Describe and discuss ancestor veneration
Pick one of the following to answer, at least 350 words
OPTION A: China: Describe and discuss ancestor veneration in Chinese culture. Why is it important and what role did it have in shaping the structure of the family and providing order and stability, as well as explaining good or bad fortune? Then, discuss the Chinese theory of the Mandate of Heaven. How does it relate to the view of T’ian (Heaven) and the ancestors watching over and regulating human behavior?
OPTION B: China: Compare and contrast Daoism, Confucian philosophy, and Legalism. Be sure to explain the basic structure of each belief. Explain how each was a response to the Warring States Period. Which philosophy do you think would be the best for organizing a society in a functioning manner and why? Use these links to help expand upon our readings and my lecture:
http://worldhistoryeducatorsblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-three-teachings-confucianism-taoism.html
Option C Japan: This option asks you to focus on the Japanese classic Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu. The daughter of Fujiwara Tametoki written ca. 1000 during the Heian Period. The Tale of Genji centers on the life and loves of Hikaru Genji, son of the Emperor of Japan during the Heian Period. The beloved concubine of the Emperor gives birth to Genj, then soon dies. Genji gorws up and has his first illicit affair with the young wife of the Emperor. She gives birth to a boy who was raised as the Emperor’s son. Genji goes on to have numerous other affairs with other court ladies, but one affair, with a lady of the opposite faction, results in his exile. After exile, he returns and becomes a noted political figure. His wife has an affair and gives birth to a child, who serves to remind Genji of his past. Genji leaves the capital to enter a temple after the death of his true love.
Read the following synopsis of Tale of the Genji and watch the video provided at the following websites:
http://www.learner.org/courses/worldlit/the-tale-of-genji/
http://www.taleofgenji.org/summary.html
After watching and reading, address the following: Discuss gender relations in Japan during this period. How are women treated in the text? What positions do men hold versus women? What makes an elite man attractive to court women?
