Lecture Series for Educators

The following videos were developed by Nancy Hope, to give background on China and Japan for educators who want to learn more about East Asia for use in their own classrooms. The full series of videos is posted below.

CHINA

Geography of China examines this large country with nearly the same landmass as the United States in terms of its provinces, language and cultural divisions, rivers, engineering projects, agricultural zones, and the meta-themes which underlie it.​

 

 

Early Empires of China: Qin and Han (221 BCE - 220 CE) highlights accomplishments of these dynasties including the Terracotta Army, Great Wall, Silk Road and Examination System.

 

 

Major Religions Traditions of China surveys Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism as well as folk beliefs and determines important commonalities among them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Early Empires of China: Qin and Han (221 BCE - 220 CE) highlights accomplishments of these dynasties including the Terracotta Army, Great Wall, Silk Road and Examination System.

 

 

 

A Brief Look at the Sui and Tang Dynasties (581--906 CE) considers water control measures such as the Grand Canal, the cosmopolitan nature of the Tang capital at Chang’an, the importance of poetry, and the influence of Yang Guifei.    

 

 

The Song Dynasty (960-1279) investigates the impressive economic growth in China at this time through its inventions, trade and commercialism, and the arts.

 

 

Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties discusses the key points of Mongol, Chinese and Manchu rule in China between 1279 and 1911 including global trade networks, porcelain, travelers Marco Polo and Zheng He, and the Opium Wars.

 

 

 

---

 

JAPAN

 

Early Japan: Jomon thru Kofun periods (10,000 BCE - 710 CE) analyzes why Americans need to know about Japan, its geographic features, political and ethnic divisions, language, cultural borrowing, and the meta-themes which underlie it

 

 

 

Classical Japan: Nara & Heian periods (710 to 1185 CE) highlights Chinese and Korean customs practiced in Japan at this time, the subsequent flowering of indigenous culture especially in literature and art, and the rise of the samurai.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japan from Meiji to Heisei (1868 onward) examines how the Japanese nation-state successfully modernized, colonized Korea, and recovered from WWII, but is still affected by the collapse of its “bubble economy.” 

 

 

Japan at the Crossroads in the 21^st Century explores Japan as a case study for problems of population, ethnicity, environment, economy, militarization, and popular culture.