GLOBAL HONORS STUDY GUIDE #1

Travel Literature 🗺

Travel literature is a form of creative nonfiction in which the narrator writes about encounters with foreign places from their perspective.

Ibn Battuta 🏯

Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan scholar who traveled the medieval world. For over thirty years, he visited much of the Islamic world as well as many non-Muslim lands. He wrote "A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Traveling", which provided descriptions of medieval civilization.

Where did Ibn Battuta travel?

• Islamic territory

• Non-Muslim lands

What is the name of the book he published?

"A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Traveling"

Who was the audience for his travel books?

• Other travelers who want to learn about his travels and may be interested in making a similar journey

What did he describe in his travel books?

• Descriptions of medieval civilizations

Travel Literature as a Historical Source 📚

How might travel literature be valuable to a historian trying to understand another society?

• It provides a first-person account into the daily aspects of their lives

• It shows how society works in different settings

What are the limitations of travel literature when trying to understand another society?

• Ideas may be biased and misinterpreted

• It is seen from an outside perspective

Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq 📝

Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq was a writer and diplomat. Under an Austrian king, Busbecq was named an ambassador to the Ottoman Empire during the Ottoman golden age under the rule of Suleiman the Magnificent from 1555 until 1562.

What did Busbecq write?

• "The Turkish Letters", a collection of personal correspondence to his friend about his observations of life in the Ottoman Empire

When was The Turkish Letters written?

• 1555-1562 (written) and 1589 (published)

Who was the audience for The Turkish Letters?

• Anyone who wants to learn about the way of life in the Ottoman Empire at this time period

What type of source is The Turkish Letters?

Why was The Turkish Letters written?

• To negotiate a border treaty with Sultan Suleiman over a disputed territory

• To observe the foreign places from his viewpoint in aid of settling this tension

How might The Turkish Letters be useful evidence in understanding how outsiders viewed the Ottoman Empire?

• It provides an unbiased viewpoint from someone who is from an Austrian perspective

What bias might Busbecq have about the Ottoman Empire?

• Busbecq might have seen the Ottoman Empire as greater than it was due to his diplomatic role and desire to resolve the border dispute.## Ottoman Empire's Social Structure 🏰

The Ottoman Empire's social structure was based on merit, where individuals could rise to high positions regardless of their social background or birthright. This is evident in the phrase "No distinction is attached to birth among the Turks," which means that social status and opportunities for advancement were not determined by family lineage or aristocratic background.

Busbecq's View on Ottoman Social Structure

Busbecq, a European observer, favored the Ottoman social structure, praising their merit-based system of advancement and contrasting it favorably with the European system, which he implied was based on aristocratic birth rather than individual merit.

Comparison to European Social Structure

Busbecq's Writing Purpose

Busbecq wrote extensively about the Ottoman Empire's social structure in comparison to European Christians to:

"provide European audiences with detailed insights into the culture, society, and governance of the Ottoman Empire, as well as to challenge European perspectives and assumptions prevalent at the time."

This was done to potentially influence diplomatic relations and policies between Europe and the Ottoman Empire.

European Christian Leaders' Reaction

European Christian leaders might feel a sense of admiration mixed with apprehension towards the Ottoman Empire upon reading Busbecq's account, as it highlights the Ottoman's effective merit-based system and challenges European notions of social hierarchy and privilege.## Jesuit Missionaries in China 🇨🇳

Matteo Ricci , a Jesuit missionary, led the Christian mission to China. To explain Christianity to the Chinese, Ricci and his fellow missionaries used a Chinese lens, drawing parallels between Christian teachings and Confucianism.

Scientific Achievements

The Jesuits impressed Chinese officials with their scientific knowledge, including:

• Predicting solar eclipses, which held significance in Chinese culture • Introducing European inventions, such as: + Clocks + Prisms + Eyeglasses + Musical instruments

These inventions were, in fact, derived from earlier Chinese and Middle Eastern breakthroughs that had reached Europe through trade.

Cultural Exchange

In return for sharing their scientific knowledge, the Portuguese learned much from their Chinese hosts and brought their observations back to Europe, spurring further interest in travel and trade with East Asia.

Christian Missionaries' Initial Success

Initially, the Christian missionaries were successful, with:

• Several hundred court officials converting • Around 300,000 regular Chinese people converting

However, this success was short-lived, as emperors began to suppress Christian activities in China in the mid-1700s.

