Week 2

WEEK 2
INTO THE PAST: THE SILK ROAD

Reading 1
QUESTIONS 1-5. Find words or phrases in the below passage which have a similar
meaning to the underlined words and phrases below.
a group or system of interconnected people or things
(1)…network………..
giving and taking (2) ……exchange…………………….

studies the land, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of a region or area (3)
……geography………….
study the past by interpreting evidence (4) …………………….
those who bought and sold goods (5) ……merchants…………….
The Silk Road

For more than 1,500 years, the network of routes known as the Silk Road contributed to the
exchange of goods and ideas among diverse cultures. The Silk Road is neither an actual
road nor a single route. The term instead refers to a network of routes used by traders for
more than 1,500 years, from when the Han dynasty of China opened trade in 130 B.C.E.
until 1453 C.E., when the Ottoman Empire closed off trade with the West. German
geographer and traveler Ferdinand von Richthofen first used the term “silk road” in 1877
C.E. to describe the well-traveled pathway of goods between Europe and East Asia. The
term also serves as a metaphor for the exchange of goods and ideas between diverse cultures.
Although the trade network is commonly referred to as the Silk Road, some historians favor
the term Silk Routes because it better reflects the many paths taken by traders.
The Silk Road extended approximately 6,437 kilometers (4,000 miles) across some of the
world’s most formidable landscapes, including the Gobi Desert and the Pamir Mountains.
With no one government to provide upkeep, the roads were typically in poor condition.
Robbers were common. To protect themselves, traders joined together in caravans with
camels or other pack animals. Over time, large inns called caravanserais cropped up to
house travelling merchants. Few people traveled the entire route, giving rise to a host of
middlemen and trading posts along the way.
An abundance of goods traveled along the Silk Road. Merchants carried silk from China to
Europe, where it dressed royalty and wealthy patrons. Other favorite commodities from
Asia included jade and other precious stones, porcelain, tea, and spices. In exchange, horses,
glassware, textiles, and manufactured goods traveled eastward.
It is hard to overstate the importance of the Silk Road on history. Religion and ideas spread
along the Silk Road just as fluidly as goods. Towns along the route grew into multicultural
cities. The exchange of information gave rise to new technologies and innovations that
would change the world. The horses introduced to China contributed to the might of the
Mongol Empire, while gunpowder from China changed the very nature of war in Europe
and beyond. Diseases also traveled along the Silk Road.
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Some research suggests that the Black Death, which devastated Europe in the late 1340s
C.E., likely spread from Asia along the Silk Road. The Age of Exploration gave rise to
faster routes between the East and West, but parts of the Silk Road continued to be critical
pathways among varied cultures. Today, parts of the Silk Road are listed on UNESCO’s
World Heritage List.
[Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/silk-road/]
Reading 2
QUESTIONS 6-10. You are going to read the above passage about The Silk Road. Read
the passage quickly and answer these questions.
6. What did the Silk Road refer to?
………The term instead refers to a network of routes used by traders for more than
1,500 years, from when the Han dynasty of China opened trade in 130 B.C.E. until
1453 C.E., when the Ottoman Empire closed off trade with the
West.………………………………………..
7. What did the Silk Road contribute to?
………The Silk Road contributed to the exchange of goods and ideas among diverse
cultures…………………………………………………………..
8. How long did the Silk Road extend?
………The Silk Road extended approximately 6,437 kilometers (4,000 miles) across
some of the world’s most formidable landscapes, including the Gobi Desert and the
Pamir Mountains…………………………………………………………..
9. Name some of the favorite commodities that traded along the Silk Road
………Jade and other precious stones, porcelain, tea, and
spices…………………………………………………………..
10. When did the Black Death devastate Europe?
………The Black Death, which devastated Europe in the late 1340s
C.E…………………………………………………………..
Reading 3
QUESTIONS 11-20 Now complete the notes below. Choose ONE WORD OR A
NUMBER from the below passage for each answer.
11. China has the longest continuous history of any country in the world – …3500…
years of written history and developments.
12. Chinese Civilization is preserved because the …the language…, the writing system
hanzi, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are pretty much still practiced and used by the
Chinese.
13. ……Chinese………. civilization continues to evolve vibrantly and presents its unique
adaptation to the changing world.
14. The way of Chinese’s existence and the persistence of its vitality assert a unique
feature of ……China……….. when compared with other civilizations.
15. More than two millennia ago Chinese explored and opened up several trade
……routes……. and cultural exchanges that linked the major world civilizations.
16. For ……thousands…… of years, the Silk Road spirit of “peace and cooperation,
openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit” has been passed from
generation to generation, promoted the progress of human civilization, and contributed
greatly to the prosperity and development of the countries along the Silk Road.
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17. Symbolizing communication and cooperation between the East and the West, the
……Silk………. Road spirit is a historic and cultural heritage shared by all countries
around the world.
18. From antiquity, Chinese people of the Yellow River Valley and the Yangzi River
Valley had treasured jade more than ………gold………….
19. Chinese officials were commissioned to investigate and write ……reports………
about the regions beyond the mountains.
20. Negotiating the routes along the edge of the Gobi desert was not ……easy…….,
especially beyond the Jade Gate, the frontier post past which caravans of traders traveled
on their way West.
Communication and cooperation between the East and the West

China is one of the ancient civilizations that still exist today. China has the longest
continuous history of any country in the world – 3500 years of written history and
developments. Meanwhile, most ancient cultures declined or sought to hide in other
civilizations for their new existence. It is considered that civilization in China is preserved
because the language, the writing system hanzi, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are
pretty much still practiced and used by the Chinese today. Chinese civilization continues to
evolve vibrantly and presents its unique adaptation to the changing world. The way of
Chinese’s existence and the persistence of its vitality assert a unique feature of China when
compared with other civilizations. The rise of China continues to be the most important
trend in the world for this century.
More than two millennia ago Chinese people explored and opened up several routes of trade
and cultural exchanges that linked the major civilizations of Asia, Europe, and Africa,
collectively called the Silk Road by later generations. For thousands of years, the Silk Road
spirit of “peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual
benefit” has been passed from generation to generation, promoted the progress of human
civilization, and contributed greatly to the prosperity and development of the countries
along the Silk Road. Symbolizing communication and cooperation between the East and
the West, the Silk Road spirit is a historic and cultural heritage shared by all countries
around the world.
From antiquity, Chinese societies of the Yellow River Valley and the Yangzi River Valley
had treasured jade more than gold. Most of the jade items found in their rulers’ tombs were
made in modern Xinjiang.
If one wishes to stand on one’s own feet, one must help others to stand on their own feet;
if one wishes to succeed, one must help others to succeed.
(Confucius)
The expansion of China saw a surge of interest in what lay beyond. Officials were
commissioned to investigate and write reports about the regions beyond the mountains.
Trade between China and the world developed slowly. Negotiating the routes along the
edge of the Gobi desert was not easy, especially beyond the Jade Gate, the frontier post past
which caravans of traders traveled on their way West. Passing from one oasis to another
across treacherous terrain was difficult whether their route took them
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through the Taklamakan desert or through the passes of the Tian Shan mountains or through
the Pamirs. Extremes of temperature had to be negotiated – one reason why the Bactrian
camel was so valued.
Reading 4
QUESTIONS 21-30 Complete the following essay with words from the box below.
network introduced
conditions with
protected luxury
silk Grain
currency Buddhist
Communication and cooperation between the East and the West (Cont.)
The term “Silk Road” was first (21) ……introduced……….by a German geographer von
Richthofen in the 1870s which referred to routes for trade running through Central Asia and
linking Europe (22)………with ………..South and East Asian countries including China,
India, and the countries across the Mediterranean region. Richthofen also noted that the
“Silk Road constituted a (23)………network……….of transcontinental commercial
routes”. The Silk Road changed over time depending on various
(24)………conditions……….. such as war, robbers, natural disasters, etc. For example,
during the initial years of the foundation, the Northern part of the ancient Silk Road was
(25)………protected……………..by “nomadic horsemen,” whereas the Southern part of
the road was “endangered by frozen mountain passes”. The road mostly traded low-weight,
low-bulk, high-value goods, predominantly (26)…………luxury…………..goods because
of the high transportation cost and favorable transport conditions.
Silk performed a number of important roles in the ancient world apart from its value to
nomadic tribes. Under the Han dynasty, (27)……silk…………was used alongside coins
and grain to pay troops. It was in some ways the most reliable (28)……currency…………:
producing money in sufficient quantities was a problem, as was the fact that not all of China
was fully monetized; this presented a particular difficulty when it came to military pay since
theatres of action were often in remote regions, where coins were all but useless.(29)……
Grain……….., meanwhile, went rotten after a time. As a result, bolts of raw silk were used
regularly as currency, either as payor, as in the case of one
(30)………Buddhist…………monastery in Central Asia, as a fine for monks who broke
the foundation’s rules.
QUESTIONS 31-40
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
Write
TRUE if the statement agree with the information
FALSE if the statement contradict with the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
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31. The Chinese regulated trade by creating a formal framework for controlling merchants
who came from different provinces. T
32. Visitors passing into China had not to stick to designated routes, were issued with
written passes and were regularly counted by officials to ensure that all who entered the
country also eventually made their way home. F
33. Because of the low weight and high demand in the European market, Chinese silk
became popular goods for transportation through the route. T
34. Since silk was difficult to carry, it became one of the most popular commodities carried
through the Silk Road and sold into the Western, predominantly European market. F
35. The Silk Road was also the prime route for economic, cultural, and medicinal
exchange across Eurasia from ancient to medieval times. T
36. The outbreak of the Black Death in the 14th century decimated populations across
Europe, Asia and Africa. F
37. Zhang Qian, an early merchant during China’s Han dynasty in 138–119 BC, led the first
Chinese diplomatic missions to Central Asia as part of the Silk Road expedition and
collected information on states to the West of China. F
38. Zheng He, a Chinese great Chinese explorer and fleet commander during the Ming
dynasty, made seven voyages West (1405–1433 AD) successively with 30,000 troops and
more than 270 ships on average. F
39. From the early Portuguese and Spanish quests for gold and glory, to later scientific
explorations of land and culture, this new understanding of the world's geography created
global trade, built empires, defined taste and alliances of power, and began the journey
toward the cultural, political, and economic globalization in which we live today. NG
40. It was not only goods that flowed along the Silk Road route that linked the Pacific,
Central Asia, India, the Persian Gulf, and the Mediterranean in antiquity; so did the religion
and philosophy. T
Communication and cooperation between the East and the West (Cont.)
Silk became an international currency as well as a luxury product. The Chinese also
regulated trade by creating a formal framework for controlling merchants who came from
outside territories. Visitors passing into China had to stick to designated routes, were issued
with written passes and were regularly counted by officials to ensure that all who entered
the country also eventually made their way home.
Chinese silk because of the low weight and high demand in the European market became
popular goods for transportation through the route. Chinese production of silk was boosting
at that time and the prices were exorbitant. Since silk was easy to carry, it became one of
the most popular commodities carried through the Silk Road and sold into the Western,
predominantly European, market.
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Apart from Chinese silk, other luxury goods and commodities such as “brocade,
embroidery, paper, precious metals, carpets, apparel, glass, horses, and slaves” were also
transported, traded, and sold via the Silk Road. Bulkier goods with the relatively low cost
such as “grain, olive oil, other preserved foodstuffs, wax, lumber, textiles, and manufactured
goods” were also traded through the routes in different local and regional markets over a
different period of time in history. The Silk Road was also the prime route from ancient to
medieval times for economic, cultural, and medicinal exchange across Eurasia.
Several epidemics and pandemic diseases during medieval and early modern times were
transported and disseminated by the traders from one region or continent to another along
the Silk Road when they traveled through. Known spread by the Silk Road was the “Black
Death,” the bubonic plague, which originated in Southeast Asia and is estimated to have
killed up to a third of China’s and Europe’s population in the fourteenth century. Another
example is smallpox which was brought into India from Egypt either via the land or sea
route and became epidemic in later part of history, the eighteenth and nineteenth century in
particular. Smallpox was also introduced in China by the outsiders when they used Silk
Road, and there is very little mention of this disease in early Chinese and Indian medical
texts such as Huangdi Neijing, Caraka Samhita, and Sushruta Samhita. Silk Road was thus
a network of routes for international and regional commercial, cultural, and medical
exchange between Europe, Central Asia, India, and China from BC to the early modern age.
There are several prominent figures who traveled in the early times of the Silk Road.
Zhang Qian, an early expeditor and ambassador during China’s Han dynasty in 138– 119
BC, led the first Chinese diplomatic missions to Central Asia as part of the Silk Road
expedition and collected information on states to the West of China. Zhang Qian was
accompanied by 300 armed men and a caravan and “carrying gold and silk goods” to pay
the expenses of his journey.
Faxian (337–422 AD), a Chinese Buddhist monk and translator of Buddhist texts, traveled
by foot from China to India and believed to use the Silk Road during his journey. Faxian
entered India from the Northwest in the early fifth century when India was ruled by the
Gupta dynasty and took back many Buddhist texts from India to China. Faxian spent the
rest of his life translating and editing the scriptures he had collected from India. Faxian in
his book also mentioned the geography and history of numerous kingdoms and cities along
the Silk Road and the similarities and differences between China and those cities. Faxian’s
journey and account clearly symbolize that the ancient Silk Road was used as the major
route of cultural and religious connectivity among countries along the Silk Road. Landed
Silk Road reached golden age during China’s Tang dynasty (618-906 AD).
Famous Chinese Buddhist scholar and traveler Xuan Zang (602–664 AD) during the
seventh century traveled to India for exploring Buddhism. The prosperity of the landed Silk
Road began to decline during the later parts of the Tang dynasty for political and
commercial reasons.
After the An Lushan Rebellion from 755 to 762 AD, the landed Silk Road became mostly
abandoned and the maritime Silk Road increasingly became popular. By the time of the
Song (960–1279 AD) and Yuan (1279–1368 AD) dynasties, maritime trade had reached its
peak. Like the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties did not exert control
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over the Western territories, the main trade route to West Asia and Europe was via the seas.
The main commodity that was traded between the East and the West also changed from silk
to porcelain. This East-West route closely connected the Chinese mainland and Western
territories to Arabia and Persia. After a few centuries of continual development and
evolution, the maritime Silk Road extended all the way to the Mediterranean.
Zheng He, a Chinese admiral during the Ming dynasty, made seven voyages West (1405–
1433 AD) successively with 30,000 troops and more than 270 ships on average. Zheng He
reached East Africa, crossed the Malacca peninsula in Southeast Asia, and entered the
Indian Ocean. His journey was performed several decades earlier than Portuguese captain
Vasco da Gama who arrived in India by the sea in 1498 as the first European and linked
Europe and Asia by an ocean route connecting the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans. However,
Zheng He did not colonize a single inch of land along the coastal routes as Vasco da Gama
did.
Although maritime exploration and trade reached to peak during the early Ming dynasty,
China’s navigation industry declined from the late Ming to Qing dynasties for various
reasons including European expansion across Asia, China’s domestic priority, and
eventually maritime Silk Road also became less important.
It was not only goods that flowed along the Silk Road route that linked the Pacific, Central
Asia, India, the Persian Gulf, and the Mediterranean in antiquity; so did the most potent
ideas. And among the most powerful ideas were those that concerned religion and
philosophy. The intellectual and religious exchange had always been animated across this
region. Local cults, ceremonies and belief systems came into contact with well-established
cosmologies producing as a result rich intercultural international dimensions.
[Source: 24 January 2021, Igor Micunovic
https://wsimag.com/culture/64677-into-the-past-the-silk-road]
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WEEK 4
HAN DYNASTY – THE SILK ROAD AND CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY OF
CHINA
Reading 1
QUESTION 1-5. You are going to read a passage about The Han Dynasty. Read the
passages and answer these questions.
1. When did the Han Dynasty rule China?
…………The Han Dynasty ruled China from 206 B.C. to 220
A.D………………………………………………………………………..
2. Which religion was considered as the state religion during the Han Dynasty?
………………Confucianism was considered as the state religion during
theHanDynasty………………………………………………………
3. Which countries were influenced by the Han politics and culture?

