China-Esther+Kim

__Classwork 10/7/11__ **1)** **As you continue reading write down any instances of ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION done as a result of the emperor's ambitions.** -Vast land was demolished in order to build the Grand Canal. Moreover, many trees had to be cut down in order to build ships.

-Unlike European diplomacy in which people had direct colonization and open conflict, the Chinese pursued their goals by bribery, trade, and influence. The Chinese highlighted that other countries should be compliant since the Chinese people were superior. The rulers who were obedient to the Chinese emperors received protection, trade missions, and titles as rewards.
 * 2) DIPLOMACY is the art of talking and negotiating without having to resort to conflict. On pg. 60, there is a discussion on how Chinese diplomacy was different than later European diplomacy. Explain this difference. **

**3) Explain how Zhu Di strived to make Beijing the world's INTELLECTUAL capital.** -Zhu Di played an important role in making Beijing the world's intellectual capital. He advanced astronomy. The astronomers were able to predict solar and lunar eclipses quite accurately. They charted stars. Using the guiding stars, his admirals were able to navigate precisely at sea and find new territories. Physicians studied healing plants and medicines to deal with epidemics. Agricultural scientists and farmers continued to develop and grow hybrids. He sent some of his scholars overseas to learn new things and ideas from other countries. In addition, books were widely available in China. Zhu Di made the ideas of 120 philosophers of Song dynasty to be collected and saved in the Forbidden City along with the explanations.

-The armada and Zheng He's treasure ships were indeed formidable. The Chinese people had great maritime technology and skills. Especially Zheng He's treasure ships were "ocean-going monsters". This is to say that Zheng He's ships were even more fearsome and greater than other ships. The armada had leviathan flagships at the center, surrounded by a host of merchant junks. There were warships around the perimeter. The Chinese ships were enormous in size and each of them carried more than two thousand tons of cargo. Furthermore, these ships were armed with various weapons. I believe that the armada and Zheng He's treasure ships would have made a daunting and intimidating impression to people from other nations.
 * 4) While you are reading pgs. 65-66 and 70, DESCRIBE the Armada and specifically Zheng He's Treasure Ships. What an impression this must have made.**

-Yes, there are indeed many evidences showing that Zhu Di did not understand what was happening to his rule. First, he had brain damages as he often suffered from strokes. Second, he took medicine containing arsenic and mercury, which poisoned him. Due to these causes, he was a poor ruler.
 * 5) When you get to p. 75, read to the bottom of p. 77. Stop at the paragraph beginning "Thereafter the Qazi..." Is there evidence here that Zhu Di truly did not understand what was happening to his rule?**

-He was ill. -He couldn’t get any more children after 1404 since he was impotent. -He faced political and military problems as rebellions continued to occur. -He faced economic problems since the construction of the Grand Canal, the Forbidden City, and the fleet of treasure ships as well as the renovation of the Great Wall had high costs.
 * 6) Start up again on the bottom of p. 78 (from "Apparently abandoned by heaven..."). List all the things that happened to the old emperor near the end of his life.**

-He closed the door to maritime activity and technology. Zhu Gaozhi banned abroad expeditions and ordered his officials to stop the building of ships. By this action, China became confined in itself as it no longer was able to have contacts with other foreign countries. This lowered the chance of advancement since without having new ideas and sources from others, it is difficult to make improvements. China was unable to get new technology such as military weapons, which made China to have no further advancements. Although China could have been the most powerful country in the world, closing the door and being isolated from other nations led to its failure in world dominance. This led other nations to have the chance of gaining hegemony and Europe took that chance to dominate the world. In other words, as China, once a powerful country, became segregated from the world, Europe was able to take the center stage. They got to have the chance of naval expansion throughout the world.
 * 7) Finally read the edict of the new emperor, Zhu Di's son, Zhu Gaozhi, on the very day he ascended the throne, pp 81-85, beginning "All voyages of the treasure ships are to be stopped." Explain how this edict changed the history of not only China but of the WORLD. How did this leave open the "door" for Europe to take center stage now?**

__Homework 10/6/11__ ** 1. Read the first paragraph of p. 45. Use this map, and the one in MWH p. 35, to identify where "the Holy Roman Emperor, the Emperor of Byzantium (also called Constantinople), the Doge (ruler) of Venice, and the kings of England, France, Castille and Portugal" would have come from had they been invited to Beijing on 2 February 1421. What route might they have all taken? Describe it. ** **-King of England:** First come to other European countries such as France, Castille, Portugal, or Byzantium by ship -> Sail through the Mediterranean Sea -> Go around Africa -> Cross the Atlantic Ocean -> Pass India -> China **-Emperor of Byzantium:** Sail through the Red Sea -> Go around Africa -> Cross Arabian Sea -> India -> China **-King of France, Castille, and Portugal:** Sail through the Mediterranean Sea -> Go around Africa -> Cross the Atlantic Ocean -> Pass India -> China
 * -Holy Roman Emperor, Doge of Venice: **Sail through the Mediterranean Sea -> Go around Africa -> Cross the Atlantic Ocean -> Pass India -> China

