I didn't know....

[Anonymous]

After paging through the "Islamic Civilization and the Arts" curriculum unit given to us at the Saturday seminar held a couple of weeks ago, I must say this teacher's guide is impressive. Readings, graphic organizers, tranparency reproducables and essay questions, make for a complete unit. I cannot wait to use it.

Frank 😀

[Anonymous]

Frank,

I'm in total agreeement with your assessment of the resources we got during the Islam conference. It is an excellent educational tool to help our students become more familiar with little known historical and geographical facts behind one of the most impressive civilizations in the world.

Arnold

[Anonymous]

"the Two Faces of China's Leadership" by Mark Magnier, is the title of today's (6/2/05) L.A. Times story on President Hu and Premier Wen. It is interesting to read about how aggressive the Chinese propaganda machine is. The Chinese government is applying cybercops to crack down on unauthorized Internet use. They are arresting journalist who pass on insider secrets. This is interesting because we have discussed in class the booming economy in China. I was thinking this would make for a better society in China. However, the article claims a growing social crises in China?

Frank

[Anonymous]

You are right Clay, Teachers do tend to be Confucionists and legalist--because the students have a monopoly on Doaism!

Frank 😀 [Edit by="fwiley on Jun 4, 8:30:29 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

The good thing about teaching foot binding is that students will be captivated by the pictures and procedure on how to rap/shrink the feet. This is a great way to promote reading in the classroom by providing a couple of pages of primary litarature on the experience. This should sustain their attention for further instruction on less interesting topics such as economics or political aspects of the lesson.

Frank [Edit by="fwiley on Jun 6, 9:13:31 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

Why did the Chinese authorities allow Wang Dan to forgo his prison sentence and leave for the U.S. in 1998?

Frank 😐

[clay dube]

Wang Dan visited UCLA not long after his release from his second prison sentence. He was released in part because of improving relations with the US/Clinton administration and in part because the Chinese sought to advance those relations still further:

photos/report on the talk
http://www.isop.ucla.edu/eas/wang-dan.htm

Clinton visited China a few months later
http://www.isop.ucla.edu/eas/web/clinton.htm

[Anonymous]

I teach 7th grade literature, and my students found "foot binding" in one of our stories to be a cruel and unbelievable act. They also wouldn't believe that such a thing was possible. I think using the pictures would definitely get their attention and trigger more interest in learning about other aspects of the Chinese culture, and some of its particulars have changed in the last 200 years.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Clay for the info. It is ironic to me, Wang Dan will soon be graduating from Harvard University--How many world leaders has that school turned out over the years? Now Mr. Dan has to wait for his opportunity--should fate allow it. It is rather exciting when you consider the possiblities.

Frank

P.S. If he should visit UCLA again, be sure to let me know![Edit by="fwiley on Jun 8, 9:54:15 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

Foot binding sure draws it's attention, but just watch some of the cable channels where women are more then willing to have the fat sucked out of them, their noses busted and reset, bones under the eyebrows shaved off, and of course the plastic enhancements--you name where! We really should be teaching some sort of juxtaposition of how different cultures are willing to endure pain for the sake of "beauty."

Frank

[Anonymous]

I didn't know that we wouldn't get the piece regrding women in Asia. This was the portion of the class that honestly I was the most intersted in and looked forward to. I've taken classes on women's studies in Tucson, AZ before and it is just interesting to see how far a group of people have come in society. I've done my own research regarding Chinese feet binding, but I'm sure there is a lot more about the study of Asian women than this small detail. I found it interesting that women in Japan blackened their teeth to be more attractive. I would have liked to know more about female warriors in Japanese history. But I suppose this shortage of knowledge will just lead me to perform my own research regarding women in Asia.

[Anonymous]

I was just reading over this piece again, an intersting topic, that is, validating commonly held beliefs or rather, questioning them.

What do I mean by this?

Well, I have been doing some research on the history and origins of chess.

The standard history that is commonly "known" and maintained is that it developed in the sixth century in Northern India and from there it spread, evolving along the way, to China, Persia and ultimately to Western Europe as well as the rest of Asia.
How is this known?

First, there are several references to the Indian version in several 6th century Sanscrit documents. Positive proof that itexisted there at that time, but nothing of the origin.

Second, marco Polo said nothing of seeing Chess in China. He also didn't mention tea, as I recall.

Third, several late 19th century English scholars said so. Despite their not reading or making any references to several Chinese documents ranging back to about 500 B.C. refering to what may be the ancestor of th modern Chinese Chess (which shares enough in common with Western Chess to obviously have the same origin).

Yet, whenever this Chinese origin is brought up, many Chess Scholars immediately refute it, refering blindly back to the afore mentiond 19th century English scholars.

It may be nice to believe what we have been always told is true, but should we?

Food for thought.

David Dandridge

[Anonymous]

I drove to the Veterans hospital on Wilshire Blvd. Thursday morning to visit the Japanese garden. The sign said Japanese Garden but the gate to the site was closed so I could not visit the garden. Is the garden seasonal? Is there a number to call to get info?

Frank

[Anonymous]

I guess I didn't know the whole passionate history of Asia wanting to become more industrialized and modernized like the USA. God, why does every other country want to be like the United States?? Like we are some great role model?? I don't get it!

[Anonymous]

I recently visited the Japanese gardens in Portland, Oregon. They are so beautiful and would recommend if anyone happens to visit Portland, to make it a point to stop off in the gardens. They are near the Portland Rose Gardens and are well worth the trip. I am planning on visiting the Japanese gardens around LA as well

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