HIST-UA 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Yuan Dynasty, Isolationism, Trans-Cultural Diffusion
Document Summary
Song dynasty: achievements, impact of song dynasty on chinese social development; footbinding: song dynasty created gunpowder (900) 1300"s: mongols brought gunpowder to the west through the silk road. In song china, foot binding was thought of as beautiful. Foot binding was a status symbol (men would get props for having foot bound wives) It was a sign of social division/higher class (foot binding meant the family was rich enough to not have the daughter work) Women used to be seen as more powerful, since they were supposed to take care of the family if the men were incompetent, and if they were wealthy, help her husband"s family. Taking care of the family was a confucian relationship in filial- piety. The power of women, however, deteriorated and they were seen more as objects. Genghis khan and the golden horde; mongol military technologies, mongol influence on trade/silk road: to achieve military organization, genghis khan used the rule of 10"s.
