Greatest Chinese Dynasty

[Gigaverse]

Being someone who live in a country that was directly under Chinese rule for over a thousand year, I'm afraid I don't have a favorite Chinese dynasty in mind. Though, if I must choose, I'd choose the Tang Dynasty - why? It sounded like great enough. If I MUST choose a second best... it's the Song Dynasty. Why? It was the only dynasty that didn't pose any real or significant threat to Dai Viet, in my opinion.

[Quilavaland]

The Song because of their major scientific and technological advances that still affect the world today. I mean they invented everything from movable type to gunpowder that lasted long beyond their days.

[Duvniask]

Being someone who live in a country that was directly under Chinese rule for over a thousand year, I'm afraid I don't have a favorite Chinese dynasty in mind. Though, if I must choose, I'd choose the Tang Dynasty - why? It sounded like great enough. If I MUST choose a second best... it's the Song Dynasty. Why? It was the only dynasty that didn't pose any real or significant threat to Dai Viet, in my opinion.

How can you possibly judge the greatness of dynasties on the basis of that one factor?

[Murkwood]

It only cost 40,000,000 lives!

While morally disgusting, compare it to the records of famines and massacres in other dynasties, and to the population size of China between 1945 and 2014... the Mao dynasty (officially known as People's Republic of China, but we know the people and the republic are there mostly for show) doesn't come off worse - efficiency-wise - than other dynasties.

That's rather cold blooded.

[MERIZoC]

It only cost 40,000,000 lives!

While morally disgusting, compare it to the records of famines and massacres in other dynasties, and to the population size of China between 1945 and 2014... the Mao dynasty (officially known as People's Republic of China, but we know the people and the republic are there mostly for show) doesn't come off worse - efficiency-wise - than other dynasties.

But…..it wasn't a dynasty...

[Murkwood]

For me, I'd say Tang or Han.

[Nesixar]

Tang for me. China's greatest golden age.

The Yuan and Qing were not Chinese (they were Mongol and Manchu respectively).

They were not Han, but they were Chinese. Not only did they see themselves as Chinese dynasties and adopt Chinese culture and ways of ruling, but Yuan was even acknowledged as having held the Mandate of Heaven by the Ming Emperors. Scholars of the early Republic of China also composed the unfinished and little-known Book of Qing, which in itself is very interesting. Chinese culture is so deep and potent that everyone who conquered any area of China Proper almost as a matter of course adopted it. It represented a very efficient and logical way to rule one's subjects, as well as a way to gain their respect.

Saying that Yuan and Qing weren't Chinese dynasties is like saying the Arsacids weren't a Persian dynasty. Not ethnically, but in every way that mattered they were.

[Duvniask]

Tang for me. China's greatest golden age.

The Yuan and Qing were not Chinese (they were Mongol and Manchu respectively).

They were not Han, but they were Chinese. Not only did they see themselves as Chinese dynasties and adopt Chinese culture and ways of ruling, but Yuan was even acknowledged as having held the Mandate of Heaven by the Ming Emperors. Scholars of the early Republic of China also composed the unfinished and little-known Book of Qing, which in itself is very interesting. Chinese culture is so deep and potent that everyone who conquered any area of China Proper almost as a matter of course adopted it. It represented a very efficient and logical way to rule one's subjects, as well as a way to gain their respect.

Saying that Yuan and Qing weren't Chinese dynasties is like saying the Arsacids weren't a Persian dynasty. Not ethnically, but in every way that mattered they were.

Not in every way that mattered, as the Queue Order aptly demonstrated. As a symbol of submission to Qing rule, it was an effective determiner of Han that refused to recognize Manchu domination.

[Gigaverse]

Being someone who live in a country that was directly under Chinese rule for over a thousand year, I'm afraid I don't have a favorite Chinese dynasty in mind. Though, if I must choose, I'd choose the Tang Dynasty - why? It sounded like great enough. If I MUST choose a second best... it's the Song Dynasty. Why? It was the only dynasty that didn't pose any real or significant threat to Dai Viet, in my opinion.

How can you possibly judge the greatness of dynasties on the basis of that one factor?

Simply because I cannot give a better reason from my perspective.

(The reason why I emphasized "MUST".)

[Liriena]

Well, I guess I would be cheating but... Wu. Definitely Wu.

Seriously, though? Zhou.

[Lackadaisical2]

Qing, because it was the last

[Themiclesia]

Zhou, without a single doubt. The most admired, venerated, and emulated dynasty of China.

[Old Tyrannia]

Qing, because it was the last

And their successors were so illustrious. Right?

[Liberaxia]

The Han for its periods of freedom.