Compare And Contrast The Five Dynasties Of China

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In the following essay, I will make comparisons with other periods of China and demonstrate how Yuan (1272-1368) change China substantially in cultural, political and social aspects with specific examples.

Politically, Yuan unified the separated regimes since early 10th century and laid the prototype of the Chinese nations afterwards. Qin made China as a unified kingdom two thousand years before, but its territory only limited within modern Sichuan to Inner Mongolia. Han and Tang were two strong dynasties that adopted expansion policy, made modern Xinjiang and Northwestern provinces a part of their ruling area. However, a chaotic situation with Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms existed after Tang collapsed. In 1100, there were several nations in East Asia: Northern Song (ruled by Han people), …show more content…

Jin and Southern Song later replaced Liao and Northern Song respectively. The appearance of Yuan united different races and their lands. As a representative regime of zhongyuan, Yuan united Xizang, Mongol, Yunnan and modern Northeastern China as a nation. This was the first time in Chinese history and it constructed the concept of “Great China”. As to enhance the control against these non-Han territories, the xingsheng (province) system were adopted and it was proved efficient and secure. The Chinese regimes before Yuan were ‘xenophobic’ and exclusive against the non-Han races, including Han and Tang. Derogatory terms such as xirong (Western warlike people) and beidi (Northern barbarians) were used to describe the ethnic groups lived in outer China. After a century of intermarriage and internal migration in Yuan, China became a real inclusive, multi-ethnic and cohesive nation. The Ming and Qing Dynasty inherited the land, administrative system (with