By W. Lawrence Neuman
KEY ISSUES IN ASIAN STUDIES
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table of contents
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05
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Ideas for exploring
content through comparisons and questions
Maps and Fast Facts
Summary of Periods
Investigation Stations
Summary of Dynasties
Investigation Stations
BACKGROUND
KOREA
THINK TIME
CHINA
JAPAN
Summary of Eras
Investigation Stations
“On a daily basis what we use-- refrigerators to gym shorts to sushi--comes from East Asia. Yet few of us truly understand the peoples and societies of this major world region.”
- Neuman, Page 1
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GEOGRAPHY
East Asia includes:
People’s Republic of China (PRC)
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea (North Korea)
Republic of Korea (South Korea)
Japan
FAST FACTS
China’s Population: 1.33 billion vs. United States’s Population of 310.23 million
While population growth across East Asia was fast before the 1970s,
it has slowed and stabilized.
Population densities per square kilometer:
China: 138, Taiwan: 713, North Korea: 189, South Korea: 502, Japan: 348, United States: 34
About 1 in 4 people on earth live in east asia.
Japan has a negative population growth
The tokyo area is the world’s largest city and Seoul is the second-largest.
TIMELINE
60,000
Years ago
JAPAN
Korea
People arrived
in East Asia
People started to live in small settlements during the Jomon Period, 1200-300 BCE
Gojoseon, the first kingdom, appears about 700 BCE
Written history begins
with the Shang Dynasty,
17th - 11th centuries BCE
1274, 1291 China failed
in attempts to invade Japan;
1592, 1598 Japan failed in attempts to invade Korea
Japan becomes the first non-western country to industrialize; went to war to increase power, Sino-Japanese War 1894-95
Russo-Japanese War 1904-50
China
INVASIONS
IMPERIALISM
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CHINA
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HISTORY OF CHINA
Written history begins
Significant Chinese culture, literature, and philosophy emerges,
including Confucianism and Daoism
Preceded by the Warring States Period, the Qin reunited China and built China’s first true empire; standardized writing, built infrastructure, and established legal codes
SHANG DYNASTY: 17th - 11th centuries BCE
ZHOU DYNASTY: 1045-256 BCE
QIN DYNASTY: 221-206 BCE
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HISTORY OF CHINA
Embraced Confucianism, expanded empire, developed Silk Roads trade routes, introduced Buddhism
Disunity and warfare led to significant population decline
Slow recovery began
HAN DYNASTY: 206 BCE - 220 CE
THREE KINGDOMS: 220 - 265 CE
JIN DYNASTY: 265 - 420 CE
Characterized by fragmentation and warfare
SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN DYNASTIES: 420 - 589 CE
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HISTORY OF CHINA
China consolidated and expanded its borders
Arts and sciences advanced, population increased, army and navy strengthened,
Chinese power and influence grew
SUI DYNASTY: 581 - 618 CE
TANG DYNASTY: 618 - 907 CE
Structure of government changed, civil service exams became important
SONG DYNASTY: 960 - 1279 CE
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HISTORY OF CHINA
Mongol rule following the invasion of Genghis Khan, ruled from Peking (Beijing),
empire stretched from Eastern Europe to Vietnam
Reoriented China toward agriculture, revised civil service exams, cities grew
YUAN DYNASTY: 1271 - 1368 CE
MING DYNASTY: 1368 - 1644 CE
Conflict between China and Europe grew;
last dynasty overthrown by republican revolution in 1911
QING DYNASTY: 1644 - 1911 CE
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INVESTIGATION STATIONS
Concepts and resources for further study.
INVESTIGATION STATION
QIN DYNASTY
FIRST EMPEROR’S TOMB:
THE TERRACOTTA ARMY
Unearthing Lessons from Ancient China
Terra Cotta Soldiers on the March
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INVESTIGATION STATION
HAN DYNASTY
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INVESTIGATION STATION
HAN DYNASTY
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INVESTIGATION STATION
SUI DYNASTY
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INVESTIGATION STATION
MING DYNASTY
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INVESTIGATION STATION
QING DYNASTY
OPIUM WARS
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INVESTIGATION STATION
QING DYNASTY
TAIPING REBELLION
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JAPAN
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HISTORY OF JAPAN
Small settlements, rice-based agriculture, limited metal, sophisticated pottery
Characterized by irrigated rice growing, population increase, indigenous religion, and iron making.
