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Ebrey, Patricia Buckley, and Kwang-Ching Liu. The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge University Press, 2010. Links to an external site.PP.75-80,112,145-150

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Ebrey, Patricia Buckley, and Kwang-Ching Liu. The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. Cambridge University Press, 2010. Links to an external site.PP.75-80,112,145-150

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Page Number----
*PP.75-80 Han Dynasty
*PP.112 Tang Dynasty
*PP.145-150 Song Dynasty
(!!Please read PP.75-80 + PP.112 OR PP.112 + PP.145-150!!)

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1. Read the instructed pages from the history text book, make notes to yourself.

2. Post on Padlet at least three inquiry questions in the format : “I read about, I wonder……”; the 3 questions should be cover the 3 types of questions (“google-able question; discussable question and researchable question”)

3. Answer or comment on at least 3 questions.

* Submit your questions and answers on Padlet of your class section (make sure your names are on your post); also copy-paste your content for Canvas In-text Submission*

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In my readings, I learned that Gaozu employed scholars to formulate court rituals, not only to elevate himself from his peers but also to maintain order and decorum in the court. How did ambition and the pursuit of power shape ancient Chinese society?

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I read about taxation in Han China and I wonder why there was a widespread suspicion of commerce. (Google-Able)
-Augustin

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I read about the civil service exams and Confucianism's impact on the exam, and I am wondering what the main topics of the written civil service exam were.

-Ana

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How does the solitary lifestyle appeal to young vs older people?

Who was Wang Wei?

What was his role in society previous to embracing the solitary lifestyle?

What is it about simplicity that warrants social respect from organized civilization?

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I read about the Han Dynasty and was wondering How advanced was agriculture during this period.
-Max

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I read about confucianism in the Han Dynasty and I wonder whether it was good or bad to have a heavy emphasis on confucianism as part of the process of becoming government officials. (Discuss-able)
-Augustin

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How did the Tang dynasty influence the spread of confuscist thought?

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Why do you think Confucianism gained the popularity it did in the first place?

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What sparked the transition from using mainly wood to build structures, to using sturdier materials such as metals?

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Google-able: After reading about the system of elitism during the Song dynasty in which the more prominent families retained all of the wealth and fame within the region, I wonder how many notable historical figures during their reign came from elite families? How many didn't?

Researchable: I read about how the Tang dynasty used civil service exams to differentiate between 'elite' families and the commoners. How similar in design and intention are they to standardized testing in the US and abroad (i.e; the SAT)? I know standardized tests were originally meant as a way to help the 'elite' in our society, so there's a possible correlation.

Discussable: During the Han dynasty, I read that Confucianism (specifically Han Confucianism) was often tied to political success of scholars, and that most if not all politicians at the time subscribed to the ideology. Is it healthy to have a governmental body that only subscribes to one philosophy, regardless of how correct that philosophy is?

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I read about Confucianism in the Tang Dynasty and I wonder what Confucian values are.

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I wonder what may have happened in history that made the Song Dynasty emperors so concerned about military men gaining power over the government.

-Ana

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What long-term effects did the establishment of the civil service exam have? (research-able)
-Augustin

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Googleable Q:
I read about how Confucianism continued to evolve through a synthesis of ideas, who were some of the scholars who can be credited with the political success of Confucianism (by developing and modernizing it to their respective time period)?

Discussable Q:
I wonder if a leader that rules through "non-action" and distancing themself from everyday affairs is a way to truly maintain a respected and well-regarded status? Is there a better way or is this the best?

Researchable Q:
I read about the idea of "true Confucians," why did the Sui believe a written exam about classics and literary abilities proved these people as the 'best' Confucians out there as opposed to any other method?

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I wonder if the choice to create the scholar-official class through the qualification of the test is the best way to establish the class of people who are fit to lead the government and have influence. Could there have been a better method?

-Ana

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I read about the Han Dynasty and I wonder how important specific customs were in society and whether some  were positive or negative.

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When did the Han government establish monopolies in the production of iron, salt, and liquor?

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Researchable Question:
- Is there any evidence from the land that shows that while a ruler in power did not fulfill his role properly, natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods would occur?
Googleable Question:
- What were all the types of taxes the Han government collected in 119 BC?
Discussable Question:
- I noticed that Wudi preferred Confucianism philosophy over other philosophies -> what other philosophies do you think would have accomplished his goal of having "self-restraint, concern for others, love of ritual, and loyalty to superiors." (page 77)

(75-80)

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I read about the Han Dynasty, what were the major achievements and challenges faced by the Han emperors in maintaining centralized control in the government?

How did Confucianism and Daoism influence the achievements of the Han Dynasty?

What were the specific methods and institutions Emperor Wudi established to promote confucianism in education and training officials?

-Matea

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Researchable Question: On pages 77-78, I read about how during the Han Dynasty there were two ways of becoming a government official: "Officials could nominate their sons or other close relatives for government posts," or you could indulge in "Confucian learning." During this time it is obvious that there is both a stress on generational power and a new rise of importance to Confucius ideals. This makes me wonder how  this system influenced the governance and dynamics of the Han Dynasty society, and did it contribute to the preservation and propagation of Confucian ideals within the government?  How were people who believed in other philosophies like Taoism treated in government?

Google-able Question: I read about how Confucian scholars in the Han Dynasty devoted effort to reconstructing the books that had been destroyed by the Qin government and reviving the traditions of interpretation associated with them. This involved regarding a handful of recovered books as classics and studying them. Two sets of texts, the 'new texts' and the 'old texts,' gained popularity, each with its unique origin. Two prominent Confucian scholars of the Later Han period, Ma Rong and Zheng Xuan, merged these traditions, although debates about which texts truly contained the wisdom of the ancients persisted for centuries. This made me wonder: What were the key distinctions between the "new texts" and the "old texts'" of the Confucian classics during the Han Dynasty, and what did scholars like Ma Rong and Zheng Xuan write about that contributed to the combination of these traditions, leading to ongoing disputes about the authenticity of these texts?

