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AnonymousThe fact that it begins by explaining that the express purpose of the communication is to calm and pacify indicates that the rebel rulers may care more about the people than the imperial dynasty. It isn't an argument, but it seems that it is a good beginning in convincing the residents to accept the new rulers. (Unless you're a skeptic.) The first argument was that the emperor was not humane, and lists several examples of this inhumanity, such as being greedy for taxes and levies and using harsh punishments. The army were allowed to steal, rape, and exploit people. The new rulers would, conversely, be good, humane, and righteous rescuers of the people.
Strategic language in general is used in demonizing the emperor and his army. The specific use of emotionally charged words like 'harsh', 'robbed', 'raped', and 'exploit', to describe the foe, and words like 'good', 'humane', and 'righteous', to describe themselves is strategic in it's attempt to manipulate the emotions of the residents of Huangzhou.
This is a really good, short example that could be used to introduce persuasive writing. A copy could be distributed to each student to highlight the strategic words used to persuade the reader, in a 'close reading' activity, paired with a graphic organizer, listing the positive and negative words found. Ummmmm, one caveat; I would black out the word 'rape' in using this with elementary age students.
AnonymousThe contracts addressed the sale of a house, cattle, or son; the purchase of a concubine, or hiring a worker; forming a business, or mortgaging a house. In the case of purchasing a concubine, one side gives something as a betrothal payment, and the other gives away his daughter for this payment. This contract anticipate further, future extortions for money from the father/family, and that perhaps the girl had already been betrothed to someone else, or she dies or runs away, etc.
Zhang Han is describing a commercial/merchant society, where men are mainly concerned with money and profit, and describes the things they sell, like Jade, silk, pearls, and etcetera. Jiefu pursues a salt business and is highly regarded for knowing his stuff and being able to mediate conflicts. He eventually becomes wealthy, so some people hate him for not being generous enough, or just out of jealousy, and he ends up being investigated and sentenced to labor, where he dies. He also raises another man's child when he buys a concubine who is already pregnant.
I will continue to think on this source as to how it might be used in elementary education. Nothing is coming to mind at the moment, but it's late.
AnonymousThere were two specific problems that the emperor was trying to address: the corruption of high officials and the dishonest activities of the underlings. He first tries to remind them that refraining from evil will bring them glory, good fortune, prosperity, and a name for themselves in heaven and for thousands of years. After that, he states his punishments of the corrupt officials are with death, labor, or flogging with bamboo sticks. He believes that since he can refrain from the evils of music, beautiful girls, and valuable objects, others can, too. And that the evil are not doing one of the four useful occupations, but rather interrupting the work by arresting farmers in their field while they are trying to sow rice. Overall, he believes that exterminating the evil and idle government officials will rid the commoners of oppression, but what he is seeing is more and more evil, greedy people rising up to take their place. He knows that people will only see him as a tyrant or as an incapable ruler, and ends with one last threat of extermination.
My students and I occasionally have discussions about how different it was to live at different times and in different places. This is a fairly short passage that I could read to them and we could discuss morals and ethics, and what incentives we have to try to lead moral and ethical lives. What punishments are fair or not fair? This would be interesting given the large group of boys in my class currently who love to fight. What are the effects of bad behavior in the moment? What could their effects be in the long term? (The emperor talked about his 'reputation.') Once again, it could be paired with persuasive writing.
AnonymousIn order for the subjects to prove that they were loyal sons of their new Manchu emperor father, they had to have the same haircut immediately, and the same clothing, and etc., eventually. The Manchu haircut was shaved down the middle, with the remainder pulled back and braided as it grew. Later, the braids/queues/bianzi were cut off to show the collapse of the Qing in 1911, and some went out and forcefully cut the braids of others in the street.
Do you know of any governments or entities today that force people to have a precise haircut or clothing in order to prove their loyalty? What are they? Where are they? What does it look like? Do you think this truly proves loyalty, or just fear?
AnonymousEmperor Qianlong first tells King George that his respectful humility is highly praiseworthy, but his idea of sending an English national to be part of the Celestial Court cannot happen. All Europeans living in Peking adopt Chinese dress, stay in their precinct, and can never return home, nor can they ever be permitted to correspond with their own country, so there would be nothing to gain. He later says that England is a bad and evil example, and that his lonely, remote island needs Chinese goods, but China has everything it needs and doesn't need anything from England, so don't ask for an island, and if you show up with your ships, they will be expelled. He calls the English barbarians, and also says that he Chinese have no need for heterodox religious doctrines. He tells King George to 'tremblingly obey' him, and leave things as they are.
We could use this letter with a T-chart: What does England want? What does Emperor Qianlong say to that? Or write a short play, with dialogue between the English ambassador and the Emperor.
AnonymousTenant servants promised to keep their family cemetery within nine paces on their land, escort the master's children to school, clean during festivals, keep watch over the master's cemetery, cultivate the land, and etc. These promises and duties were written out in family contracts.
