Download MEDIEVAL CHINA 200 A

MEDIEVAL CHINA 200 A.D. – 1300
I.
CHINA IN THE SUI, TANG, SUNG DYNASTIES
A.
AFTER THE HAN DYNASTY - SUI DYNASTY 200 AD. - 616 A.D.
1.
FOR ALMOST 4 CENTURIES AFTER COLLAPSE OF HAN DYNASTY
2.
CHINA IN STATE OF TURBULENCE & UPHEAVAL
3.
WARFARE FREQUENT
4.
SEEMED ALL GAINS OF PREVIOUS DYNASTY IN JEOPARDY
5.
THIS POLITICAL COLLAPSE SIMILAR TO TIME OF CONFUSION & COLLAPSE OF
ROMAN EMPIRE IN WEST
a.
AT ALMOST SAME TIME
6.
AS IN EUROPE DURING EARLY MIDDLE AGES
a.
CENTRAL GOVT OF CHINA WEAK OR NONEXISTENT
7.
& BARBARIAN INVASIONS AFFECTED WIDE AREA
8.
IN THIS PERIOD OF CONFUSION
a.
JUST AS CHRISTIANITY BECAME ROOTED AMONG ROMAN & GERMANIC
PEOPLES OF WEST
9.
NEW OTHER WORLDLY RELIGION - BUDDHISM
a.
MADE TREMENDOUS HEADWAY IN CHINA
10.
BUT DIFFERENCES IN CHINA CF TO WEST
a.
IN CHINA NO APPRECIABLE DECLINE IN COMMERCE OR CITY LIFE
b.
CULTURE & INSTITUTIONS NOT MODIFIED THAT MUCH CF TO WEST
11.
CHINA DID NOT REALLY CHANGE
a.
STRONG TESTIMONY TO ENDEMIC SURVIVAL OF LONG-TIME CHINESE
INSTITUTIONS
(1)
PATRIARCHAL FAMILY
(2)
VILLAGE & FARMING COMMUNITIES
(3)
ANCESTRAL WORSHIP
(4)
EDUCATED BUREAUCRACY
12.
AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED NOMADIC PEOPLES ON CHINA'S NORTHERN BORDERS
13.
TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER INTERNAL WEAKNESS TO OVERRUN COUNTRY
14.
FOR ABOUT 250 YRS NORTHERN CHINA RULED BY NOMAD DYNASTIES OF
a.
HUNS, TURKS & OTHERS
b.
BUT FOREIGNERS ONCE AGAIN SUCCUMBED TO CHINESE CULTURE & NOT
VICE VERSA
c.
ABOUT ONLY NOTABLE CHANGE
(1)
ADVENT OF SOME DIFFERENT DRESS CUSTOMS
(a)
TROUSERS & BOOTS
II.
TANG DYNASTY 616-907
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
AFTER 400 YRS OF TURMOIL
2.
NEW DYNASTY - TANG
3.
MANY CHINESE SAY TANG GREATEST OF THEIR DYNASTIES
4.
TANG EMPEROR REESTABLISHED IMPERIAL ADMINISTRATION
5.
TANG ADMINISTRATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS WILL BECOME MODELS FOR KOREANS
& JAPANESE
6.
TANG PROMOTED BRILLIANT CULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS
7.
CHINA DURING 8TH C. REACHED ITS GREATEST GEOGRAPHICAL EXPANSE
8.
IRONIC AS CHINESE DID NOT REVERE SOLDIERS
9.
THEY THOUGHT MILITARY REGIMES INCOMPATIBLE
a.
WITH NORMAL, CIVILIZED STATE OF AFFAIRS
10.
CHINESE CLASSIFIED PEOPLE ACCORDING TO VALUE TO SOCIETY
a.
FIRST - SCHOLARS
b.
SECOND - FARMERS
2
B.
c.
THIRD - ARTISANS
d.
FOURTH - MERCHANTS
e.
LAST SOLDIERS, BEGGARS, THIEVES & BANDITS
11.
SO DURING TANG DYNASTY SOLDIERS & MERCHANTS
a.
FOREIGNERS
12.
FOREIGN COMMERCE GREATEST IN CHINA UP TO THIS POINT
13.
BECAUSE OF INCREASE TRADE, IDEAS FROM BEYOND CHINESE BORDERS BEGAN
TO BE BROUGHT INTO CHINA
SUNG DYNASTY 960-1279
1.