………Vietnam, Central Asia, Mongolia, and Korean
Peninsula……………………………………………………………………
4. What were the main reasons for the collapse of the Han dynasty?
…………The Han Dynasty collapsed mainly because of a combination of
domestic and external
pressures……………………………………………………………………….. 5.
What was China's population during the Han dynasty?
…………The population reached 50 million during the Han
dynasty………………………………………………………………………..
The Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty ruled China from 206 B.C. to 220 A.D. and was the second imperial
dynasty of China. Though tainted by deadly dramas within the royal court, it is also known
for its promotion of Confucianism as the state religion and opening the Silk Road trade
route to Europe, permanently altering the course of Chinese history. Han Dynasty art and
inventions like paper still influence the world today. During the Han Dynasty, China was
officially declared as a Confucian state. Han Dynasty encouraged the development of
agriculture, the economy developed quickly and the population reached 50 million. Han
Dynasty extended its political and cultural influence over Vietnam, Central Asia, Mongolia,
and Korean Peninsula before it finally collapsed under a combination of domestic and
external pressures.
Reading 2
QUESTION 6-10. Find words or phrases in the above passage which have a similar
Innovations (6) …inventions…………………………………………………
a group of ships or vehicles traveling together, typically accompanied by armed troops,
warships, or other vehicles for protection (7)…………convoy……………………..
skill or expertise in a particular activity or field (8) ………prowess……………………
a group of people, especially traders or pilgrims, traveling together (9)

……caravan………….
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(of a country or region) having the freedom to govern itself or control its own affairs (10)
…………………autonomous…………………………………..
One of the great Chinese inventions, paper, was dated from Han Dynasty. It is fair enough
to state that contemporary empires of the Han Dynasty and the Roman Empire were the two
superpowers of the known world. Several Roman embassies to China are recounted in
Chinese history, starting with a Hou Hanshu (History of the Later Han) account of a Roman
convoy set out by emperor Antoninus Pius that reached the Chinese capital Luoyang in 166
and was greeted by Emperor Huan.
The Han Dynasty was notable also for its military prowess. The empire expanded westward
as far as the rim of the Tarim Basin (in modern Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region),
making possible relatively secure caravan traffic across Central Asia. The paths of caravan
traffic are often called the “Silk Road” because the route was used to export Chinese silk.
Chinese armies also invaded and annexed parts of northern Vietnam and northern Korea
(Wiman Joseon) toward the end of the second century BC. Han control of peripheral regions
was generally insecure, however. To ensure peace with non-Han local powers, the Han court
developed a mutually beneficial “tributary system.” Non-Han states were allowed to remain
autonomous in exchange for symbolic acceptance of Han overlordship. Tributary ties were
confirmed and strengthened through intermarriages at the ruling level and periodic
exchanges of gifts and goods.
Reading 3
QUESTION 11-20 Complete the following passage with words from the box below.
contact government
growth international
mapped missions
rebellions pioneered
relations tributary
Silk Road
In 138 B.C., a man named Zhang Qian was sent on a mission by Emperor Wu to make (11)
………contact……………. with tribes to the west. He and his party were captured by the
Xiognu tribe, but Zhang Qian escaped and continued west. He reached Afghanistan, in an
area known as Bactria, which was under Greek control.
From 138 BC, Emperor Wu also dispatched Zhang Qian twice as his envoy to the western
regions, and in the process (12)……pioneered…………….the route known as the Silk
Road from Changan (today’s Xian, Shaanxi Province), through Xinjiang and Central Asia,
and on to the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Following Zhang Qian’s
embassy and report, commercial (13) ………relations……………between China and
Central as well as Western Asia flourished, as many Chinese
(14)………missions…………were sent throughout the 1st century BC, initiating the
development of the Silk Road. China also
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sent missions to Parthia, which were followed up by reciprocal missions from Parthian
envoys around 100 BC.
In Bactria, Zhang Qian saw bamboo and textiles brought from China and asked how they
had gotten there. He was told that the items came from a kingdom in Afghanistan called
Shendu. Thirteen years after he had left, Zhang Qian made his way back to the Emperor,
told him of what he had seen and (15)……mapped………..out a route to send an expedition
back there. The map and this route was used more and more, and developed into the
(16)………international………………..trade route known as the Silk Road.
The rapid (17) ………growth…………… of the Han Dynasty began when the Emperor Wu
replaced the previous stable foreign policy of establishing (18) ………tributary…………
relationships with Non-Han states. He placed a central governmental body to bring the
frontier regions under imperial control. Subsequent Han emperors continued that expansion.
Frontier wars and internal (19) ….…rebellions…….. caused by corruption, central
government was not able to support the armies and control regional military governors. In
188, the regional military governors were far stronger than the central (20)
…………government………….. in Luoyang. In 189, Dong Zhuo, a military governor from
the northwest, seized the capital of Luoyang. In 220, the Emperor Xian, the last emperor of
Han Dynasty abdicated to Cao Cao’s son during the Three Kingdoms period.
Reading 4
QUESTIONS 21-30 Do the following statements agree with the information given in the
reading passage? Write
21. Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, Buddhism and Mohism are the main schools of
philosophical thought in the Chinese tradition. T
22. During the early Shang Dynasty, gods and ancestors were worshipped and there were
human and animal sacrifices. T
23. During the Han dynasty, the concept of the Mandate of Heaven was introduced, which
held that Heaven would bless the authority of a just ruler. F
24. The I Ching, or Book of Changes, a common source for both Confucianist and Taoist
philosophy, is one of the first efforts of the human mind to place itself within the universe.
It has exerted a living influence in China for 3,000 years, and interest in it has been rapidly
spreading in the West. NG
25. In about 500 B.C., the Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought flourished, and the
four most influential schools (Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism and Legalism) were
established. T
26. The Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 220) adopted Taoism and later Confucianism as
official doctrine. T
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27. Neo-Confucianism became an international movement and spread to Korea, Japan, and
Vietnam. Neo-Confucianism flourished in all of these East Asian countries and since the
16th Century some of most creative philosophical work was achieved in Korea and Japan.
NG
28. Buddhism and Confucianism have remained the determining forces of Chinese
thought up until the 20th Century. T
29. During medieval Ages, Chinese philosophy also began to integrate concepts of
Western philosophy. F
30. During the Cultural Revolution, most previous schools of thought, with the notable
exception of Legalism, were denounced as backward and purged, although their influence
has remained. T
Classical Chinese Philosophy

Chinese Philosophy refers to any of several schools of philosophical thought in the Chinese
tradition, including Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, Buddhism and Mohism. It has a long
history of several thousand years.
It is known that early Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC - 1046 B.C.) thought was based on
cyclicity, from observation of the cycles of day and night, the seasons, the moon, etc., a
concept which remained relevant throughout later Chinese philosophy, and immediately
setting it apart from the more linear Western approach. During this time, both gods and
ancestors were worshipped and there were human and animal sacrifices.
During the succeeding Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256 B.C.), the concept of the Mandate of
Heaven was introduced, which held that Heaven would bless the authority of a just ruler,
but would be displeased with an unwise ruler, and retract the Mandate.
The “I Ching” (Kinh Dịch or “Book of Changes”) was traditionally compiled by the
mythical figure Fu Xi (Phục Hy) in the 28th Century B.C., although modern research
suggests that it more likely dates to the late 9th Century B.C. The text describes an ancient
system of cosmology and philosophy that is intrinsic to ancient Chinese cultural beliefs,
centering on the ideas of the dynamic balance of opposites, the evolution of events as a
process, and acceptance of the inevitability of change. It consists of a series of symbols,
rules for manipulating these symbols, poems and commentary, and is sometimes regarded
as a system of divination.
In about 500 B.C., (interestingly, around the same time as Greek philosophy was emerging),
the classic period of Chinese philosophy (known as the Contention of a Hundred Schools
of Thought) flourished, and the four most influential schools (Confucianism, Taoism,
Mohism and Legalism) were established.
During the Qin Dynasty (also known as the Imperial Era), after the unification of China in
221 B.C., Legalism became ascendant at the expense of the Mohist and Confucianist
schools, although the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 220) adopted Taoism and later
Confucianism as official doctrine. Along with the gradual parallel introduction of
Buddhism, these two schools have remained the determining forces of Chinese thought up
until the 20th Century.
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Neo-Confucianism (a variant of Confucianism, incorporating elements of Buddhism,
Taoism and Legalism) was introduced during the Song Dynasty (A.D. 960 - 1279) and
popularized during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).
During the Industrial and Modern Ages, Chinese philosophy also began to integrate
concepts of Western philosophy. Sun Yat-Sen (1866 - 1925) attempted to incorporate
elements of democracy, republicanism and industrialism at the beginning of the 20th
century, while Mao Zedong (1893 - 1976) later added Marxism, Stalinism and other
communist thought. During the Cultural Revolution of 1966 - 1976, most previous schools
of thought, with the notable exception of Legalism, were denounced as backward and
purged, although their influence has remained.
QUESTION 31-40. Write the correct form of word given in each sentence
31. Though closer to a philosophy than a true religion,
……Confucianism…………….was a way of life for ancient Chinese people, and it
continues to influence Chinese culture today. (CONFUCIAN)
32. Confucius was a ……philosopher……………and political figure who lived during a
time when traditional Chinese principles began to deteriorate under competing political
states.( PHILOSOPHY)
33. Confucius’s teachings gave guidance on all levels of ancient Chinese life, from
interactions between family members and in the public sphere, to …educational…………..
standards and how states should be governed. (EDUCATE)
34. The structure of Chinese society and its focus on rituals, familial respect and
……obligations………….., worship of ancestors, and self-discipline, remains greatly
influenced by Confucius and his teachings. (OBLIGE)
35. In contrast to Confucianism, Taoism is mainly concerned with the
…spiritual………… elements of life, including the nature of the universe. (SPIRIT)
36. The guiding principle of Taoism is roughly translated as “the Way,” which is a
…harmonious…………natural order that arises between humans and the world, and that
Taoists should strive to achieve. (HARMONY)
37. Taoists were interested in ……longevity………….., both of the human body and the
soul. Achieving spiritual immortality through becoming one with nature is an important part
of the Taoist religion. (LONG)
38. Buddhists seek to achieve ……enlightenment…………….. through meditation,
spiritual learning, and practice. (ENLIGHTEN)
39. Buddhism also influenced Taoism with its ……institutional…………….. structure,
which Taoists copied and modified. (INSTITUTION)
40. Despite the differences and occasional ………contradictions………………. between
the three traditions, the ancient Chinese society held each of these philosophies in high
importance and incorporated the different teachings into multiple areas of life.
(CONTRADICT)
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Translate into Vietnamese
The main schools of Chinese philosophy
Confucianism:
This school was developed from the teachings of the sage Confucius (551 - 479 B.C.), and
collected in the Analects of Confucius. It is a system of moral, social, political, and quasi-
religious thought, whose influence also spread to Korea and Japan. The major Confucian
concepts include ren (humanity or humaneness), zhengming (similar to the concept of the
Mandate of Heaven), zhong (loyalty), xiao (filial piety), and li (ritual). It introduced the
Golden Rule (essentially, treat others as you would like to be treated), the concept of Yin
and Yang (two opposing forces that are permanently in conflict with each other, leading to
perpetual contradiction and change), the idea of meritocracy, and of reconciling opposites
in order to arrive at some middle ground combining the best of both. Confucianism is not
necessarily regarded as a religion, allowing one to be a Taoist, Christian, Muslim, Shintoist
or Buddhist and still profess Confucianist beliefs. Arguably the most famous Confucian
after Confucius himself was Meng Tzu (or Mencius) (372 – 289 B.C.)
……Trường phái này được phát triển từ những lời dạy của nhà hiền triết Khổng Tử
(551 - 479 TCN), và được thu thập trong Luận ngữ của Khổng Tử. Đó là một hệ thống
tư tưởng đạo đức, xã hội, chính trị và gần như tôn giáo, có ảnh hưởng lan rộng đến Hàn
Quốc và Nhật Bản. Các khái niệm chính của Nho giáo bao gồm ren (nhân loại hoặc
lòng nhân đạo), zhengming (tương tự như khái niệm về Thiên mệnh), trung (trung
thành), xiao (lòng hiếu thảo) và li (lễ nghi). Nó giới thiệu Quy tắc vàng (về cơ bản, hãy
đối xử với người khác theo cách bạn muốn được đối xử), khái niệm Âm và Dương (hai
lực lượng đối lập thường xuyên xung đột với nhau, dẫn đến mâu thuẫn và thay đổi vĩnh
viễn), ý tưởng về chế độ nhân tài , và dung hòa các mặt đối lập để đi đến một nền tảng
trung gian nào đó kết hợp những gì tốt nhất của cả hai. Nho giáo không nhất thiết được
coi là một tôn giáo, cho phép một người theo Đạo giáo, Cơ đốc giáo, Hồi giáo, Thần
đạo hay Phật giáo và vẫn tuyên bố niềm tin của Nho giáo. Có thể cho rằng nhà Nho nổi
tiếng nhất sau Khổng Tử chính là Mạnh Tử (hay Mạnh Tử) (372 – 289 TCN)
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………..
6
Taoism:
Sometimes also written Daoism, Taoism is a philosophy which later also developed into a
religion. Tao literally means "path" or "way", although it more often used as a meta-physical
term that describes the flow of the universe, or the force behind the natural order. The Three
Jewels of the Tao are compassion, moderation, and humility. Taoist thought focuses on wu
wei ("non-action"), spontaneity, humanism, relativism, emptiness and the strength of
softness (or flexibility). Nature and ancestor spirits are common in popular Taoism,
although typically there is also a pantheon of gods, often headed by the Jade Emperor. The
most influential Taoist text is the "Tao Te Ching" (or "Daodejing") written around the 6th
Century B.C. by Lao Tzu (or Laozi), and a secondary text is the 4th Century B.C.
“Zhuangzi”, named after its author. The Yin and Yang symbol is important in Taoist
symbology (as in Confucianism), as are the Eight Trigrams, and a zigzag with seven stars
which represent the Big Dipper star constellation.
…………Đạo giáo đôi khi cũng được viết là “Daoism”, Đạo giáo là một triết học mà
sau này cũng phát triển thành một tôn giáo. Tao có nghĩa đen là "con đường" hoặc "con
đường", mặc dù nó thường được sử dụng như một thuật ngữ siêu vật lý mô tả dòng
chảy của vũ trụ hoặc lực đằng sau trật tự tự nhiên. Tam Bảo của Đạo là từ bi, tiết chế và
khiêm tốn. Tư tưởng Đạo giáo tập trung vào vô vi ("không hành động"), tính tự phát,
chủ nghĩa nhân văn, thuyết tương đối, tính không và sức mạnh của sự mềm mại (hoặc
tính linh hoạt). Thiên nhiên và linh hồn tổ tiên rất phổ biến trong Đạo giáo bình dân,
mặc dù thông thường cũng có một đền thờ các vị thần, thường do Ngọc Hoàng đứng
đầu. Văn bản Đạo giáo có ảnh hưởng nhất là "Đạo đức kinh" (hay "Daodejing") được
viết vào khoảng thế kỷ thứ 6 trước Công nguyên. của Lão Tử (hoặc Laozi), và một văn
bản thứ cấp là Thế kỷ thứ 4 trước Công nguyên. “Trang Tử”, được đặt tên theo tác giả
của nó. Biểu tượng Âm và Dương rất quan trọng trong hệ thống ký hiệu của Đạo giáo
(cũng như trong Nho giáo), cũng như Bát quái, và một đường ngoằn ngoèo với bảy
ngôi sao tượng trưng cho chòm sao Bắc Đẩu.…………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………..
7
Legalism:
Legalism is a pragmatic political philosophy, whose main motto is “set clear strict laws, or
deliver harsh punishment”, and its essential principle is one of jurisprudence. According to
Legalism, a ruler should govern his subjects according to Fa (law or principle), Shu
(method, tactic, art, or statecraft) and Shi (legitimacy, power, or charisma). Under Li Si in
the 3rd century B.C., a form of Legalism essentially became a totalitarian ideology in China,
which in part led to its subsequent decline.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Buddhism:
Buddhism is a religion, a practical philosophy and arguably a psychology, focusing on the
teachings of Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), who lived in India from the mid-6th to the early
5th Century B.C. It was introduced to China from India, probably some time during the 1st
Century B.C. Chinese tradition focuses on ethics rather than metaphysics, and it developed
several schools distinct from the originating Indian schools, and in the process integrated
the ideas of Confucianism, Taoism and other indigenous philosophical systems into itself.
The most prominent Chinese Buddhist schools are Sanlun, Tiantai, Huayan and Chán
(known as Zen in Japan).
…………Phật giáo là một tôn giáo, một triết lý thực tiễn và được cho là tâm lý học, tập
trung vào những lời dạy của Đức Phật (Siddhartha Gautama), người sống ở Ấn Độ từ
giữa thế kỷ thứ 6 đến đầu thế kỷ thứ 5 trước Công nguyên. Nó được du nhập vào Trung
Quốc từ Ấn Độ, có lẽ vào khoảng thế kỷ 1 trước Công nguyên. Truyền thống Trung
Quốc tập trung vào đạo đức hơn là siêu hình học, và nó đã phát triển một số trường
phái khác biệt với các trường phái Ấn Độ ban đầu, và trong quá trình đó đã tích hợp các
ý tưởng của Nho giáo, Đạo giáo và các hệ thống triết học bản địa khác vào chính nó.
Các trường phái Phật giáo nổi bật nhất của Trung Quốc là Sanlun, Tiantai, Huayan và
Chán (được gọi là Zen ở Nhật Bản).………………………………………..
8
Mohism:
Mohism was founded by Mozi (c. 470 - 390 B.C.) It promotes universal love with the aim
of mutual benefit, such that everyone must love each other equally and impartially to avoid
conflict and war. Mozi was strongly against Confucian ritual, instead emphasizing
pragmatic survival through farming, fortification and statecraft. In some ways, his
philosophy parallels Western utilitarianism. Although popular during the latter part of the
Zhou Dynasty, many Mohist texts were destroyed during the succeeding Qin Dynasty, and
it was finally supplanted completely by Confucianism during the Han Dynasty.
…………Chủ nghĩa Đạo đức được thành lập bởi Mozi (khoảng 470 - 390 trước Công
nguyên). Nó thúc đẩy tình yêu phổ quát với mục đích cùng có lợi, vì vậy mọi người
phải yêu thương nhau một cách bình đẳng và vô tư để tránh xung đột và chiến tranh.
Mozi cực lực phản đối nghi lễ Nho giáo, thay vào đó nhấn mạnh sự sinh tồn thực dụng
thông qua canh tác, công sự và thủ công. Theo một cách nào đó, triết lý của ông tương
đồng với chủ nghĩa vị lợi của phương Tây. Mặc dù phổ biến vào cuối thời nhà Chu,
nhiều văn bản Mặc gia đã bị phá hủy trong thời nhà Tần kế tiếp, và cuối cùng nó đã bị
Nho giáo thay thế hoàn toàn trong thời nhà
Hán.………………………………………………………………………………………
…..
9
WEEK 6
THE SILK ROAD AND ITS IMPACT ON GLOBALIZATION Alexander
Arger
Reading 1
QUESTION 1-5. You are going to read a passage about The Silk Road and its impact
on globalization. Read the passage and answer these questions.
1. Why did the merchant Nanaivandak traveled the Silk Road toward China?
………The merchant Nanaivandak traveled the Silk Road toward China due to
his love for mountainous terrain and his zeal for
trade…………………………………………………………………………….
2. Where did Nanaivandak make frequent stops?

