| Papers [1-16] of 25 :: [Page 1 of 2] | | Go to page : 1 2 —> | Search results on "MING FICTION": |
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The Ming Dynasty, 2005.
This paper analyzes the accomplishments and failures of the Ming Dynasty (1368 -1644).
1,525 words (approx. 6.1 pages), 6 sources, APA, AU$ 73.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that the accomplishments of the Ming dynasty included a geographic expansion of the dynasty, the introduction of a number of administrative innovations, the introduction of a sophisticated system of taxation and equitable division of social responsibilities. The author points out that, during the early Ming dynasty, the elite members of society were subjected to more direct economic controls than in past years, a process that ultimately led to a significant upheaval of the traditional scholar-official power structure in Ming society. The paper concludes that the failures of the Ming rulers were found to include their inability to use the same innovations and complicated power structures to good effect when the Manchu conquest resulted in many of the once powerful Ming eunuchs committing suicide.
Table of Contents
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Accomplishments of Ming Rules
Failures of Ming Rules
Conclusion
From the Paper
"By the 17th century, China possessed as much as 25 percent of the earth's population and had urban centers with up to one million citizens; these urban centers were five to seven times greater than the largest cities in western Europe; not surprisingly, then, the "silverization" of China would have profound implications for global commerce. In this regard, Flynn and Giraldez note that, "China's tributary system also converted to silver, so we are talking about far more than one-quarter of the globe's population. Conversion of the world's largest economic entity to silver caused the metal's value to skyrocket in China relative to the rest of the world.""
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Buddhism and the Ming Dynasty., 2002.
An examination of the political involvement of Buddhism during the Ming Dynasty.
2,900 words (approx. 11.6 pages), 5 sources, AU$ 154.95
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Abstract
This essay will examine the political involvement of Buddhism in the period of the Ming dynasty. It will be seen that this political involvement must be considered in terms of the conflict between Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism for dominance in the political life of China. In the time of the Ming Dynasty Buddhism was declining in influence among the Chinese elite and governing class. However, during this era of increasingly autocratic and chaotic political life, Buddhism became increasingly popular among the local and regional gentry class who began to disengage from the official administrative structures of Chinese political life. It will be argued that the Buddhist concept of "withdrawal" had clear political ramifications in this context, and was understood as such by the Neo-Confucian elite at the time, leading to increased criticism and suppression of a belief system that was increasingly at odds with the Neo-Confucian ideology of the Chinese state.
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Ming Fiction, 2005.
This paper analyzes "Du Tenth Sinks in the Jewel Box in Anger" by Feng Meng-long; a Chinese story from the Ming dynasty.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 2 sources, AU$ 76.95
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Abstract
The paper looks at a vernacular story that originated in China during the Ming dynasty. The story in question; "Du Tenth Sinks in the Jewel Box in Anger" is a typical example of concubine romance. The paper shows how in the story, money and love are closely related. The paper looks at how money affects the beginning, the development and the end of the relationship between Du Tenth and Li Jia, the main characters of the story.
From the Paper
"This essay looks at one particular Chinese vernacular story from the late Ming Dynasty. The story is briefly discussed within the context of the history and culture of the Ming dynasty. What follows is a personal opinion and thought on the story. The story is by Feng Meng-long and is titled "Du Tenth Sinks in the Jewel Box in Anger." In this story, money and love are closely related. This essay analyses how money affects the beginning, development and the end of the relationship between Du Tenth and Li Jia, the main characters of the story."
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"Stories from a Ming Collection: The Art of Chinese Story-teller", 2002.
An analysis of this book which was translated by Cyril Birch and a comparison of two stories from the book.
1,020 words (approx. 4.1 pages), 1 source, AU$ 64.95
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Abstract
This paper will analyze the book "Stories from a Ming Collection: The Art of Chinese Story-teller" translated by Cyril Birch. By understanding the ideas of ethical premise that are within the two stories "The Lady was a Beggar" and "The Pearl Sewn Shirt" we can compare them to better see the human relationships that exist in the tales.
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The Eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty of China, 2003.
A thorough examination of the roles eunuchs played during this dynasty.
3,915 words (approx. 15.7 pages), 2 sources, APA, AU$ 153.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how the shortcomings of the Ming Dynasty cannot be blamed on the slave system of eunuchs, but rather on the dynasty itself. It explains how the eunuchs were the slaves of the emperor who carried out his designs and thus were victims in themselves. Though some rose to high power and wealth, most did not. It further discusses how more attention should be paid to the important role eunuchs played in keeping the dynasty alive for nearly three centuries, rather than why they brought the dynasty down.