Discussable Question: I read about how imperial control over provincial administration was a significant concern during the Northern and Southern dynasties, with local elite families often having privileges in staffing prefectures. The Sui Dynasty introduced various policies to reassert central control and limit the influence of these local families, including reducing the number of prefectures and introducing written examinations for candidates. This makes me wonder: How effective were the Sui Dynasty's policies in limiting the power of locally entrenched families and strengthening imperial authority? Additionally, how did the introduction of written examinations to identify true Confucians impact the quality of government officials and their loyalty to the ruler and the people? In a broader context, this connection to today's exams raises the question of how historical practices, such as the use of written examinations to select officials based on their knowledge and values, may have influenced modern examination systems. How do these ancient strategies for assessing individuals' abilities and qualifications compare to the exams we experience today, both in terms of their purpose and their impact on governance and society?

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Researchable: What caused the shift from Legalism to Confucianism during the change from Qin to Han dynasty? What were the conditions during the change is power to cause the change in ideology?

Google-able: Did all the emperors and scholars during the Han dynasty follow Confucianism? Was there stigma towards those who believed in other ideologies?

Discussion: Is bureaucracy more effective when there are critics of it in influential positions (like during the Han Dynasty), or when the people in power are loyal to the ideas of the ruler?

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When did Confucianism reach it's height of popularity? (Googleable)

What about Confucianism made it the most successful school of philosophy in China? There were certainly many others at this time. (Discussable)

To what extent did China's geography influence the spread of philosophy? Did it spread faster to Japan than it did to the more mountainous regions of China? (Researchable)

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After learning that scholars played a pivotal role in advancing Confucianism, I'm curious as to how Confucianism evolved to become the predominant political philosophy?

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After discovering that the majority of ancient Chinese infrastructure was constructed from wood, given the availability of other resources, why did they predominantly opt for wood to be used for construction?

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I read about the creation of a Confucian society during the Han dynasty. I am fascinated by the ways in which scholars tried to apply confucianism to different aspects of life. The author writes: "Han Confucians sought ways to comprehend the world around them as a self-generating and self-sustaining organism governed by cyclical yet never replicating flows of yin and yang and the five phases". This interests me because while often thought about as opposites, the Han officials attempted to bind taoist and Confucian principles to garner broad appeal.

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Googleable:

I read on page 148 of the text how many scholar-official elites had "remarkable intellectual breadth" and many were considered esteemed artists (connection to Wang Wei); was artistry a lucrative industry at this time period (during Song Dynasty)? Was it lucrative to non-scholar elites?

Researchable:

On page 146 of the text I read how many citizens strived to succeed in the civil service exams in order to achieve a "policy-making post at a court". What about this position was distinguishable and what made it such a sought-after position?

Discussable:

I read about how during the Song Dynasty the elite class became "both broader and more schooled than any of its predecessors" (145), through the use of competitive literary examinations. In what ways is this system similar to the academic system we use in present day?

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Throughout the rule of Wudi, it was made clear that all government officials should conduct themselves through Confucianist values: "His successors maintained these policies and by the first century BC, it
became widely accepted that officials should be men trained in the Confucian classics and respected for their character." I am wondering whether this ended up actually creating order for during the Han dynasty period? Or whether imposing order actually did the opposite?

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Google-able question: In my reading the text stated that there was a transition from Legalism, which was supported by the Qin, to Confucianism, which was supported by the Han. I was wondering why this shift occurred, what made Legalism less popular than Confucianism?
Discussion-able question: In my reading, meritocracy in the Han Dynasty was mentioned and I was wondering whether there is a difference between how China views meritocracy versus how the West views it?
Researchable question: In my reading, I noticed that Confucianism was one of the reasons why the Han Dynasty prospered. How has this ideology affected other nations beyond China? How is this ideology utilized today?

- Lauren

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Partisan politics is common in the US today. Bureaucracy is also common. On page 80, Confucianist politicians are described as: "Committed to a principled loyalty, they retained their stance as critics of government and resisted automatic compliance with the policies of their superiors, even the ruler." What can we take away from Confucianist philosophy and use in our modern society? How are the principles of our politicians different today?

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The author states: "Officials could nominate their sons or other close relatives for government posts, but a man did not have to come from an official family to enter the civil service." This implies social mobility in Han dynasty china was present. However, it is also true that you needed to understand Confucianism in order to attain government positions. Did the expectation of this Confucianist education lessen social mobility? How hard was it to get a government position in Han dynasty China?

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I read about what values those who followed Confucianism followed, such as self-restraint, concern for others, love of ritual, devotion to principle, and loyalty to superiors. I also read about the rise of Confucianism in the Han dynasty due to Wudi’s belief that employing Confucianists is ideal. I wonder if the society was genuinely more peaceful in Confucianist times according to crime rates and other statistics.

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I read about the unquestioned faith Confucianists have in their leader. In a Confucianist society, what were the ruler’s duties in terms of linking the realms of heaven, earth, and humanity, and how is it proved that they're doing their job?

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I read about how the Sui and Tang dynasties in ancient China strengthened imperial power. This was done through the introduction of civil service examinations, which helped identify an elite within the bureaucracy and provided opportunities to various people. What were the key factors that contributed to the effectiveness of the civil service examination system in strengthening imperial power during the Sui and Tang dynasties in ancient China?