………Nanaivandak made frequent stops to
Chang'an…………………………………………………………………………….
3. What did Nanaivandak yield considerably from?
………He yielded considerably from his stash of musk, silverware, and
gems………………………………………………………………………………. 4.
What did Doudou Diene write about the fabled Silk Roads?
………“… The fabled Silk Roads, far from being mere trade routes, were also
cultural highways that had played a pivotal role in linking the East and
West…”……………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………. 5.
What did Whitfield describe the Silk Road?
………“The movement and exchange across Central Asia… of all the other
tangible and intangible cultural baggage that travels with people (religions,
technologies, medicine, fashions, food)…”
……………………………………………………………………………………….
In the novel, Life Along the Silk Road, the merchant Nanaivandak traveled the Silk Road
toward China, due to his love for mountainous terrain and his zeal for trade. For twenty
years, he encountered armies who often did not harass or persecute merchants or travelers
of the lands. Nanaivandak made frequent stops to Chang'an where he yielded considerably
from his stash of musk, silverware, and gems. There he was confronted with peoples from
all over speaking in different tongues, bargaining for the gems, spices, and other goods sold.
Distinguishing features such as his wardrobe and excess facial hair separated him from the
Turks, Chinese, and Tibetans present there. In the later years of the Silk Road it was
increasingly uncommon for China to welcome foreigners, but Nanaivandak was lucky
enough to live in an era of relative peace.1
Doudou Diene, the writer of the Foreword in the book The Silk Roads: Highways of culture
and commerce, wrote “… The fabled Silk Roads, far from being mere trade routes, were
also cultural highways that had played a pivotal role in linking the East and
West…”2Furthermore, Whitfield describes the Silk Road as, “The movement and exchange
across Central Asia… of all the other tangible and intangible cultural
1
Susan Whitfield, Life Along the Silk Road. (Oakland: University of California Press, 2015), 37. 2 Vadime
Elisseeff, The Silk Roads: Highways of Culture and Commerce. (New York: UNESCO, 1998), VIII.
1
baggage that travels with people (religions, technologies, medicine, fashions, food)…” 3
Buddhism and Islam were exchanged across different Empires while the trade of many
different materials and goods led the countries to start connecting. Different inventions,
information, and languages traversed from the East and West. The Silk Road generated
forms of globalization because it aided in the exchange of cultures, goods, and ideas.
Reading 2
QUESTION 6-10. Find words or phrases in the above passage which have a similar
A person or company involved in wholesale trade (6)…………the
merchant……………………
to generate profit (7)………yield………………..

negotiate (8) ……bargain………………………
mythical (9) …………intangible…………………
belongings (10) …………stash……………………….
QUESTION 11-20
Complete the following passage with words from the box below.
monks Islam
Islamic Buddhism
convert Buddha
traders Christianity
religions diffusion
Diffusion of religion and cultures across the Silk Road highly supported globalization.
Christianity from the West, (11) ……Islam…………… from the Middle East, and
Buddhism from the East soon intermingled along the Silk Road. Buddhism, just like Islam,
a few centuries later spread mainly along trade routes.4Trade created possibilities for the
expansion of religion. Buddhism was practically the first religion that was well established
throughout two regions of Central Asia— Tukharistan/Afghanistan and
Transoxiana/Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The religion of (12) ……Buddhism…….. was
spread by missionaries from India, who traveled to China and practiced and preached their
messages about Buddhism. From India, Buddhism first went to Bengal and then Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka became strongly Buddhist and followed the Theravada model. Large statues of
(13) ……Buddha……….. even lined the Silk Road. It was here that many of the early
teachings were finally written down. Buddhist (14)……monks……… also traveled
alongside of traders, missionaries, and travelers to help spread their religion. Buddhism
existed on the Tibetan plateau briefly before they too converted to Islam; however,
Buddhism survived mainly on the
3
Susan Whitfield, Life Along the Silk Road. (Oakland: University of California Press, 2015), 3.
4
Elisseeff, The Silk Roads, 64.
2
eastern edges of the Silk Road—Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and Korea—and continues
its decline in its birth place on the Indian subcontinent. Nevertheless, a religious
transformation began and Islam was starting to overcome Buddhism. Central Asia gradually
became a largely (15) ………Islamic…………region with Transoxiana being Islam’s
center in the East. This change in Central Asia led it to become an important center for
communications; this connected it with more cultures, countries, and traditions. 5The Islamic
religion had made other people (16) ……convert……… by force; not as pleasantly as
Buddhists. During the Mongolian Empire, the expansion of Islam was prominent. Islam was
brought to the coastal cities of India by the Arab (17)……traders…….., and the Turks
brought it to the north.6The spread of Islam toward the east was accomplished by a
combination of conquest, missionary effort led by Sufis, and the gradual Muslim
commercial takeover of the Silk Road. The Arab conquests of the Sogdian empire resulted
in the conversion of many people. Unlike the previous two religions, (18)
……Christianity……….. dominated on the European edge of the world and until the
Ottoman conquest in Constantinople. Axum has also kept its Christianity alive.7 According
to Foltz, Eastern Christianity and Manicheanism were the big losers on the Silk Road. This,
he attributes to their isolation once the Mongolian Empire disintegrated. 8 Christians often
bribed individuals or hired mercenaries to convert the people during this time; however,
during the time of the crusades, much more forceful tactics were expressed. Buddhism,
Islam, and Christianity today are among the world’s most populous
(19)……religions…………... They are all found throughout the globe and without the help
of the Silk Road, the initial (20)………diffusion……………..of religions would have not
been possible.
Reading 3
QUESTION 21-30. Now complete the notes below. Choose ONE WORD OR A
NUMBER from the below passages for each answer.
21. Silk is evidence of ……globalization…………… because it was seen in Rome during
a time where only China could have produced it
22. During the ……second………. century BC., Chinese silk had also reached the
Mediterranean, and being the first significant commodity to be exported from east to west,
silk gave its name to the route.
23. In the Mediterranean, Basin, India, and China, there was a high demand for exotic and
prestigious ……items………… for uses of adornment, decoration, and consumption.
24. Central Asian musicians and dancers traveled on either horseback or camels to China,
and subsequently music and dancing became the most famous in China by the later part of
the ……sixth…… century.
25. A man from northwestern Asia was able to modify the Indian ……digits……….. and
transform them into Arabic numerals.
5
Liu, Xinru. "A Silk Road Legacy: The Spread of Buddhism and Islam." Journal of World History 22, no. 1
(2011): 55
6
Whitfield, Life Along the Silk Road, 199.
7
8
Foltz, Richard. "Religions of the Silk Road: Overland Trade and Cultural Exchange from Antiquity to the
Fifteenth Century." Iranian Studies 32, no. 4 (1999): 573-75. Accessed October 1, 2015
3
26. It is thought that due to the ease of travel across the Silk Road aided in the spread of
expertise, it also transmitted the plague and other diseases resulting in the death of
…millions….
27. Trading consisted of ……crops……… like rice, spices such as cinnamon, pepper, and
cloves, pottery, horses, and valuables such as jade, silk, pearls, and precious stones.
28. ……Three……….. different religions were mainly practiced in Afro-Eurasia during
the time of the traveling’s along the Silk Road.
29. In Central Asia, ……Buddhism…… began as the overarching and core religion, but
was soon left behind in some areas that it had spread to.
30. Just like the ……merchant……… Nanaivandak, other travelers on the Silk Road
assisted the world in globalization through the expansion and sharing of goods, cultures,
and ideas around the world.
The Silk Road and its impact on globalization (Cont.)

Similarly, trading along the Silk Road significantly influenced globalizing around the
world. Silk, the material that gave the east-west trade route its name, is evidence of
globalization because it was seen in Rome during a time where only China could have
produced it.9 Chinese silk had also reached the Mediterranean during the second century
BC, and being the first significant commodity to be exported from east to west, silk gave its
name to the route.10 There was a high demand for exotic and prestigious items for uses of
adornment, decoration, and consumption in the Mediterranean, Basin, India, and China.
Traders such as Nanaivandak made extreme wealth during this time selling these desired
items.11 From consumption came the need for spices such as cinnamon, pepper, ginger,
cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg. This “spice trade” led to the first serious involvement of
Europeans in Southeast Asia, and it also began the formation of colonial empires; this was
mainly due to the fact that cloves were only found in China. Trading of spices, particularly
cloves, created the growth of numerous states on the routes from the Indies to the
Mediterranean.12 Also, nearly all vegetables and crops like sugar and rice were traded
amongst several countries. For adornment, the people wanted perfumes, precious stones,
pearls, silks and muslin, horses, tortoise shell, ivory, rhinoceros horn, dyes, unguents, and
one of the most important was jade.13 Jade’s true value came with its toughness and
durability. This beautiful gem was highly praised in China. Jade was in high demand
because of its special affinity for women and because of the lack of supply in the West.
Secondly, Jade was especially desired because “diving for Jade would have been a perverse
way of committing suicide.” Trading was the underlying force transpired on the Silk Road
connecting the East and West.14
Lastly, the sharing of ideas and knowledge led globalization to thrive. Music was a
common expression shared amongst many. By the later part of the sixth century,
9
Frances Wood, The Silk Road Two Thousand Years in the Heart of Asia. (London: The British Library, 2003),
27-28.
10
Wood, The Silk Road, 34.
11
Elisseeff, The Silk Road, 97.
12
] Elisseeff, The Silk Road, 97
13
14
4
Central Asian musicians and dancers traveled on either horseback or camels to China, and
subsequently music and dancing became the most famous in China. A man from
northwestern Asia was able to modify the Indian digits and transform them into Arabic
numerals. This man also invented algorisms and algebra; he then spread these inventions
across Asia and many countries. Several books were written about new findings which were
spread across the world and globalized the nations with innovative mathematical,
astronomical, musical, and scientific studies. One important invention by the Chinese was
paper and their knowledge about its manufacturing processes in which spread first from
China to Central Asia then to Baghdad, and eventually all over the globe. 15 The diffusion
of advances in science, technology, economy, art, and literature continued throughout
Asia.16 The invention of porcelain and its technology for the means of production of it in
China created a large demand across Eurasia. Although the ease of travel across the Silk
Road aided in the spread of expertise, it also transmitted the plague and other diseases
resulting in the death of millions. However; vaccinations were soon generated and shared
between countries.17 According to Whitfield, “Afro-Eurasia remained a connected world
where the lives of ordinary people were touched, even if in small ways, by the culture,
technologies, and goods from distant lands.”18
Through the use of trading, expanding cultures, and sharing innovative ideas, the world was
able to globalize. Trading consisted of crops like rice, spices such as cinnamon, pepper, and
cloves, pottery, horses, and valuables such as jade, silk, pearls, and precious stones. Mainly
three different religions were practiced in Afro-Eurasia during the time of the traveling’s
along the Silk Road. These religions were Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. Buddhism
began as the overarching, core religion in Central Asia, but was soon left behind in some
areas that it had spread to. This is due to the fact that Islam launched. Shortly after, Islam
took over almost all parts of the eastern world, but converters were not as nice when getting
others to join; they forced them. Christianity begun quickly after that, although it did not
thrive in as many places, but at least they bribed and persuaded people to join into
Christianity. Several inventions were shared between countries. Some of these inventions
were algorisms, algebra, medical advancements, and paper. Music was also shared among
people. Central Asian musicians and dancers traveled to China and shared their types of
dances and music with the Chinese. Just like the merchant Nanaivandak, other travelers on
the Silk Road assisted the world in globalization through the expansion and sharing of
goods, cultures, and ideas around the world.
31. The Silk Road provided the vehicle for all sorts of ……creative……………..exchange
between tremendously diverse peoples and cultures. (CREATE)
32. Silk moved across the planet with …remarkable……..ease and was a vehicle of
cultural creativity wherever it went. (REMARK)
15
Liu, Xinru. "A Silk Road Legacy: The Spread of Buddhism and Islam." Journal of World History 22, no. 1
(2011): 55-81
16
17
18
5
33. Silk cultivation and production is such an extraordinary process that it is easy to see
why its …invention….was legendary and its discovery eluded many who sought its secrets.
(INVENT)
34. ………Archaeological…………… finds from this period include silk fabric from the
southeast Zhejiang province dated to about 3000 B.C.E. and a silk cocoon from the Yellow
River valley in northern China dated to about 2500 B.C.E. (ARCHAEOLOGY)
35. Evidence of trade in ancient Chinese silk has been found in archaeological
……excavations……in Central Asian Bactria (currently the region around Balkh and
Mazar i-Sharif, Afghanistan) dating to about 500 B.C.E. (EXCAVATE)
36. Together with merchant caravans ……Buddhist…….. monks went from India to
Central Asia and China, preaching the new religion. (BUDDHA)
37. The complex intercultural exchanges associated with tea and tea culture were the direct
result of the ……movement…..of traders, missionaries, and physicians along the Silk
Roads. (MOVE)
38. The effects of this free flow of ideas, goods, and ……artistic………elements along
the Silk Roads constitutes an important shared heritage in the contemporary world. (ART)
39. The ……communication…… across the silk road was to and from nations and
cultures at approximately the same latitudes. (COMMUNICATE)
40. The Silk Road supported trade of goods and services and the spread of ideas and
religions, beginning the ……shrinkage……….of the world to the relatively small place it
has become in our time.( SHRINK)
6
WEEK 9 The Rise of the Warrior Class in Japan
Reading 1
QUESTION 1-5. Find words or phrases in the below passage which have a similar
a powerful warrior class in Japan (1) …………………………………
a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership (2)
…………………………………
The Way of the Warrior in Japan (3) ……………………………….
A powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords (4) ………………………………
the title of the military dictators of Japan (5) …………………………………
Introduction
The Japan of the samurai period was both like and unlike Europe during the Middle
Ages. In both societies, ties of loyalty and obligation bound lords and vassals. Both
had rulers who rose to power as military chiefs. But in Europe, a military leader like
William the Conqueror ruled as king. In Japan, the shogun ruled in the name of the
emperor. The daimyos of Japan were like the landholding lords of medieval Europe.
Both types of lords built castles and held estates that were worked by peasants.
Both the samurai of Japan and the knights of Europe were warriors who wore armor,
rode horses, and owned land. Just as European knights had a code of chivalry, the
samurai had the code of Bushido. The samurai code, however, was much stricter, since
it demanded that a samurai kill himself to maintain his honor.
In 1185 Minamoto Yoritomo came to power in Japan. In 1192, he took the title of
shogun, or commander-in-chief. Yoritomo did not take the place of the emperor.
Instead, he set up a military government with its own capital in the city of Kamakura.
While the imperial court remained in Heian-kyo, emperors played a less and less
important role in governing Japan.
The start of the Kamakura government marked the beginning of a new era in Japanese
history. Increasingly, professional warriors – samurai - became Japan’s ruling class.
The era of the samurai lasted for 700 years, until the emperor was restored to power in
1868.
Samurai were famed for their courage and skill. One young samurai told of being shot
in the left eye with an arrow, plucking out the arrow, he used it to shoot down the
enemy marksman.
Over time, an elaborate culture and code of conduct grew up around the samurai. A
samurai was expected to be honest, brave, and intensely loyal to his lord. In fact, the
word samurai means “those who serve.” The samurai code was very strict. Samurai
often killed themselves with their own swords rather than “lose face” or personal
honor.
1
The samurai were more than fearless fighters. They were educated in art, writing, and
literature. Many were devout Buddhists. Their religion helped them prepare for their
duties and face death bravely.
Reading 2
QUESTION 6-10. You are going to read the above passages about Introduction?
Read the passages and answer these questions.
6. How was the Japanese society during the Samurai period?
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Find out the similarities between the samurai of Japan and the knights of Europe
………………………………………………………………………………………
8. What and How was the Code of Samurai?
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
9. Who established the first shogunate in Japan?
………………………………………………………………………………………
10. How did someone become a samurai?
………………………………………………………………………………………
Reading 3
QUESTION 11-20 Do the following statements agree with the information given in the

