History is very much written with a focus on men, their accomplishments, and how they shaped the world. It was refreshing to learn about women’s pivotal role in East Asia on June 9th. I especially enjoyed “Memoirs of a Korean Queen.” It was engaging to read young Lady Hong’s fears, her family’s devotion to Confucian virtue, and the position of women in the court of the Yi Dynasty. Her voice penetrated through time and her story was very moving. I felt empathy for the young girl who was uprooted from the only home she ever knew, but her story provided insight to the grooming of the future queen.
Next year, I will be teaching seventh grade history for the first time and I thought the ideas that Professor Morgan Pitelka suggested would be interesting to implement. I thought the Disney version of Mulan was based on a Chinese short story, not a ballad. I’ve never seen the movie, but I just might now. The Ballad of Mulan is short enough to use in the classroom while still remaining on the pacing plan for the year. There are so many things that can be done with the story. I would definitely form connections with Johan of Arc and use Pitelka ideas to demonstrate the conflicting images of the dutiful Confucian young girl and the rebel. Thanks, I really enjoyed the readings for the session.
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