The Flowering of Traditional China

Portrait of Ghengis Khan Founder and first ruler, Mongol Empire early 13th century CE present location unknown

Young Nobleman on horseback by Qian Xuan, Yuan Dynasty dated 1290 CE British Museum, London

Read:  

• Duiker/Spielvogel:  pp. 269-297
• Reilly, Vol. I, pp. 240-249, 287-300, 472-478 (Buddhism in China: from "The Disposition of Error"; from "The Lotus Sutra"; Ichisada Miyazaki, "The Chinese Civil Service Exam System"; Liu Tsung-Yuan, "Camel Kuo the Gardener"; Marco Polo, from "The Travels of Marco Polo" - this latter one will be useful for your Silk Road Project .

Written Assignment 12: Due on email by Sunday, 6 pm, March 30.   Answer one of the following questions in 4 to 5 paragraphs.  I don't want three separate answers for either of the questions - but try your best to "unify" your answer covering the the elements asked for in the question.  It could emphasize comparison, or continuity, or discontinuity, or whatever you choose.

1.     What roles did Buddhism, Daoism, and Neo-Confucianism play in Chinese intellectual life in the period between the Sui and Ming dynasties?

2.     What major changes in political structures and social and economic life occurred during the Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties?