Dynasties From Shang to Qing: Difference between revisions

{{tropeUseful Notes}}

The time of [[Confucius]], allegedly [[Laozi]] (founder of [[Useful Notes/Taoism|Taoism]]), Sunzi (author of [[The Art of War]]), and many other thinkers. A turbulent period when regional rulers (many connected to the imperial family) contested with one another for influence and hegemony.

Considered a high point of Chinese culture. To this day, Chinatowns may be referred to as "Tang ren jie", or "Street of the Tang People". Some time in the 9th century, gunpowder is discovered in China. With over one million inhabitants, the Tang capital is the largest city in the world (London's population, in comparison, is at the time in the vicinity of 10,000, and [[Tokyo Is the Center of Thethe Universe|Tokyo]] is a sleepy Japanese fishing village in a backwater province). Chinese civilization significantly influences Vietnam, Korea and Japan, and embassies come all the way from the Byzantine empire. Actually expanded so far west that they clashed with [[The Caliphate]]. The Tang era is also notable for one of the most foremost achievements in Chinese literature: unrivalled poetry ([[Tang Shi]]) by the likes of Li Bai, Du Fu, Wang Wei, etc... ok, just: [[Loads and Loads of Characters]].

Founded by Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan. This was the court visited by [[The Travels of Marco Polo (Creator)|Marco Polo]]. Beijing (then Dadu, 'Great Capital') became the capital. In terms of literature, drama was flourishing and the beginnings of the traditional Chinese novel are already discernible.

The Ming are certainly most famous for its porcelain and building most of the current Great Wall. Also sent the eunuch admiral Zheng He to explore the southern seas and as far as Africa, which he did with a fleet larger than all the world's navies of the time combined. In the mid-to-late Ming, the economy and thus urban life were flourishing; highly original philosophers such as Wang Yangming or Li Zhi would give important new impulses to the development of Chinese thought. Also famous for its novels, among them the [[Journey to Thethe West]] and the [[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]. Towards the end of the dynasty, the flourishing of culture was not mirrored politically; later imperial courts were plagued by corruption and the overbearing influences of eunuchs. Natural disasters, costly endeavours such as the intervention in Korea (the Imjin War) would strain imperial coffers. Ironically, it was not the Manchus who first brought an end to the dynasty: a peasant rebellion led by Li Zicheng marched into Beijing; during those tumultuous and tragic events, the last official Ming emperor would commit suicide. Elsewhere, such as in Sichuan, warlords and other peasant leaders would take power, among them the [[Complete Monster]] Zhang Xianzhong.

Thirdly, a man named Sun Yixian ([[Spell My Name Withwith an "S"|you may know him as Sun Yat-sen]] or [[I Have Many Names|Sun Zhongshan]]) realised that China was ''still'' way behind, and that Cixi was taking China down a highway to [[Pardon My Klingon|Diyu]] and no mistake. He summarily started to support revolutionary ideas to turn China into a parliamentary democracy. Many of these ideas grew in popularity, particularly amongst China's armies.

[[Category:Dynasties From Shang Toto Qing]]