MAY BE SEEN AS CONTINUATION OF POLICIES & CULTURE OF TANG
2.
TEXTBOOK COVERS IT
III.
RELIGION IN CHINA DURING TANG AND SUNG DYNASTIES
A.
BUDDHIST INFLUENCE
1.
BUDDHISM INITIALLY MET WITH MIXED RECEPTION IN CHINA
2.
CONFUCIANS LOOKED UPON BUDDHISTS WITH DISTRUST
3.
THEY FELT BUDDHISM IDEAS TOOK PEOPLE AWAY FROM THEIR DUTIES TO
FAMILY & RULER
4.
BUT BUDDHISM'S OTHERWORLDLY ORIENTATION APPEALED TO DOWNTRODDEN
& OPPRESSED
5.
& BUDDHIST WRITINGS RAISED MANY QUESTIONS WHICH CONFUCIANS HAD
NEVER DEALT WITH
6.
TO REFUTE ALL ELABORATE DOCTRINES BUDDHIST MONKS BROUGHT FROM
INDIA
a.
REQUIRED CONFUCIAN SCHOLARS TO WORK OUT THEIR OWN VIEWS ON
THESE QUESTIONS
7.
EVENTUALLY VOLUMINOUS SCRIPTURES BUDDHISTS MISSIONARIES BROUGHT
IMPRESSED SCHOLARLY CHINESE
8.
BUDDHISTS CAME UP WITH NEW WAY OF READING OLD CLASSIC CONFUCIAN
TEXT
9.
NEW MEANINGS DISCOVERED IN CHINESE CLASSICS
10.
BY ABOUT 500 A.D. CHINA HAD PRACTICALLY BECOME BUDDHIST COUNTRY
11.
YOUR TEXT - GREAT DISCUSSION ON BUDDHISM IN CHINA
12.
MANY PARALLELS WITH BUDDHIST MONASTERIES & CHRISTIAN MONASTERIES
13.
IN SPITE OF ITS GREAT SUCCESS
a.
BUDDHISM IN CHINA CANNOT CF WITH ASCENDANCY OF X IN WESTERN
EUROPE DURING SAME PERIOD
14.
BUDDHISTS DID NOT HAVE COERCIVE POWER LIKE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN
BYZANTIUM OR PAPACY OF WEST
15.
BUDDHISTS DID NOT REPLACE OR CHALLENGE AUTHORITY OF STATE AS
CHRISTIAN HIERARCHY DID IN WEST
16.
OTHER RELIGIONS CONTINUED TO BE PRACTICED IN CHINA
17.
IDEA OF INCLUSIVE UNIVERSAL CHURCH FOREIGN TO CHINESE CONCEPTIONS
18.
TYPICAL CHINESE COULD BE A CONFUCIUS, TAOIST AND BUDDHIST
a.
UTILIZING A DIFFERENT RELIGION FOR BUSINESS, FUNERAL, MARRIAGE
19.
BUDDHISM GAVE NEW SUBJECT MATTER FOR ARTISANS
20.
BUDDHA AND HIS LIFE FUSED WITH CHINESE ART
IV.
CULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN TANG & SUNG DYNASTIES
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
TANG & SUNG DYNASTIES SAW CHINA'S GREATEST FLOWERING IN THOUGHT,
ART & LITERATURE
2.
CHINESE IN LATER CENTURIES TOOK WRITINGS & PAINTINGS OF THIS AGE AS
MODELS FOR THEIR OWN WORK
3.
& FELT THEMSELVES INFERIOR TO OLD MASTERS
3
4.
5.
B.
C.
MODERN SCHOLARS AGREE WITH THIS JUDGMENT
MANY FAMOUS MASTERPIECES OF SUNG PAINTING
a.
KNOWN ONLY THROUGH COPIES MADE BY LATER GENERATIONS OF
ARTISTS
6.
FOREIGN INFLUENCE GIVEN SOME OF CREDIT FOR THIS CULTURAL FLOWERING
7.
THEY HAD TO COME TO TERMS WITH ART & THOUGHT OF BUDDHISM
a.
ITSELF COMBINATION OF INDIAN, GREEK & CENTRAL ASIAN CULTURAL
STRANDS
8.
TANG & SUNG CHINA & GUPTA INDIA OCCUPY SIMILAR PLACE IN CULTURAL
HISTORY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CIVILIZATIONS
9.
