China+A+Missed+Opportunity+Na+Hyeon


 * October 5, 2011**

__** Day 2 **__

What route might they have all taken? Describe it...
The route they have all taken might be sailing through the water borders of India to the Adaman Sea, and Straights of Malacca. Then sailing through the South China sea. The Holy Roman Empire came from Germany. Empire of Byzantium came from Constantinople and the leader Doge came from Venice

**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.** During the Yuan Dynasty (1294), China was greater in size, however, China was invaded by Mongolians. Then Emperor Zhu Di's father overthrew the Mongolian invaders and pushed them out to the great wall. After, in the Ming Dynasty (1410) the border between Mongolia and China has been set. Lastly, he built a capital named the Forbidden city in Beijing.

**While reading pages 49-50, explain some of the factors that affected the Chinese attitudes toward foreigners.** mandarin farmers saw the rural farmers as the back bone. Foreigners were not very focused on in China.

**SO, using your math skills, refer to the following map and figure out how big that new capital would be.** 1000000 peope and about 4 times bigger in size.

**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? yes, it is in the same place but the buildings around have been modified into a museum

**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.** If the wall extended by 6,400, then it would have reached the hwang river.

**Through what MODERN countries did the silk roads go?** It is expanded and goes through south and Central Asia. The countries are India, Tibert, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Greece.

**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.** **Unlike the European diplimacy, the Chinese liked to meet their goals (trade) and tried to solve the conflicts in a profitable way. In addition, they maintained friendly relationships with other trading countries.**

**Explain how Zhu Di strived to make Beijing the world's INTELLECTUAL capital.** **wanted to make Beijing a place where people search for discoveries and to explore.**

**Look at this visual of the GRAND CANAL and just be AMAZED at this marvel! In your reader's log, jot down a few facts a bout it ** **Grand Canal:** **- Engineering Marval** **- Huge accomplishment**

** Zheng He's fleet made 7 voyages in all, dying on his last one, in 1433. When his ships returned to China, the political situation had change d dramatically. In fact, soon after the great Treasure Fleet left Tanggu, Zhu Di suffered a series of disasters that suggested to everyone that he had lost the "mandate of heaven" -- the approval of Heaven for his rulership.**

**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?** Zhu Di didnt not seem to be aware of his corruption in leadership. The empire was getting weak, yet, he was furious and put Shah Rukh's abbassador to his death.

**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.** **-** humiliated - fathered no children after 1404 - Concubines assuaged sexual frusturation by attempting intercourse with one of the eunuchs - Personally excuted his own concubines - Was insulted by Korea concubines - adbandoned by heaven -ill

**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?**

Europe took the trading and exploring and this has brought them huge amounts of profits, wealth, and power. This prevented China from getting exposed to variety of cultures, and trading. Trading was a successful factor in Europe. In addition, China could have made the discoveries if they were searing for the new world

__**Homework Assignment**__

1. On what philosophical assumptions are the Hongwu emperor’s words and actions based? Hongwu emperor’s words sounded as if he strongly supports justice. He states that any officials that went against the laws, and have committed crimes would be found, and receive consequences.

2. Do you think that his actions will solve the problems he refers to? Why or why not? I believe his actions can support in preventing corruption within the officials. The punishment would help the corrupt officials fall out of power, or make them change as they could fear the harsh consequences.

1. Does the emperor’s approach to solving the problem of evil behavior in this excerpt differ from that in the first? If so, how? Yes, the emperor first stated that he would find out the truth and search for the corrupt officials and punish them. Then, he refers money, music, girls and etc as evil and tempting. He also adds that he avoids all those temptations to protect his reputation.

2. On what philosophical assumptions are Hongwu’s words here based? Think Chinese philosophy. Confucianism. belief that the humans in the society must be logical and honest.

3. As an official, what would be your reaction to the emperor’s admonitions? As an official, the reaction would be surprising as every single person has made mistakes. It is hard for people to be perfect and pure. Some people living in the society live under power, greed, and not being satisfied.

4. 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? It would be hard to believe. Although he is the emperor, the superior power, he would have made mistakes as he is also human. Although he states he is pure, it is hard to believe. It is also possible that the emperor could be a hypocrite.

5. 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? Yes. The reaction would be disappointment and loss of trust and because the emperor lied, and would have lost trust and support and respect.