[Sarah Evert]

The social history and the ways marriage and adoption worked is really interesting. The writings depicting how it could be heartbreaking to be a wife/concubine that was no longer favored was particularly interesting. Also the shock at the Priest witnessing homosexuality among warrior classes without shame attached is an excellent lesson regarding how societies have viewed sexuality differently and more fluidly. The common people have the least recorded information which is a shame because that can give us the most practical and accurate history of what life was like for most people, not just the elite. Was monogamy typical among the common people, or was there polygamy in those populations as well? 

[Sarah Evert]

The importance of poetry for social relations and courtship amoung courtiers and the importance of it regarding communication, not just producing art is very interesting as far as understanding the social relationships among the elite. The pitfalls of courtly life in the "Tale of Genji" and the way patriarchal leaders/princes were glorified but also flawed really shows the complexities of court life but also the questionable paternity that even though it is fiction, likely occurred as well. I think the comparison to the "me too" movement with the "Tale of Genji" is also interesting because it demonstrates the diffulties women faced and the influence of Confucian patriarchy. With the "me too" comparison" I also recently taught my classes about the "comfort women" of the Imperial Japanese Army, and the recent controversy regarding Harvard professor J. Mark Ramseyer's claim that they were all voluntary sex workers at that time. I think it relates to the "me too" movement" as well because these women still have a professor at an Ivy League University denying their experience and their history. So that brings me back to why it is extremely interesting that the noble women of classical Japan were also literate and communicated their experiences as well, although not directly with their names attributed to it. 

[Sarah Evert]

The deep connections of Islam and merchants the Hui ethnicity and how they are very culturally different than the other Muslim ethnicities in China is important to differentiate from the plight of the Ughyur people. In class we have talked about the plight of peripheral populations as well as how empire building and now new infrastructure have impacted these groups in the past and presently. Migrations of people and how geopolitical borders are formed and the different types of cooperation or conflict are repeated themes teaching world history. The ways that 9/11 and the War on Terror have impacted China, and Chinese Muslims is important to understand. The fear of growing militant, radical groups is a concern that the Chinese government is actively, forcefully, and unfairly targeting Ughyers specifically. It will be interesting to see if the Belt and Road Initiative can help bring stability and peace to Afghanistan and in turn the rest of the region in Central Asia that has suffered so much over the past 40 years. 

[Sarah Evert]

The translations often read to me like a yin and yang, and at the same time a meticulous bureaucratic method of record keeping and organization. The descriptions of whether an event was good or bad, such as the birth of a daughter instead of a son. The universal topics are really interesting if we compare it to what holds our interest presently as well as determines what happens in our lives. Weather, leadership, taxes, wars and other concerns. 

[Sarah Evert]

I do not believe schools of thought evolve in a vacuum, neither do people. However, strict fundamentalist interpretation is sometimes the result of later generations application of philosophies. The pattern of philosophies developing as a response or possible solution to the flaws in the practice of other philosophies creates the growth and support for counter movements that address these. Often the goals overlap, which are typically protecting, feeding and possibly advancing civilizations. This is certainly evident in the four philosophies of early Chinese history and continues presently. There are very practical goals of all and creating an order to manage and maintain the population are the goals. Recently in my 9th grade Honors World History class we compared and contrasted socialism, communism and capitalism. This was challenging and eye opening the students and I as we evaluated how certain programs that have socialist origins were a response to the abuses of capitalism. Perhaps the same could be said for Daoism, Moism, and Legalism regarding the excessive rituals, testing, and hierarchy of Confucianism that are challenged by the former. That said, as they were not created in a vacuum, their application over time has become more of a hybrid as well and elements and influence of all are observable in China and elsewhere. 

[Sarah Evert]

The comparisons regarding current household spending, climate and the shifts in the population (lower birth rates) are incredibly useful in the classroom setting and offer teachers and students a real time comparison with their East Asian contemporaries. The articles regarding the impact of pollution certainly correlate with the declining birth rates as well. American students are also pretty familiar with consistent immigration so lack of population growth typically is not of great concern here. Although xenophobia is present and recently on violent and negative upswing, lack of immigration to China and Japan as a population boost is also an important point to make with our students, who often do not realize that there are immigrants to many other countries, not just the United States. Also, it is eye-opening to realize for many that countries, like Japan have traditionally been ethnically homogenous so changing that cultural norm is also a great challenge.  

[Sarah Evert]

The history and veneration of culture heroes in China is literally so deeply engrained in the culture, that it can be a challenge to draw comparisons in American history (although possible - the hero worship of American "founding fathers"), but especially in the overall sense of millenia compared to Americans whose nationalist/cultural heros date back only centuries. Exploring with students the "invention" vs. "reality" and how time makes these figures godlike and heroic when the reality is they too were humans and fallible. 

[Sarah Evert]

Hi, my name is Sarah and I am in my 23rd year teaching World History and United States History in Ocean County, New Jersey. I was so excited to find opportunities to learn and share knowledge about Asian history. The longer I teach, the more I learn and expand the content I teach.

[Author]

Posts