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Common Errors in English Usage and More January 2017

Lecture 20: Zhou (Chou), Qin (Ch’in) & Han Dynasties

(Duiker 65-87; Brians 162-165, 169-175)

Questions about Duiker: Explain the concept of a heavenly mandate. How does the book of Mencius say peasants should be treated? What are the two key elements of Confucianism discussed by Duiker? What were the main views of the legalists? How is Daoism (Taoism) different from Confucianism? How did Daoism influence Chinese art? *What were some of the main achievements of Qin Shi Huangdi? Why did Li Su recommend the burning of certain books? What system was established in the Han dynasty for choosing bureaucrats? What important things were invented during the Han Dynasty? What were traditional Chinese attitudes toward women? How did the Chinese solve the problem of communicating among the various languages spoken in various regions?

Questions about Confucius’ Analects: *What are the main values taught by Confucius? What are the main characteristics of a gentleman? Which does he say is more important for an orderly state: food, weapons, or a government that one can trust? How did he reply to questions about sacrifice and the ghosts of the dead?

Questions about the Ta-Hsüeh: How does this reading emphasize the traditional Confucian value of the importance of knowledge? Questions about Han Fei Tzu: What attitude does Han Fei express toward the common people? *What kinds of stern measures does he suggest should be enacted for their own good?

Questions about Ban Zhao’s “Lessons for Women:” *On what one subject does Ban Zhao insist on the rights of women? Does she hold a romantic view of marriage? Explain your answer.

Question about “Examples of Filial Piety:” Which do you think is the most extreme of these examples? Why?

Lecture topics:
Chou Dynasty
Period of chaos, classical age
Ch’in Dynasty
Confucianism vs. Legalism
Confucius: major ideas
The stereotype of legalism
The First Emperor
Ch’in Shih Huang-ti: major accomplishments, crimes
Buddhism
Buddhism’s reaction to Taoism
Major period of Buddhist art: T’ang Dynasty
Han Dynasty
Major period of stability
Trade
With Central Asia, Mediterranean
Science & Technology
Seismograph, compass, paper

Supplementary materials:s

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Lecture 22: Chinese Poetry

(Duiker 282-287; Brians 176-180)

Questions about Duiker: What inventions stimulated the development of Chinese literature? What is the theme of Li Bo’s (Li Po’s) poem, “Drinking Alone in Moonlight?” *What were the main themes of Chinese poetry? How does the poetry of Du Fu (Tu Fu) differ from that of Li Bo? What was the attitude of Chinese painters toward color by the tenth century?

Questions about Chinese Poetry: In “Banquet at the Tso Family Manor” what makes Tu Fu suddenly homesick? *In the first poem by Li Po, what is his solution to the sorrows of life? In the second poem of Li Po, what has happened during the night? In what way is the third poem of Li Po similar to the one by Tu Fu? *What problem does the charcoal seller in Po Chü-i’s poem have to deal with? What criticism does he make of Lao-tzü? *In Fu Hsüan’s poem, what are said to be the disadvantages of being born female? *In Mei Yao Ch’en’s poem, what is his attitude toward his dead wife? In Su Tung-p’o’s poem, what is his attitude toward the bureaucracy?

Lecture topics:
Ch’an Buddhism
Radical simplification, influence on art
Relationship of art and poetry
major themes

Chinese poetry in both Chinese and English

Chinese Poetry Database

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Lecture 23: The Rise of Islam

(Duiker 182-194; Brians 210-217)

*Map Quiz on map 7.2 in Duiker, p. 190.

Questions about Duiker: What is the Ka’aba? What was Muhammad’s attitude toward Judaism and Christianity? Why is the significance of the Hegira to Medina in Muslim history? *What are the five pillars of Islam? *Compare the relationship of Muhammad to God in Islam with that of Jesus to God in traditional Christianity. What evidence supports the claim that Islam was not forced upon the people conquered by the Arabs? Why is Saladin famous?