11. The military government established by Minamoto Yoritomo was led by an

emperor.
12. The samurai was rewarded with appointments to office and grants of land by the
Shoguns
13. In Japanese society, girls were not educated to be samurai
14. The shogun now ruled with the help of warrior-lords called daimyos. In turn, the
daimyos were supported by large numbers of samurai.
15. The country was eventually reunited in the late 1500s, and a rigid social caste
system was established during the Edo Period that placed the samurai at the top,
followed by the farmers, artisans and merchants respectively.
2
16. Samurai had to learn self-control so that they could overcome emotions that might
interfere with fighting, especially the fear of death.
17. To learn how to endure pain and suffering, young samurai went for days without
eating, marched barefoot in snow on long journeys, and held stiff postures for hours
without complaining.
18. The samurai were forced to live in castle towns, were the only ones allowed to own
and carry swords and were paid in rice by their daimyo or feudal lords.
19. During hard training, the samurai could sometimes take relax.
20. Relative peace prevailed during the roughly 250 years of the Edo Period. As a
result, the importance of martial skills declined, and many samurai became
bureaucrats, teachers or artists.
The Rise of the Samurai

The military government established by Minamoto Yoritomo was led by a shogun, or
commander-in-chief. Although emperors continued to rule in name, the real power
shifted to the shoguns.
Samurai under the Shoguns
Yoritomo and his successors rewarded warriors, or samurai, with appointments to
office and grants of land. In return, the samurai pledged to serve and protect the
shogun.
The rise of the samurai brought a new emphasis on military values in Japanese culture.
All samurai trained in the arts of war, especially archery. During this period, women as
well as men could be samurai. Girls and boys alike were trained to harden their
feelings and to use weapons. One samurai wrote,
Of what use is it to allow the mind to concentrate on the moon and flowers,
compose poems, and learn how to play musical instruments?... Members of my
household, including women, must learn to ride wild horses, and shoot powerful bows
and arrows.
Shifting Loyalties:
By the 14th century, Japan’s warrior society resembled the lord-vassal system of
medieval Europe. The shogun now ruled with the help of warrior-lords called daimyos.
In turn, the daimyos were supported by large numbers of samurai. The daimyos
expected to be rewarded for their obedience and loyalty with land, money, or
administrative office. The samurai expected the same from the daimyos they served.
Over time, the position of the shogun weakened as daimyos became increasingly
powerful. Daimyos began treating their lands like independent kingdoms. Samurai
now allied themselves with their daimyo lords.
In the late 15th century, Japan fell into chaos. Daimyos warred with one another for
land and power. Samurai fought fierce battles on behalf of their lords. During the
chaotic era of warring states in the 15th and 16th centuries, Japan splintered into
dozens of independent states constantly at war with one another. Consequently,
3
warriors were in high demand. It was also the era when ninja, warriors specialized in
unconventional warfare, were most active.
After a century of bloody warfare, a series of skilled generals defeated their rival
daimyos and reestablished a strong military government. In 1603, the last of these
leaders, Tokugawa leyasu, became shogun. leyasu established a new capital in Edo
(present-day Tokyo).
For the next 250 years, Japan was at peace. Samurai served under shoguns and
administered the government. It was during this time that the samurai ideal came to
full flower.
Mental Training
A samurai’s education in the art of war included mental training. Samurai had to learn
self-control so that they could overcome emotions that might interfere with fighting,
especially the fear of death. They also learned to be always alert and prepared to fight.
Training in Self-Control
To learn how to endure pain and suffering, young samurai went for days without
eating, marched barefoot in snow on long journeys, and held stiff postures for hours
without complaining. To overcome the fear of death, they were told to think of
themselves as already dead.
Training in Preparedness
A samurai could never relax. An attack could come when least expected, even while a
samurai was playing music or dancing. For this reason, samurai had to develop a
“sixth sense” about danger. This came from long and grueling training.
The experience of one young samurai illustrates this kind of training. The young man’s
fencing master used to whack him with a wooden sword throughout the day whenever
he least expected it. These painful blows eventually taught the young student to always
stay alert.
Teachers also told stories about being prepared. One story was about a samurai who
was peacefully writing when a swordsman tried to attack him. Using his sixth sense,
the samurai felt the attack coming. He flicked ink into his attacker’s eyes and escaped.
In another story, a samurai woman who was suddenly attacked thrust a piece of rolled-
up paper into her attacker’s eyes and gave a war shout. Her attacker ran away.
QUESTION 21-30
Complete the following essay with words from the box below.
weapons practiced
battle enemy
dressed hand-to-hand
armor iron mask
sword privilege
4
Military Training and Fighting
The way the first samurai warriors trained and fought was called “The Way of the
Horse and the Bow.” Later, the art of swordsmanship became more important than
archery.
Learning the skills of a samurai required extensive training. Young samurai were
apprenticed to archery masters who taught them mental and physical techniques.
Samurai (21)………………… until they could shoot accurately without thinking.
They also learned to breathe properly and to shoot at their enemies while riding on the
back of a galloping horse.
The art of fencing, or swordsmanship, was just as demanding. A samurai had to learn
how to force an (22) ……………………… to make the first move, how to stay out of
range of an enemy sword, and how to fight in tight spaces or against more than one
opponent. He practiced continually until he could fence well without thinking about it.
Sometimes in battle a samurai might lose or break his sword. Samurai learned to
continue the fight by using other objects as (23) ……………………, such as metal
fans or wooden staffs. They also learned how to fight without weapons by using
martial arts. This type of fighting often involves using an opponent’s strength against
him.
In the battle, according to early texts, the samurai had a unique style of (24)
…………………... First, messengers from opposing sides met to decide the time and
place of combat. Then the two armies faced each other a few hundred yards apart.
Samurai on both sides shouted out their names, ancestors, heroic deeds, and reason for
fighting. Only then did the armies charge, with mounted samurai firing arrows as they
urged their horses forward.
As the two armies clashed, samurai fought each other in (25) ……………………..
combat. Enemies fought a series of one-on-one duels. Each samurai found an opponent
who matched him in rank. He would try to knock his opponent off his horse, wrestle
him to the ground, and kill him.
A samurai went into battle (26)……………………. in heavy armor. Under the armor,
he wore a colorful robe called a kimono and baggy trousers. Shin guards made of
leather or cloth protected his legs.
Samurai armor was unique. It was made of rows of small metal plates coated with
lacquer and laced together with colorful silk cords. This type of (27) …………………
was strong, yet flexible enough for the samurai to move freely.
Boxlike panels of armor covered the samurai’s chest and back. Metal sleeves covered
his arms. Broad shoulder guards and panels that hung over his hips provided additional
protection. Some samurai wore thigh guards as well. After dressing in his body armor,
the samurai put on a ferocious-looking (28) …………………….. that was meant to
frighten his opponents as well as to protect his face. Last came his helmet. Before
putting on the helmet, he burned incense in it. In that way, his head would smell sweet
if it were cut off in battle.
Samurai fought with bows and arrows, spears, and swords. A samurai’s wooden bow
could be up to eight feet long. Such long bows required great strength to use. In battle,
samurai on horseback rode toward each other, pulling arrows from the quivers on their
5
backs and firing them at the enemy. In hand-to-hand combat, some foot soldiers used
spears to knock riders off their horses and to kill an enemy on foot with a powerful
thrust.
The samurai’s most prized weapon, however, was his sword. Japanese (29)
………………….. makers were excellent craftsmen. Samurai swords were the finest
in the world. They were flexible enough not to break, but hard enough to be razor
sharp. Samurai carried two types of swords. To fight, they used a long sword with a
curved blade. Wearing a sword was the (30) ……………….. and right of the samurai.
Swords were passed down through generations of warrior families and given as prizes
to loyal warriors. Even after peace was established in the 17th century, samurai
proudly wore their swords as a sign of their rank.
31. The samurai, members of a ……………………. military caste in feudal Japan,
began as provincial warriors before rising to power in the 12th century with the
beginning of the country’s first military dictatorship, known as the shogunate.
(POWER)
31. As …………….. of the daimyos, or great lords, the samurai backed up the
authority of the shogun and gave him power over the mikado (emperor). (SERVE)
32. The samurai would dominate Japanese government and society until the Meiji
Restoration of 1868 led to the ………………… of the feudal system. (ABOLISH).
33. Despite ……………… deprived of their traditional privileges, many of the
samurai would enter the elite ranks of politics and industry in modern Japan. (BE)
34. More importantly, the traditional samurai code of honor, discipline and
……………….. known as bushido–or “the way of the warrior”–was revived and made
the basic code of conduct for much of Japanese society. (MORAL)
35. During the Heian Period (794-1185), the samurai were the armed ………………..
of wealthy landowners–many of whom left the imperial court to seek their own
fortunes after being shut out of power by the powerful Fujiwara clan. (SUPPORT)
36. Beginning in the mid-12th century, real ………………..power in Japan shifted
gradually away from the emperor and his nobles in Kyoto to the heads of the clans on
their large estates in the country. (POLITIC)
37. During the Kamakura period, the sword came to have a great …………………. in
samurai culture (SIGNIFICANT).
38. It was also a …………………. age for Japanese art, as the samurai culture came
under the growing influence of Zen Buddhism. (GOLD)
39. In a peaceful Japan, many samurai were forced to become ………………… or
take up some type of trade, even as they preserved their conception of themselves as
fighting men. (BUREAUCRACY)
40. By 1912, Japan had succeeded in building up its military strength–it signed an
…………………….with Britain in 1902 and defeated the Russians in Manchuria two
years later–as well as its economy. (ALLY)
6
TRANSLATE THESE PARAGRAPHS INTO VIETNAMESE
The Code of Bushido and Samurai Values
The samurai code developed over several centuries. By the 17th century, it took final
form in Bushido, “The Way of the Warrior.”
The code of Bushido, like the code of chivalry in medieval Europe, governed a
samurai’s life. It called on samurai to be honest, fair, and fearless in the face of death.
Samurai were expected to value loyalty and personal honor even more than their lives.
Loyalty and Personal Honor
A samurai’s supreme duty was to be so loyal to his lord that he would gladly die for
him. If his lord was murdered, a samurai might avenge his death. A samurai poem
says,
Though a time come
when mountains crack
and seas go dry,
never to my lord
will I be found double-hearted!
Samurai were also expected to guard their personal honor. The least insult on the street
could lead to a duel. One samurai, for example, accidentally knocked his umbrella
against another samurai’s umbrella. This quickly turned into a quarrel and then a
sword fight, resulting in the first samurai’s death.
Ritual Suicide
The price for failing to live up to the code of Bushido was seppuku, or ritual suicide.
There were many reasons for seppuku, including preserving personal honor and
avoiding capture in battle. Samurai might also perform seppuku to pay for a crime, a
shameful deed, or an insult to a person of higher rank. Some samurai even killed
themselves when their lord died or as a form of protest against an injustice.
Training in Spiritual Strength
Most samurai were Buddhists. Two forms of Buddhism that became popular in Japan
were Amida and Zen. Samurai were drawn to both kinds of Buddhism, but especially
to Zen.
Training in Writing and Literature
By the more peaceful 17th century, samurai had to be students of culture, as well as
fierce warriors. They were expected to be educated in both writing and literature.
Samurai practiced calligraphy, the art of beautiful writing. A calligrapher’s main tools
were a brush, a block of ink, and paper or silk. The calligrapher moistened the ink
block and rubbed it on an ink stone until the ink reached the right consistency. Then he
carefully drew each character with his brush.
Samurai also wrote poetry. One famous samurai poet was Matsuo Basho. He invented
a new form of short poetry that was later called haiku (high-KOO). A haiku has three
lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, making 17 syllables in all. A haiku poet uses imagery to
7
suggest an idea or create a mood. Basho added to the beauty of haiku by choosing
simple words. Here is his most famous haiku:
Furu ike ya An ancient pond
Kawazu tobikumu A frog jumps in
Mizu no oto The splash of water
Training for the Tea Ceremony
Another aspect of culture that samurai studied was the tea ceremony. The tea
ceremony fostered a spirit of harmony, reverence, and calm among these warriors. It
also served as an important way to form political alliances.
Each step of the ceremony had to be performed in a certain way. A tea master invited
guests into a small room. They entered through a doorway so low that they had to
crawl.
The tearoom was very simple. The only decorations were a scroll painting or an
artistic flower arrangement. The guests sat silently, watching the master make and
serve the tea. They then engaged in sophisticated discussions as they admired the
utensils and the beautiful way the tea master had combined them.
To make the tea, the master heated water in an iron urn over a charcoal fire. Then he
scooped powdered green tea from a container called a tea caddy into a small bowl. He
ladled hot water into the bowl with a wooden dipper and then whipped the water and
tea with a bamboo whisk. Each guest in turn took the bowl, bowed to the others, took
three sips, and cleaned the rim with a tissue. Then he passed the bowl back to the
master to prepare tea for the next guest.
Women in Samurai Society
The position of women in samurai society declined over time. In the 12th century, the
women of the warrior class enjoyed honor and respect. By the 17th century, however,
samurai women were treated as inferior to their husbands.
In the 12th century, samurai women enjoyed considerable status. A samurai’s wife
helped manage the household and promote the family’s interests. When her husband
died, she could inherit his property and perform the duties of a vassal. Though women
rarely fought, they were expected to be as loyal and brave as men.
Some women, like Tomoe Gozen (TOH-moh-eh GO-zen), did take part in battles
alongside men. Fighting one-on-one, she killed several enemies in a battle. Then she
fenced with the enemy leader, who tried to drag her from her horse. When he tore off
her sleeve, she spun her horse around and killed him.
A woman named Koman is another famous warrior. During a battle on a lake, she
saved her clan’s banner by swimming to shore under a shower of arrows with the
banner clenched in her teeth.
As the warrior culture developed, women’s position weakened. By the 17th century,
samurai men were the unquestioned lords of their households. According to one
saying, when young, women should obey their fathers; when grown, their husbands;
and when old, their sons.
8
Girls did not choose their own husbands. Instead, families arranged marriages for their
daughters to increase their position and wealth. Wives were expected to bear sons,
manage the home, and look after their husbands.
A popular book of the time told women how to behave. They were to get up early and
go to bed late. During the day they must weave, sew, spin, and take care of their
households. They must stick to simple food and clothes and stay away from plays,
singing, and other entertainment.
Not all Japanese women were treated the same way. Peasant women had some respect
and independence because they worked alongside their husbands. But in samurai
families, women were completely under men’s control.
The Influence of Samurai Values and Traditions in Modern Times
Japan’s warrior society lasted until 1868, when political upheavals led to the
restoration of the emperor to ruling power. Modern Japan still feels the influence of
the long era of the samurai.
In the 1940s, the Japanese who fought in World War II stayed true to the warrior code.
Many soldiers killed themselves rather than surrender. Suicide pilots crashed planes
loaded with explosives into enemy battleships. These pilots were called kamikazes
(“divine winds”) after the storms that helped destroy an invading Chinese fleet in the
13th century.
Japanese and other peoples around the world study martial arts. Sports such as judo
and fighting with bamboo swords reflect samurai discipline and skill.
Other elements of samurai culture persist today. People in Japan continue to write
haiku and practice calligraphy. Zen gardens and the tea ceremony remain popular. And
the samurai ideals of loyalty to family and respect for rank are still alive in modern
Japan.
9
WEEK 12 KOREA PENINSULAR AND THE SILK ROAD
Reading 1
QUESTIONS 1-5. Find words or phrases in the below passage which have a similar
Inaccessibility (1) ……………………………………
Demarcation (2) ……………………………………..
the person or a thing that motivates or directs someone or something (3)
…………………….
footprint (4) ……………………………..
artifacts (5) ………………………………
Countries alongside Silk Road routes: Korea1

