Chinas Bedrock Traditions Up to 1200 Or one
China’s Bedrock: Traditions Up to 1200 Or, one weird way to make your flip flops a lot roomier
Unit 0 Test Review Questions 13 and 14 “Anu and Bel called by name me, Hammurabi, the exalted prince, who feared the gods, to bring about the rule of righteousness in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil-doers; so that the strong should not harm the weak; so that I should rule over the black-headed people like Shamash, and enlighten the land, to further the well-being of mankind… Hammurabi, the prince, called of Bel am I…who recognizes the right, who rules by law…” --Introduction to the Code of Hammurabi 13. This passage indicates Hammurabi considered (or at least claimed) his laws to be: A. Inspired by and sent from the gods B. Necessary to ensure prosperity in trade relationships C. A complete deterrent to crime D. Comprehensive and in need of no additional laws
Unit 0 Test Review Questions 13 and 14 “Anu and Bel called by name me, Hammurabi, the exalted prince, who feared the gods, to bring about the rule of righteousness in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil-doers; so that the strong should not harm the weak; so that I should rule over the black-headed people like Shamash, and enlighten the land, to further the well-being of mankind… Hammurabi, the prince, called of Bel am I…who recognizes the right, who rules by law…” --Introduction to the Code of Hammurabi Early law codes such as Hammurabi’s frequently represented what trend in gender relations in early societies? A. The equality of men and women under a powerful ruler B. Clearly defined, but roughly equal, spheres of influence and power amongst men and women C. The gradual decline of women’s rights as a result of human settlement D. The presumption that women could own property if there were no available male heirs.
Unit 0 Test Review Question 15 and 16 15. Considering the chart and your prior knowledge, what would have been the GREATEST contribution to the declining population in the Western Roman empire? a. The spread of plague as the Roman sanitation system collapsed b. Migrations to Christian population centers in the Mediterranean c. Forced migration of populations by the Roman government d. Invasions by Germanic and Central Asian peoples, such as the Huns
Unit 0 Test Review Question 15 and 16 16. What difference was there between the Eastern and Western Roman empires in the 400 s CE? a. Western Rome collapsed as a state while Eastern Rome continued as the Byzantine Empire b. Eastern Rome collapsed hundreds of years before the Western Empire c. Western Rome recovered from the crisis of the 400 s, but Eastern Rome did not d. Eastern Rome was responsible for the invasion and subjugation of the Western Empire
A Cycle of Rising and Falling A running theme of Chinese history: China unifies and falls apart with incredible regularity In 1200, China was in another state of division: the North was ruled by non. Chinese groups These were descendants from the nomadic tribes who had historically raided Northern China (oops, wall? ) The South was ruled by an ethnically Chinese dynasty: the Song (9601279), who continued many of the traditions of older dynasties like the Han The Song at their greatest extent: Please note these borders changed constantly!
Structure The Song used an imperial structure supported by a massive governmental bureaucracy and civil service examination Their governments had six major ministries: 1. personnel 2. finance 3. rites 4. army 5. justice 6. public works Also a Censorate, whose job was to oversee the government and remove corruption Civil Exams had to be passed to join the government, though most positions still went to the privileged, because they were the ones who could afford schooling
Neo-Confucianism Larger numbers of educated people produced a new wave of thinking, including Neo-Confucianism Sought to revive Confucian principles and fold in some Daoist and Buddhist thoughts into society Neo-Confucianism emphasized Filial Piety—the act of near-worship of ancestors and high respect for living elders It also reinforced Confucian ideas of proper relationships, including the treatment of women
Population China had always possessed a high population, but in this time period, the population exploded ~60 million Chinese at the height of the Tang Dynasty in the 800 s, - 1200, there were 120 million A new type of fast-ripening, droughtresistant rice (Champa rice, imported from Vietnam) enabled this population boom As the population skyrocketed, cities grew as well—the Song Dynasty capital of Hangzhou probably had a population of 1, 000 at a time where London might have had 25, 000 residents (neat)
An Economic Superpower China’s intricate canal and road networks enabled production for market consumption instead of local consumption Peasants and craftsmen could produce specialized crops and goods, purchasing basic needs at the market Unfortunately, the government demanded cash taxes instead of kind (i. e. goods to be taken instead of cash, like food or cloth), Peasants had to sell something at market to meet tax needs As a result, China developed an incredible economic system, featuring paper money, credit, promissory notes, and an early central banking system
Industry Before Industrialization Chinese cities possessed large markets, inns for both high- and low-class travelers, acting troupes, and a nearmodern variety of restaurants Iron production skyrocketed to the highest pre-industrial levels anywhere— 32, 000 suits of armor and 16 million iron arrowheads annually 8 -900 CE: Gunpowder developed (oh snap) 1000 CE – China had developed early forms of woodblock and movable-type printing, and the papermaking process needed to complement it Printed instructions on paper. What is it? The oldest known recipe for gunpowder.
Song Dynasty Women Under the Song, males were expected to pursue scholarly goals which melded Daoism with Confucian ideals Women were frequently viewed as distractions to male goals, and they were increasingly depicted as weak and delicate – on purpose Small feet came to be a point of emphasis, leading to the development of foot-binding Small size and small feet became symbols of the “ideal” Chinese woman The limited mobility created by the tiny, broken feet kept women in domestic roles, which Confucians viewed as “proper”
Foot Binding Images (sorry)
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