[Percy Ortiz]

The seminar led by Professor Clay Dube, covered two thousand years of East Asian history. The overview of this geographic region included art, religion, the environment, and societal changes that developed within this time frame. The readings included recently found documents in the Dunhuang caves, overviews of Japanese history, and contemporary western interpretations of Chinese history. My understanding of life during the Han and Tang Dynasties, where contracts were made and penal codes were strict, deepened. I also gained a better perspective on the development of public education, and its availability to common people. Although the dominating culture was Confucian and Buddhist, signs of diversity were present throughout the readings, where one could see different combinations and variations of those schools of thought according to place and location.

The forum allowed me to reengage in the topic of East Asia in a manner where I was able gain more knowledge of this vast region through sharing ideas and thoughts on the online forum. The lectures that the professors gave provided unique point of views that I might have overlooked. Dr. Ye reinforced the value of teaching history in conjunction with the arts by including poetry, paintings, and fiction into one’s curriculum, as the author in the Tale of Genji states, “fiction and prose fill the gaps that history leaves out.” Dr. Cheng also provided a template on how to engage students, using questions and visual aids to develop independent inquiry while complementing discussion and writing.

Reading other teacher reflections allowed me to glean different strategies and to consider different points of views, like having a debate in the classroom on different Chinese schools of philosophy. Another idea that was garnered included various perspectives on the Mongols. Also, having students experience food culture through tasting noodles or the development of different snacks reminded me that history is alive. Finally, looking at how people interacted and continue to engage with their environment today can allow students to develop their own explanations on why the Great Wall was built or how castles evolved over time in Japan to meet societal needs.

My take away from the seminar was that every place has a past, but history will always be fluid and up to interpretation, which makes it a fascinating yet combative subject in the sphere of education. Nonetheless, if we can foster in children a macro and micro understanding of how history changes we might have more people that are interested in learning about other cultures and histories, and this seminar made it clear that to teach I must keep learning, and Dr. Dube and Ms. Gao showed us that to learn to is enrich those you teach.

[Percy Ortiz]

I agree with most of what you say Ronald. It’s easy to point the finger at someone, when there are three points back at us. What I gained from Mrs. Hornby's presentation is that environmental degradation is not just a Chinese issue, though it is easy to show case major cases, but more of a world-wide problem. Think of the schools I've visited and their locations are surprising. Even the school where I work is surrounded by major sweatshops, and there is a freeway a block away. Not only that, for year Los Angeles was an oil producing region and there are still several low key wells, as well as sites that are no longer being used, but might pose health dangers. The school that comes to mind is the Edward R. Roybal Learning Center. As this school was being built it was discovered that soil contamination was high so the project needed to be halted, although a few years later it was finally built. Nonetheless, I think that learning about China's woes is a good introduction to Chinese History, but also from a science point of view it can supplement other areas that students can study and learn from.

[Percy Ortiz]

You bring up an interesting point on how the Mongols were perceived by the Chinese and other regions of the world. I recall being told of the Mongols during my college years and imagining pyramids of skulls to send a message to all potential enemies. Maybe it was just a story, but it did feed into that stereotype. Later on in college when I took courses on Central Asia and China, of course, I learned that Mongols and the nomadic peoples of the north were quite sophisticated. Bringing up the point on how the Mongols were perceived by the Chinese, people in the Middle East and Europe would be a topic that would be fun to explore with the students. I would also highlight the fact the role they played in the transmission of diseases, technology and trade. I like to show my students the film Mongol, so that they can get an idea of the type of life style the Mongol people might have had. Although, I have yet to do this, there is a book, Warriors of the Steppe by Erik Hildinger, that talks about how the weapons that Mongols used took time and effort, and a lot of the materials came from their environment and the animals that they raised. If I recall, their bow and arrows were quite sophisticated in the manner it was built, using the harsh conditions and climates to their advantage creating weapons that were easy to transport but still deadly. This could also lead into how they used silk under their armor for protection. Anyhow, great idea to build on and will definitively will touch on in the fall later this year.

[Percy Ortiz]

This sounds like a great idea to implement in the classroom. Having students create visual representations of what they read is a great way for them to remember and learn the basics. Having them create their own comics would also take it to the next level in terms of understanding because they are reinterpreting what they read and adding text. This sounds like a lesson that students would greatly enjoy. It would be a nice way to get students to talk amongst themselves about Chinese philosophy, but also to present to the rest of the class their own understanding of their specific school of thought. This brings to mind the time I did a long term sub stint in 7th grade. I recall asking my students if Confucius might have believed in equal rights, and some of my female students were quick to raise their hand and explain why it wasn't and how it positioned women. Really great idea.

[Percy Ortiz]

That sounds like a cool idea. I would add that by incorporating parts of the audio version you can change it up a bit and allow students that are auditory learners to benefit from the activity, of course this is just to augment what every reading they are already having. Geography could also be incorporated into the lesson.

[Percy Ortiz]

After having sat through two lectures on Japan from Prof. Yamashita I began to wonder what the significance of rice in Japan actually was. Although the article mentioned the gradual decrease of rice consumption and rice based products being made in Japan a fact or point that the article did not mention, but the professor highlighted, was the fact that only after World War Two did everyone in Japan eat rice. So, with that in mind, could it have been that although rice has been a part of the culture in Japan for many years and possibly centuries, has the aura of rice and the way the article perceives Japanese culture and consumption a bit flawed? Could it be that the concerns that the article was highlighting is in reality a return to a more diverse diet in Japan? After Dr. Yamashita's seminar I wondered how and why were all Japanese eating rice? Was it a product that was being grown and imported into Japan or was it being produced in Japan? What were the reasons for Japan's high consumption of rice during that time? Could it be that today's trend of having diverse grains is like a return to the old ways? 