From the Paper
"Throughout ancient Greece, Rome, North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia eunuchs have served a wide range of functions, from palace menials to imperial spies. The dynasties in China, in particular, have used eunuchs to perform various duties throughout their more than one thousand years of rule. The use of these castrati was so engrained in their cultural system that even after disloyal and ambitious eunuchs brought ends to the Han and Tang dynasties, the Chinese never abolished the practice. The Chinese emperors preferred eunuchs for several reasons. Men, especially after the dawn of Confucianism on Chinese society, expected from women their utmost purity and devotion. To adhere to these Confucian principles, Emperors originally employed eunuchs to oversee and manage the hundreds of imperial concubines, making certain no other men, even relatives, come in contact with them, assuring a pure lineage. Emperors also favored eunuchs because they, unable to have children, supposedly would not covet political power or wealth, which in turn they would pass on to their sons. Having no motive for wealth and no ambition for position, eunuchs would have no desire selling palace secrets or conniving with potential usurpers. Ideally the castrati would thus demonstrate absolute loyalty to his employer, the emperor."
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The Ming Dynasty, 1995.
Examines its rise and fall, 1368-1644. Discusses politics, military, social control, isolation, internal and external pressures.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 7 sources, AU$ 57.95
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From the Paper
"THE RISE AND FALL OF THE MING DYNASTY
This research paper describes the rise and fall of the Ming dynasty in China (1368.1644). In anglicizing Chinese names for people and places, traditional nomenclature is used, thus Peking, not Bejing.
The long reign of the Ming dynasty bridged two periods during which China was ruled by foreign invaders, the Mongols (1271.1368) and the Manchus (1644.1912). The first Ming emperor, Chu Yuan.chang, drove the Mongols from Peking in 1368. After providing China with nearly three centuries of relative peace, stability and prosperity, the Ming dynasty lost the capital city to a Manchu army in 1644.
The Rise of the Ming Dynasty
The Mongol Empire, which in its heyday included Central ..."
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Tao Yuan Ming, 2005.
An analysis of the retirement of Tao Yuanming as seen through his poems.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 1 source, AU$ 64.95
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Abstract
This paper refers to several of Stephen Owen's translations of Tao Yuanming's poems. The paper indicates that however much the poet has favoured his leaving official life for the countryside that he does have moments of wondering if his decision was correct or just seeing that the village is merely different from that of which he grew tired in an educated profession.
From the Paper
"Tao Yuanming (365-427 AD) - an Idyllic Retirement in the Countryside, and More. Introduction The man remembered as Tao Qian was born to a minor gentry family, perhaps part of the Tao clan, and held a number of minor civil service posts before deciding to retire to a village. Much of his work points to the circumstances that encouraged this rejection of official life, not through any particular expectation of it, but in a spirit of glorifying the individual. He has known well what was expected of a person of his background, as an educated Chinese, who would normally prefer a life of the towns."
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The Mao Dynasty, 2001.
This paper compares and contrasts the socio-political structures in China under the Ming Dynasty and the People's Republic of China..
3,000 words (approx. 12.0 pages), 16 sources, AU$ 127.95
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Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts the socio-political structures in China under the Ming Dynasty and the People's Republic of China. In doing so, the author explores the differences between Confucius's philosophies and Mao's with its roots in Soviet Communism. A good part of the paper is devoted toward a discussion of Zhu Yuanzhang's totalitarian rule.
From the Paper
"In 1911 AD, a revolution in China overthrew the Manchu rulers and ended the Qing Dynasty. Over the next forty years China was ruled by various warlords, occupied by the Japanese, and eventually liberated by the nationalist forces of Chang Kai Shek, known as the Guomindang. However, before China could be restored to order, the Red Army of the Chinese Communist party, operating in small guerilla units, took first the North and then the South of China, forcing Chang and the remnants of his forces to flee to Taiwan. On October 1st 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the people?s republic of China."
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Chinese Novels, 2007.
This paper analyzes novels from the Chinese Ming and Qing eras.
1,982 words (approx. 7.9 pages), 6 sources, MLA, AU$ 90.95
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Abstract
This paper introduces several Chinese novels in English translation, noting what they tell of culture and society in the late Ming and Qing periods. The paper discusses how the reader finds dark themes to do with women but also satirical approaches to the hated Manchu dynasty and people who do not quite live up to what is expected of them.