EACH AGE OF SYNTHESIS
a.
RICHER & MORE COMPLEX THAN ANYTHING KNOWN IN EARLIER
CENTURIES
LITERATURE
1.
BOTH CHINA & INDIA DEVELOPED SCHOOL OF POETRY
a.
THAT CONCERNED ITSELF WITH COMPLEXITIES OF LOVE
b.
& EBB & FLOW OF FEELINGS
2.
WORKS GREATLY ADMIRED EVER SINCE
3.
DURING TANG DYNASTY GREATEST AGE OF POETIC EXPRESSION
a.
PRODUCED 48,000 POEMS BY 2200 AUTHORS
4.
POETRY VIEWED AS NECESSARY MEDIUM OF EXPRESSION FOR ALL EDUCATED
CHINESE
5.
POETRY EXPECTED TO INSTILL HIGH MORAL IDEALS
6.
MOSTLY DIDACTIC
7.
CHINESE POEMS CELEBRATED
a.
BEAUTY OF NATURE
b.
CHANGES OF SEASONS
c.
JOYS OF FRIENDSHIP & DRINK
d.
SADNESS AT BREVITY OF LIFE
e.
OLD AGE
f.
SEPARATION
8.
LOVE POEMS EXISTED BUT NEITHER AS INTENSE AS WESTERN VERSE
a.
NOR AS SENSUAL AS INDIAN POETRY
9.
LI PO OR LI BO 701-762
a.
MOST POPULAR OF CHINESE POETS
b.
HIS POEMS PROVIDED MAIN MODEL FOR LATER POETS
c.
HE LED A SEMI-DISREPUTABLE LIFE BY STANDARDS OF CONFUCIAN
SCHOLAR
d.
HE TOOK VERSE FORMS FROM POPULAR SONGS OF STREETS
e.
BUT HE EXPRESSED NEW FEELINGS:
(1)
LOVE, LONGING, DESPAIR, SELF-DISGUST
f.
SOME 2000 POEMS SURVIVE
g.
LI PO SAID TO HAVE DROWNED WHILE LEANING OUT OF BOAT TO KISS
MOON'S REFLECTION ON WATER
h.
HIS 2 BEST KNOWN POEMS
(1)
RESOLUTION ON WAKING WITH A HANGOVER ON A SPRING
MORNING
i.
& DRINKING ALONE WITH THE MOON
PAINTING
1.
PAINTING TO VISUAL ARTS WHAT POETRY TO LITERATURE
2.
ALTHOUGH PAINTING FLOURISHED UNDER HAN DYNASTY
3.
& REACHED LEVEL OF ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE UNDER TANG
4.
LITTLE REMAINS FROM THOSE PERIODS
5.
PAINTING OF THE SUNG & YUAN
a.
CONSIDERED APOGEE OF PAINTING
4
D.
V.
6.
WHEN FAVORITE PAINTINGS BECAME TOO WORN
7.
THEN COPIED TO PERPETUATE ORIGINAL
PORCELAIN
1.
PORCELAIN IS TRANSLUCENT POTTERY
a.
MADE FROM PURE CLAY
b.
FIRED AT HIGHER TEMPERATURE THAN ORDINARY POTTERY
2.
BY SUNG DYNASTY PORCELAIN REACHED HEIGHTS OF ARTISTRY SOME BELIEVE
HAVE NEVER BEEN SURPASSED
3.
CALLED CHINA WARE
4.
SECRETS OF PORCELAIN MANUFACTURE JEALOUSLY GUARDED LIKE SILK
MAKING
5.
STILL IN 15TH C. PORCELAIN OBJECTS GREAT RARITY IN EUROPE & GIFTS FOR
KINGS & POTENTATES
6.
FINALLY IN 18TH C EUROPE DEVELOPED PORCELAIN
a.
SOME 1700 YEARS AFTER CHINESE INVENTED IT
SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES OF TANG & SUNG
A.
INTRODUCTION
1.
DESIRES OF GENTRY & COURT MADE LUXURY GOODS & THEIR DEVELOPMENT
BOON FOR CRAFTSMANSHIP
2.
ARTISANS DEVELOPED EXCEPTIONAL SKILL
3.
& INVENTED NEW ITEMS CENTURIES BEFORE WEST
B.
STIRRUP
1.
