UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE ASIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES TRIPOS PART IB Chinese Studies Monday 31 May 2010 09.00 - 12.00 C.7 THE HISTORY OF DYNASTIC CHINA Candidates should answer three questions, one from each section (A, B, C). All questions are of equal value. Write your number not your name on the cover sheet of each Answer Book. STATIONERY REQUIREMENTS 20 page Answer Book x 1 A Rough Work Pad You may not start to read the questions printed on the subsequent pages of this question paper until instructed that you may do so by the Invigilator.
AET1/C.7 2 Section A. Early Imperial China 1. Discuss the changes in state ritual that took place during the reign of Han Wudi. 2. How did text and writing contribute to the consolidation of imperial authority during the Han? 3. From what did the great families derive their power and status during the Han period? 4. Discuss the significance of the 'Western Regions' in the foreign relations of the Han period. 5. What has archaeology contributed to our understanding of material culture in Qin and Han China? Discuss the ways in which evidence from archaeological findings complements evidence from the surviving textual record. Section B. Medieval China 6. In what ways, if at all, did Tang scholars' views of state ritual change after the An Lushan rebellion? 7. What are the identifying features of Tang scholarship on the Confucian Classics? 8. Compare and contrast the Period of Disunion and the Tang period in terms of the relationship between the state and the great families. 9. To what extent was the Tang empire open to foreign culture? 10. What were the major developments in the history of Chinese Buddhism during the period 200-750 CE? Discuss the importance of scripture translations, material culture and the role of the state in shaping religious beliefs and practices. Section C. Late Imperial and Early Modern China 11. Did print technology stimulate or inhibit the formation of a shared Chinese culture? Why? 12. How was late imperial Chinese culture defined by foreign tastes? 13. How did post-Song foreign policy differ from that of earlier dynasties? 14. To what extent did ritual prescriptions and practices succeed in adapting to the changing social and political demands of late imperial China? 15. Can we speak of a late imperial culture of violence? END OF PAPER