Author: admin

I have engaged with the class materials by taking notes before class on what I find interesting, strange, or have questions on for the assigned readings. This helps jog my memory of what stood out to me in the text so I can thoughtfully participate in class discussions. While my class preparation is working well for me, I would like to begin engaging with the optional readings. Oftentimes I find that I do not have enough time within my busy schedule to complete the optional readings. When talking to classmates who did do the optional readings it seems they have a better understanding of the topic. Taking even just 10 minutes to look through an optional reading will most likely answer some of my questions and allow me to have a better grasp on the topic at hand. Also, I should start looking at questions or comments other students have posted on the Pad as well as the response given to these questions. This may help answer some of my own questions or at least allow me to dig deeper into a topic.

I have treated the weekly reflection seriously and with effort. While writing this reflection I often look back at my notes from my preparation for class and the notes I took during class. It is interesting to see how my knowledge of and ideas surrounding the topic of the class has changed after having a class discussion about it. While writing weekly reflections is not always the most fun part of my weekend, it is important to reflect on what I learned in class. My favorite part of these weekly reflections is looking at my classmates posts and seeing how their reflections differ from mine. There may have been an important point discussed in class that I forgot to mention in my post, or an idea I had not thought of before. I also enjoy looking at the constructive criticism my peers give me on my reflections as they help me improve my writing and analytical skills. When I compare my reflections to others I notice that my posts tend to be a bit longer than my peers. This is not necessarily bad, but it shows me I should work on being more brief at times.

So far in this course I have learned that studying a cultures mythology and beliefs is just as important as studying actual historical events of a society. For example, in the “Classic of Mountains and Seas” it was brought up in class that the strangest creatures are often the ones described as living in the outskirts or outside of China. This can be attributed to ethnocentrism where the ancient Chinese looked down on foreigners. I knew next to nothing about ancient Chinese beliefs before taking this course and my eyes have been opened to the rich history of this culture. A topic I am interested in is cultural comparison of ancient Chinese beliefs with other cultures and/or time periods. It is interesting to note the similarities and differences between cultures.

Version 1: The “Classic of Mountains and Seas” is a text written over a long period of time, from the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. This time period includes the warring states period through the Han dynasty. The table of contents is divided into different geographical areas of ancient China. The sections are divided into North, South, East, and West as well as the mountains, regions beyond the seas, regions within the seas, and the wilderness. This text can be compared to the “Tribute of Yu” because it looks at ancient China through a geographic lens. A significant difference between these two texts is that the “Classic of Mountains and Seas” describes mythical creatures, whereas the “Tribute of Yu” does not. Many varieties of obscure creatures from the text were discussed in class ranging from docile people born with feathers to violent beings. While the “Tribute of Yu” provides readers with a more practical sense of the layout and goods produced in regions of ancient China, the “Classic of Mountains and Seas” lets readers dive into the more imaginative side of this society.

Version 2: The “Classic of Mountains and Seas” is a text written in ancient China. Several strange creatures are described such as beings born with feathers and a one eyed, three tailed cat. It is unclear whether ancient Chinese people genuinely believed in these creatures, but it can be compared to the prevalence of vampires and zombies in the media today. Some people today may believe vampires exist, but many people simply like the idea of them and enjoy watching TV shows and movies about these creatures. Some of these creatures may also be based off of body modifications or human deformities. The creatures are also differentiated from each other in terms of their level of aggression, healing properties, what valuable goods they provide, and whether or not they have a divine connection. The table of contents separates these creatures into those found in the North, South, East, and West within the mountains, regions beyond the seas, regions within the seas, and the wilderness. While this text may appear a bit strange at first, reading a chapter or two is definitely worth it to take a closer look at ancient Chinese beliefs/mythology.

“Tribute of Yu” was tricky to understand because there were no visuals of the geography being described and I am not familiar with ancient Chinese geography. The names of the regions and rivers also presented a challenge as they were difficult to pronounce. This led me to creating a goal to achieve by the end of class on Thursday which was to understand the myth more.

This myth contains a great deal of information including the resources each region produces and the geography of ancient China. While this information is useful for historians today, I learned in class that this text has a deeper meaning. The text was written during the Warring States period, 475-221 BCE, where multiple states fought to gain control of land. This text is a response to this period of fighting and is attempting to show that all states within the Zhou dynasty have different strengths and weaknesses and should be unified. The common goal of all these states was to claim as much land as possible from one another, and through this text the author suggests the states should come together as one.

The information within the text also may have been useful for people who were alive when the myth was written. This piece is considered to be a myth because it is set in the mythical past. Also, while it contains many factual details in terms of ancient Chinese geography, it is not certain whether Yu the Great was a real figure or if he was appointed to stop a big flood, which is where this story takes off. Nonetheless, a sense of geography of this area could be found as well as information for government officials or farmers about what resources each region provided. In more modern times being knowledgable about this story and what it represents was, and still is, crucial to being educated in Chinese culture. The Book of Documents, where this myth comes from, is said to be part of 5 classics and 4 books which form the basis of Confucianism.

While the “Tribute of Yu” is not a text I would have ever known about without this course, it was interesting to read, especially after more background information was provided in class. I achieved my goal of understanding the story better and now have a greater appreciation, and desire to learn more about, ancient Chinese history.

Source:

Wilson, Thomas A. “Five Classics & Four Books.” Hamilton Academics, 2010, academics.hamilton.edu/asian_studies/home/culttemp/sitePages/fiveclassics.html.

I agree with the message that “our true potential is unknown and unknowable.” Throughout my 1 1/2 years of college here, I have definitely challenged myself beyond what I thought were my limits. For example, coming into college I was unsure about joining a sorority, but now I am the treasurer of my sorority! Another example of this is applying for leadership positions throughout campus. I was not part of many clubs or organizations in high school and wanted to make my college experience more meaningful and fulfilling than high school by being an active member of campus activities. As a sophomore in college, it seems intimidating to work in an accounting firm right out of college when I graduate as many accounting majors do. Despite this, I know that what I believe to be my potential is far smaller than what it actually is. By pushing myself towards my goal of being involved in the campus community I am growing my potential to be a leader. The cat in this image is looking off into the distance which may indicate that he is thinking about his larger goals in life and how he can grow his potential and push past his limits.

http://growthmindsetmemes.blogspot.com/2015/10/english-our-true-potential-is-unknown.html

• 

This is my first post for HST107!