STIRRUPS UNKNOWN TO GREAT ARMIES OF ANCIENT TIMES
2.
ANCIENT FIERCE WARRIORS TOOK PRIDE IN THEIR FLYING LEAPS TO MOUNT A
HORSE
a.
LIKE MODERN WESTERN COWBOYS
3.
MEN ALSO USED THEIR SPEARS TO HELP THEM UP
4.
BY ABOUT 3RD C AD CHINESE REMEDIED THIS SITUATION
5.
W/THEIR ADVANCED METALLURGICAL EXPERTISE PRODUCED CAST BRONZE OR
IRON FOOT STIRRUPS
6.
NOW ROYALTY COULD PLAY FASHIONABLE SPORT OF POLO
7.
STIRRUPS DID NOT SPREAD TO WEST UNTIL LATER
C.
PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS AS FUEL
1.
BY 4TH C. B.C. AWARE OF POTENTIAL FOR FUEL
2.
BY 10TH C. HAD PORTABLE CYLINDERS FOR CARRYING SUPPLIES OF NATURAL
GAS TO COOK MEALS
D.
MECHANICAL FANS
1.
CIRCULATED WARM AIR IN WINTER & ICE-COOLED BREEZES IN SUMMER
E.
WHEELBARROW
1.
WHEELBARROW IN CHINA INVENTED 1ST CENTURY B.C.
2.
WHEELBARROWS DID NOT EXIST IN EUROPE BEFORE 11TH OF 12TH C
3.
WHEELBARROWS COULD HALF NUMBER OF LABORERS REQUIRED FOR ANY
BUILDING PROJECT
F.
UMBRELLA
1.
UMBRELLA AS WE KNOW IT INVENTED IN CHINA TOWARDS END OF 4TH C A.D.
2.
EARLIER TYPE MADE OF SILK USED FOR CENTURIES AS CHARIOT COVER IN RAIN
3.
BUT 1 MADE IN 4TH C. A.D. USED SPECIAL KIND OF OILED HEAVY PAPER MADE
FROM BARK OF MULBERRY TREE
a.
USED AS PROTECTION FROM BOTH RAIN & SUN
4.
BECAME COMMONPLACE
G.
MATCHES
1.
CHINESE INVENTION LATE 6TH C. A.D.
2.
1ST VERSION INVENTED BY COURT LADIES DURING MILITARY SIEGE OF THEIR
TOWN
5
3.
H.
I.
J.
K.
VI.
NO EVIDENCE OF MATCHES IN EUROPE BEFORE 1530
a.
1000 YEARS APART
BRANDY & WHISKEY
1.
7TH C. AD.
2.
CHINESE DRANK WINE MADE FROM GRAPES BY 2ND C. B.C.
3.
IN COLD REGIONS OF CENTRAL ASIA PEOPLE NOTICED WINE WHEN FROZEN
SMALL AMOUNT OF UNFROZEN LIQUID IN MIDDLE
a.
ALCOHOL
4.
NOT UNTIL EARLY 16TH C IN WEST UNFROZEN ALCOHOL KNOWN
5.
BURNT WINE OR BRANDY KNOWN FROM 7TH C. A.D.
6.
CHINESE WORLD'S FIRST LARGE-SCALE BOOTLEGGERS
a.
SAGE SOUP VERSUS MOONSHINE
7.
EMPEROR WANG MANG WHO REIGNED 9-23 A.D. NATIONALIZED FERMENTATION
& BREWING INDUSTRIES
MECHANICAL CLOCK
1.
8TH C. A.D.
2.
1 OF GREATEST STEPS FORWARD OF HUMAN RACE
3.
WHY WAS IT INVENTED IN CHINA?
a.
NEEDED TO DETERMINE HEIR TO EMPEROR
4.
MECHANICAL CLOCKS NOT UNTIL EARLY 14TH C. EUR
GUNPOWDER
1.
FROM ABOUT YEAR 1000 CHINESE ARMIES EXPERIMENTED WITH FIRE ARROWS &
FIRE LANCES
a.
FLAMMABLE SUBSTANCE FORM OF GUNPOWDER
2.
THEY SOON GOT IDEA OF PUTTING NEW EXPLOSIVE INTO VASE-LIKE GUN
3.
& FIRING HEAVY ARROW PLANTED ACROSS ITS MOUTH
4.
BUT CHINESE NOT INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING IN WALL-DESTROYING CANNON
a.
