FREE ESSAY ON THE AGE OF BUREAUCRACY

THE AGE OF BUREAUCRACY

"The Age of Bureaucracy"
When the Sung came into power in China in 960A.D. after an army mutiny, it was evident
that if this government had sufficient time, they could change all details of Chinese
life. The Sung gave way for future empires that continued its path, until 1850, when
events led up to the Taiping Rebellion. These men in government were scholar- officials,
and beginning with equalization in government and spreading to other aspects of society,
they led China's culture to move together. The arts flourished throughout these times and
they reflect directly how the rest of China's culture was developing. 
The literature of early Sung times reflects the fact that with scholars in the
government, work and activities of scholars were widely practiced. There was an abundance
of writing and enough printing available to distribute literature. Ceramics' techniques
had been mastered, and the west yearned for the porcelain ware China was producing. The
literature and arts were quality, but also expressed simply. Economy was changing into an
almost modern state. Landholders had enough money to invest in other urbanizing things as
well as supporting the arts. The social changes coincided with the other changes
happening. Farmers and more of the lower standing population could afford to school their
eldest boy, increasing the educated, as well as the literate. Painting became so
prevalent and a part of daily life for a scholar that two separate schools were founded.
Northern and Southern Sung were two different ways to approach learning and painting.
Very serious students emerged from these schools to produce important pieces. 
When the Northern invasions shifted the power, the change among society remained small.
In Liao times, the government was not concerned with scholars or their literature. The
development was not hindered and writing continued to be produced. The conservative
thought of the government did filter out some painters with strict attempt. Calligraphy
was still a stable art form, and in Yuan times, incorporated into landscape art. While
these times were good, and the poor had enough to eat, the population was increasing
rapidly. Art and literature were abundant in Lioa, Chin, and Yuan times, as society felt
more free to express themselves and had the means to concentrate on art. In the Yuan
times, urbanization did steady, but the population was already too high. 
Art and literature in Ming and Ch'ing progressed along with the society and economy of
the times, eventually slacking off by 1850. The government was trying to correct the
mistakes of the last government and trying to reinstate certain ways. The arts and
literature were not stimulated, and did not react, therefore, leveled out. That was the
end of producing art in the same way ever again. After the Taiping rebellion, all aspects
of Chinese culture changed. 
During the Sung times, when China was experiencing an uplift in the economy, society and
the arts were following the curve. Art became part of everyday life for an educated man,
but when economy suffered from the overpopulation, the arts were put aside. Literature
has always been studied by the scholars, even if new work was not being produced. The
West has largely regarded the arts of the Sung almost all the way through the Ch'ing as
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