“History tells us that no nation or people can flourish in isolation. Cultural exchange
beyond narrow political boundaries stimulates intelligent curiosity and creative
imagination. The meeting of the East and the West by means of the Silk Roads was an
important period in history because two major portions of the globe began to share
their respective genius at that time. This sharing was a driving force for cultural
progress. The Silk Roads, therefore, should be viewed not only as avenues for the
exchange of discrete cultural traits but also as channels for the exchange of symbolic
meanings.”2
The global domain of the cultural exchange through the ancient land Silk Roads was
expanded as far as the Korean peninsula, that is the east end of the Asiatic Continent.
It is not so difficult today to see the trace of the cultural exchange through both the
land and maritime Silk Roads in Korean cultural heritages. Among them, the
evidences of the exchange with the numerous foreign cultures which were introduced
through the oasis routes of Central Asia desert area, the steppe routes of southern
Siberia and the maritime Silk Roads have been clearly found. For example, the various
kinds of archaeological materials excavated from the ancient tombs in Gyeongju – the
capital of Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. ~ 935 A.D.) in Korea – indicate that there was the
frequent exchange between Silla and other worlds.
Reading 2
QUESTIONS 6-10. You are going to read the above passages about Countries
alongside Silk Road routes: Korea? Read the passages and answer these questions.
6. According to the above passages, what does the History tell us?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. What does the cultural exchange stimulate?
1
Source: https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/countries-alongside-silk-road-routes/republic-korea
2
KIM, Young-shik. (1991) Address of the Secretary-General, Korean National Commission for UNESCO. In:
Korean Culture and the Silk Roads. (Seoul: Korean National Commission for UNESCO).
1
………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. What should the Silk Road be viewed?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. How far was the global domain of the cultural exchange through the ancient land
Silk Roads expanded?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. Which evidence indicated the frequent exchange between Silla and other worlds?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
Reading 3
QUESTIONS 11-20 Do the following statements agree with the information given in
the reading passage? Write

11. According to the passage, those excavated material evidences include a lot of
ancient foreign goods imported from many other parts of the world – in particular, the
South East Asia region.
12. The discovery of Roman-style glass ware is one of the concrete archaeological
evidences which show the exchange and trade between Silla and the Western world.
13. Those pieces of glass ware are thought to be produced in the Mediterranean coast
in 4th ~ 5th century, and supplied by the merchants of the countries bordering on
Western China through both the land and the maritime routes to Silla.
14. Another kind of material evidences is the ancient jewels, which were made in
Tashkent and Samarkand, and traded by the group of merchants from the countries
bordering on Western China
15. Flavoring, herbs and spices were also ones of important products imported to Silla
far from the Indian Ocean and the Western world.
16. Exotic objects made in Central Asia and further west to the Mediterranean have
been found in several Silla tombs, testimony to the vibrant international exchanges of
the time.
17. A number of Muslim traders from the Near East and Central Asia settled down in
Korea and established families there.
18. The Persian carpet and the rugs made of wool were introduced to Silla people by
the Silk Roads
2
19. The Silla elite‟s desire for gold ornaments originally arose from contacts with
various kingdoms of China and with the nomadic cultures of the northeast.
20. It is noted that the cultural exchange of the Silla Kingdom was not limited to Asia,
but was expanded as far as Islamic and European areas.
Countries alongside Silk Road routes: Korea (cont.)

Those excavated material evidences include a lot of ancient foreign goods imported
from many other parts of the world – in particular, the West Asia region. The Roman-
style glass ware is one of the concrete archaeological objects which show the exchange
and trade between Silla and the Western world. Many kinds of glass ware were
excavated from the ancient tombs (dated 5th ~ 6th century) of the Silla Kingdom in
Gyeongju, Korea. Scholars say that those pieces of glass ware are thought to be
produced in the Mediterranean coast in 4th ~ 5th century, and supplied by the
merchants of the countries bordering on Western China through both the land and the
maritime routes to Silla. Another kind of material evidences is the ancient jewels,
which were made in Tashkent and Samarkand, and traded by the same group of
merchants mentioned above. Flavoring, herbs and spices were also ones of important
products imported to Silla far from the Arabian Peninsula and the Western world. The
Persian carpet and the rugs made of wool were introduced to Silla people by the Silk
Roads too. It is, therefore, noted that the cultural exchange of the Silla Kingdom was
not limited to Asia, but was expanded as far as Islamic and European areas.
“The culture was already spreading more rapidly than we imagine even 1,000 years
ago. The more the cultures meet and contact with each other, the more they exchange
their influences and develop.”3
QUESTIONS 21-30
trade Buddhist
silk Islamic
Peninsula discovered
connected interchanged
elements open-minded
Countries alongside Silk Road routes: Korea (cont.)

