Dynastic Rule in China from the Sui to the Ming
Dynastic Rule in China from the Sui to the Ming
Assignment to hand in: Dynastic Rule in China Graphic Organizer
Step 1: Introduction - Read the text below:
The basis for united Chinese government was
established during the Han Dynasty, when people living in northern and southern
China were unified. The Han called China "Zhao Guo" or "The Middle Kingdom,"
because they believed they were the center of the "civilized" world. The Chinese
emperor was called the "Son of Heaven" because the Chinese believed that the god
chose the Emperor and his family to be the political and religious leaders of
the Middle Kingdom. this divine choice was called "The Mandate of Heaven."
Throughout Chinese history, dynasties of emperors ruled until factors such as
invasions, economic difficulties, lack of concern for peasants' well-being, and
economically wasteful lifestyles made it appear that the royal family no longer
had "Heaven's Mandate."
Han emperors governed according to Confucian political
principles which stressed hard work, loyalty, and respect. Emperors oversaw a
large bureaucracy staffed by scholarly civil servants who were chosen according
to their knowledge of Confucian thought, which they demonstrated on exams. Many
Chinese today call themselves " the people of the Han" because they consider the
Han period as a golden age of unity when classical Chinese culture developed.
Step 2: Graphic Organizer: Complete the Dynastic Rule in China Graphic Organizer by reading
looking at the transparencies below and reading the corresponding text.
The Sui Dynasty: Re-establishing Unity in China
In this transparency we see Sui Emperor Yang Di traveling by
dragon boat on the Grand Canal
The Tang Dynasty: Golden Age of Chinese Culture
In this transparency we see a Tang dynasty emperor at his
palace where officials congregate and participate in recreational activities.
The Song Dynasty: Rise of Meritocracy
In this transparency we see Chinese taking civil-service
examinations under the watchful eye of an emperor, who overlooks the scene from
a pavilion at rear. Officials of several cities compose essays, designed to
demonstrate their knowledge of Confucian texts.
The Yuan Dynasty: The Age of Foreign Rule
In this transparency we see an illustration of the court of
Kublai Khan, where Marco Polo and his father were treated with great hospitality
and were entertained by fire-eaters and jugglers.
The Ming Dynasty: Exploration and Isolation
In this transparency we see a nineteenth-century Chinese
painting of the Imperial Palace in the Forbidden City in Peking (present-day
Beijing)
Supplemental Resources:
PowerPoint: The Forbidden City - The Palace of the Emperor of Heaven
Videos:
China Revealed: The Forbidden
City
World History: The
Forbidden City
The Rise and Fall of the Forbidden City
The Forbidden City