** 2. Examine the following map which shows the history of the Chinese dynasties. Look carefully at the Yuan and Ming Dynasties and make some generalizations about China under those dynasties. Size? Change from previous dynasties? From your reading, make any observations you can about the two time periods. ** -The Yuan dynasty was founded in 1294. The Ming Dynasty was founded in 1410. Although both Dynasties were huge, the Yuan Dynasty was bigger in size. By looking at the map, I was able to tell that the Yuan Dynasty conquered more north territory. Yet, people from the Ming Dynasty drove out the Mongols of the Yuan Dynasty. Eventually, the Ming Dynasty prospered more than the Yuan Dynasty.

**3.** **While reading pages 49-50, explain some of the factors that affected the Chinese attitudes toward foreigners.** **-** Confucianism definitely influenced the Chinese attitudes toward foreigners. According to Confucianism, foreigners and merchants angered the tao, which is the interaction of natural forces. The tao determined people's ranks, positions, rights, and lives. As foreigners were believed to upset the tao, they were usually treated negatively.

** 4. On p. 53 Menzie notes that the new walled capital was to be "fifteen hundred times the area of walled London at that time and housing fifty times the population". SO, using your math skills, refer to the following map and figure out how big that new capital would be. ** -In 1600, the new capital would have about 12,500,000 people. In 1400, the population would be about 2,500,000.

** 5. Compare the map of the great walled capital Zhu Di built (above) to the map of modern China (below). The Forbidden City is now the Palace Museum, and is located at the centre of the map below. Can you find the old city in the modern city? Where is it? What is there now? ** -Although I cannot really find the old city in the modern city easily, I can still see the basic structure of the old city in the modern one. Some buildings such as towers and temples still exist. However, since the modern city has developed and has urbanized, the old city cannot be seen very clearly.

** 6. On p. 54, Menzies writes that Zhu Di extended the Great Wall (which is actually many separate sections of wall created over hundreds of years) from 5,000 kms to 6,400 kms. You'll notice, that doesn't mean that the wall was 6,400 kms long. If it WAS, where would it reach if it began at the Yalu River? Use the map in MWH Atlas p A18-19 to estimate where you would end up if the wall really extended 6,400 kms due west of Beijing. ** -I think I would end up in Turkmenistan or Afghanistan if the wall extended 6,400 kilometers west of Beijing.

<span style="font-family: Symbol,sans-serif;">** 7. Through what MODERN countries did the silk roads go? ** <span style="font-family: Symbol,sans-serif;">-The silk roads went through China, India, Iran, Iraq, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Syria, and etc.

__Homework 10/5/11__ "China: A Missed Opportunity for Global Dominance" -I think his words and actions were based on Confucianism.
 * 1. On what philosophical assumptions are the Hongwu emperor’s words and** **actions based?**

-I think his actions will solve the problems because he set an example of the harsh punishment if someone actually makes those problems. He is displaying his power making people to have fear. This is important for a leader since fear is an effective way of having control over people. Therefore, I think he will be successful in solving the problems.
 * 2. Do you think that his actions will solve the problems he refers to? Why or** **why not?**

-Yes, while his approach in the first one shows how he will punish those who committed misconducts, his second approach shows that he is wanting people to be like him.
 * 3. Does the emperor’s approach to solving the problem of evil behavior in this** **excerpt differ from that in the first? If so, how?**

-Hongwu’s words are based on the philosophical assumption that learning and education are important. Instead of punishing people, making people learn that self-restraint is significant and that one should not commit such evil acts would serve as the solution for this problem. His words are based on Confucianism.
 * 4. On what philosophical assumptions are Hongwu’s words here based? Think Chinese philosophy.**

-I think I would be frightened and cautious since the emperor will be constantly watching out for the government officials to make immoral actions. Thus, I would strive to get away from the tempting things and I would not do evil acts as I am aware of the emperor’s concerns about these problems.
 * 5. As an official, what would be your reaction to the emperor’s admonitions?**

-As an official, I would follow the emperor because the model of his own self-restraint is what he wants his officials to have. To meet the emperor’s expectations for the officials, I would take his example and imitate his self-restraint.
 * 6. The emperor clearly holds himself up as a model of self-restraint for his** **officials to emulate. As an official, how would you take this?**

-My reaction would have changed if I was aware that the Hongwu emperor had numerous women, sons, and daughters. In the excerpts, he asserted that it is evil to be into women and that he was capable of restraining himself from women. Yet, after hearing that he had dozens of concubines and consorts, this assertion does not appear plausible. It is not valid to say that he had many concubines in order to have male heirs since he already had twenty-six sons. Therefore, I think I would not place credibility on his claims in this text if I learned this information beforehand.
 * 7. Would your reaction be changed if you suddenly learned that the Hongwu** **emperor had dozens of concubines and consorts, with whom he fathered**
 * twenty-six sons and sixteen daughters?**