1. Question of the Day
Five hundred years from now, what
primary sources will historians use
to learn about the “lower classes” of
the U.S. in the 2000s?
(For example, will they use music and if
so what type?)

3. Group 1 - Read “Two contracts from Dunhuang” p203
Group 2 - Read the poems ofGroup 3 - Read the poems
the Tang period from Song period
p200-202 p203-204
A. From Bo-Zhuyi-
A. From Sushi – Lament of
Watching the wheat the Farm Wife of Wu
reapers
B. From Zhengda- Untitled
B. From Bo-Zhuyi – The
Poem
Old Man of Xinfeng with
the Broken Arm C. From Yang Wanli –
Watching a Village
c. From Liu Zongyuan –
Festival
Farmers

4. What do these documents tell us . . .
 about the lives of peasants?
 about the relationship between the government
and the peasants?
 about the beliefs of the peasants? Or the
influence of Confucianism and/or Buddhism?
 Do you think these peasants were poorer or
better off than peasants in other parts of the
world during the post-classical period?

5. Question of the Day
What are the main characteristics
(choose 2) our society uses to
determine beauty for women?
Is this a characteristic that has
always been used to determine
beauty in the U.S.?
Is it a characteristic that has been
used in other times and places
in the world?

6. Gender Roles
 Women’s status slowly declined
(despite attempts at reform by
several empresses).
 The Song Period saw women
at a very low social status.
 Seclusion, lack of property
rights, footbinding, and exclusion
from education are
all examples of their lowering
status.

8. “A girl's beauty and desirability were counted
more by the size of her feet than by the beauty
of her face. Matchmakers were not asked, 'Is
she beautiful?' but 'How small are her feet?' A
plain face is given by heaven but poorly
bound feet are a sign of laziness.”
Ning Lao

12. Quote
“All good is difficult. All evil is
easy. Dying, losing, cheating, and
mediocrity is easy. Stay away
from easy.”
Scott Alexander