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Home › Forums › Core Seminars › East Asia Origins to 1800, Spring 2022 › session 3 (4/18) - review + song and yuan dynasties
Ying Yu.
stubingSong and Yuan
For this session, let's catch up a bit. Please look back at the Qin through Tang lecture and readings (221 bce-907 ce). Then, please look at our readings here for the Song through the Yuan dynasties (960-1368). Much of what we describe as "the late empire" begins to take shape during the Song period (neo-Confucianism, civil service exams). The Yuan period was one of Mongol rule, not the first time for nomads to conquer large parts of what we call China, but it represented an extended period and the Mongols, of course, took control of much of the Eurasian land mass during this period.
Texts and Images:
De Bary, et al, Sources of Chinese Tradition, The new laws of Wang Anshi (skim this)
AFE, Wang Anshi's crop loans (this is a lesson created from one of the readings included in the Wang Anshi section)
(In 1972, Mao Zedong quoted Wang Anshi during a meeting with Japanese prime minister TANAKA Kakuei:
Chairman Mao: I also used three sayings of Song dynasty [statesman] Wang Anshi to rebut my teacher. He said: “There is no need to fear astronomical events [omens]. One should not stubbornly cling on to the rules of ancestors. There is no need to worry about the opinions of others.” There were plenty of people criticizing him at the time.
Ebrey, Zhu Xi Disciples (the teachings of Zhu Xi and others of the era get labelled as neo-Confucian by later scholars who want to distinquish them from those of the early Confucians)
Ebrey, Attractions of the Capital (a description of the capital of Hangzhou, during Southern Song dynasty)
AFE, Marco Polo in Cathay
Please look at these five objects. What do they suggest about the Yuan dynasty and Mongol rule?
1. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/39624?pos=2
2. "Southern Song" style painting from the early Yuan dyansty: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/40086?pos=1
3. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/72769?pos=2
4. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/40303?pos=1
5. (about other areas ruled by the Mongols) https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/449000?pos=1
Optional:
Metropolitan Museum, Art in the Yuan https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/The_World_of_Khubilai_Khan_Chinese_Art_in_the_Yuan_Dynasty
Please look at some of the objects in the collection. You may wish to download (for free), the full catalog. Sun's chapter (pages 41-64 and available below) introduces the the Mongol capital.
Another excellent exhibition and catalog is at: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/The_Legacy_of_Genghis_Khan_Courtly_Art_and_Culture_in_Western_Asia_1256_1353
Optional:
Resource guide for teachers from LA County Museum of Art version of the Met exhibition above.
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/12213627/the-legacy-of-genghis-khan-los-angeles-county-museum-of-art
Optional:
Please examine the Japanese scrolls documenting Mongol-era efforts to invade Japan, this website shows how representations changed from the 13th to the 21st centuries. The site is a bit confusing, click on a century and then use the left arrow to see the scroll fragments.
http://digital.princeton.edu/annotatedscrolls/
clay dubeAn expression dating from the Song dynasty helped a U.S.-based lawyer describe his experiences trying to visit family in China.
https://supchina.com/2022/04/15/its-like-another-world-phrase-of-the-week/
When he first landed in Guangzhou on January 1, Xue noted:
It felt like another world, like I had arrived on a different planet. Something felt wrong.
当时感觉恍如隔世，好像自己来到了另外一个世界，预感不妙。
Dāngshí gǎnjué huǎngrúgéshì, hǎo xiàng zìjǐ lái dàole lìngwài yī gè shìjiè, yùgǎn bù miào.
Shortly after that, he tested positive for COVID, which was the beginning of a series of stints in quarantine hotels in Guangzhou and Shanghai. Xue eventually left the country exactly three months later on April 1, without ever having visited his family.
Molly Cowan-JohnsonI think that some of these artifacts show that the Mongols recognized the traditions of the places they conquer and the innovations they can take advantage of like the preservation of the Rice cultivation artwork. If you think about it, of course they would embrace technology and systems already set up. The Mongols were a nomadic people who aren’t adept in farming so why would they want to change anything when they take over? The Ottomans are a good comparison, another nomadic people expect far less tolerant of religious and cultural differences…. For their far-flung empire, the Mongols were malleable in their approach for the areas they take over once they take it over. In my AP World history class, we look at how the Mongols shape and are shaped but the people they take over like in some of the Middle Eastern areas they take over where they kind of assimilate into the population.
I have questions about the last one, the Chess game. The description says the Iranians are dressed in Mongol costume, why? Are they some of the Mongol Khans in the Middle East? Are they people like Timur or Babur who claimed descent from the Mongols? Or is just a way to be identified on the same level of the Mongols? Or is it the artist trying to liken them to the Mongols?
Jennifer MarquezReflecting on the Excerpts from the book of Ser Marco Polo and the lecture, I think that it is very fascinating to hear someone’s take on the fact that none of these adventures most likely never actually happened. I am of course very familiar with who Marco Polo was, and have seen movies and television shows based off of this individual. But it makes perfect sense that he probably never experienced some of these stories himself, or even went to China at all. The Mongol Empire really helped open up China to trade and different cultures, and it is very likely that there were many European merchants that traveled to and through China and shared their stories with other Europeans. Also around that time Christians also traveled the Silk Road to try to spread Christianity to the East. This definitely has me questioning other written stories and histories that we consider legend and those that we consider fact.
Hannah KleinI clicked through on the link you shared here and found this website fascinating. What a great resource! The phrase of the week feature could be used for thinking, writing, or prompts for a wide variety of ages! A small way to connect students to Chinese language, history, and culture. https://supchina.com/?s=phrase+of+the+week
Hannah KleinI'm not sure if we discussed this during the course, but I'm wondering when the story of Mulan is supposed to take place, and if it is based on any actual historical events or literature from the period. These interactions with Mongolian invaders has me thinking about these extremely popular movies!
Ying YuThe Yuan dynasty is a short dynasty in Chinese history, but it has a powerful impact on China. It leads the Ming dynasty to build Ming Great Wall. Most Chinese people don't like the Yuan dynasty. We hold a negative attitude toward Yuan Dynasty. Yuan dynasty had strong discrimination against Chinese people, especially those people who were from the South Song area. There were many restrictions on Han people. For example, didn't allow them to participate in government. Qing dynasty learned the history of Yuan, so they higher Han people's status to consolidate the government's rule.
The mongol woman rided a house also reminds me of a video called:Puujee, a little strong girl who was living in Mongolia, but finally died. A miserable short life. I would show this video to my students to show how hard the mongol girl was.
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1xs411z7qK/
Ying YuRecently, there is a very attractive drama:A Dream of Splendor (梦华录) 2022 ‧ Romance. The drama reflected somehow the bustling of Song dynasty. Maybe teengages will like the drama.
The economy in Song dynasty was fantastic. They exported many products to other countries. I like this dynasty not only because the economy, but also about literature. Song poems are so famous and romatic. I will teach my students Song poems for their language learning.
Ying YuMarco Polo was so famous and I would like to find some films about him.
Ying YuThanks for sharing!