session 3 - early east asia

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  • August 3, 2011 at 4:19 am #24158
    Anonymous
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    I think the thing that struck me the most was when Clay pointed out how technologically advanced our students think we are today, but look at what people from this time period were able to do without electricity, advanced tools, etc. I think this is very important to point out to our students. Just because we have and know how to use computers, cell phones, iPads, etc., doesn't mean that people from pre-Imperial China (or other times/places) weren't advanced. If I had the resources, I'd like to do some type of activity that asks students to create or replicate on old statue, pottery, or bronze helmet or weapon using just their hands and stones as tools. Obviously this lesson would be nearly impossible, but I think it would be enlightening to have a discussion about what goes into creating these tools, weapons, art, etc. and the limited resources that were available to them to make them. Until yesterday, I hadn't really thought in depth about what it must have taken to create some of these artifacts. I was recently watching an episode of "When Rome Ruled the World" and was similarly in awe over the perfectly smooth, carved features, angles, and other depictions in statues, pillars, pottery and art. I'm not a very artistic person, so to imagine the time, patience and attention to detail that goes into creating such beautiful pieces really blows my mind, especially given the lack of technology (as we think of it).

    August 3, 2011 at 6:30 am #24159
    Anonymous
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    Subject: Day 2 Morning session
    The culture heroes in Chinese history caught my attention. Like many other cultures and religions, these heroes helped to build up or to repair the world of chaos. Thees heroes possess the super power than the normal human beings. I grew up in China. When I was little, I was always amazed by the heroes when I read the stories from the children's book or when I listened them from my grandma. Here are some of the famous legends:

    Pan Gu (盘古）： made the heaven and earth
    Nu wa（女娲）： fixed the leaking heaven (storms damaged the heaven)
    shen nong（神农): introduced agriculture and the use of medical herbs
    huang di（黄帝）：thought to be the ancestor of the Chinese people. Also a famous herb doctor.
    hou yi（后羿）： shut down eight of the nine existing suns to prevent the soil from burning out.

    August 3, 2011 at 1:44 pm #24160
    Anonymous
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    It's interesting to know that Xia is not considered as a dynasty but a legend instead. When I tried to find some information on using extreme climate change and the mandate of Heaven as justification to overthrow a dynasty, I came across the information that Mozi actually gives the legendary account. If interested, here is the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_Dynasty

    August 28, 2011 at 9:24 am #24161
    Anonymous
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    Wow. That's pretty amazing that the Shang dynasty was only documented in the last 100 years. It will be interesting to see what archaeologists uncover about the ancient Xia. Will it eventually be recognized as officially another ancient dynasty in the near future? Most cultures have an origins story. My students always find them amusing, and I have to remind them to take a look at the Christian belief. When learning about the domestication of animals with Neolithic people, our textbook does not credit one person, yet China has culture hero Fu Xi being the one credited with domesticating animals. Vivian shared some famous legends that I must look up. Another fascinating item are the oracle bones used to make predictions. "Consulting the ancestors" is an interesting belief.

    August 28, 2011 at 11:13 am #24162
    Anonymous
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    The 1900 logo for the Northern Pacific Railway made me wonder if finally the Chinese railroad workers were being recognized for their efforts in helping to build the transcontinental railroad system in this country. I know that the famous photograph taken at Promentory Point does not have one Chinese man in it. Yet they were the risk takers who used dynamite to blow up rocks to tunnel through the mountains in the 1800s.

    August 30, 2011 at 3:00 pm #24163
    Anonymous
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    Students would definitely benefit from realizing how much was accomplished in the past without all the technology that we have today. Ken mentioned he'd like to do an experiment where the kids replicate something from ancient history without using any modern technology. When I teach the Stone Ages, I sort of do this. I put a bunch of items on the table such as a rock and a stick. Then, I have the kids choose items and tell me what the civilization could possibly use this for (this was the technology for that time period). You could apply this idea to something related to a unit on Asia.

    August 30, 2011 at 3:00 pm #4244
    clay dube
    Spectator

    Please post comments about the ideas and readings for this session here.

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