[Percy Ortiz]

Dr. Yamashita provided many details and insights in the development of Japanese culture from the 1100s all the way to the 1600s. The development of the bakufu, tent or garrison government, as opposed to a government that had an emperor was interesting to learn about. Another development of the time was the regionalism that existed within the Daimyos and how the country side kept most of its money or goods. Another are that was highlighted by Dr. Yamashita and one I'd like to spend some time on when I teach Japanese history to 7th graders is the evolution of the castle system and its changing purposes during this time in Japan. The establishment of the Tokugawa Order was also fascinating being that it was in the Battle of Sekigahara were guns are used and allows those with using them to establish authority over the rest of the Daimyos.

The manner in which Dr. Yamashita explained how the Tokugawa order permeated every part of Japanese society was a bit confusing and at times a lot to intake, but I believe that what he said was that the Tokugawa constantly told society, and this was done through rituals, how to be despite living in a hierarchical system where status was static and hereditary, meaning that despite going to a brothel, there too there were levels and distinctions made to the point that they too had a "Great Ship Procession" just as the Tokugawa had. Prof. Yamashita finally topped off his lecture with a rundown of the different foods that developed during the Tokugawa period being, soba noodles, tempura food and sushi, which represented a society that was more and more in tune with its climate, urban populations, and its interconnecting links of trade and commerce to other urban centers.

A topic that I would focus on with my middle school students would be on the development of castles. I really like the idea of posing a series of questions to students of the usefulness of having a castle, and then moving on to questions that deal with geography. For example, where would it be good to build a castle and why? I think that the development of castles can be a great was for students to also learn about Japanese mountainous geography and what would be the pros and cons of building fortifications in the mountains or in the flat lands. Another aspect of this could show case not only the evolution of castle fortifications, but also the use of weapons and how evolving weapons could have caused a change in fortifications. In addition, building on geography and warfare, the focus on foreign invasions, and trade could also be included in the development of castles. 

[Percy Ortiz]

Lu Xun left behind two pieces of literature that offer insights into the importance of community within China, but also outside of it. He also has a recurring theme, the metaphor eating humans. This short reflection will talk about A Madman's Diary and New Year's Sacrifice. In both stories we have characters that have been in a way shunned by society. One is being kept in the house and being taken care of by his family, while the other character is female and has suffered various tragedies in her life. Both struggle with their present moment though the narrator of A Madman's Diary is able to keep a record of his thoughts, and as readers we are only able to see a glimpse of those records, since it has already gone through a process of censorship. Xing Lin's wife on the other hand is by all accounts illiterate, and was once married. She lived up in the "mountains" which might very well have been some of the most remote parts of rural China.

Both of them are trying to engage others and make sense of their world, nonetheless it appears that the narrator in the A Madman's Diary recuperates and manages move out of his home. On the other hand, Xing Lin's wife, and that is how she is referred to throughout the story, cause she is unimportant, seems to go deeper and deeper into a reality that is both tragic and unfortunate, but a mirror reflection of what it meant to be a part of community within peasants and within educated families. She is essentially a person without culture, and to make matters worse, a woman. 

In the A Madman's Diary the narrator begins to conclude that people are out to get him, the way people see him is strange, and he feels like those around him are plotting against him. They are not even trying to cause him damage directly, but he suspects that indirectly they want him to put himself in a position where he kills himself or somehow something happens to him. Of course all that is within his head/mind, but it is interesting to see how, every time there is eye contact with people within his family home or outside as he goes for a walk, people quickly look away. This repeating theme of the eyes seems to be of importance to the writer, who I suspect is trying to critique the society he lives in, which at that time, in early 20th century China was highly structured. I suppose that servants were not allowed to make direct eye contact with their superiors and so on. Yet when there was a madman amongst them, people dared look, but quickly turned away once eye contact was made. 

In addition to the recurring theme of eyes, in the A Madman's Diary, there is a story going around that in the town known as Wolf Cub Village a person is murdered and the killer ends up eating their heart and liver. One gets the impression that there is a section of society that can be regarded as unhuman, which lacks traits of humanness, and acts more like an animal, allowing it to be eaten or to eat others. In many ways this eating of man can in many ways be the envelopment of people into a belief system that dehumanizes them or where they dehumanize others. Dehumanization may be a process of calling others names, reinforcing norms that separate people or in this case, where the older brother of the narrator refuses to lower the rent of a family struggling to make ends meet, in a way lacking compassion towards others. Thus, this unwillingness to lower the rents has brought about the hateful looks and stares of his community. Yet, it’s the brother he is fanning the flames of gossip in regards to the victim that was murdered in that other town.

In New Year's Sacrifice we see that a go between has brought a recently widowed woman seeking work. She is quickly taken in by the family who sees her work diligently. As the months go by her stoic demeanor changes a bit and she even get healthier. Nonetheless, the mother in law finally tracks her down, and forces her back to her village where she is given to distant cousin of the deceased husband. After some time she has a child, but unfortunately tragedy strikes two fold, the new husband dies and the child mysteriously is taken by a wolf. The baby is finally discovered near the wolf's den. Xing Lin's wife has become a victim of a people eating society. She's not only prey to those in the village, her mother in law, who continues to have authority over her, but now is forced to eke out a living once again. Nonetheless, being that she has lost two husbands and a child she now walks around with a bigger mark than the one she acquired on her forehead when she tried to escape her kidnapers that were taking her to her new husband’s house.

