Compare And Contrast Tang And Song Dynasties

The Tang and Song dynasties in China often referred to as the Golden Age, experienced economic, cultural, and artistic success. Associated with progress and prosperity these dynasties produced some incredibly astounding pieces of art for its time. These artworks were reflections of the most dominant religions and philosophies in these dynasties. The three significant belief systems that shaped the creations of Tang and Song artists include Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. The Tang dynasty fostered some of the most cosmopolitan cities of Ancient China. An array of different religions coexisted with one another in these cities, one of which being Buddhism. Buddhism provided an explanation for human suffering and gave people an outlet to …show more content…
“The teachings of Daoism advocate following the way and integrating with the natural world.” The Daoist philosophy was founded by Laozi, an ancient Chinese philosopher, and was quite unique from any other belief system. Daoism was especially embraced during the Tang Dynasty, because Laozi was related to the Tang ruling house. The emperors that ruled during the time regarded Laozi with an immense amount of respect, and accepted Daoist philosophies. Daoist temples were constructed and schools were built to study Daoist canons. The inclusion of the natural world in paintings derived from Daoist beliefs acknowledging the significance of the environment. In the painting On a Mountain Path in Spring by the Song Dynasty painter Ma Yuan, this inclusion of the earth can be seen. The painting’s focal point is nature, including various birds and trees. A short poem on the top right corner of the painting reads, “Brushed by his sleeves, wild flowers dance in the wind; fleeing from him, the hidden birds cut short their songs.” The poem is discussing the scholar, who is walking in the countryside, although the scholar is undoubtedly an important component, the earth around him is clearly