Benn, Charles. “Daily Life in Traditional China: The Tang Dynasty.” Greenwood Press, 2002. This thorough exploration of the aspects of everyday life in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) provides a fascinating insight into a culture and time that is often misunderstood, especially by those from western cultures. The answers to questions like “How was…
Read moreCeramics – Kilns and Jingdezhen
“Porcelain is the creative fruit of the working people of ancient China … [It] promotes economic and cultural exchange between China and the outside world, and profoundly influences the traditional culture and lifestyle of people from other countries”. During Ancient China, not everyone could make porcelain or ceramic wares. Only those familiar with the techniques,…
Read moreInkstones – Reflection
This week we listened to a podcast, as opposed to reading new material, and learned about an individual and her own experience/findings with Ancient Chinese practices. Professor Dorothy Ko described her work with inkstones, revealing what led her to become interested in them, and explained the role they played in Ancient China. What makes Dorothy…
Read moreInkstones – Dorothy Ko Podcast
This week, we are to listen to a podcast about Professor Dorothy Ko, who discusses her work and what led her to become interested in Chinese history. Having gained interest when she was in graduate school, she began studying and researching inkstones, not only reading about them but also creating them. Wanting to write about…
Read moreBuilding an Empire – Reflection
This week’s reading talks about the architecture/buildings of Ancient China. I, more specifically, read about the Forbidden City, which is now known as the Palace Museum. Built at the center of Beijing, it was the former Chinese imperial palace and state residence of the Emperor from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing…
Read moreFinal Project Idea – Culture during the Tang Period
For my final project, I would like to read more on the legal documents of the Tang period and learn, more specifically, about how it developed the regional culture in Ancient China. While we have a good idea as to how successful Tang Dynasty China was when it came to foreign affairs, with literal tombs…
Read moreBuilding an Empire – The Forbidden City
At the center of Beijing lies the Forbidden City. Now known as the Palace Museum, it was the former Chinese imperial palace and state residence of the Emperor from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty (1420-1924). It served a great significance in Chinese history. As “the beating heart of Beijing” (Hernandez)…
Read moreMoney and Currency – Reflection
While countries from all over the world had used a trading/barter system to make purchases without having to rely on a specific medium of exchange, like coins or paper money, they still transitioned to using such mediums because it is one that people understood and accepted as such. Bartering, on the other hand, relies on…
Read moreMoney and Currency – The Gods of Wealth (Rewrite)
There are various wealth gods in Chinese culture. Some are more popular than others, while some seemingly go about unnoticed despite being just as auspicious as others. However, these gods were not seen in the same light as other gods; “In the eyes of many plebeians, money in its physical forms, whether silver or bronze…
Read moreTextiles in the Tang Dynasty – Reflection
Before this week, I didn’t know how textiles were made or what kind of techniques were used to make them. I especially didn’t know how important textiles were in Ancient China, and that they even served as a form of currency. They were so important that even taxes were sometimes collected in the form of…
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