EAST 211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Yang Guifei, Sui Dynasty, Northern And Southern Dynasties

• School: McGill University
• Department: Asian Language & Literature
• Course: EAST 211
• Professor: Rebecca Robinson

Document Summary

Lecture outline: grand canal, empress wu zetian, dunhuang, du fu, overview of tang history, expansionism, buddism and local world, urbanization, east asian culture, written culture. Timeline: northern and southern dynasties 220-581, sui dynasty 581-618. Very sort period only 3 decades, but united china: tang dynasty 618-907. Only strong centralized power of the first half. Cultural exchange and inter marriage: give dynasties and ten kingdoms 907-960, song dynasty 960-1279. Tang tai zong 626-649 younger brother, kills his brother who was heir and kept his father under house arrest: worst act by filial piety. Ruled for 20 years, remember as china"s strongest ruler. Became a strong supporter of buddhism: china"s only female reign. Wu ze tian, wife of emperor who was weak. Scholars of the northern gate - assist her in designing policy. Her son took over and reestablished the tang dynasty. Not clear of the relationship, some suggest friendship some suggest affair.