This read on China actually really interested me. This was like a golden age of Chinese achievement. They developed a vast canal system that linked northern and southern china. We also see the creating of the examination system, and with that with we see the process of electing officials based on merit and not bas on privilege. With the emergence of cities we also saw specialized markets, performers, restaurants, and inns. There was also a lot of technological advancement like printing, gun powder, and shipping technologies. They also had books on topics like agricultural, mathematics, and medical topics. For women in the Song dynasty it was a weird time with the rebirth of confucius ideas they were back to the way of thinking that women were less than men and that basically their only job was to stay home and tend to the needs of the household. Women were seen as a distraction and were not allowed in the work place. There was also things like foot binding that was cruel. But they also were given some rights like being able to own land and inherit land from family. Another thing that was really interesting is the tribute system and how that was a way they kindle resolved conflict with neighboring people. Talking of neighboring people they all kindle built off of Chinese ideas because they saw how great it was going for them, things like language, government, and their exam system.
In this reading we saw how the 2nd wave civilizations changed their social systems. With the agriculture booms and people starting to make more than others. Also with forms of government starting to rise of course there is going to be divisions between all of the people. In India there was a very interesting structure. Basically there was a caste system with five levels priests, warriors, merchants, peasants, and the untouchables. A normal person would think that yeah if you happened to be born into a peasant family that is unfortunate but with hard work you might one day be able to become a merchant. However that was not the case whatever you were born into you were for the rest of your life. The only way to move up was to die that way and basically if you were a peasant you had to be a great peasant your whole life. To me this seems outrageous but to the people of the time they really believed it and they followed through with it. I could not live in a society like this. If you wer...
Comments
Post a Comment