People now think that tragedy follows her, so she is seen as a bad omen. She is no longer the same, having lost so many close to her. She becomes stoic and absent minded, the psychological impact of her losses makes her recount the story of losing her child, and to everyone she meets. At first some seem to offer compassion; they just listen to her and cry. In a way she's become entertainment for others, her suffering at first is a novelty but soon it becomes burdensome to hear, so people continue to ignore her expressing frustration for hearing the same story. Then this frustration turns into blame.

Things are made worse when a superstitious servant blames her for tragedies. It seems to be the age old, blame the victim for not being able to fend off her captors, for not being able to see the signs; hence she is labeled sinful a willing victim. She sinks further into her mind and into depression. She realizes that people have shunned her and she becomes a quasi-recluse, and whatever money she makes she saves and takes it to the temple where she hopes all will be forgiven, but the society she lives in refuses to forget, and she is further ostracized from the community to the point that she becomes a beggar. In many ways, societal customs have eaten her soul up, and have spat her back out relegating her to live a life of a beggar.

Yet, she runs into the son or nephew of the house she once worked for and questions him. She asks him if there is such a thing as ghosts. At first, he attempts to answer carefully, knowing that she's from the community, so he affirms the existence of ghost, but when asked if there is a hell and if family members will meet again, he is forced to give his honest answer. He candidly replies that there probably is not hell or ghosts, but that he doesn't really know. Yet this seems to solve all her problems and the next day she passes away. It appears that his honest answer, lacking vitriol or spite liberates her from the thoughts that she has been consumed for so many years. The narrator in that story states, "she seemed to have her doubts, or rather hopes- she hoped for a life after death and dreaded it at the same time." In a way Xing Lin’s wife continued to live on for fear of running into her other husbands, and yet the doubt that the narrator shared seems to have in a ways showed a different way of seeing things.

In New Year’s Sacrifice we also have the recurring theme of making eye contact with others. At one point the narrator asks one of his uncle servants what's happening. The servant answers all the questions without even looking at his eyes. The people in the street that see Xing Lin's wife at one point see right past her, and even the children are scared of her, while the parents tug back at their children's hands. In many ways she is seen but ignored more and more. And yet we have the nephew who is there paying the family a visit, reminiscing on the idyllic feeling that Chinese New Year brings and the hustle and bustle of preparations that go into making celebrations meaningful. He describes the snow that gently falls with great detail and yet the community and its old ways quickly become stifling and he decides to return to where he came from. He is not interested in staying there any more than he has to and seems to feel his uncle displeasure as well.

A theme that both stories share is that of the wolves and the people eaters. In many ways these can represent people living outside of society. It is interesting that in A Madman's Diary the older brother says that in the Wolf Cub Village a person has been murdered and parts of his body eaten. Making reference to a village living outside of the law, could it possibly be a village of outlaws where murders happen? Could it possibly have been indirect threats given to the locals that wanted their rent lowered? In New Year's Sacrifice the Xing Lin's wife's is murdered by a wolf and taken to wolf's den. Not much is really said after that except that soon after her son's death the older brother of her second husband comes and kicks her out of the house. She no longer has any ties to that community and the older brother has now become owner of that house and land. Could it have been an indication of the troubles that people without family or authority, especially women experienced during those times in China? Could it have represented a critique of the women who were sheltered from these realities and were lucky enough to marry into a scholar or a family that was well to do? Could the people eaters be very well those that lived outside of the law or could it have been possible that people were in dire need of food? Could the eating of people have been a critique of Chinese society and its traditions? Could it have been a critique of human nature and its desire to set rules and social conventions?

These two pieces of literature are quite sophisticated to give to middle school students. I suppose that New Year’s Sacrifice could be used as a discussion piece on the different layers that are affecting Xing Lin's wife. How she is treated as an object, lacks culture, and is slowly ostracized by her family and those that have helped her. How do traditions shape who we are and the way we see the world? How can learning about other cultures help us as human beings? What does it say about women in other cultures? Are women as equal as men? If I were to use these two pieces in the classroom it would probably be snippets. It would be difficult for students to understand, but as discussion pieces it would be great. Children love to talk and what they think a particular line might say. It would definitively have to be very structured and parts of it would have to be left out. 

I would try to give students background of the times Lu Xun was living in and the changes that were happening all around. In order for my students to be engaged in the material I'd focus on the idea of wolves. Maybe give my students the definition of outlaw and share with them what it means in English common law. I would ask my students why people are being targeted. Is there a word on the streets that describes people that seem to act like animals? If that were too controversial, which I suspect it might be then I'd probably focus on the way people make eye contact. Why are people looking away or why are glances seen as suspect? Why do people seem to ignore a person that is in front of them? These reading definitively leave you thinking, especially taking into account the ups and downs that China would be facing in the wars to come and with the Communist taking power. Lu Xun was definitively a writer with a lot to say about his countrymen, but also someone that critiqued human nature, and that makes reading him even more important.

[Percy Ortiz]

I found Professor Dube's lecture on the sent down youth very intriguing. Prof. Dube gave us a synopsis of the various reasons why Mao sent the youth to the country side even after having gone through the Great Leap Forward and a famine that killed millions. The cities did not have enough jobs to accommodate the youth, the Red Guards of the cities were beginning to cause more chaos amongst them, and Mao felt that this would be a good way of fighting capitalism. Nonetheless, the start of the lecture allowed me to see the drastic changes that China has undergone in the last sixty years.

Dr. Dube showed us various contemporary pictures of China today. One of a Tibetan couple and the different pictures that are taken during or after a wedding. He also showed us one of a procession of foreign cars that paraded through a city commemorating a wedding. Furthermore, he showed us how today about 68 percent of China's population feel a lot of pressure to be successful and make money, highlighting the fact that in China today materialism is at an all-time high.

What always surprises me, is the fact that China historically has been very rural, so having had 10-15 percent of the urban population sent to the country side is mind boggling, but in many ways understandable. I suppose the Mao thought that the country side could offer food and work for the youth as opposed to jobs in the city where industry was slowly being jump started. I liked how Prof. Dude compared the idea of going back to the country as a good thing, as an experience of purification, which goes well with a lot of the Daoist readings of the past or even the poets Du Fu, Li Bai and Meng Haoran, who made the mountains and country side seem idyllic places. Nonetheless, this was Mao's way of consolidating power and strengthening his position within the communist power.

What surprised me were the little comic books that Prof. Dube showed of the Hong Xiao Bing and how she turned in her grandfather for being a Russian spy. It must have been a scary place to live through if you were not following Communist line and reading Chairman Mao's teaching in your down time. It also made me think of Dr. Cheng’s lecture, and how Lu Xun writes about a Russian spy being beheaded by a Japanese officer. It as if history was repeating itself, and making you wonder how Lu Xun might have reacted to everything that would be happening 25 years after his death.

What really struck me was seeing pictures of Xi Jinping as a sent down youth, spending seven years in the country side, living in a cave, and how he wants to include this era of history in the overall narrative of Chinese modern history. Having this era and other events, in my opinion, is important if the party still wants to remain relevant, though it might be tricky in how it wants to navigate the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, nonetheless, if the US is able to face its own history (The Trail of Tears, Segregation, Slavery, Reservations, Mob Lynchings etc) and still remain in power I see no reason why China's political parties today might put themselves in jeopardy for including those histories in their narratives.

What I found fascinating, in addition to learning about the sent down youth and how Xi Jinping was a part of that experience, was how other people are getting together and visiting the places where they essentially grew up. Where they lived through experiences that made them become who they were. My professor of Chinese history at Cal State L.A. was a sent down youth, and she somehow managed to go to university, after she returned, and then was able travel to the US and become a professor. What also intrigued me was how Xi Jingpin gave a speech where he told the audience that China has had great philosophers from who there is much to be learned, and how he intends to shape the way China is perceived by the world and by Chinese in China. 

China is going through many changes and hopefully it’s for the good of its people. Hopefully by looking back at their own history and reviving old teachings they don't close themselves off to ideas outside of China, but that they continue to get the best of both worlds as they begin to implement changes. I also suspect that China's future is closely tied to the outside world, because by being open about its environmental challenges, maybe someone in another country might discover a way to really make some effective changes in China that will help its people, and maybe some of the changes in China will serve as examples for other countries. 

 

[Percy Ortiz]

The morning lectures opened a window to many ideas and strategies that can be used in teaching history. We began our morning with a lecture by Prof. Sheehan, who gave a presentation on Song Feiqing using biography as a means of teaching Chinese History. Next we had Prof. Cheng who presented us a History of modern China through the perspective of the writer Lu Xun, but by doing so brought us into the modern age. Both lectures showed me ways that I can restructure my lessons and make teaching history a bit more refreshing. 

Professor Sheehan shared with us the biography of a Chinese Industrialist that was doing business in Tianjin, China. He emphasized that by teaching history through biography it helps students understand the multiple strands or events of history that impact one person's life, despite the fact that changes do happen people continue to "live" across regimes, and through this technique we get insights into the regimes that come to power. By following this point of view we were able to see the life of a business man living in a port city controlled by foreigners, and who managed to live through the various regimes that came to power in the early 20th century.

The context for Song Feiqing's life began with the Qing Dynasty having been forced to open its ports to foreign powers and their businesses. It was through this opening that Song Feiqing's life was impacted, because through this opening he eventually was able to go to a missionary school that allowed him to have access to the outside world. During the Warlord Period, places like the foreign controlled ports, were left alone, hence business people like Mr. Song were able to develop and grow their business, adding to Tianjin's growing industrialization. During the Pre-war Nationalist era his father had an arrest warrant issued so he escapes to Shanghai, another port controlled by foreign powers giving his father a chance of avoiding Chinese authorities. It is during this time that Mr. Song allows a general to be a major investor of his company. During Japanese occupation and afterwards production continues and people continue to be employed, though by the time the Communist takeover there are fewer workers showing up. Nonetheless, at the beginning the Communist needed Song to exploit his workers a little longer. 

Aside from using biography to show case a person's vicissitudes in times of drastic changes and war Proff. Sheehan also emphasized that despite the fact that Mr. Song lived through authoritarian regimes throughout his life time, he still was able to experience times of economic growth. Mr. Song managed to grow wealthy and was a part of the westernized middle class of the port cities. So, despite all the authoritarian regimes that came to power consumer culture continued to thrive and a continual growth of a middle class began to develop. One could dress and have western goodies, but still contribute to China's growing industry. 