Historians say that it would only take one month or so for the Buddhist monks of Silla
to obtain (21) ………………………… scriptures newly introduced in or via China.
According to academic research, it would not take more than six months for the
hairpin as commercial goods, which ladies in Istanbul (Constantinople) of Turkey
used, to reach the capital Gyeongju of Silla Kingdom for sale. These examples
3
LEE, Hee-soo. (2000) Cultural Exchange Between Silla and West Asia. In: A Search for the Light of the East –
Silk Road and Korean Culture. (Gyeongju: Gyeongju World Culture Expo 2000 Organizing Committee).
3
demonstrate that the cultural exchange and (22)……………………. among the
continents were being made more quickly in practice at that time than people normally
think. This fact suggests that the Silla Kingdom also had direct routes of exchange
with other worlds although a number of indirect trading routes had existed – for
example, such indirect routes for (23)………………….. and Silla‟s local products –
from and to East Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia and Europe through many oases.
Historical materials also present the records of the cultural exchange in the ancient
time. Some (24)……………….. old books on history and geography indicate the Silla
Kingdom, and read that Islamic people travelled or went to Silla. Recorded in those
books are the location, natural environment, and products of Silla. Such old books
included 20 volumes written by 17 Islamic scholars between 9th and 15th century.
Particularly, Ibn Khurdhadbih was the first Islamic scholar who wrote about the
Islamic people residing in the Silla Kingdom. Another scholar, Al-Mas'udi wrote that
Iraqi people went to the Korean (25) …………………, and lived there. Korean old
books of history also say that Islamic people lived in group at Gaeseong – the capital
of Goryeo Dynasty (918 ~ 1392 A.D.) in Korea. Thus, these historical facts prove that
Korea and other worlds have been carrying out the exchange in many aspects as well
as in culture quite closely since the ancient time through the Silk Roads.
It is never a coincidence nor an exceptional phenomenon that Persian-style metallic
ancient objects and Roman-style glass ware were (26) …………………. in many
historical sites in Gyeongju, Korea. The Silk Roads were the ways where the cultures
of East and West comprehensively (27) ………………………. The ancient societies
were not ever paralyzed through that interchange. Their continuous change and
development were being accomplished. The Korean Peninsula was, therefore, (28)
………………….. by the ring of the large-scale network called the „Silk Roads.‟
The culture of the Silla Kingdom can be characterized as international and global at
that time because the various other cultural (29) ………………….. were harmonized
in it. Gyeongju the capital of Silla was the very place where all cultures of the
Eurasian continent had spread to the edge of the Korean Peninsula through the Silk
Roads. The Silla Kingdom of Korea was an (30) …………………. society to all kinds
of cultures. Gyeongju was one of the globalized lively cities exchanging with other
worlds by the Silk Roads both land and maritime. Silla well shows the truth of the
proposition that the culture could develop as more creative as it would be mixed with
other ones.
QUESTIONS 31-40. Write the correct form of word given in each sentence
31. Seveal commercial silk routes were ……………………… to connect China with
Mongolia, Korea, India, Persia, Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and Europe. (CREATE)
32. Due to its ………………………position, Korea served as the last Silk Route
destiny for the Arab merchants in the Asian Continent. (GEOGRAPHY)
33. Trade and cultural exchange were developed ………………….and foreign
influence reached Korea through the Silk Road. (SIGNIFICANCE)
34. The heads of a group of universities located on the Silk Road have certified that
the Korean city of Gyeongju which was the capital of the Silla ……………….. was
part of the ancient trade routes that connected the East and West. (KING)
4
35. There are ample historical documents, diverse …………………… findings and
cultural heritages that showed the Silla Kingdom (57 BC- AD 935) which flourished in
Gyeongsangbuk-do maintained economic, diplomatic and cultural relationships with
Silk Road countries such as India and Persia. (ARCHEOLOGY)
36. The Silk Roads Universities Network, a coalition of prestigious higher education
institutions located along the Silk Road, officially recognized the …………………….
facts that Korea was an important corridor of the ancient routes that linked the East
and West. (HISTORY)
37. Archaeological materials excavated in Gyeongju include the Roman-style
glassware, some of which are believed to have been ……………… in the
Mediterranean coast in the 4th-5th century. (PRODUCE)
38. The growing ………………. of Korean modern culture in many parts of the world,
including those countries of Silk Road has enhanced the government to support its
creative industries. (POPULAR)
39. Many Korean monks and nuns traveled to Japan and help spread Buddhism and
later …………………………… among both the elite and working classes
(CONFUCIUS)
40. The Silk Road contributed to Silla‟s Golden Age, a fascinating period that includes
great …………………….. and sculpture, lofty ideas, new trade routes and a unique
political system that allowed women to rule. (ARCHITECT)
TRANSLATE THIS ARTICLE INTO VIETNAMESE

'Silk Roads' tracks Buddhism's spread to Korea 4
Koreans are taught that Buddhism came to the Korean Peninsula through a Chinese
monk in 372 CE when King Sosurim of Goguryeo was in power.
Since then, Korean monks have gone to China to learn and bring back the teachings of
various Chinese schools of Buddhism. Through the ancient cultural exchange,
Buddhism became one of the three major religions in this country today, along with
Protestantism and Catholicism.
However, little is known about how Buddhism, which originated in India, reached
China, from where it would eventually come to be part of Korean culture. Peter
Frankopan's "The Silk Roads" (2017) gives an explanation of this.
In the second chapter titled "The Road of Faiths," the author discusses the expansion
of different religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Buddhism. Focusing on
Buddhism, he mentions how the surge of Buddhists also led to an increase in "suptas,"
or places of worship on the travel route often taken by these religious practitioners. It
is through the Silk Road that Buddhism would also reach Korea during the Three
Kingdoms period. Through foreign artifacts and architectural structures found in
ancient Korean temples, archeologists have been able to confirm Korea's involvement
in the Silk Road.
4
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2018/08/142_253709.html
5
The Silk Road not only facilitated trade in goods between the East and the West but
also ideas, the author said.
"Buddhist ideas and practices were spreading east through the Pamir mountains and
into China. By the start of the fourth century CE, there were sacred Buddhist sites all
over Xinjiang province in north-western China …," it reads. "By the 460s, Buddhist
thought, practices, art and imagery had become part of the mainstream in China,
robustly competing with traditional Confucianism…"
The author observes rulers took the advantage of religion to solidify their legitimacy
and this ultimately paved the way for the spread of Buddhism into other parts of China
as well as other East Asian countries.
"The Northern Wei had much to gain by promoting the new at the expense of the old
(Confucianism) and championing concepts that underlined their legitimacy. Huge
statues of the Buddha were erected at Pincheng and Luoyang, far into the east of the
country," the book reads.
In the ambitious and extensive overview of the history behind the Silk Road,
Frankopan covers a timeline that stretches from the early 21st century all the way back
to the onset of the Persian Empire. He not only focuses on the development of the Silk
Road itself, but also highlights the impact it has had as an enduring and global
spectacle of cultural exchanges in terms of ideologies, power dynamics and items of
trade.
In the chapters "The Wheat Road" and "The Road to Genocide," Frankopan briefly
outlines the Nazi Germany-Soviet Union relationship prior to and throughout
Germany's invasion in the 1940s. He not only touches upon this, but also the strain it
placed on other countries including Great Britain and Iran. With German troops having
effectively diminished the food supply into the USSR, London and Washington
provided aid for the civilians and the soldiers. In this way, the Silk Road played a role
in delivering necessities not only to the front lines, but also to the masses whose lives
were at stake.
The author concludes the book by mentioning that the Silk Road still exists, albeit in a
modernized version. The advanced infrastructure of today has allowed pipelines to be
built cross-regionally and high-tech transportation has made possible traveling across
the globe in a matter of hours. He also makes note of the increasing popularity of high
fashion (in particular Western brands such as Louis Vuitton and Prada) and its
international cultural spread.
In his book, Frankopan does not compartmentalize the Silk Road as one exclusive path
with a singular purpose, but rather highlights its development as a growing
phenomenon, from the earliest traces of human existence to the modern-day world. It
is through incorporating so many aspects that the readers are able to gain insight into a
huge portion of the world's history.
6
WEEK 14 CHINESE DREAM AND THE BELT & ROAD INITIATIVE
Reading 1
QUESTION 1-5. Find words or phrases in the below passage which have a similar
confident and forceful behavior / strong affirmation (1)
……assertiveness……
dispute / a serious disagreement or argument (2) ………conflict………..

the action of spending funds (3) ………expenditure……………
the initiation (4) ……………a shift(??)………………………….

time to get ready (5) …………the time ripe………………………
The Chinese Dream: Does it Challenge East Asia’s Peace?1

With all the attention being given to China‟s growing power and assertiveness, it is easy to
forget that China has not been involved in armed conflict with any other country since
brutally trying to “punish” Vietnam in the beginning of 1979, except for border skirmishes
with Vietnam that ended in 1988.2 Despite the ongoing global power shift and a considerable
number of serious unresolved conflicts, the annual number of battle deaths in East Asia has,
in fact, fallen dramatically since 1979. After having suffered 80 percent of all global battle
deaths during the Cold War period 1946-79, East Asia has basically been enjoying “a long
peace.”3 Can this peace continue?
The main challenge is the growth in China‟s relative power. Until recently, the power shift
was primarily a story of how China was catching up economically. In recent years, China‟s
military expenditure has, however, begun to assume significant proportions. The region
appears to be undergoing a shift from the story of an “economic Asia” to the story of a
“security Asia,” where nationalism, territory and identity, not only in China, are resuming
some of their historical roles.
The launch in 2012 of President Xi Jinping‟s “Chinese Dream” amplified this change -
with grains of hubris. National modernization - and order - remain China‟s top priorities,
but the country is, at the same time, becoming an increasingly “restless power,” asserting
its national interests while facing growing internal challenges.4
Xi‟s China clearly considers the time ripe for an international role beyond Deng Xiaoping‟s
cautious, 24-character slogan that expressed a strategy of biding time and maintaining a low
profile. Deng was focused on the need for China to “catch up.” economically. Now, China
is ready for a larger role. Can it play that role peacefully?
1
Börje Ljunggren is the former Swedish ambassador to China (2002-2006) and Vietnam (1994-1997).
<https://www.globalasia.org/v10no4/cover/the-chinese-dream-does-it-challenge-east-asias-peace_b%C3%B6rje
ljunggren>
2
Xiaoming Zhang, Deng Xiaoping’s Long War — The Military Conflict between China and Vietnam, 1979-
1991, The University of North Carolina Press (2015).
3
Timo Kivimäki, The Long Peace of East Asia, Ashgate (2014).
4
Odd Arne Westad, Restless Empire — China and the World Since 1750, Basic Books (2012).
1
Reading 2
QUESTION 6-10. You are going to read the passages about “The dream of great
rejuvenation and strength?” Read the passages and answer these questions.
6. Whose ideas of renaissance and humiliation are deeply ingrained in Xi‟s mind?
…………The ideas of renaissance and humiliation - the latter should “never be
forgotten,” which were key to the thinking of China‟s nationalist leaders Sun Yat-
sen (Tôn Trung Sơn) and Chiang Kai-shek (Tưởng Giới Thạch), are deeply
ingrained in Xi‟s
mind…………………………………………………………………………………… 7.
When will the dream of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation be realized?
In 2049 when the People‟s Republic marks its centenary, the dream of the
rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will be realized....
…………………………………………………………………………………………... 8.
What are the goals of the Chinese Dream?
……relative all-round
prosperity…………………………………………………………………………………
…...
…………………………………………………………………………………………... 9.
What did Xi announce?
………Xi announced a reduction in the size of the People‟s Liberation Army (PLA)
by 300,000 troops from today‟s 2.3
million.…………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
10. What did Xi do to fulfill his ambition to strengthen the legitimacy of the Party?
………- For years, China‟s government had described the Kuomintang Nationalists
as enemies of the people who did little to defend China.
- Credit for the war effort went to the Communist Party alone, and more
specifically to Mao, even though the Communist side suffered only one tenth of
the losses of the
Kuomintang.………………………………………………………………...
THE DREAM OF GREAT REJUVENATION AND STRENGTH 5

