Compare And Contrast Tang And Song Dynasties

The Post-Classical period of history was an age where countries were undergoing many invasions, both in a war like sense and in a cultural sense. Japan was changing its governmental state from the Taika Reforms, a strict enaction that put all farmland and taxes by extension under control of the government, to a decentralized government, and then to military rule and feudalism. Kievan Rus had its golden age as well as its decline. The Byzantine empire was in a similar state of deterioration after invasions and religious conflicts. In Western Europe, an era called Middle Ages were occurring. The Carolingian Dynasty of Europe was ruling around the same time as the Tang Dynasty in China. Different religions such as Islam and Buddhism were

Some people did not like how it came into society while others embraced it wholeheartedly. Another response was to incorporate parts of Buddhism into already established lifestyles. Some of the Chinese alive at the time of the Tang and Song Dynasties were willing to convert all together. Originally, Buddha was known as Siddhartha Guatama and was a young elite in the warrior class of India who wanted to know why suffering was so strong in the world. He left his family and Guatama’s journey led him to decide to reject earthly desires causing him to become enlightened. All his learning came together in “The Four Noble Truths” document where Buddha explains that life is full of suffering and the only way to stop it is to let go of worldly desires and materials. Buddhism had an eight-fold path

The Tang Dynasty in particular did not like the idea of a foreign religion seeping into a society that was “middle earth” as stated in Emperor Wu’s Edict on Buddhism document. Emperor Wu and his followers believed that Buddhism causes people to leave their homes and neglect their jobs, along with Chinese teachings and customs. This was true in the way that Buddhism requires detachment resulting in followers leaving to join monasteries. Also, the number of people who followed Buddhism grew and so did monasteries, who did not pay taxes. Buddhism greatly annoyed the Tang government because conflicted with rules and procedures set in place long before it arrival. The monasteries were eventually shut down by Tang leaders but Buddhist influence still remained. Similarly, Han Yu’s “Memorial on Buddhism” document expresses his view that Buddhism is a barbaric cult with a leader who does not understand China’s government or social values like father and son relationships. Han Yu goes as far as saying Buddha would be taken to the border of the country and left to die so as not to manipulate the masses into following him. As shown by these two views, a number of people saw Buddhism as a threat to the government’s organization and an invasion of China’s