Prof. Cheng's lecture narrowed the focus of biography to Lu Xun, and mainly used his writings to shine a light on the changing times and chaotic events that were shaking China during the late-19th and early-20th century. Lu Xun was a writer born as the Qing Dynasty's power was slowly coming to an end. He received a classical Chinese education and was even one of the last to take an imperial or provincial examination. In short, he was an in between man, living in a time when classical China was being confronted by the modernity that was transforming the world outside its borders. Next, prof. Cheng showed us a series of old photographs, and though she briefly mentioned it, because in many ways by presenting questions, we are left to discover for ourselves the implications behind these open ended questions, it is during this time that photography is being introduced in China. A new technology is not only entering China but it is allowing people to see themselves and to observe how others look at people via photograph. 

Continuing on the thread of photography, Prof. Cheng begins her analysis of Preface to Outcry, where the narrator recalls being in a lecture hall, and being show a series of photographs, and suddenly a slide that is shown that alters the way he perceives himself. The slide is of a Chinese man about to be decapitated for having served as a spy for the Russian army. Surrounding the Japanese soldiers and officer that is about to execute the man are Chinese people watching. The narrator is taken aback, he realizes that it’s his country people, and fellow men, but yet he is also astonished at the thought that they are not doing much, but watching the event take place. Photography has not come into the history narrative of the world, and in this case into the Chinese mind, yet. Not only is photography a tool for teaching history, but also a tool for analyzing human apathy and is what propels the narrator to become a writer. 

Next, Prof. Cheng begins a discussion on the different layers that Lu Xun presents to the reader that is seeing this unfold through the writings. Not only was he a member of the Japanese audience that was watching the slide, but we too become unsuspecting accomplices to this event taking place. It makes one take a second look at Lu Xun's writings and reconsider the critique that he gives not only of his country but of how accepting we are as a whole to violence via photographs and imposed rule.

She then moves on to talk about another of Lu Xun's writings, A Madman's Diary. She presented us with another question. What was the significance of choosing a madman as a protagonist or revolutionary in the story? Why was the narrator seeing people as cannibals? Why does he use different phases of the moon to set a mood?  Again we are taken back to the fact that Lu Xun lived in a time of chaos. A time when China was experiencing drastic changes, and those who were going against the flow were seen as crazy. Take for example the photographs of Lu Xun, his hair is not in a queue, instead it’s all even and slightly combed. Not only that Lu Xun had gone through an arranged marriage, and yet fallen in love with another woman. Prof. Sheehan's use of biography can be an excellent way to teach Chinese history, but also touch on themes such a patriarchy.

For middle school teachers the life of Qing Shihuang or Hongwu would be good people to focus on for a period of time to show case the backgrounds of the emperors and the way they came to power. Part of the film The Emperor and The Assassin could be shown to students to tell students of the various assassination attempts that he experienced, but also on how he unified China. In addition, one could show students a video on the Terra Cotta warriors, and break down the type of armor that soldiers used. By doing so a discussion can be arranged where students are presented with questions like, why would the emperor want to be buried with statues of soldiers guarding his tomb? Why did the emperor standardize Chinese writings? Prof. Sheehan's use of biography definitively realigned my view of history by taking a closer look at the life of a particular person, and in this case looking at the founder of a Chinese dynasty would be good in the classroom.

Prof. Cheng's use of open ended questions is a great technique to use in the classroom as well. Using open ended questions and having students talk about a historical topic can prepare students for a reading on Chinese history, and also give them the background that they otherwise would not be aware of to connect to topics discussed in the readings. For example, when analysis trade, and the way trade flowed during the Tang Dynasty. Students could be asked, what's the purpose of trying to build a canal from north to south? Why would people want to travel on water instead of land? Simple questions like that can make students more engaged in the topic. Furthermore, Dr. Cheng's use of photography reminded me of the necessity to show students images. Images can facilitate discussion and with discussion its can allow students to better digest historical topics that are read about in the texts or documents. Nonetheless, the use of photography also showed us that by this time China was beginning to acquire foreign technology and beginning to document scenes that one day would become important pieces of history. Not only that, by showing us these images Dr. Cheng really sent home the message that China was no longer part of the Qing Dynasty. The people trying to redirect the future of China were no longer following the traditions imposed by the Qing; Lu Xun no longer had a queue, and was writing in the vernacular joining the ranks of other writers around the world that had broken from traditional forms of writing.

 

[Percy Ortiz]

The afternoon lecture given by Prof. Dube brought us all the way to the early 20th century. If one takes a step back and looks at the totality of the dynasties that held power, and all that the region produced one can be a bit overwhelmed. To say that I was in a bit of a daze after the lecture would be an understatement. The Qing created an anthology of the best poems written during the Tang, they expanded the territory to what it somewhat is today, and even the Taiwanese claimed those lands till a few years ago. The Peking Opera came to be, and cotton textiles came to be produced. As the territories expanded so might have the egos of the Emperors that saw the victories first hand or as they honored its armies with clanging bells and crashing cymbals as they returned from taming the frontiers. Yet, all this would slowly be put in jeopardy by the late 1700s with the Macarteny Mission sent by King George the Third. As the British Empire shrank in some areas and expanded in others the Qing faced a new reality. The ships coming from abroad were not from the local pirates, but came from long distances, and served another higher power- the British King. 

