Many foreign invaders tried to conquer the empires of China for thousands of years, one of which was actually successful. The Mongols started invading parts of northern China during the Song Dynasty. The Mongols were especially focused on the success of trade and established safer trade routes for merchants to travel through. China always had trade routes for merchants to travel through and do business in, so the rulers of China overall didn’t drastically affect trade success until the later dynasties. Chinese rulers started to isolate themselves for other countries in order to stop westernization and promote their former cultures and traditions.
It had a strong and peaceful government during the Qing Empire and imperial powers such as Britain and the U.S. were interested in Chinese goods. By the late 1700s, however, China was experiencing internal strains with the population and with the government (columbia.edu). China had often looked down on foreigners and did not accept their cultures, but in 1793, the Chinese emperor agreed to meet with an English ambassador. The ambassador brought with him modern gadgets of that time such as clocks and instruments (Beck 371). The emperor was not interested and then the British realized they would have to find a product to trade with China so they could balance out the trading with China; that product was opium (Beck 371).
The Sui Empire was not able to maintain their authority in China because they could not support the massive undertakings in military expansion and public works that was required. This overextension led to the transition to the Tang Empire. The changes in this period of Chinese history was the reunification of China, and the massive public works projects that they undertook including the Grand Canal, irrigation projects and improvements to the Great Wall. The continuity that took place during this era was a return to the Confucian state philosophy and the strong political influence of the Buddhist philosophy. In 618 the powerful Li family ended Sui rule and created the Tang Empire.
Explain the main factors that have accelerated globalisation? Globalisation is the process which people, culture, money, goods and information can be transferred between countries with little or no barriers. It the gown of links and interdependence between countries. The factors that have accelerated globalisation; better technology in travel, improved communications, and open trade. Planes are now more efficient, larger and air travel is now cheaper which increases the number of customers.
Under Tang rule, land reform was redistributed to the peasants. Large landowners had less power while peasants could contribute by paying taxes. Foreign trade expanded under both dynasties and canals were built to encourage transportation. Chinese merchants traded with India, Persia and the Middle East. The arts were very important during the Tang and Song Dynasties.
As a result of Mongol contact, China became unified whereas the trace amount of Russian unity disintegrated. Though Russia and China developed in different manners, they shared an initial spark to their progression: Mongol rule. After their invasions, the Mongols controlled both Russia and China politically. In China, Mongol invaders began by reaping destruction in northern China. Yet, after their initial settlement, the empire became relatively peaceful.
This continuity of sea trade can be seen throughout 650-1750, rising and falling at times. With the rise of Islam and the Mongols, overseas trade slowed because of the importance of the Silk Road. As the Mongols declined sea trade became important again. The merchants of the Indian Ocean were used to the highest quality of products. The Ming, and especially the Chinese, continued in heavy foreign trade from Malacca to India throughout this period.
The major religions spread during this time period were Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity. Buddhism expanded from northern India in about 200 CE to small oasis communities along the Silk roads such as Merv, Samarkand, and Kuqa, where monks or merchants explained the religion to them. From there, Buddhism spread to the steppelands of central Asia and China, where it caused huge uproar and forever changed Chinese government by helping to disestablish the Confucian doctrines which were the norm, and by 500 CE, Chinese were readily accepting it. Hinduism mostly gained a following in southeast Asian islands such as Java and Sumatra, where, by 100 CE, they had adopted Hindu cults of Shiva and Vishnu. Christianity spread its message of salvation throughout much of the Mediterranean basin and the Roman Empire, despite the Romans attempts to quash it.
The trade patterns remained the same in previous years. Not only goods and products were traded through out years, but even more importantly was the cultural interactions and diffusion that took place. For instance, the Muslim empires adapted paper money from the Chinese. This was very important when most of Asia was taken over by the Mongols. Kublai Khan expanded the network of the Silk Roads, trading heavily with the Dehli Sultanate and Ilkhanate to the south and south west, appropriately.
This goal never changed during this time period. Much of Asia’s economy depended on what the Silk Roads gave to the continent. Europe’s economy was also influenced greatly by the Silk Roads. The Asians and Europeans both benefitted off of the Silk Roads. The Europeans were so accommodated to their new luxuries, that they couldn’t stay away from the Silk Roads.