The Age of Confucian Rule: The Song Transformation of ChinaJust over a thousand years ago, the Song dynasty emerged as the most advanced civilization on earth. Within two centuries, China was home to nearly half of all humankind. In this concise history, we learn why the inventiveness of this era has been favorably compared with the European Renaissance, which in many ways the Song transformation surpassed. With the chaotic dissolution of the Tang dynasty, the old aristocratic families vanished. A new class of scholar-officials—products of a meritocratic examination system—took up the task of reshaping Chinese tradition by adapting the precepts of Confucianism to a rapidly changing world. Through fiscal reforms, these elites liberalized the economy, eased the tax burden, and put paper money into circulation. Their redesigned capitals buzzed with traders, while the education system offered advancement to talented men of modest means. Their rationalist approach led to inventions in printing, shipbuilding, weaving, ceramics manufacture, mining, and agriculture. With a realist’s eye, they studied the natural world and applied their observations in art and science. And with the souls of diplomats, they chose peace over war with the aggressors on their borders. Yet persistent military threats from these nomadic tribes—which the Chinese scorned as their cultural inferiors—redefined China’s understanding of its place in the world and solidified a sense of what it meant to be Chinese. The Age of Confucian Rule is an essential introduction to this transformative era. “A scholar should congratulate himself that he has been born in such a time” (Zhao Ruyu, 1194). |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
A Time of Turmoil | 10 |
Model Rulers | 29 |
Reforming into Collapse | 49 |
The Song in the South | 71 |
Three Doctrines | 99 |
Education and Examination | 120 |
Life Cycle Rituals | 138 |
Money and Taxes | 233 |
Private Lives in the Public Sphere | 251 |
Conclusion | 276 |
Dynastic Rulers | 283 |
Measures | 286 |
Pronunciation Guide | 287 |
Notes | 289 |
| 313 | |
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annual became Buddhist burial capital cash central Chang’an Chen Cheng chief councilor Chinese history civil service clan coins Confucian court cultural Daoist early economic eleventh century elite Emperor Huizong Emperor Taizu Emperor Zhenzong Empress examination farmers filial piety Gate Han Chinese Hangzhou Heaven households Huai huizi imperial Jin dynasty jinshi Jurchen Kaifeng Khitan Kuhn land later Liang Liao dynasty living Lizong merchants meters military million Mongol Neo-Confucian Northern Song officials Ouyang Xiu painting Palace paper money peace percent political prefectural province rank reform reign rice rituals rule ruler scholar-officials scholars SHYJG Sichuan silk silver Sima Guang Song dynasty Song emperors Song empire Song’s Songdai Southern strings Sung China Taizong Tang Tangut thirteenth century throne tion tomb troops Wang Anshi Wanyan wards women Xi Xia XZZTJCB Yangzi Yellow River Yelü Zhang Zhao Zhongguo Zhou Zhu Xi