Reading Emperor Qianlong: Letter to King George the Third reminded me of the epic battle between the Tang and Abbasid Empires in the Battle of Talas where these two major powers faced each other. Another example that comes to mind is the planned invasion of Timurlane on the Ming. He had thousands of soldiers, was already heading East, yet he fell ill and died, and the battles never took place. Fast forward four hundred years and another epic encounter begins to brew- that of the British and Qing Empires. 

In his letter to King George the Third, Qianlong explains to him why an ambassador who is free to move where ever he wants is not possible. He also informs the king that spreading religious ideas amongst that populace was not going to be happening any time soon. Furthermore he informs King George that "our Celestial Empire possesses all things in prolific abundance and lacks no product within its own borders," which meant that China didn't need anything from abroad because they had it all. Towards the end of the letter it gets more interesting because the Emperor begins to call King George a barbarian from an island. Yet, how were the Qing to know that in the coming years they'd be forced to open up their ports to British ships and goods, and that Christian missionaries would be setting up Christian missions within China?

Again, on the second part of the letter the Emperor states that the Qing was not going to be giving any land to any Barbarians to set up trade no matter if it was in a tiny deserted island. How must have King George reacted to such reply? A question that comes to mind is, did the Qing knew the extent of the British Empire and the lands it was colonizing? What could have King George been going through during this time being that it was a few years after the American Revolution? This document would be most appropriately used in a high school setting being that the world history that 10th graders study covers the 1700s to the present. On the other hand this document could be used in conjunction with Emperor Hongwu's letter to his people. It makes me curious to know if there might be other letters that Qianlong might have written to other delegations, and to the people that he ruled. As a comparative study of different Emperors these documents would be useful. However, from a middle school perspective I find it a bit difficult to fit into a curriculum that hardly touches on the Qing Dynasty. 

Nonetheless, going back to the fact that it was during a time when the British had been at war with its former thirteen colonies. As a comparative study as to how different countries and territories around the world reacted to British rule this letter would be useful. Qianlong's reaction and comparing it to say the Declaration of Independence and how they contrast with each other would be something that could possibly be explored as a lesson. Though it might be a bit technical, I am sure that much insights could be gathered as to how we engage with one another as a people on this earth, with different powers vying for domination and hegemony. The colonist in the North America were rejecting British rule and wanted to cut off all trade her, and Qianlong is in many ways denying Britain the right to set up shop. Why? Was the Qing aware of what was going on in other places around the world? How extensive was their network of information? I have more questions than answers after reading this document.

[Percy Ortiz]

Professor Dube's lecture on the Qing Dynasty was refreshing and pointed out some facts that I had not seen in the past. He began his lecture by returning to queue and how that came to represent and to show loyalty to the Qing Emperor even if you were laying out train tracks in the middle of California's central valley or a petty merchant in the streets of Beijing. It was an expectation that extended throughout the realm and permeated all facets of society- completely fascinating. 

Returning to his question a few weeks back, what made the Qing successful at ruling China as opposed to the Yuan. Prof. Dube went on to point out that the Qing accommodated people in its empire including all ethnicities to deal with its demographic realities- Muslims in Western China, Tibetans from the south, and Mongolians in the north and so on. The Qing also continued to uphold Confucian and Buddhist thought and its bureaucracy. It manage to continue ruling China through its Imperial Examinations, though they also tried to keep a distinct Manchu identity eventually disappeared in their pursuit of all things Chinese, poetry, literature and governing. Despite the fact that the Manchu's had almost doubled the size of China and had brought realms that were once frontiers the true beneficiaries to this expansion were the Han who were able to make inroads into these lands, as Prof Dube pointed out that at one point there are two Han suing each other in Manchuria and the judge chooses to highlight the fact. The cost of this social mobilization and embracing of Chinese culture eventually led to Sinification and a loss of resource mobilization. I was not aware that though the GuoMinDang moved to Taiwan, they still saw lands that had been conquered by the Qing; Outer Mongolia; as belonging to the Chinese Republic.

The arts seemed to have flourished and have reached greater forms of sophistication with Qing rule. The Peking Opera developed and actors became national heroes. Along with the opera, traveling troupes managed to keep the populace entertained, along with sword swallowers. Handicraft production grew with the production of cotton and cotton textiles. This was due to agricultural land production having maxed out and peasants having to find other ways of making money, like becoming day laborers. It was at the peak of this cultural explosion and economic expansion that the Qing met its biggest foe to date- Britain.

Taking a step back from Prof. Dube's lecture one needs to see that as the Qing having conquering new lands and bringing new realms into their rule there is also another country that has been doing the same and that was Britain. It had been colonizing the Eastern coast of North America for more than a hundred years now, and had the means to move people around to globe. So it seems that the Qing Dynasty is soon to plunge into a world where it is no longer the center of the earth, and though it will continue to see itself as that for a few more decades, England and its allies will go to war with China and eventually cause it to open its doors to trade.

In middle school the Qing are not talked about much, and at the same time the history of England is mostly seen from the American point of view, meaning the colonialism that took place in the east coast of North America. The links that Britain had between Africa, India, South East Asia, China and other parts of the Americas in not really talked about. Which possess an interesting question, how much of the British Empire is really taught in schools? How did the British Empire affect the dynamics of the world once it came to dominate world affairs? From the point of view of Chinese history, Britain came to be the empire where it had seen itself one amongst many, and no longer as one above all.

