China: The Age of Maturity

Covers the China reunited under Sung after a short interval of chaos following the last days of T'ang (907 A.D. to 1279 A.D.) through a variety of artifacts, documents, and art materials. Indicates that General Chao K'uang-yin founded the Sung dynasty following the fall of T'ang and five successive short regimes. Observes that peace led to prosperity but the economy eventually faltered due to unchecked growth and bureaucracy. Records that the complacent Sung court did not foresee a threat from Mongolia and the whole of China fell under foreign rule in 1279 for the first time in its history., Covers the China reunited under Sung after a short interval of chaos following the last days of T'ang (907 A.D. to 1279 A.D.) through a variety of artifacts, documents, and art materials. Indicates that General Chao K'uang-yin founded the Sung dynasty following the fall of T'ang and five successive short regimes. Observes that peace led to prosperity but the economy eventually faltered due to unchecked growth and bureaucracy. Records that the complacent Sung court did not foresee a threat from Mongolia and the whole of China fell under foreign rule in 1279 for the first time in its history.