choose two of the following three questions
1. In his “Classical Chinese Historical Thought,” Michael Puett introduces a series of theories of history from ancient China. Reflecting upon the more than two millennia of history that we have covered this session, choose one of these theories and apply it to a specific trend of your choosing in Chinese history, illustrated through examples (your own, from our textbook or readings, not Puett’s).
2. What viewpoint on Yuan governance and its legacy is Elizabeth Endicott-West arguing against in her “Imperial Governance in Yuan Times”? What viewpoint does she propose instead, and what evidence does she provide to support this viewpoint? Finally, do you find her argument convincing- why or why not?
3. In “Reenvisioning the Qing: The Significance of the Qing Period in Chinese History,” Evelyn Rawski highlights new directions in the historical study of the Qing period. What portrayal of the Qing and its policies is Rawski arguing against? What evidence does she provide to support her contestation of this portrayal? And why are these debates about the Qing significant today?