As a comparative study the British and Qing expansions around the world would be an interesting question to pose to students. Where were some disadvantages that the Qing might have had when it was confronted with a foe that refused to play by its rules? What do you when the rules of a game have to be changed to accommodate others? What if some refuse to be accommodating? I'm not sure if these questions are right to propose to students but I suppose that it is a starting point. I feel like the Qing Dynasty and China's history during this time is best suited as a comparative history with other rising power in the world. It is an opportunity for us to show case who different societies who have been leagues apart are not interacting with one another. In many ways it also appears that this aspect of Chinese history becomes more integrated with Europe and soon with North America. By the 1800's the Qing and the people of China were living in a world that was a bit different. The Qing's attempt to keep things as they had been in the last two centuries by simply collecting taxes and maintaining internal and external security would pose new problems when confronting the ever growing number of European nations that wanted to trade with China. On a side note, as Prof Dube points out, these factors were influenced by silver coming from the Americas, which furthermore points to the changing of trade trends and military challenges that the Qing faced.

 

[Percy Ortiz]

I was looking forward to the session on Conservationism so that we could learn what contemporary life in China might be. Though we only got a tiny slice of what is happening there and the conditions under which they deal with environmental degradation, the session had so many insights into ways we, who live on earth, can take lessons and apply what we learn in our daily lives. Simba talked about his conservation work in Kenya, Mr. Bikales shed light into the ever evolving term, poverty, and Mrs. Hornby unveiled the huge work that China faces in cleaning up its environment. 

Simba’s presentation on his conservation work in Kenya was really good because he told us why he chose to go to China, but also on the challenges that he faced in Africa for being a foreigner and also in his homeland for not doing much for the animals there. I liked how, as a citizen of the world, he decided to follow his dream, and though he faced many constraints within the social customs back home he still took the chance and went to Kenya. I was saddened to hear that there are about twenty thousand lions left in the wild and that one hundred die due to human interaction- often times violent encounters. It reminded me of the few lions that we have in our local mountains and the excitement it creates when one if photographed or found dead. I was shocked to hear that it was until recently that NGO's from China were in African, though there are a million workers there! The fact that he was a Chinese national made it difficult for him to be accepted by other local NGOs and their usual perceptions of what Chinese ought to be doing was quite revealing of their presence in Africa: doing business, cooking, building infrastructure, but not engaged in conservancy. In many ways his presentation was refreshing, because he's changing the usual perception of China from a worker to a member and partner in the preservation of natural habitat. 

Mr.Bikales presentation on China's poverty challenges really helped me understand how the government has made great leaps in improving the standards of people, especially those living in the country side. Yet, economic growth has come at a human price; though millions have been pulled out of poverty other areas need much needed improvement, like helping the disabled, mentally ill, and elderly. He also mentioned how poverty needs to be seen from a multi-dimensional point of view and factors to consider are housing conditions, access to education, and communal use of bathrooms. All in all the message was that even though major improvements have happened in people's lives have happened, that other factors might still affect people that might not be visible. He went on to point out how there might very well be environmental poverty where people are caught up with making economic gains at the cost of long term destruction of land. As he states, a country gets richer poverty evolves, meaning have nots will be present always, whether it be those that lack proper health care or proper social services. 

Mrs. Hornby’s presentation on China's soil pollution really showed the gravity of land degradation that China has and is facing at the moment. Though measures have been taken to "clean" the air in major cities, air pollution, water pollution and land poisoning are problems that China is still trying to tackle. She listed various methods that have been looked at and all seem to come at a cost: it’s either quick and expensive or cheap and slow. Nonetheless, in her article Chinese environment: Ground Operation it states that, "Despite the challenges China faces in cleaning up its soil, some give it credit for doing far more than most other developing economies," which shows that despite the uphill battles that China confronts it is trying to take the bull by its horns though many might still want to make money, and the government still likes to keep things secret. What really surprised but also worried me was how in some towns there are no bees to pollinate fruit trees, or how in some places the danger zone of soil degradation is up to three feet above the ground. I can remember spending hours playing with dirt, digging holes on the ground, and running around chasing balls before hitting the 2nd grade, so this was scary. Not only that, but to think that in many places around the world, because I'm sure it’s not only in China, there are cancer towns where people do not know why they have sores on their skin or why babies are born still born. 

The presentations were good, and several questions came to mind. From Simba’s presentation I concluded that, as teachers we ought to teach are curriculum and the skills needed for daily survival to our students, but more importantly that they are global citizens, and the challenges in land degradation or land conservation is a challenge for us all. From Mr. Bikales I gathered that poverty is not just about income, but also about access to basic health care and social services for those without. In my school all my students are eligible for free breakfast and lunch, but then what are the other conditions that they are under, especially the undocumented? Mrs. Hornby truly hit the homerun in making me think of land degradation and its effects on people, especially being at a school that's a block away from the 110 freeway, next to various sweatshops that pump out chemical into the air on the daily basis, and of course being near former places there were once oil fields. Truly land degradation problems are not just China's but everyone's. Dr. Dube really highlighted this challenge by when he stated that, "knowledge doesn't solve a problem, but it takes sustained action." It about taking action and instilling that to our students that pollution takes sustained effort by everyone, though the challenge might be daunting.

