HIST 103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Manchu People, Ming Dynasty, Chinese Tea
Document Summary
Oct. 10 china and japan (entering the twentieth century) China at the centre: the sinic culture area -> refers to china (aka confusion culture area: countries ranging from korea to japan. Cultures deeply influenced by chinese religious and philosophical traditions. China was at the very heart of changes. China is oldest and continuing civilizations (as in their historic traditions and languages haven"t really disappeared: same food, same language. By 1700s, china was the political and the economic and the cultural colossus of east asia, not only because of their size. Emperor would bestow gifts to the people paying tribute that were even more valuable. People paying tribute had to perform ritual/ceremony known as the kowtow meant to portray total submission of the tribute bearer. According to chinese records he first refused but later decided to submit to doing the ritual. In any case, the chinese emperor did refused to consent.
