Hist 487/587  Questions for the Midterm review

 

China: The Song and Yuan Dynasties

 

  1. What is the name of the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty?

 

 

  1. What is the name of the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty?

 

 

 

  1. The ritual position of the emperor was never challenged in Chinese dynastic history. His political position changed during the Song dynasty though. Name the official position that became so important in the Song government that it became considered as a possible challenge to the emperor.

 

 

 

  1. Two politicians held the position asked for in question 3.  Who were these persons and which political ‘parties’ did they represent?

 

 

  1. The Song government was a revised and enlarged version of the Tang government. It consisted of the State Council (directly below the emperor), and the Three Departments of State Monopolies, Budget Service, and Population. Please name the tasks of the Three Departments.

 

 

  1. In addition to the Three Departments there was a Court of the Army and the Secret Service as well as the Central Secretariat. What were the tasks of the Central Secretariat?

 

 

 

  1. Wang Anshi redesigned the Three Departments and replaced them with a Ministry for State Affairs that headed six other ministries. Please name these other ministries.

 

 

 

  1. Please explain why some of Wang Anshi’s reform measures were called ‘socialist’?

 

 

 

  1. Name at least three disciplines that were tested in the state examinations.

 

 

  1. Please describe briefly the procedure of the state examination.

 

  1. How was an official paid during the Song?

 

 

 

  1. The administration of the Song was managed by officials who held military or civil ranks.  Which group was more influential?

 

 

  1. Please explain the term ‘social elite’ for the Song. How was upward mobility possible in this time?

 

 

  1. Please explain some of the disadvantages of the examination system.

 

 

  1. Name some of the luxury goods that were imported by merchants during the Song dynasty.

 

 

  1. Merchant guilds helped the merchants not only in trade related questions. What else did they organize?

 

 

  1. Shiba talks about the emerging of a ‘nationwide market’ during the Song dynasty. How did local markets develop into a nationwide market?

 

 

 

 

  1. Please name the most important large economic areas of the Song.

 

 

 

  1. When the Jin invaded and occupied Song territory they imported goods from

  China. Please name a few of these goods.

 

 

 

  1. Which goods did the Chinese import from the Jin?

 

 

  1. Please name other items that were imported by the Song from Southeast Asia.

 

 

  1. Which handicraft products reached a level of exquisite quality during the Song?

 

 

 

  1. Why can we speak of a new philosophy in the Song dynasty?

 

 

  1. The character jing 經 means warp thread; north-south axis of a city; meridians in

  the body (acupuncture), and the canonical books of Confucian education, the

  Classics. This indicates the importance of cloth production in Chinese culture.

  Who produced cloth and for which purposes was cloth used?

 

 

  1. New paintings were created in the Song. Please explain what was new in this art form.