AS EUROPEANS DID AFTER LEARNED HOW TO MAKE GUNPOWDER FROM
CHINESE
b.
FOR CHINESE FOOLISH TO DEVELOP WEAPONS THAT COULD DESTROY
FORTIFICATIONS
5.
EXPLOSIVE PROPERTIES OF GUNPOWDER USED IN FIRECRACKERS TO FRIGHTEN
AWAY EVIL SPIRITS
OTHER 9TH C. INVENTIONS
1.
PLAYING-CARDS
2.
PAPER MONEY
FOOT-BINDING & THE SUBORDINATION OF CHINESE WOMEN
A.
GENERAL REMARKS
1.
APPARENTLY IN FADDISH IMITATION OF POPULAR COURT TOE-DANCER
2.
CHINESE WOMEN IN POST TANG FIVE DYNASTIES ERA
a.
11-12TH C.
b.
INFLICTED ON THEMSELVES TORTURE OF FOOT-BINDING
3.
WHICH LITERALLY CRIPPLED ALL UPPER-CLASS WOMEN INTO 20TH CENTURY
4.
LIKE TIGHT CORSETTING IN 19TH C EUROPE,
5.
FOOTBINDING DEMONSTRATED FAMILY'S SOCIAL & ECONOMIC STANDING
a.
MAKING ITS WOMEN INCAPABLE OF WORK DONE BY WOMEN OF POORER
FAMILIES
6.
MONGOL OCCUPATION OF CHINA IN 13TH C REINFORCED PRACTICE
7.
ENFORCED IMMOBILIZATION OF WOMEN KEPT THEM FROM EYES OF FOREIGNER
MONGOLS
8.
ANOTHER PRACTICE BECAME PART OF CHINESE SOCIETY
a.
ISOLATING WOMEN IN HAREM-LIKE PRIVACY
b.
PROBABLY INFLUENCED BY MOSLEMS
6
VII.
THE MONGOL CONQUEST OF CHINA
A.
WHO WERE THE MONGOLS?
1.
MONGOLS TENT-DWELLING NOMADS
a.
SOME 2 MILLION
b.
DIVIDED INTO NUMEROUS TRIBES
2.
MONGOLS NOMADIC
a.
LIVED BY RAISING CATTLE, SHEEP & GOATS
3.
THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL REGION COULD BARELY SUPPORT THEM
4.
SO THEY SUPPLEMENTED THEIR LIVING BY WARFARE BETWEEN GROUPS
5.
GREATER PART OF THEIR LIVES SPENT ON HORSEBACK
6.
CHILDREN TIED ON BACKS OF PONIES BEFORE LEARNED TO WALK
7.
FROM AGE 3 TAUGHT TO HANDLE BOW & ARROW
8.
EVENTUALLY LEARNED TO SHOOT ON HORSEBACK AT GALLOP WHILE
STANDING IN STIRRUPS
9.
TECHNIQUE MADE MONGOL CAVALRY DEADLIEST IN ALL ASIA
B.
GENGHIS KHAN (C 1162-1227)
1.
MONGOLS IN LESS THAN HALF CENTURY CARVED OUT LARGEST EMPIRE WORLD
HAD EVER SEEN
2.
THEIR CONQUEST DUE TO MILITARY GENIUS & INSPIRATION OF ONE MAN
a.
TEMUJIN OR GENGHIS KHAN
(1)
MEANS LORD OF EARTH
3.
DRIVEN BY SENSE OF DIVINE MISSION
4.
HE CREATED ARMY WITH POTENTIAL TO CONQUER WORLD
5.
UNDER GENGHIS MONGOLS SWEPT INTO NORTH CHINA
6.
1ST TIME IN CHINESE HISTORY CHINA UNDER RULE OF FOREIGN CONQUEROR
7.
GENGHIS OR JENGHIZ MILITARY ORGANIZER OF GENIUS
a.
HIS OVERALL AIM TO DESTROY TRADITIONAL DIVISIONS
b.
& UNITE MONGOL WORLD UNDER 1 COMMAND
c.
WHICH HE DID
8.
NOT CONTENT TO CONQUER CHINA
9.
HE ALSO CONQUERED AFGHANISTAN, SOUTHERN RUSSIA, NORTHERN PERSIA
10.
MONGOL EMPIRE BECAME GREATEST LAND EMPIRE IN ALL HISTORY
a.
