The+Chinese+Dynasty+Part+1&2


 * Q&A on Chinese Dynasty Part 2 (10/11/11)**

As you continue reading write down any instances of ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION done as a result of the emperor's ambitions. Some environmental degradation done as a result of the emperor's ambitions were cutting down trees to build various kinds of rooms, halls, etc. Another is that large buildings and cities made at the time took lots of space, destroying the amount of land. 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. In contrast to European diplomacy (open conflict and direct colonization), Chinese diplomacy engaged in trading, influencing, and bribing. Zhu Di often gifted and traded goods to foreign countries, and protected them from invasion and mutiny against its rulers. Explain how Zhu Di strive to make Beijing the world's INTELLECTUAL capital. Zhu Di did strive to make Beijing the world's intellectual capital by making an attempt to fill the encyclopedias and libraries containing the idea that Beijing IS the world's intellectual capital. He also studied astronomy, due to his own interests and for more study of land and territories. 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. The main purpose of the armada and the treasure ships of Zheng He was for the promotion of further trading and influence on other countries such as: Asia, India, Africa, and the Middle East. The fleets had some well-trained soldiers and weapons which may have helped China earn the title ‘ocean-going monsters built of teak’. These ships were huge, being the size of 480ft in length and 180ft across, and were made so that it will not sink as easily as any other ships. There were host of merchant junks surrounding the center of the armada, leviathan flagships. More and more countries joined the convoy for more protection from the numerous warships of China. By this, Zheng He’s treasure ships gained further power of the world outside. 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? Yes, there are evidences which proves that Zhu Di did not understand what was happening to his rule. For example, he was ill, had frequent strokes, and most likely been poisoned by mercury and arsenic. These series of harm done to Zhu Di may have proved that he was unconscious of what was going on. 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. - known as being abandoned by heaven - rebllions in Annam and Vietnam - failed to subdue the rebellion - greatest defeat of the Ming dynasty - Zhu Di abandoned Vietnam in 1421 - Mongol refused to pay the tribute to China - ministers' objection in cooperating with Zhu Di (money to defeat the Mongols) 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? This left the "door" open for Europe to take center stage, because China turned their back on them and closed themselves to the many countries around them. They strictly prohibited any engagement of foreign trade, travel, and/or culture (language). Though China may have thought that this bond between foreign and themselves was useless and a waste of money and grain, this relationship was what brought success and focus towards them. Isolation of China for centuries had left Europe to replace the role of it.


 * Q&A on Chinese Dynasty Part 1(10/7/11)**

1. What route might have the Holy Roman Emperor (Germany), Emperor of Byzantine (Istanbul, Turkey), Dodge of Venice, kings of England, France, Castille (Spain), and Portugal all taken? Holy Roman Emperor (Germany) --> walk up to the North Sea--> sail towards the Channel and then the Atlantic Ocean--> sail around the borders of Africa, and up to the borders of India--> sail across the Bay of Bengal, Strait of Malacca, South China Sea Emperor of Byzantine (Istanbul, Turkey) --> sail through Aegean Sea, Mediterranean, North Atlantic Ocean--> sail around the borders of Africa and India--> sail across the Bay of Bengal, Strait of Malacca, South China Sea Dodge of Venice --> walk west by crossing Kingdom of France (towards the North Atlantic Ocean)--> sail around the borders of Africa and India--> sail across the Bay of Bengal, Strait of Malacca, South China Sea King of England --> sail south of the North Atlantic Ocean--> sail around the borders of Africa and India--> sail across the Bay of Bengal, Strait of Malacca, South China Sea King of France --> walk south to Spain--> sail around the borders of Africa and India--> sail across the Bay of Bengal, Strait of Malacca, South China Sea King of Castille (Spain)--> walk south to the small channel (between the Kingdom of Granada and the Kingdom of Marinids)--> sail towards North Atlantic Ocean--> sail around the borders of Africa and India--> sail across the Bay of Bengal, Strait of Malacca, South China Sea King of Portugal --> sail right around the borders of Africa and India--> sail across the Bay of Bengal, Strait of Malacca, South China Sea 2. Look carefully at the Yuan and Ming Dynasties and make some generalizations about China under those dynasties. While observing the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, I realized that the Yuan Dynasty was bigger in size than the Ming Dynasty. From the previous maps, we can see that China's dynasties had expanded or reunited, and vise versa. The largest territory which China had ever reached was during the Yuan Dynasty. However, and interesting observation made about the Ming Dynasty is that it is similar in shape to the Jin, Song, Xi Xia Dynasties combined from the map shown in the year 1141. 3. Using your math skills, refer to the map and and figure out how big that new capital would be. In the year 1600, its population would be around 12,450,000 and in the year 1400, its population would be around 2,500,000. 4. Can you find the old city in the modern city? Where is it? What is there now? Some recognizable figures from the old-city map to the modern-city map are Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Temple of Heaven, Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, Tian Anmen, and the Palace Museum. The Bell Tower is placed north of the Drum Tower (both being out of the imperial city). Temple of Heaven is south of the museum (inside the imperial city). The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is supposedly the 'Temple for Agriculture' but the names changed and its position changed to the east of the Temple of Heaven. The Tian Anmen is located in the entrance of the forbidden/imperial city. However, the major changes made were the border names of the outer and inner cities and are replaced by streets. 5. If it was 6400kms long, how long would the Great Wall reach if it began at the Yalu River? It would probably reach somewhere around Turkey. 6. Through what modern countries did the silk roads go? The silk roads went through numerous numbers of countries such as: Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, China, etc.


 * Q&A on 'AN IMPERIAL EDICT RESTRAINING OFFICIALS FROM EVIL' (10/5/11)**

1. On what philosophical assumptions are the Hongwu emperor’s words and actions based? The philosophical assumptions based on Hongwu emperor's words and actions is that any who does not obey or violate the laws should receive a severe penalty. (Confucianism) 2. Do you think that his actions will solve the problems he refers to? Why or why not? I believe that this action of the emperor will solve the problems referred on the text. More power and control over one’s subject would cause fear among themselves. This fear will support the nation to work as a whole. If the emperor has no power or control among its subject, it would be likely that the subjects will get an advantage and rebel.

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? Emperor does approach to solving the problem of evil behavior in this excerpt differ than in the first. He explains that from his own desires to preserve his life, he realizes that indulging such fancies listed were not acceptable. 2. On what philosophical assumptions are Hongwu’s words here based? Think Chinese philosophy. Hongwu's words are based on Confucianism. He had stated the importance of life and the moral ways to life through it. Confucius also had specifically spoke to politics. 3. As an official, what would be your reaction to the emperor’s admonitions? As an official, I would be in caution of the emperor's admonitions and make sure to follow them throughout my life so that I will not be looked down at and for the protection of my reputation. I would probably value myself more than I did after his admonitions. 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? As an official, I would take this a very clever way to rule. The emperor would have certain control over its subjects and that would help the empire to get more organized and well structured. A demonstration of this process would certainly help the officials (us) to emulate and continue on the 'self-restraint'. 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? My reaction towards the emperor would definitely change if I had learned that he had dozens of concubines and consorts with numerous numbers of sons and daughters. This fact would probably had amused me believing that he was not as superior or virtuous, yet he was making his subjects become like one.