Introduction:
Jin Ping Mei... 'The Plum in the Golden Vase' or 'The Gold Lotus'
The Scholars (1751)
Six Records of a Floating Life (1810
Flowers in the Mirror (1827)
Dream of the Red Chamber (c. 1791)
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Attributed to Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng, this work appeared in block-printed form about 1610. Some scholars have considered if one of the 'four major novels of wonder' after Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1330), Water Margin or Outlaws of the Marsh (1573), and Journey to the West (1590), belonging to the late Ming and early Qing era. More often one sees a list of 'four great classical novels' that lists the first three followed by Dream of the Red Chamber (1792) in the place of Jin Ping Mei. As for Lanling Xiaoxiao Sheng, he may have been a Taoist priest, for his emphasis on what he saw as a decadent, corrupt and declining social order. Some believe that Jin Ping Mei was written by a woman, due to the focus on women, as if the author was trying to relate typical struggles inside a wealthy household."
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Confucianism Across Chinese History, 2008.
An analysis of the changing nature of Confucianism from the time of the Warring States to the Ming Dynasty.
2,005 words (approx. 8.0 pages), 2 sources, MLA, AU$ 91.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the evolution of Confucianism and how it was adapted to serve the changing needs of the Chinese state with which it came to be so identified. It looks at the changes in Confucianism from the time of the Warring States to the Ming Dynasty. The paper also describes the importance of Confucianism in Chinese history and the fundamental disagreements about Confucianism that extend throughout Chinese history.
From the Paper
"This passage is interesting for its emphasis on how the Confucian focus on ritual can be oriented towards the individual and the individuals local relationships, with the broader implications for the state clearly being secondary. Clearly, this represents a profound shift from the heavy emphasis of Confucianism since the Han upon how Confucianism is useful to the state and government. Now, with Neo-Confucianism, Zhu Xi seems to suggest that the Chinese people have different needs that must be met in new ways through an adaptation of traditional Confucian thinking. In this adaptation, it may be argued, Zhu Xi is continuing int he practice of continual revision of Confucianism(s) that have defined the evolution of this philosophy in theory and practice throughout Chinese imperial history."
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Li Yu?s ?A Tower for the Summer Heat?, 2004.
This paper discusses a book by Li Yu, who was born during the fall of Ming dynasty, called ?A Tower for the Summer Heat?.
1,160 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 1 source, AU$ 57.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that many of the themes Li Yu wrote and the way he narrated stories were very unusual at the time; he narrated his story, ?A Tower for the Summer Heat?, in the third person and, at the end of each chapter, he would break off from the storyline to start a small conversation with the reader. The author points out that, besides the story being comically funny, one important aspect to understand is that Li Yu was using the story to break social taboos on sex and marriages. The paper relates that, at the time Li Yu wrote, most marriages were arranged by parents, and people did not have a choice of marrying someone they found sexually attractive.
From the Paper
"Jiren also broke traditional conformity by creating adultery. Traditionally, you could only have sex with your wife but Jiren had sex with all the maids without being married to them. By making this character break many social norms, Li Yu is able to make his readers reflect on those norms and decide whether or not Jiren should be admired or detested for breaking them. In fact, it seems that Li Yu is actually encouraging his readers to engage in discussion about this topic and express their opinions. This is evident by his use of narration."
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Chinese Civilization, 2002.
A study of the effects of foreign influence on Chinese civilization during the Ming Dynasty and the 20th century.
898 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 6 sources, MLA, AU$ 45.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how China has seen various types of phases in its history through which it has developed into a nation that it is today. It examines how there have been different periods in the history of China through which it has gained certain characteristics and how these characteristics are ones that are recognized today as part of the Chinese experience of foreign influences. It also looks at ideological influences, such as Communism and Democracy, and how the U.S.S.R. was responsible for the influence of Communism in China, while the United States and the British were responsible for the democratic influence.
From the Paper
"Another ?up? in Chinese history that changed the institutions there was The Revolution of 1911. This revolution was important as it ended monarch rule that lasted centuries. After this revolution people found themselves with more freedom than they had before. In other words this was the beginning of democratic institutionalization in China. However, there were several obstacles in the way after this revolution. But it must be remembered that this revolution was the first sign of democracy in that land. So important is this day in China that its anniversary is celebrated every year in commemoration of the hope of freedom to the Chinese people. It must be realized that if this day did not mean much at all in Chinese history there would never have been so much attention paid to it by the people or the governments in power."
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Yixing Ware, 1999.
Examines this Chinese stoneware used since the Ming Dynasty. Discusses the history, manufacture, uses (especially teapots), folklore, aesthetics and materials.
