Like most of the great civilization existing in the world today, China boasts of ancient civilization and a rich history of culture which is blended of several small tribes that expanded to make China a great country as it is known today. From the history of China, there are eminent people who contributed to the expansion, development, and enrichment of the country's history. Among them were the emperors who established structures and participated in leadership that shaped the country. The Sui, Tang and Song dynasties saw major changes in the political, economic and social structures of the Chinese. Each of the three periods put up a foundation for the next with an aim of making changes and improvements for a new order. The first major changes took place in 581 during the Sui dynasty. Another set of changes took place in 618 during the Tang dynasty and in 960 during the Song dynasty (Skaff, 2012).
The Sui dynasty was established in 581 and ruled until 618. It was a combination between both the Northern and the Southern dynasties. During this period, emperors led under a centralized government. Yang Jian is one of the most renowned emperors of this dynasty. Jian divided the dynasty into many administration units which governed uniformly. The administrators consisted of skilled people who had their operations supported by the skilled corps. The system had six ministries and three departments. The dynasty was dominated by the ethnic rule of Han Chinese like that of Confucian rituals. The dynasty was centrally governed by penal codes and administrative rules which were lenient. Leaders were recruited into their positions using an imperial leadership system. The Sui dynasty had emperors who built monasteries for Daoism and Buddhism and appointed the monks as their key advisors (Morton, 1995). Taxation during this period was advanced to help in creating equitable tax collection. Additionally, the land grant was given to the taxable male citizens. Every male who turned 60 years old had part of his land returned to the government while the rest were passed on to the heirs. The main economic activities during the Sui dynasty were trade and agriculture. The centralized governments of this dynasty ensured that there was an economic equality throughout the period. There was a major Canal which linked the capital of Luoyang to the Chang'an and this played a big role in promoting the trade and agricultural activities between the two regions (Morton, 1995).
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The social life of the Chinese people during this dynasty was largely inspired by religion. Buddhism was the main religion which was widespread during the Sui dynasty. Confucian rituals had a big role in the governance of the dynasty. Poetry and the great wall were developed during this period. The Tang dynasty was between 618 and 907. The dynasty was led by the Tang emperor. Power was majorly taken through coups. All males were to provide periodic military, and this was the basis of the military of the Tang dynasty. The political system of the Tang dynasty had comprehensive administration, a strict legal system an official system and an imperial system of examination (Yu, 1997). Through the use of military force, the dynasty managed to expand its empire borders and subsequently the political influence.
The newly captured areas were ruled as protectorates (Yu, 1997). The elite and the imperial families ruled the dynasty. One example was the Li family. Using their large population and political strength, the dynasty made a large army and many professionals in the society who played a significant role in facilitating trade in Asia. The empire was protected by the army. The dynasty consisted of many kingdoms that paid to the Tang dynasty courts. The Tang believed in a strong cultural system which spread to neighboring states such as Korea and Vietnam.
The Tang also practiced agriculture and trade as their major economic activities. The dynasty got income through several means. The Tang dynasty established a system where there was equal land allotment to the male population. One of the major sources of income was from taxation on allotments. The economy was largely advanced with a series of reforms being implemented. The tools of agriculture were improved and irrigation done. Marine trade was promoted by the opening of the Silk Road which introduced many foreign merchants and ambassadors (Yu, 1997). They controlled the maritime trade, silk route trade and the tribute which was paid by the protectorates. Agriculture was also a major economic activity. There were notable improvements in irrigation during this dynasty with the invention of Waterwheel technology. This led to the improvement of productivity of lands and helped in saving labor. Business in handicraft was also practiced largely during this period. Silks and ceramics were the major products of the business which attracted many traders from all walks of lives.
Just like the Sui dynasty, the social life during the Tang dynasty was majorly supported by religion, the main ones being Daoism and Buddhism. The religions formulated ideologies which directed people's ways of life during the dynasty. The monks played a significant role in the leadership of the dynasty. They prayed for the societal leaders and in return, they were given gifts. The Chinese during this period also borrowed cultures from other societies such as Central Asia, the Middle East, and India (Skaff, 2012). The Tang community was largely Confucian. The art and literature of the Chinese flourished during the Tang dynasty. The urban women of this period were liberal while those in the rural areas were reserved. The Tang dynasty was the most glorious period in the history of the Chinese in terms of advancement in military power, politics, economy, and culture.
The Song dynasty existed during two different periods. The first period was between 960 and 1127 during the Northern and between 1127 and 1279 during the southern (Morton, 1995). The Song dynasty was led by an emperor who acted as a symbol of unity during the two periods. The dynasty was ruled by a central government led by the emperor under the bureaucratic system. The administrators of this dynasty were recruited into office by examination of civil service. The administrative units served as the districts and prefectures. The administrators were only allowed to serve in one unit for a maximum period of three years after which they would be transferred. The administrative soldiers played a crucial role in keeping law and order. The Song dynasty practiced trade and agriculture as their major economic activities. It prospered because of the technological and scientific advancement which largely contributed to the productivity of the dynasty's economy. This dynasty also saw the development of paper money. Some of the greatest inventions during this period include typography, the compass, and the gunpowder.
Lastly, religion played a key role in the social life of the Chinese people during the song dynasty. Religion guided people in their daily activities, education, and beliefs. Daoism and Buddhism were the major religions in the dynasty. People offered sacrifices as a way of worship. There were many public festivals during the dynasty such as the Lantern and the Qingming Festivals (Morton, 1995). The elite and the noble class were entertained by the theatrical drama. Visual arts and theatrical performances saw major developments during this period. Writing calligraphy and painting marked such performances. Poetry and literature were developed greatly during this period. People migrated from rural areas to urban areas in the search of a better life.
References
Morton, W. S. (1995). China: Its history and culture . Schaum's Outline Series.
Skaff, J. K. (2012). Sui-Tang China and its Turko-Mongol neighbors: Culture, power, and connections, 580-800 . Oxford University Press.
Yu, W. (Ed.). (1997). A Journey Into China's Antiquity: Sui Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, Northern and Southern Song Dynasties (Vol. 3). Morning Glory Publishers (China).
