Tang Dynasty Trade & Culture
What trade route connected China to Persia and the Byzantine Empire during the Tang dynasty?
Who united the Mongol tribes and began their conquests across Asia?
Genghis Khan
Who founded the Yuan dynasty in China?
Kublai Khan
Who ruled China after the Mongols were overthrown?
The Ming dynasty
What geographic feature made travel on the Silk Road difficult?
The Taklimakan Desert or the Tian Shan Mountains
Name one new product the Chinese learned to make or use from foreign traders during the Tang dynasty.
What is sugar from sugarcane or glass cups.
What was the Mongols’ primary weapon in battle?
The bow and arrow (often used on horseback)
Which European traveler visited China under the Yuan dynasty and later wrote a famous book about his journey?
Marco Polo
What did other countries have to do to trade with China under the Ming dynasty?
Pay tribute
What city served as the capital and major starting point of the Silk Road during the Tang dynasty?
Chang’an
Which religion from India became very popular in China during the Tang dynasty?
What is Buddhism?
What was the Mongol Empire known as because of the color of their tents?
The Golden Horde
What was one benefit of Mongol control over Asia during the Yuan dynasty?
Safer trade along the Silk Road
Who was the Chinese explorer who led voyages to display China’s power and collect tribute?
Zheng He (JENG HAY)
Name one good China exported and one it imported through the Silk Road.
Export: silk, porcelain, paper; Import: ivory, spices, cotton
Why did the Tang government eventually place restrictions on foreigners?
Resentment toward foreign wealth and Buddhist monasteries
What was the 100-year period of peace under Mongol rule called?
The Pax Mongolia
Why were many Chinese people unhappy under Yuan rule?
rule?They were placed at the bottom of the social order and foreigners had privileges
Why did later Ming rulers stop Zheng He’s expeditions?
They were expensive and the government turned inward to protect from foreign influence
What did the Silk Road help spread besides goods?
Ideas, religions, and technologies
What happened to Buddhist monasteries during the Tang dynasty’s backlash against foreigners?
The government seized their property and destroyed temples
Name one reason the Mongol Empire declined.
It became too large to manage, weak leadership, or resentment from conquered people
What did Persian astronomers and doctors bring to China under the Yuan dynasty?
Knowledge of astronomy, mathematics, and medicine
What was one result of the Ming dynasty’s decision to isolate China?
Decline in innovation and difficulty adapting to change
How did the Mongols make the Silk Road safer?
They controlled all of Asia under one empire and policed trade routes