3,375 words (approx. 13.5 pages), 17 sources, AU$ 172.95
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From the Paper
"Yixing ware is a type of unglazed, red and brown stoneware that has been manufactured in the Yixing district, in China's Kiangsu Province, since the late Ming Dynasty. Throughout its history as the pottery center of China, Yixing has always been important as a producer of utilitarian stoneware. The Yixing kilns were best known for the production of tea ware and various items for the desks of scholars. The invention of the teapot is credited to the Yixing potters, and Yixing ware introduced teapots into Europe. But, Yixing also possesses an artistic tradition that is unique in the history of Chinese ceramics. Since the late Ming era, works by individual potters have frequently been signed, and this traditional emphasis on individual artistic excellence and innovation continues to the present. The forms employed by the potters ranged from ..."
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Social Pollution in "New Year's Sacrifice" and "Hands.", 2006.
In this paper the two authors, Lu Xun and Xiao Hong, treat the subject of social stigma, isolation, and social hygiene similarly.
1,543 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 0 sources, AU$ 73.95
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Abstract
In both stories, the protagonist is a female and both women are ostracized from their peers and their community. The paper explains how pollution is portrayed by both authors as being socially defined. Hsiang Lin's Wife of "New Year's Sacrifice" is polluted for no reason other than her socially unacceptable past, whilst Wang Ya-Ming of "Hands" is polluted not only because her hands are dark and different but also because she is very poor. The paper shows how in both stories those who do not or cannot conform suffer dearly. The paper therefore details how Hsiang Lin's Wife and Wang Ya-Ming were ostracised and as a result became ill and weak. Both "New Year's Sacrifice" and "Hands" show how norms can severely affect people who are different, or people who step outside the boundaries of the social code.
From the Paper
"The fear of pollution is a recurrent theme in both Lu Xun's "New Year's Sacrifice" and Xiao Hong's "Hands." The two authors treat the subject of social stigma, isolation, and social hygiene similarly. In both stories, the protagonist is a female: in a sense, she is already born polluted. Although Hsiang Lin's Wife is older than Wang Ya-Ming, both women are ostracized from their peers and their community. Hsiang Lin's Wife of "New Year's Sacrifice" is shunned and scorned because of her socially unacceptable past. Twice a widow, her boy child died from a wolf attack. Hsiang Lin's Wife is therefore viewed by the people of Luchen as being dangerous as well as spiritually dirty. Lu Xun describes her symbolic pollution through the use of color contrasts, namely whiteness versus blackness. Similarly, Xiao Hong relies heavily on color symbolism to convey the central theme of social pollution in "Hands." The story's protagonist Wang Ya-Ming and her family members have black hands. Furthermore, both authors show how poverty and pollution are closely linked, as Wang Ya-Ming and Hsiang Lin's Wife are both destitute. Lu Xun and Xiao Hong show that social persecution causes loneliness and illness. At the same time, the polluted characters in the two stories retain a sense of inner strength in spite of their ordeals."
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Chinese Art, 2007.
This paper looks at art in Chinese history and shows the common denominator of classicism and opposition to change.
1,092 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 6 sources, MLA, AU$ 55.95
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Abstract
The paper explores the Tang Dynasty which was commonly regarded by many Chinese as the most glorious period of Chinese history and the classical era of Chinese art. The paper discusses how the Chinese artistic style remained relatively uniform, in contrast with the levels of transformation evident in Chinese society and history of the period. The paper examines the art during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties, the rule of the Mongols and the Ming and the Qing Dynasties. The paper explains that during all these time periods there was a climate that discouraged rather than encouraged radical innovations that could be called revolutionary in the traditional, Western sense of an artistic revolution.
From the Paper
"The open ports during the Tang Dynasty meant that China was exposed to new ideas, from abroad, and the arts, including sculpture and painting, as well as poetry and the art of the traditional Chinese opera. All of these arts were nationally supported. Yet this brief period of openness ended almost as quickly as it began. ("Tang Dynasty," Classical Imperial China, 2006) Also, the concentration of artistic support near the Imperial Court limited the levels of innovation to a fairly select group of artists."
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Chinese Mathematics, 2002.
Examines the history of mathematical knowledge in China.
1,570 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 74.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the early Chinese achievements in the field of mathematics, including the decimal system, calculation of pi, the use of counting aids and the application of mathematical principles to everyday life. It also examines the influence of Indian and later, European mathematical knowledge into Chinese mathematics.
Early China
Indian Influence
Tenth Century to Ming Period
Influence
From the Paper
"Suan chu was thus developed, which covered a wide array of practical and spiritual concerns. Subjects as diverse as religion and astronomy were tapped to devise ways to control the floods (Martzloff 21-22). The science of mathematics was an integral aspect to the of suan chu, particularly in the construction of dams strong enough to shore up the river banks and in the development of the Chinese calendar to record and predict the monsoon season."
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