Zheng He's Naval Expeditions 🚣‍♂

Zheng He, a commoner from Hunan Province, rose to become one of the most powerful figures in the Ming Dynasty. He led an extraordinary fleet of ships, unprecedented in Chinese history.

Fleet Specifications

• 337 ocean-going ships

• 188 additional transports converted for ocean travel

• 30,000 carpenters, sailmakers, and sailors worked on the fleet

• Seven 1500 ft dry docks were built for ship construction

The Agship

• Measured 440 feet (nearly 1.5 times the length of a football field)

• Designed for stability, with a flat bottom filled with heavy ballast stones

• Innovative exterior rudder post that could be raised to reduce draft in shallow waters

• Watertight bulwark compartments inspired by bamboo stalks

• Living quarters, kitchen, mess hall, and operations on separate decks

Zheng He's Voyages

• Visited 37 countries

• Traveled around the tip of Africa into the Atlantic Ocean

• Commanded a fleet whose numbers surpassed those of all European fleets combined

Impact of Zheng He's Voyages

• Established China as a superpower on the world's oceans

• But in 1433, China's Age of Exploration came to an abrupt end when Zheng He died, and the fleet was recalled to China

Turning Point in Chinese History

• A new emperor ordered the destruction of Zheng He's magnificent fleet, burning all ocean-going vessels to the ground

• Records of Zheng He's expeditions were also destroyed

The Open Door Slams Shut

• China's Age of Exploration was over

• The promise of international exploration and colonization was lost

Contextualizing Chinese Philosophy 🧠

Confucianism

Main Idea: Society can reach harmony through mutual respect and proper behavior according to one's place in society.

Key Elements

• Respect for elders

• Filial piety

Buddhism

Main Idea: The goal of life is to achieve enlightenment through self-improvement and meditation.

Key Elements

• Meditation

• Self-improvement

Daoism

Main Idea: Focus on nature, simplicity, compassion, moderation, and humility.

Key Elements

• Connection to nature

• Harmony with the environment

Neo-Confucianism 👥

Birth of Neo-Confucianism

• Emerged during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as a response to the dominance of Buddhism and Daoism

• Blended elements from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism

Elements from Each Philosophy

Impact on Ming and Qing Dynasties

• The civil service examination system was based on Confucian classics

• The examination system drove the school curriculum, which emphasized Confucian teachings## Civil Service Examinations in Ming and Qing China 📚

Purpose and Importance

• The civil service examinations allowed for social mobility, where anyone, regardless of their social position, could join the educated elite by succeeding in the examination system.

• The examinations helped circulate the key ideas of Confucianism, concerning proper behavior, rituals, relationships, etc., through all levels of Chinese society.

• The government used the examinations to find the best workers for the job.

Key Beliefs and Values

• Confucianism: the belief system that students needed to be familiar with to do well on the civil service examinations.

• Filial piety: the importance of showing respect and care for one's parents and ancestors.

Effects on Chinese Society

The Twenty-Four Exemplars of Filial Piety 📖

Purpose and Audience

• The Twenty-Four Exemplars of Filial Piety were written to teach ordinary people how to be good Confucians.

• The intended audience was regular, everyday Chinese people.

Stories and Teachings

Wu Meng's Filial Piety

"Wu Meng of the Jin dynasty was eight years old and served his parents with extreme filiality. The family was poor, and their bed had no mosquito net. Every night in summer many mosquitoes bit him, gorging on his blood. But despite their numbers he did not drive them away, fearing that they would go and bite his parents."

Old Master Lai's Filial Piety

"Old Master Lai of the Zhou dynasty was extremely filial. He respectfully cared for his two parents, preparing delicious food for them. He was over seventy, but he never mentioned the word old. He wore colored motley and played children's games at his parents' side."

Importance of Filial Piety

• "Filial piety was important to Confucians."

• Evidence:

  • Wu Meng's extreme filiality, not driving away mosquitoes to protect his parents.

  • Old Master Lai's respect and care for his parents, even at an old age.

Realism and Purpose

• The stories are not meant to be realistic, but rather to emphasize key points of Confucianism.

• The purpose is to teach people, especially commoners, the importance of filial piety and other Confucian values.