led a national project to observe, identify, and locate stars
- Science-Song
- Acupuncture- a system of complementary medicine that involves pricking the skin or tissues with needles, used to lessen pain
- Astronomer Yang Zhongfu made The System of Astronomical Calendar, and took 365.2425 days as one year
- Poetry - Tang
- around 50,000 poems
- it was very important in the Tang Dynasty
- Professional and social life of the literate class
- imperial examinations- government jobs
- Still very influential.
- Poetry-Song
- new form of poem called the Ci Lyric
- Ci Lyric - new lyrics written to the rhythm of a pre-existing song
- titled as the “To the tune of..”
- usually expressed feelings of desire
- Technology- Song
- movable type printing helped the spread of woodblock printing to teach Confucian students
- during the 13th century the windmill started to be used throughout China
- Paper-printed money was another advancement of currency during the Song Dynasty
- Advancements in agriculture like new developments of rice cultivation (harvesting)
- Iron production increased almost sixfold from 800 CE to 1078 CE
- Technology-Tang
- first clock escapement mechanism. Called the astronomical clock
- Gunpowder. Had no life threatening properties but exploded when exposed to fire
- air conditioning- a cool hall was built in the palace. A device called a Tang-Yulin functioned as an air conditioner
- it has water powered fan wheels that moved the cold air about the hall
- Art
- The Tang period was considered the golden age of literature and art
- toward the beginning of the tang dynasty was the most common painting was the landscape
- painting and calligraphy were viewed as some of the most noble arts
- most of these paintings were put onto scrolls so they could be hung on the walls
- Shanshui- means the painting of the landscapes
Weapons, Army, and Strategy
- background
- the song dynasty arose after the Tang Dynasty fell in 906
- soldiers were drafted
- usually soldiers didn’t leave their land
- In 749, the Fu Military system was replaced by the mercenary system, which weakened the Tang Military
- Strategy - Tang
- The tang used a Fu system of military which was very effective
- there were 3 categories with a certain number of men in each one
- upper fu commanded 1,200 men
- middle fu-1,000 men
- lower fu - 800 men
- the system was later abandoned because it prevented agriculture
- Strategy-Song
- military was used like the US
- they used flanks
- soldiers were rated on athletic ability and divided into companies, platoons, and a group of men called the cross bowers
- Army - Tang
- Each Fu had regiments, companies, huos
- each huo contained 10 soldiers
- Army - Song
- a lot of the genreal did something and are now considered a god or a legendary leader for their contributions
- Che Kung appeared in the villagers dreams who suffered from a plague and saved them
- if a man had a successful career in the military he had a sure path to success in politics
- The Du was basic combat unit in the army, smallest permanents unit
- they were ranked by physical strength and courage
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