AnonymousMagistrate Lan suspected that Chen Agong had REsold his daughter in marriage to someone else, and was faking that she had disappeared, but he could not get him to own to it. So he pretended to send someone to the temple to inquire of the spirit of the King of the Three Mountains, and that he had told him that Chen had sold his daughter to someone else to get more money. Chen believed him, and begged for forgiveness. He ordered Chen to buy his daughter back and give her back to her husband...long story.
Lan basically just pushed in to the house and arrested the 'Divine Lady', believing her and her cohorts to be fake, and THEN went through the rooms and found the evidence proving that they were just pretending to be able to speak with the spirits of dead husbands, and etc.
I don't know that I would share these stories with my students. A little socially complicated for young kids.
AnonymousAncestor worship is an important part of Chinese society, which is why the place of burial of an ancestor is listed in the genealogy/biography and considered important. The purity of the blood line and the family name are also considered very important, otherwise, as it was said, what would be the point of recording a genealogy? Women were not included in the genealogy if they died before being betrothed or married. Legal wives are mentioned, but concubines are only mentioned if they had children. If an ancestor held an office, then they were listed as 'passed away.' If they were just common people, then they were listed as 'are no longer.' Basically, the main purpose of a Chinese genealogy is that it is designed to pass on the true lines of descent as well as to eliminate its false seeds.
AnonymousI don't know of many other rulers or countries that force specific hair styles on their people but I think we can compare it to how women are forced to dress a certain way in many countries and many religions. Or we can even compare it to how Christians in the California missions took in "lost" Indigenous American boys and girls and gave them "proper" hair cuts and clothes. again, we can ask if this was to control them with forced loyalty or fear? I think at some point, these rulers, countries, or religious want people to comply, at any cost.
AnonymousLast night's session was so compacted and insightful. I was stuck by the discussion on Marco Polo and his travels to China. Interestingly enough, that same day my students began state testing and one of the passages in their test was titled "Marco Polo: Past and Present" and after the exam, my students asked several times if we would study Marco Polo's journeys. Then when you brought up the possibility/argument that Marco Polo might have never traveled to China, I thought to myself, what "truth" would I teach my students? This is one I struggle very often, as I have to follow my school's curriculum but at the same time, I desire to teach my students the entire view on different cultures, civilizations, and people as a whole. I guess this is the dilemma of a teacher.
AnonymousFrom the state adopted social studies textbooks, the story of history is often from the western-eurocentric perspective. This is one of the main reasons why I enrolled in the institute to learn more and offer multiple perspectives to students. Therefore, I want to thank Mr. Dube and Catherine again for an awesome experience. The enrich knowledge and resources will benefit much in the classroom and beyond. I am not seeking salary points, nor credits... but I have turned in the mini unit on the Cultural Revolution and took some pictures of the hook activity and posted them with the help of Catherine in the forum. In retrospect, we would have a different experience in class had I not attended the Saturday session earlier.
As far as this week's readings, Lan Dingyuan's Casebook is most enjoyable to read. As far as the information, I would introduce the contributions and the dominance of trade during the Ming Dynasty before reading about the Opium Wars with 10th graders and Open Door Policy with 11th graders. Have a restful week.
AnonymousI teach the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and one of the topics for teachers to choose from is the Industrial Revolution. I am teaching that at the moment and it was so great to be able to use the chart that was presented in the lecture in my class. I did not know that manufacturing output chart existed and in my course we have to be able to compare two regions of the world and explain how they were impacted by the Industrial Revolution and why. That chart is a great tool to show how the world has changed in regards to manufacturing over time and I am very glad that I was shown that tool to use in my class.
AnonymousGrowing up and educated in China, I had never doubt about Marco Polo's visit to China. But after this class, I had a new view of the history that I was taught. In this class, the professor stated some evidences to proof that Marco Polo might never visited China, such as: His travelogue leaves out the Great Wall of China, the women's biding feet, the using of chopsticks, the the Chinese tea drinking.
edited by jshen on 7/15/2017
AnonymousI absolutely enjoyed this reading. It was like watching a movie in my head. Great imagery! I would have to do a close read with my students for them to grasp the overall main idea of this text. I would do a second read with a story map to break down the text for their understanding of the plot and resolution. After, breaking down this text, I would ask students to write a letter to the father, Chen Agong proposing an alternative to lying to the magistrate about his daughter all over money. This story would be used as a creative writing assignment for my 6th grade students. It would reinforce their skills with letter writing and breaking down a text.
AnonymousI believe this text is too advance for my 5th and 6th grade students. It makes me uncomfortable to discuss topics such as "actual war" and killing with my students. Some emotions can arise in them that I might not be able to settle. I would personally avoid this text with them. However, this story was very detailed in describing the events that took place during the war. I found it funny that the commandant was described in the story as having more concern for his brother than his wife. Maybe because I am reading from a woman's perspective.