Two months ago my school focused on having a Science fair, and the topic was on finding solutions to land degradation, air pollution and all the other kinds that we face on earth today. I recall having a student coming up to me and telling me how depressing all the projects were because of the all the problems that we faced as humans. Including topics like this are good for students to read about when engaging in research topics so that they can see what other countries are finding as possible solution to their own environmental problems and how those solutions can be applied in other places. As an introduction to Chinese history articles on water pollution can be useful because civilizations developed near sources of water, so as a comparative question this is something that can get students to think about the past, and how water allowed us to develop civilizations, and how can pollution affect the way we live and develop cities or can potentially put civilization in limbo. Nonetheless, the take away from students is that we can do something about these problems, and we all call this earth home.

 

[Percy Ortiz]

A lingering question that I have is this, which is related to the lecture by Dr. Yamashita. Is the ceasing of many Tang practices and eventual breakdown of the Yamato rule, related in some way to the An Lushan Rebellion? In the reading it states that after that rebellion the Tang gave up many of its frontier garrisons due to rising influence and power of bordering regions, so did this somehow affect Japan and its eventual breakdown of Tang styled government?

[Percy Ortiz]

Professor Yamashita started his lecture with projecting a text written by an official from China. During that time Japan was called Wei. Before characters were introduced into Japan is appears that there was no writing system to categorize and explain their own cosmology or local histories. Not until the Yamato conquest do we see Japanese, or those living in Japan, recording the history of Japan. Once the Yamato come into power Tang style government is adopted as well as their way of writing history. Government is now centralized, kingship is based on Emperor, all land is public, and its military is reorganized. Furthermore, people from Paekche (southwest Korea) like Ajikki and Wang'in introduce horses, writing, and Confucianism, which shows there was migration from Korea. In fact as the professor pointed out there were 326 clans of foreign origin in the Kinai area. Unfortunately for the Yamato by the 800s there is a breakdown in Sui/Tang styled government, nonetheless its legacy in the form of writing, and religion continue to remain for many more years.

What was fascinating to learn from the lecture were the waves of migration to Japan from East Asia and what they brought to Japan, writing systems, forms of government, religion and even animals. One can argue that this was a time of opening for Japan, but it most likely was war that came attached with all these gifts of civilization. Nonetheless, it was after the Yamato begin to tell their story and explain their own myth that we begin to get a better idea on Japan before the introduction of continental statecraft. In the Sources of Japanese Tradition-Volume One: From Earliest Times to 1600 one can see that first textual evidence on Japan comes from Han Dynasty and it’s not till later that Japanese begin to explain their myth stories. Nonetheless, by reading their myth stories especially Early Shinto: Chapter 2 we see that there is still something to be learned from reading early Yamato histories, and how they shed light into what existed before they came to power on page 20 of the text it states that, "even passages meant to assert dynastic supremacy  or that became systematized along this line betray the existence of diverse and competing cults or inadvertently reveal traditional attitudes and practices taken for granted by all." So when we look at the myth creation of Japan, and how islands were formed by the blood of the male and female gods, one then can understand why maybe tombs like Nintoku's look like small islands. It can also explain why people were so regional and why they saw water and mountains as important to their cosmology. 

Another aspect that I found fascinating in reading through the text, which was not highlighted by Prof. Yamashita was that after a few years of the Yamato coming to power, Japanese educated in Chinese characters renamed their kingdom Nippon, land where the sun rises, as opposed to Wei. On page 12 in New History of the Tang Dynasty (Xin Tang Shu) it states, "In the first year of Xianheng [670] an embassy came to the court......about this time, the Japanese who had studied Chinese came to dislike the name Wa and changed it to Nippon. According to the words of the Japanese envoy himself, that name was chosen because the country was so close to where the sun rises." With this new perspective of perceived history Japanese begin to see themselves, or at least those in power, in a new light. They want to differentiate themselves to how they have been seen by the dynasties in the continent. 

I also found it fascinating to see how in the History of the Sui Dynasty (Sui Shu) the emperor of Japan offends the Sui Emperor. On page 11 it states, "[Then envoy brought] an official message which read: The Child of Heaven in the land where the sun rises addresses a letter to the Child of Heaven in the land where the sun sets." and "when the Emperor saw this letter, he was displeased." Now that Japan has a writing system in place and is communicating with officials in the mainland one can see the dynamics of how each one perceives the other and how they are all trying to accommodate to each other’s perceived legitimacy in their own kingdoms but world at large. 

A way of introducing such a variety of sources and points of views on Japan can be by giving students excerpts of Japanese myth stories, and closely linking them with Japanese geography. From there teachers can introduce to them pictures of tombs where kings were buried and have them look at those images, as a visual inquiry, by asking students what they see, and what makes them say that that is what they see. From there the teacher can build on what the students are talking about and reconnect it to mythological stories of how Japan came to be. On the other hand, textual evidence can be given to students to show points were Japanese and Chinese official diverge in perceptions. The section where Japanese no longer want to be called the kingdom of Wei (Wa) but Nippon can also be an excellent starting point in how people perceive themselves and other perceive them. This dichotomy can be further built upon by looking at examples where the Sui Emperor was angry at Japanese king for seeing himself as the "child of heaven from the land where the sun rises," and though that might have seemed presumptuous it was based on the fact that that is where the sun rose first. So, to make a long story short. These sources are excellent, and can be used in the classroom especially in the context of point of view, perceptions, and how we "name" or label others.

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