What kinds of religious differences (or similarities) exist between works from the “Eastern” societies of India, China, and Japan (PDF) and those of Western societies in the Wiesner-Hanks readings (MW)?
Assignment Question
Comparatively assess at least 3 of the below sources from the Week 7-12 handout (PDF) AND3 sources from the Wiesner-Hanks Sources of World Societies text (MW) — you should frame your discussion with reference to the subject of the “Medieval World,” and the overarching “Silk Road” theme of the course. Your essay should also be governed in 6-8 pages by attending to a few prompts:
Prompts: • As expressed in the excerpts on the Weeks 7-12 handout, what kinds of religious differences (or similarities) exist between works from the “Eastern” societies of India, China, and Japan (PDF) and those of Western societies in the Wiesner-Hanks readings (MW)? • Do you find that the handout readings and Wiesner-Hanks readings presented any insight into the literary traditions of the peoples of India, China, Japan, or the Medieval West? • Lastly, your conclusion must include relevancies to our 21st Century time, including areas that really interest you (religious diversity, international and local trade/economies, etc).
For general considerations and commentary on broad topics, peoples, trends, regions, please support with reference to the assigned sections in our Wiesner-Hanks main text.
Sources to include in essay: Week 6 HANDOUT READING PACKET India, China,& Japan: (PDF) INDIA: “Shakuntalā” excerpt (pp. 1-2 of handout) (PDF) CHINA: The Analects excerpt (pp. 3-4) (PDF) CHINA: Tao-Te-Ching [Daodeching] excerpt (p. 5) (PDF) CHINA: “Neo-Confucian” excerpts (pp. 6-9) (PDF) JAPAN: “Shintoism” excerpts (pp. 10-13) (PDF) JAPAN: “Mahayana Buddhism and religiosity, gender roles” (pp. 14-15) (PDF) JAPAN: “The Jōei Code” (p. 26) Selections from Wiesner-Hanks, et al, eds., Sources of World Societies (12th ed.): Chapters. 12-14 (MW) 12-1 Marriage and Female Virtue, Murasaki Shikibu, from The Tale of the Genji (ca. 1021), pp. 150-151. (MW) 13-1 Observations on Mongol Rule in China, “Epitaph for the Honorable Menggu (ca. 1272), pp. 163-165. (MW) 13-3 A European Merchant Travels the Silk Road: Marco Polo, from Travels: Description of the World (ca.1298), pp/ 167-171. (MW) 13-4 A Hindu Description of the Ideal Wife: Vatsyayana, from the Kamasutra: About a Wife (ca. 150-1200)pp. 171-173. (MW) 13-5 A Muslim Scholar Offers Guidance to His Fellow Believers, Maulana Burhān Ud-dīn Marghīnānī, from Guidance: Alms, Marriage, and Testimony (ca. 1197). (MW) 14-1 Royal Power and the Rule of Law: King John of England, from Magna Carta: The Great Charter of Civil Liberties (1215), pp. 177-180. (MW) 14-2 The Pope Declares His Own Power, Pope Boniface VIII, Unam Sanctam (1302), pp. 180-181. (MW) 14-3 A Scholastic Places Logic in the Service of Theology: Thomas Aquinas, from Summa Theologica: CanIt Be Demonstrated That God Exists? (1268), pp. 181-183. *Don’t forget (1) to use the Wiesner-Hanks, et al main textbook, A History of World Societies, Vol 1: To 1600 to frame your historical discussions, and (2) to address “so what?” implications of your analyses (i.e., relevancies that these readings and historical people, events, and phenomena may have for you in our 21st Century world!)