Powerful clans, key-shaped burial mounds, exchange with Korea and CHina includes the import of writing, Buddhism, and Confucianism
Jōmon Period: 1200 - 300 bce
Yayoi PerioD: 300 bce - 300 ce
Kofun (Yamato) Period: 250 - 538 CE
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HISTORY OF JAPAN
Construction of Nara based on Tang dynasty city, improved infrastructure and solidified economy and public administration, increased influence of Buddhism
Capital moved to Kyōto, influence of Confucianism grew, court society developed with growth in the arts and literature
Japan’s “medieval” era, warrior class grew in strength and influence
Nara Era: 710 - 794 ce
Heian Era: 794 - 1185 ce
Kamakura Era: 1185 - 1333 CE
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HISTORY OF JAPAN
Trade with China resumed, trade with European countries developed,
internal warfare continued without a unifying authority
Capital moved to Edo with emperor as figurehead in Kyōto, foreign influence decreased significantly, Confucian principles guided society with a strict hierarchy
Japan quickly transformed to an industrial power using new boy emperor, Meiji, as a symbol of the new Japan, acquired new territories to help growth
Muromachi Era: 1337 - 1573 ce
Tokugawa Era: 1603-1868 ce
Meiji Era: 1868 - 1912 CE
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INVESTIGATION STATION
NARA PERIOD
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INVESTIGATION STATION
Heian PERIOD
The Tale of Genji
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INVESTIGATION STATION
Kamakura PERIOD
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INVESTIGATION STATION
Muromachi Era
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INVESTIGATION STATION
Edo Period
Alternate Attendance System
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INVESTIGATION STATION
Edo Period
Commodore Perry’s Arrival
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KOREA
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HISTORY OF KOREA
Capital established at Pyongyang, coup in 194 BCE led to division into four kingdoms: Silla, Kaya, Baekje, and Goguryeo
Silla, Goguryeo, and Baekje kingdoms were influenced by China and Buddhism
Silla drove out the Chinese and unified Korea, Buddhism became state religion
GOJOSEON KINGDOM: 700 BCE
THREE KINGDOMS ERA: 57 BCE - 668 CE
SILLA KINGDOM: 668 - 918 CE
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HISTORY OF KOREA
Founded by warlords from the north, invaded by the Mongols in 1238
Capital moved to Hanyang (Seoul), reorganized under neo-Confucian principles, King Sejong led many cultural developments
GORYEO KINGDOM: 918 - 1392 CE
JOSEON DYNASTY: 1392 - 1910 CE
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INVESTIGATION STATION
JOSEON DYNASTY
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INVESTIGATION STATION
JOSEON DYNASTY
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THINK TIME
CAUSE AND EFFECT
Which of the following events
had the greatest impact on the rise
of Japan as
a global power?
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WHO, WHAT, WHERE?
CHINA
“In 1945 China emerged devastated and sharply divided.”
THE NATIONALISTS
Led by
_________
the KMT held
official power.
CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY
Led by
_________,
they had been fighting the KMT.
CIVIL
WAR
In ______,
Mao won and established a new government,
____________.
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DEFEAT
The KMT fled to
_________
and vowed to keep fighting mainland China.
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KEY EVENTS
What impact did the following events have
on the development of Communism in East Asia?
1958 - 1963
1966 - 1976
TIANANMEN SQUARE PROTESTS
GREAT LEAP FORWARD
CULTURAL REVOLUTION
1951 - 1954
1989
KOREAN WAR
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Thanks!
Created as part of the National Consortium for Teaching About Asia and The Ohio State University East Asian Studies Center’s
Take-and-Go Curriculum Project, 2023