Download Song Webhunt as-song_webhunt

Internet Excursion: The Song Dynasty in China
“The Song Dynasty in China” http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/song/
& “Asia For Educators” http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/tps/1000ce.htm
Directions: To further enrich your understanding of the significance of the Song Dynasty, you will use a
laptop and tour the pages listed above, answering the questions below.
1. “China in 1000 CE: The Most Advanced Society in the World.” Give four reasons why this title is
accurate.
a. Why is the Beijing QingMing Scroll significant? What other names do scholars give it? (Click
on the picture of the scroll.)
b. How was the Chinese diet different before the Song?
2. “Urban Life.” (Click on the scroll picture with that label.) Read.
a. List 3 ways urban life in the cities of the Song was similar to urban life in modern cities
today:
b. How are 12th Century Chinese cities different from
Chinese cities of earlier eras?
3. Scroll back to the top of the page and click on “Economic Revolution.” (from here on, you will
mostly hit the “next” button on the bottom of each page.)
a. Why was there a hole in the center of Chinese coins?
b. Why did the Chinese adopt paper currency?
c. Read Marco Polo’s commentary about the Chinese currency. Do his comments support the
idea of paper money? Cite a phrase or sentence that supports your conclusion.
4. “Iron & Steel.”
a. What is the difference between coal and charcoal?
b. Why is Marco Polo amazed?
5. “Textiles & Silk.”
a. Who worked to create silk?
b. Who wore silk?
6. “Ceramics” …or why your parents call the dishes they use for special occasions “China.” Read a bit.
What do you think enabled the Chinese to produce such decorative and
useful porcelain?
7. “Rice Cultivation.”
a. What became the economic center of China at this time and why?
b. What are some of the problems with growing rice?
8. “Printing & Movable Type.”
a. Since the Chinese were the first to develop printing, why do you think the editors of “LIFE”
magazine’s Millennium edition awarded the German, Johannes Guttenberg (who
introduced movable type to Europe in the 15th century) with its #1 event/invention of the
last millennium?
b. What did Francis Bacon have to say about the invention of printing, gunpowder and the
compass?
9. Skim “Shipbuilding & the Compass” and “Gunpowder.” Jot two facts from both sections that you did
not know before reading.
10. “Technological Advances.” If you were writing an Obituary for Shen Gua, how would you describe
his legacy in 2 sentences:
11. Go to the bottom of “Cities” and read the small section titled “poverty.” Why could one argue that
the Chinese government under the Song could possibly be called socialist? (Socialist: any
political/economic system advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration
of the means of production and distribution of goods)