May 30/31: China's Golden Age...It's Not Over
In Chapter Eight we learned a tremendous amount about China. We even had a debate in class regarding whether or not the “Golden Age” of China was as significant as the Renaissance in Europe. Clearly, I lost that argument during the debate because I truly saw that what they achieved during that period of time changed their position in the world forever. Starting from 589-618 during the Sui Dynasty, the Chinese reunited as a people and that hasn’t changed significantly for eternity. According to the text, the unity was enabled “by a vast extension of the country’s canal system.” These canals brought communities in the north and the south together economically.
It wasn’t just the accomplishments economically, we learned about the changes to the school and exam system and that for the very first time in history books were printed. Even this advancement is significant for Chinese society in ways that we don’t talk about. These advancements in education and examinations were meant to take these upper class people and place them into positions within the bureaucracy. There were too many people that did well and not enough positions to be given and so some of the people became well known within their own communities. I would say that it may have also created a norm for society that in order to achieve, you must be educated. Even though according to US News and World Report’s Best Countries for Education List ranks China as #25, there is no doubt that education for the most affluent is impressive.
I think there is some provocative evidence also that supports my beliefs. In a study published by the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America called, “Explaining Asian Americans’ academic advantage over whites”, the authors assert that there is a an Asian-American educational advantage over whites that is attributable to Asian students exerting greater academic effort and not to advantages in tested cognitive abilities or socio-demographics. One of the reasons why it didn’t have to do with cognitive abilities but with greater effort was due to “cultural differences in beliefs regarding the connection between effort and achievement”. This may because there is a great expectation for achievement in Asian households. Now, can I say that comes back to ancient China? No, but could it have played a part? Maybe so.
During that golden age, China also made advances economically and became the “most urbanized country in the world.” (327). The originators of a red lantern district, music schools, and cultural advances in poetry, etc. We learned about them mastering waterways and developing a transportation system, and China’s iron industry superiority.
There were many achievements during that time and, from my perspective, China hasn’t reversed course for thousands of years. In terms of power as described by US News and World Report Best Countries List, China ranks as the third most powerful nation in the world behind only the Unites States and Russia. They define “power” as countries that may not necessarily be the most well-liked, but they are the nations that consistently dominate news headlines, preoccupy policymakers and shape economic forecasts. Their foreign and economic policy decisions have ripple effects all over the world. Their military budgets are tracked religiously. When they make a pledge, at least some in the international community trust they will keep it.
China’s golden age may have started a long time ago but it seems as if – economically and militarily speaking – the golden age continues.
It wasn’t just the accomplishments economically, we learned about the changes to the school and exam system and that for the very first time in history books were printed. Even this advancement is significant for Chinese society in ways that we don’t talk about. These advancements in education and examinations were meant to take these upper class people and place them into positions within the bureaucracy. There were too many people that did well and not enough positions to be given and so some of the people became well known within their own communities. I would say that it may have also created a norm for society that in order to achieve, you must be educated. Even though according to US News and World Report’s Best Countries for Education List ranks China as #25, there is no doubt that education for the most affluent is impressive.
I think there is some provocative evidence also that supports my beliefs. In a study published by the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America called, “Explaining Asian Americans’ academic advantage over whites”, the authors assert that there is a an Asian-American educational advantage over whites that is attributable to Asian students exerting greater academic effort and not to advantages in tested cognitive abilities or socio-demographics. One of the reasons why it didn’t have to do with cognitive abilities but with greater effort was due to “cultural differences in beliefs regarding the connection between effort and achievement”. This may because there is a great expectation for achievement in Asian households. Now, can I say that comes back to ancient China? No, but could it have played a part? Maybe so.
During that golden age, China also made advances economically and became the “most urbanized country in the world.” (327). The originators of a red lantern district, music schools, and cultural advances in poetry, etc. We learned about them mastering waterways and developing a transportation system, and China’s iron industry superiority.
There were many achievements during that time and, from my perspective, China hasn’t reversed course for thousands of years. In terms of power as described by US News and World Report Best Countries List, China ranks as the third most powerful nation in the world behind only the Unites States and Russia. They define “power” as countries that may not necessarily be the most well-liked, but they are the nations that consistently dominate news headlines, preoccupy policymakers and shape economic forecasts. Their foreign and economic policy decisions have ripple effects all over the world. Their military budgets are tracked religiously. When they make a pledge, at least some in the international community trust they will keep it.
China’s golden age may have started a long time ago but it seems as if – economically and militarily speaking – the golden age continues.
Comments
Post a Comment