•rebuild and expand the imperial bureaucracy

•used scholar-gentry (Confucian) to offset the aristocracy

•upgraded Confucian education including the examination system

• 53 years of CHAOS!• Emperor Taizu• Confucius ideas were

revived, along with Tao and Buddhism, BIRTH OF NEO-CONFUCIANISM

• Lack of political strength led to deduction of occupied land

• Civil service exam• Political leader rotation

• Wendi

• spread empire across north China, reuniting the traditional core areas of Chinese civilization.

• made economic prosperity by lowering tax and reserving food supplies in granaries

• Heavy decline of economy from…– Protection to kingdom

named Xi Xia– Supporting over 1 million

militants– Tributes to Liao for safety

• Wang’s new ideology slightly increased the economy

• The fall of Wang dropped the economy back down…

• those who passed the hardest test got the name of jinshi - names announced, families secured, and special social statue gained

• although, some bureaucrats ensured their sons and cousins got into a good position even if they were unintelligent.

• The Confucius scholars were often wealthy

• High dissatisfaction from the peasants due to the economic crisis.

• Yangdi: • forced massive constructions (Grand

Canal), and failed to bring Korea into Chinese rule, which angered the people.

• was assassinated, seemed to have another period of war and chaos

• Constant push from the north

• The economy fell• Lack of military power