China+A+Missed+Opportunity+Erika+Block+G

** Day III **
- Many hardwood trees were cut down to build fleets - Lands were destroyed to make the Grand Canal
 * As you continue reading write down any instances of ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION done as a result of the emperor's ambitions.**

Everyone was expected to bow in front of the emperor (Zhu Di), and was required not to look at his face, for it was illegal. Also, those who accepted the emperor's rule was rewarded with titles and other rewards. The European diplomacy had direct colonization and conflict, while Chinese diplomacy pursued trade.
 * 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. **

**Explain how Zhu Di strived to make Beijing the world's INTELLECTUAL capital.** Zhu Di built observatories to study astronomy, humungous libraries, and scholars to help him with the study of astronomy, his interest. Zhu Di was interested in astronomy, so he had many scholars study in the observatories and libraries for further studies.

Zhu Di became ill after the series of misfortunes that he began to suffer from. He began to have strokes, an unknown epidemic began to dominate in China, he made ill-conceived orders, and even drank a poisonous elixir that contained mercury and arsenic. These misfortunes and how he reacted towards them, and not being in the right mind proves that he did not understand what was happening to his rule.
 * 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? **

The construction of the Forbidden city, the Grand Canal, thousands of treasure ships, and the repair of the Grand Wall affected the economy of China, for it cost so much money. Also, the number of hardwood forests diminished, which let to rebellions in Annam and Vietnam. Le L'oi also gathered up armies and eventually became the first defeater of the Ming dynasty. The clash between the two administrations, the eunuchs and mandarins, began to lose control. Zhu Di wanted Arughatai, the Mongol leader, to pay his taxes in which he refused to, and died on the way to the Mongol leader's house.
 * 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. **

Zhu Gaozhi prohibited treasure ships and other fleets to travel around the world and trade. Before this edict, while Zhu Di was in fine shape, trade was popular and was going well for the economy. However, not that Zhu Gaozhi stopped all trade in China, it became impossible for them to strive for success economically with other countries. This left open the "door" for Europe to take center stage because China got out of their way, and now Europe could trade with other countries while China was shut in it's own "room".
 * 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? **

What route might they have all taken? Describe it...
The King of Europe would meet with the other things, such as the Holy Roman Emperor, the emperor of Byzantium, and the Kings of France and Castille. They would travel overland towards the Mediterranean, and towards the North Atlantic. The King of Portugal and Venice would join them at them at this point. From there, they would go down the coast of Africa, through Selat Melaka (in between the two islands), and then they would go up towards China to go to their destination, to where the emperor is.

Compared to the Yuan Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty wasn't as large. The Yuan Dynasty was a lot more bigger in size than the Ming Dynasty. However, the Ming Dynasty did conquer similar lands to the Yuan Dynasty. If you look at the previous dynasties before the Yuan, they were also a lot more smaller. During the Yuan Dynasty (when the Mongols were the one in power), they were great in power. During the Ming Dynasty, overseas trade was popular, and many fleets were built. The Mongols were killed during the Ming Dynasty, for they hated them. In the reading, the line between the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty was indirectly told. The Mongols conquered China during the Yuan Dynasty, and they collapsed due to famine, etc. The Ming Dynasty hated the Mongols, and would kill them.
 * 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. **

If I were to calculate it (which I did), in the 1400's, the new capital would be 2,500,000 people. In the 1600's, it would be 13,000,000 people.
 * SO, using your math skills, refer to the following map and figure out how big that new capital would be. **

**Can you find the old city in the modern city? Where is it? What is there now?** || I believe that this would be the outer and inner city (the older cities) in the modern world. As you can see in the picture, the Temple of Heaven is still present to this day, which was present back in the older days. However, unlike a long time ago, there are many more buildings around them. Studios, restaurants, Hospitals, hotels, and parks were added.
 * The Forbidden City is now the Palace Museum, and is located at the centre of the map below: **

China, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Persia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tibet, and Turkmenistan.
 * Through what MODERN countries did the silk roads go? **

** Day I **
The philosophical assumptions in which Hongwu emperor’s words and actions are based on is Confucianism.
 * 1. On what philosophical assumptions are the Hongwu emperor’s words and**
 * actions based?**

I don’t think his actions will solve the problems he refers to because hard times and times in difficulty sometimes pushes us to the extreme, or in this case, to criminal actions. When we are poor, we can’t help but to steal in order to survive. The fact that there is poverty will not change, and I believe that these actions won’t really solve the problems he refers to.
 * 2. Do you think that his actions will solve the problems he refers to? Why or**
 * why not?**

Second excerpt The emperor’s approach to solving the problem of evil behavior in this excerpt does differ from that in the first, for the first mentioned severe consequences, while the second mentioned mental restraint. The second excerpt said that he tried to protect his reputation, and said that it isn’t all that hard to do without these tempting things. He wants everyone to be a model for everyone else, and he claims that he is the epitome of it.
 * 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?**

The philosophical assumptions Hongwu’s words are based on Confucianism.
 * 2. On what philosophical assumptions are Hongwu’s words here based? Think Chinese philosophy.**

As an official, I would deeply admire the emperor’s admonitions because I would also have similar beliefs, for I believe in Confucian teachings (if I really was an official at that time). Since we would similar beliefs, I would understand and heed his warnings.
 * 3. As an official, what would be your reaction to the emperor’s admonitions?**

As an official, I would definitely see the emperor as a model of self-restraint because the emperor is more powerful than I, an official. I wouldn’t be upset, nor peeved, for the emperor should look and act with utter most morality. That would be the expectations of many people, to be governed by a great man.
 * 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?**

If I hadn’t thought clearly and deeply into it, I would most likely have a much more surprised reaction. However, otherwise, I would understand his actions. Hongwu emperor has to continue his line of successors, and so these precautions aren’t at all surprising.
 * 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?**