UNTIL 19TH C. BRITISH EMPIRE
b.
FROM PACIFIC OCEAN TO DANUBE RIVER
c.
MOST ALL ASIA
d.
NEAR EAST
e.
EASTERN EUROPE
(1)
REACHING OUTSKIRTS OF VIENNA
11.
MONGOLS PUNISHED COWARDICE & REWARDED COURAGE AMONG THEIR OWN
12.
BUT REVERSED POLICY FOR FOREIGNERS
13.
SLAUGHTER & CARNAGE MEANS OF DEMORALIZING OPPOSITION
14.
NUMEROUS TALES OF MONGOL ATROCITIES ABOUND
15.
AFTER GENGHIS' VICTORY OF TARTARS
a.
EVERY TATAR MALE STANDING TALLER THAN HEIGHT OF CART AXLE
KILLED
16.
AFTER DEFEATING ANOTHER TRIBE HE HAD ENEMY CHIEFS BOILED ALIVE
17.
PROLONGED & HEROIC RESISTANCE LED TO TERRIBLE MASSACRES
18.
NOT ONLY BUILT MOST EFFICIENT WAR MACHINE OF HIS TIME
19.
BUT CREATED ORDER & UNITY OUT OF CHAOS IN HIS HOMELAND
20.
UNDER HIS RULE ALL INTERNECINE FEUDING ABRUPTLY ENDED
21.
OLD TRIBAL LOYALTIES REPLACED BY ALLEGIANCE TO SINGLE PEOPLE &
SINGLE RULER
C.
MONGOL YUAN DYNASTY 1279-1368
1.
KUBLAI KHAN
a.
GRANDSON OF GENGHIS
7
b.
c.
D.
E.
COMPLETED CONQUEST OF CHINA
HE TOOK DYNASTIC TITLE OF YUAN
(1)
MEANING FIRST BEGINNING
d.
RULED AS CHINESE EMPEROR OVER CHINA
e.
AT SAME TIME GREAT KHAN OF MONGOL EMPIRE
2.
MONGOLS MAINTAINED BASIC ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF TANG & SUNG
DYNASTIES
3.
BUT STAFFED IT WITH MANY IMPORTED MOSLEM FOREIGNERS
4.
INFLUX OF ARAB-TURKISH CULTURE
5.
KUBLAI LIVED IN OPULENCE
6.
HIS SAW HIMSELF IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE TERMS
a.
SON OF HEAVEN
7.
NUMEROUS WORLD TRAVELLERS & MERCHANTS CAME TO CHINA DURING
MONGOLIAN RULE
a.
RUSSIANS, ARABS, JEWS, EUROPEANS
b.
CHRISTIAN FRANCISCAN MONKS
c.
NICCOLO & MATTEO POLO
8.
KUBLAI KHAN SO IMPRESSED WITH POLO BROTHERS HE MADE THEM STARTLING
PROPOSITION
9.
LET POPE SEND 100 MEN LEARNED IN RELIGION & ARTS TO HIS COURT
10.
IF THEY COULD PROVE SUPERIORITY OF CHRISTIANITY OVER OTHER RELIGIONS
11.
THEY HE AND ALL HIS SUBJECTS WOULD BE BAPTIZED
12.
VENETIANS UNSUCCESSFUL IN AMBITIOUS PROJECT
13.
BUT KHAN'S COURT TOLERANT OF ALL RELIGIONS
MARCO POLO
1.
KUBLAI TOOK LIKING TO MARCO &
2.
EMPLOYED HIM FOR 17 YRS AS SPECIAL ENVOY
a.
SENDING HIM ON MISSIONS THROUGHOUT EMPIRE
3.
THOSE JOURNEYS & MARCO'S LIFE AT KHAN'S COURT GAVE MARCO MATERIAL
FOR HIS
a.
DESCRIPTION OF WORLD
4.
MARCO'S COUNTRYMEN ASTONISHED WITH REPORTS OF CHINESE & MONGOLS
DEMISE OF MONGOLS IN CHINA
1.
AFTER DEATH OF KUBLAI KHAN MONGOL POWER UNDERMINED BY DECADENCE
OF RULING HOUSE
2.
& GROWING DISCONTENT OF CHINESE PEOPLE
3.
WHO NEVER FORGOT THEIR SUBJUGATION BY BARBARIAN CONQUEROR