Questions about the Qur’an: What quality of God is especially praised in “The Opening?” *What three duties are specifically given the believer at the end of the passage from “The Forenoon?” What does Sura 2 say is the fate of idol-worshippers? What blessings are promised the saved in Sura 38? *What restrictions are placed on polygamy in Sura 4? What defines “people of the book?” What are said to the be characteristics of good Jews? What aspects of traditional Christianity are accepted in the selection on p. 216? *What Christian belief is rejected? On what condition will God be merciful to those who fight against Muslims?

Lecture topics:
Muhammad
Founder of Islam
Contrast his role with Jesus’ in
Christianity
Teachings of Islam
The Five Pillars
Mecca & the Ka’aba
Ramadan
Women’s roles
Sequestration neither universal nor
particularly Islamic
Veiling not required, though modest
dress is
The Qur’an
Considered literally the word of God
Equal emphasis on Allah’s mercy and
authority
Importance of charity
Sunnis and Shi’ites
Major differences
Muslim art & architecture
Major features of mosques: Minbar, Mihrab
Abstraction in art
Persian miniatures

Supplementary materials:

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Lecture 24: Muslim Culture

(Duiker 194-201; Brians 218-222)

Questions about Duiker: Describe slavery in the Islamic world. *What does the Qur’an have to say about proper dress for women? In what ways were women not treated as the equals of men? How well did the Muslims know the philosophy of ancient Greece during the period following the rise of the Arab empire? What fields of science and mathmatics were particularly developed by Muslims? Who was Ibn Sina? What is the theme of the poem by Rumi? What is Sufism? What is the Dome of the Rock? *What limitations were placed on art in Islam? What are the main kinds of traditional Islamic art?

 

Questions about the Sufi verse: *Which lines of Hafiz’ poem emphasize the shortness of life? What is at least one of the images that Rumi uses to express the idea that fasting is good for the soul? *What is the main message of “I was, on the day when the heavens were not?”

 

Question about Sa’di: What is the moral of this story?

 

Question about Nizami’s Layla and Majnun: In paragraph 5, Nizami writes “Layla was a lute, Majnun a viola.” Since these are common musical instruments, he means that the two of them belong together. Their love is being compared to harmonious music. *Choose another pair of metaphors (symbols) in paragraphs 6-8 and explain what they tell us about Layla and Majnun and their relationship. .

Lecture topics:
Muslim Science and Learning
Traditional Islamic education
Math, Astronomy, Medicine
Muslim culture
Poetry: Love, Mysticism
Nizami: Layla and Majnun
Painting: typical style, techniques, subjects
Sufism
Its expression in the arts

Supplementary materials:s

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Lecture 25: Muslim Spain & India

(Duiker 236-250; Brians 223-224)

Questions about Duiker: What are the main reasons suggested for the decline of Buddhism in India? *Describe the relationship between the Islamic rulers and the Hindu society they ruled. Which groups in India probably turned to the Muslim faith? *What are the major differences between Islam and Hinduism? What effect did the influence of Islam have on Hindu women?

Questions about Ibn Hazm: *Choose one of the lines and explain what it conveys about the poet’s feelings. What is one of the images which the woman in Ibn Hazm’s poem uses to depict her longing for the man she loves?

Question about Wallada: *What blessing does Wallada pray to come to her absent lover?

Lecture topics:
Muslim Spain
Literature
Science
Philosophy
Music in the Islamic World
Muslim conquest of India
Early contacts
Incursions in the Indus Delta
Northern India conquered in 13th century
The Kutub Minar
Babur, Founder of the Mughal Empire

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Lecture 26: Yuan & Ming Dynasties

(Duiker 275-278; Brians optional: 181-185, required: 186-189)

Questions about Duiker: *What people conquered China and founded the Yuan Dynasty? *What areas did they conquer besides China?

Question about The Secret History of the Mongols: What events does Chingis Khan interpret as showing that he is protected by Heaven? What in his experiences might have made Chingis Khan tough and ruthless in his later years?

Questions about The Travels of Marco Polo: *What aspects of Kubilai Khan’s court seem to have impressed Marco Polo the most? *What three marvels were represented by the Chinese invention of paper money?

Supplementary materials:

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