The Yuan dynasty, reigning from 1260-1368 CE, was characterized by strife among the Chinese people. In the Song dynasty, which lays the foundation for the Yuan, northern China was taken over by the Jurchen/Tartars, a semi-nomadic pastoral group consisting of skilled riders and archers. Huizong, who was the last emperor of the Song dynasty, focused his time on the arts rather than China’s nomadic or foreign relationships. His disinterest caused the take-over to be more plausible. The Yellow River, which protected China from foreign attacks as well as fed their agriculture, was included in the land taken by the Jurchen/Tartars. China, feeling desperate, turned to the semi-nomadic Mongols for assistance. While the Mongols promised to leave China
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Assumingly, Kublai Khan reorganized the social structure in China. At the top of the hierarchy, were the Mongols, followed by any other foreigners within China, then the Northern Chinese, and lastly the Southern Chinese. The reason for the Northern Chinese being above the Southern Chinese is due to the fact that Southern China had climate and an abundance of water favoring plant growth. The North always looked down on the South for this, considering them lazy. Kublai picked up on this social order and kept it in tact. Along with rearranging China’s social structure, the civil service examinations were abolished. These examinations were precious to Chinese culture as they were around since the Han Dynasty, and they allowed educated lower class Chinese men to climb the social ladder. The imperial academy of painting, which was also a very important aspect to Chinese culture, was eradicated. This is largely due to the fact that the Mongols have never nor ever needed an artistic outlet. The Chinese people had two options; either side with the Mongols and be marked as traitors, or remain loyal to the Song Dynasty and be identified as leftover subjects. Many leftover subjects chose to hide away in the mountains to avoid Mongol rule, many also turned to artistic expression to embody Mongol rule in
Assumingly, Kublai Khan reorganized the social structure in China. At the top of the hierarchy, were the Mongols, followed by any other foreigners within China, then the Northern Chinese, and lastly the Southern Chinese. The reason for the Northern Chinese being above the Southern Chinese is due to the fact that Southern China had climate and an abundance of water favoring plant growth. The North always looked down on the South for this, considering them lazy. Kublai picked up on this social order and kept it in tact. Along with rearranging China’s social structure, the civil service examinations were abolished. These examinations were precious to Chinese culture as they were around since the Han Dynasty, and they allowed educated lower class Chinese men to climb the social ladder. The imperial academy of painting, which was also a very important aspect to Chinese culture, was eradicated. This is largely due to the fact that the Mongols have never nor ever needed an artistic outlet. The Chinese people had two options; either side with the Mongols and be marked as traitors, or remain loyal to the Song Dynasty and be identified as leftover subjects. Many leftover subjects chose to hide away in the mountains to avoid Mongol rule, many also turned to artistic expression to embody Mongol rule in