The Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasty - Essay Example

The Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasty al affiliation The Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasty China has undergone a series of changes and developments which can all be attributed to the leaders of the various regimes. Analysis of some of the regimes helps one understand the weaknesses, strengths, and challenges faced by the people of China. It is crucial to specify the dynasty of consideration and the specific aspects that will be considered. The Sui dynasty, Tang dynasty, and Song dynasty will be analyzed. The three regimes had significant impacts on the journey towards the success of China as a country. The change in leadership systems that have taken place in China for centuries has been the backbone to some of the transformation that has taken place in the country as a whole. The Sui dynasty is one of the critical regimes that had an enormous impact on several aspects of the people of China. The first point clearly noticeable from the dynasty is changes in the political structures. When the leader Yang Jian took over, there existed a significant difference between North and South China. The difference had lived for almost four centuries that limited the sharing of resources or trade between the two sides. The Sui dynasty led to the reconciliation between the two sides which is a huge contribution to development in other regions. Further political changes are seen where the leadership ensured equal institution all over the country where people were governed by the same set of rules thus encouraging equality and improving productivity (Tonami, Heilesen & Sorensen, 1999). Stability and proper administration during this period was achieved through the nurturing of potential and able administrators who would make sound and rational decisions that were intended to make the country a better place. The leader also ensured the use of penal code and laws that were fair compared to what was being used in the previous regimes. The tax system was also made less complex that allowed for self-development among the citizens. The leadership improved social life by initiating motion regarding the cultural and artistic display and practices among people of different regions of varying talents. Artists from different regions participated in the painting of upcoming cities symbolizing unity and culture preservation among the people. The leadership saw to economic empowerment through the creation of more jobs and construction of towns and thus distributes the resources to people of different regions. The allocation of jobs was fair depending on ones ability and talent (Benn, 2002). The Tang dynasty is another crucial part of the history of the country. It is a leadership that took over after the failure of the Sui dynasty that after hard work was later characterized by forced labor and heavy tax to the citizens. The leader of the Tang dynasty was known as Emperor Tai-tsung. The head adapted the good deeds from the previous regime and made some changes in several aspects such as the political, economic, and social aspects. Economic empowerment by the system was achieved through granting the people equal pieces of land as a return for the taxed levied on them. Creation of the monetary system by the regime was a significant boost to the economic status of the people and country as a whole. The system had copper coins and silk ribbons used as a medium of exchange in a trade market. The dynasty also led to several political changes that were advantageous to the people and country as a whole. Elimination of the political rivals of the regime granted the leadership more stability and time to understand and try establishing solutions to the people of different regions (Rawson, 2012). Furthermore, the leader reduced or rather shrunk the government that reduced the government expense. The reduced government expense led to increased saving of food and storage facilities as securities in case of famine and also takes care of losses experienced by farmers in cases of floods and poor climate. The choice of leaders and court officials was based on merit through undertaking exams that ensured brilliant performance when it came to judging and decision making. The Tang dynasty made several cities the points where people came and exchanged ideas and socialize. Religion especially Buddhism that has begun its arduous journey far from the north found this as a favorable ground to speak of the people and exchange ideas. The dynasty was a huge step for the Chinese art and cultural development and sharing. The significance of the Song dynasty to what China is today cannot be undermined. Marco Polo noticed the enormous growth of the country during this regime in comparison to other countries. The current Chinese are known to consume more of rice and tea. Initially before the Song regime, the people of China consumed other products like wheat, millet and took wine. The significant change towards rice and tea took place during the Song dynasty. Improvement of technology employed in the agricultural sector was one of the economic gains by the regimes. The use of better and faster to produce food ensure safety in case of drought and increased amount of yield that in return what was earned by the farmers and encouraged farming. Division of labor among the set industries was a major boost towards the economic success of the country. The introduction of the paper currency was cannot go unnoticed considering its provision of a dependable medium of exchange and thus international trade with other countries was made easier increasing diversity and economic power of the country. The culture during this period was enhanced through the upcoming artists and poets who enabled preservation and improvement of the culture of the people. It was during this period that the compass and topographical aspect of the country were developed. The people got a clear picture and thus began appreciating the beauty of their land. The political aspect of improvement of the dynasty can be seen where there was the introduction of the state examinations that allowed for local people to via for the posts in the administration. The aspect became a weakness in and it is what led to the transformation of the Confucianism to what was known as the Neo-Confucianism. It was influenced by the religious aspects at that time known as the Daoism and Buddhism (Green, 2007). In conclusion, the several regimes that have contributed to the current situation of the country China have their strengths and weaknesses. Leaders who took charge at those particular times had agendas and intention to enact law and system that will make the country a better place for the people. Some of the failures and weaknesses can be attributed to the opposition among the leaders while others can b attributed to the external forces with the intention of taking over power and make it better. References Benn, C. D. (2002). Daily life in traditional China: The Tang dynasty. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Green, J. (2007). The Song Dynasty shipwreck at Quanzhou, Fuji an Province, Peoples Republic of China. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology. doi:10.1111/j.1095-9270.1983.tb00140.x Rawson, J. (2012). Inside out: creating the exotic within early Tang dynasty China in the seventh and eighth centuries. doi:10.1080/21500894.2012.662171 Tonami, M., Heilesen, S. B., & Sorensen, H. H. (1999). The Sui Dynasty inspection of countenances and the early Tʻang fiefs of maintenance. Copenhagen: East Asian Institute, University of Copenhagen. Read More