The idea of China‟s renaissance invoked by Xi is far from new. It can be traced back to the
First Opium War and the implosion of the Qing dynasty. The ideas of renaissance and
humiliation - the latter should “never be forgotten,” which were key to the thinking of
China‟s nationalist leaders Sun Yat-sen (Tôn Trung Sơn) and Chiang Kai-shek (Tưởng Giới
Thạch), are deeply ingrained in Xi‟s mind. His “Chinese Dream” is clearly something larger
than the visions of all other Chinese leaders since Mao. China, with its unique civilization,
is predestined to go its own way, under the equally predestined leadership of the Chinese
Communist Party: When the party in 2021 celebrates its centenary xiaokang (in Confucian
texts, xiaokang refers to a society where people work for their own benefit and for their
families), the goal of relative all-round prosperity should be reality and “in 2049 when the
People‟s Republic marks its centenary, the dream of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation
will be realized.”6
The improved well-being of the Chinese people remains central, but there is a markedly
growing emphasis on power, on the “dream of a strong defence” and on safeguarding
Chinese interests. The 70th anniversary celebration of the victory in “the
5
Börje Ljunggren, “Renaissance and Humiliation: The Anatomy of the Chinese Dream,” in a Festschrift in
honour of Torbjörn Lodén, Orientaliska Studier, No. 138, 2014.
6
Xi Jinping, The Governance of China, Foreign Language Press (2014), p.37 ff
2
Chinese People‟s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti
fascist War” was a striking illustration of this. A range of new weapons, including “air-
carrier killer” missiles, were paraded on the Peace Avenue, manifesting Xi‟s status as
undisputed strongman. China would never be “haggling about its sovereignty.”7
Xi also announced a reduction in the size of the People‟s Liberation Army (PLA) by
300,000 troops from today‟s 2.3 million. The reduction is, however, a necessary part of the
PLA‟s modernization. China‟s Asian neighbours could not but ask themselves whether
China was aiming for a Pax Sinica, with itself as regional hegemon.
In his ambition to strengthen the legitimacy of the Party, Xi has further elevated nationalism
to the core of Party ideology. For years, China‟s government had described the Kuomintang
Nationalists as enemies of the people who did little to defend China. Credit for the war
effort went to the Communist Party alone, and more specifically to Mao, even though the
Communist side suffered only one tenth of the losses of the Kuomintang. Criticism of
Japan‟s aggression was secondary to the demonization of the Nationalists. Now, the
historical role of Chiang Kai-shek‟s Nationalist Army is recognized in Beijing. The
question that emerges is whether the Chinese Dream can motivate an increasingly
nationalistic China to undertake moves that threaten regional peace, or provoke others to do
just that.
Reading 3
QUESTION 11-20 Do the following statements agree with the information given in the
1. Developments on the global scene have reinforced China‟s self-image. At the same time,
the Chinese economy is showing serious signs of development, creating a new sense of
certainty about where China is heading. F
2. Some of the Western commentary on the AIIB expresses a fear that China will use it for
narrow political or economic ends. NG
3. In 2014, the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) launched
the New Development Bank, with China as the prime engine. NG
4. President Xi launched its One Belt, One Road (OBOR), a comprehensive new Silk Road
initiative intended to link some 60 countries from China through Central Asia, to Africa and
Europe, in order to bind the Asian community closer to China and making China a Euro-
Asian power. T
7
Daniel M. Hartnett, ”Army Day Coverage Stresses Winning Battles with „Dream of a Strong Military‟,”
www.jamestown.org/programs/chinabrief, Aug. 22, 2013.
3
5. In the field of regional security, Xi‟s main message at a meeting in Shanghai in May 2014
of the CICA was the need for an Asian security mechanism and an “Asia for Asians” under
Chinese leadership, tied together by the New Silk Road. T
6. With the transformation of the Chinese economy, there would have been a real
foundation for the dream of national rejuvenation. F
7. China has been growing extremely rapidly for a long time, but an important shift in
its growth pattern occurred at the time of the global financial crisis. F
8. The low allocative efficiency in the economy was becoming increasingly evident as huge
overcapacity was created in sectors such as steel and cement, dominated by vested interests.
T
9. A crucial question coming to the forefront is whether an institutionalized market driven
economy is incompatible with the growing concentration of political power, and the
nature of decision-making in the party-state. F
10. Xi‟s highest ambition is to develop a unique Chinese blend of party-state and market.
T
Grand Designs and Economic Discontinuity
Developments on the global scene have reinforced China‟s self-image. At the same time,
the Chinese economy is showing serious signs of discontinuity, creating a new sense of
uncertainty about where China is heading.
In the spring of 2015, Beijing‟s Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) initiative was
on everybody‟s lips. Close to 60 countries had signed up, despite serious efforts by the
administration of US President Barack Obama to urge its allies stay away from it. The UK,
the US‟s foremost transatlantic ally, led the pack, without ever putting the matter on the EU
agenda. For Washington, it was a major debacle; for Beijing, a rare soft-power success.
Philip Stephens of the Financial Times concluded that “now China starts to make the rules.”
Already in 2014, the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)
launched the New Development Bank, with China as the prime engine. On a grander scale,
Xi‟s China launched its One Belt, One Road (OBOR), a comprehensive new Silk Road
initiative intended to link some 60 countries from China through Central Asia, to Africa and
Europe, and aimed at binding the Asian community closer to China and making China a
Euro-Asian power. A more complex order was clearly emerging.
In the same vein, Xi advanced China‟s position in the field of regional security. His main
message at a meeting in Shanghai in May 2014 of the Conference on Interaction and
Security and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) was the need for an Asian
security mechanism and an “Asia for Asians” under Chinese leadership, tied together by
the New Silk Road.
While constantly stressing that it will never seek hegemony, Xi‟s China tended to act like
an emerging regional hegemon, benevolent in its own eyes but not necessarily in the eyes
of others, trying to hedge against its growing power.
Without the transformation of the Chinese economy, there would have been no real
foundation for the dream of national rejuvenation. China‟s gross domestic product (GDP)
has grown from 3 percent of US levels at the time reforms were launched in
4
1978 to one quarter, exceeding the US total in terms of purchasing power parity. Whether
China succeeds or fails during years to come is therefore of crucial global importance.
Right at the time of the global financial crisis, China generated no less than 40 percent of
global growth. Still today, China is responsible for more than one quarter. The economy
has, however, become the country‟s biggest dilemma, as the unsustainable Chinese growth
model is running out of steam. In the forthcoming 13th Five-Year Progam, the “new
normal” can be expected to be lowered to a “moderately high growth” of 6.5 percent per
annum, a rate that still cannot be sustained without comprehensive reforms.
Shortcomings that are deeply rooted in the political system were revealed when the stock
market bubble burst in the summer of 2015. The leadership‟s arbitrary, dirigisme
interventions (state control of economic and social matters) to stabilize the market was a
dramatic illustration of how the engine works, as Beijing met its match in the market.
The real economy is at an impasse after years of exceptional investment-driven growth. The
low allocative efficiency in the economy was becoming increasingly evident as huge
overcapacity was created in sectors such as steel and cement, dominated by vested interests.
Returns on investments tumbled. Since 2011, additional capital has been the sole source of
extra output, with the contribution to growth of total factor productivity near zero. 8The debt
overhang has risen to 285 per cent of GDP.
China is trying to affect a hugely difficult balancing act between short-term growth and
long-term stability. The Chinese toolbox, however, is far from empty, and further economic
reform will follow. The nature of the political system is the real long-term constraint. A
crucial question coming to the forefront is whether an institutionalized market-driven
economy is compatible with the growing concentration of political power, and the nature of
decision-making in the party-state.
Politically, Xi‟s China is not in transition. His overriding ambition is to develop a unique
Chinese blend of party-state and market. For the East Asian Peace, it means a less
predictable China. Political power comes first.
QUESTION 21-30
characterized CO2
focus collapse
islands competition
mutual economy
Dream Peace
THE CHINESE DREAM: INCREASING THE STAKES FOR REGIONAL PEACE

8
Martin Wolf, ”China risks an economic discontinuity,” The Financial Times, Sept. 2, 2015.
5
The world is witnessing a significant power shift as China and other emerging economies
are rising. Washington‟s “unipolar moment” that emerged after the (21)
………collapse………….. of the Soviet Union has passed. The global system is bound to
remain fluid for years to come, with no stability in sight.
East Asia remains a peaceful part of the world, but the East Asian Peace is not growing
institutionally deeper, and there are worrying trends away from “economic Asia” towards
an East Asia (22) ……characterized……… by growing arms expenditures, a focus on
territorial issues and nationalistic identity politics.
National modernization is China‟s foremost priority, and the country‟s arms expenditures
are still only around one third of US levels. They can, however, be expected to continue
growing in the range of 10 percent a year, with naval power a priority, as the country moves
from a (23) ……focus……. on territorial defence towards the development of offensive
capabilities in East Asia and beyond. As the regional security balance shifts, Chinese
restraint becomes an increasingly vital issue.
The situation in the South China Sea is of most immediate concern, given China‟s
increasing tendency to “create facts on the ground.” Constructing artificial (24)
………islands…….. while upholding huge and poorly defined maritime claims on the basis
of boundary lines inherited from Chiang Kai-shek‟s Nationalist regime creates an inevitable
sense of insecurity among China‟s Southeast Asian neighbors. China is taking calculated
risks, but might underestimate US resolve and create incidents that develop their own
momentum. Accidental military confrontations could become a serious possibility. China
is squandering an historic opportunity to build a Sino ASEAN relationship based on trust.
Sino-Japanese relations are comprehensive but distrustful, and are bound to remain
complex, loaded with unresolved historical issues and the intractable territorial conflict
between China (and Taiwan) and Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China
Sea. Both countries have a lot to gain from enhanced co-operation, but competing
nationalisms will keep the drama unfolding. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe‟s
reinterpretation of the Japanese Constitution, decided in September 2015 and welcomed by
the US, was explicitly justified with reference to “challenges such as from a rising China.” 9
Maintaining the East Asian (25) ……Peace……… is becoming increasingly demanding,
and so is the US role as security provider, as Sino-Japanese competition for influence grows.
How Sino-US relations develop is of decisive importance. A number of influential Chinese
as well as Western realist scholars tend to regard strategic (26)
………competition………….. and conflict between China and the US as inevitable. Yan
Xuetong even sees it as a zero-sum game.10 According to John Mearsheimer, “China and
the United States are bound to be adversaries as China‟s power grows … with the ever
present danger of great-power war hanging over them.”11 Still, only an “ever-present
danger.”
9
“Japan enacts bills easing pacifist constitution‟s limits on military,” Reuters, Sept. 18, 2015. 10 Yan
Xuetong, ”How China can defeat America,” www.nytimes.com, Nov. 21, 2011. 11 See Tønnesson,
”Deterrence, interdependence and Sino-US peace,” a comprehensive review of the literature,
International Area Studies Review, Vol. 18(3), 2015, pp. 297-311.
6
Joseph Nye‟s thesis that China, given its own challenges, “has incentives for restraint” is
recognized. Nye concludes that the US has more time to manage its relations with a rising
power than Britain did a century ago, which gives the East Asian Peace important breathing
space.12
For both countries it will inevitably mean huge challenges to manage a relationship that is
bound to chronically suffer from lack of (27)…..mutual…… trust. The US must learn how
to pursue a non-hegemonic superpower role. For China, the ultimate test of its capacity to
rise will be its ability to show the restraint required to rise within an increasingly
interdependent global system. Within that system, China is an indispensable power.
Cyber security and the South China Sea were high on the agenda during Xi‟s visit to
Washington in September 2015, as was deepened climate change co-operation. Could
global governance prove to be the “missing glue” in the relationship?13 They did pull in the
same direction at the Paris Climate Conference, even though China, responsible for more
than a quarter of current (28)………CO2…………..emissions, fell short of funding green
energy and insisting on “differentiated responsibilities.” A new awareness of his country‟s
economic vulnerability and dependence may have deepened Xi‟s sense of interdependence.
It was significant that Xi agreed to develop US-Chinese military contacts. Still, despite deep
interdependence, Sino-US relations appear bound to evolve in a competitive context of
strategic distrust, lacking a mutual understanding of strategic intentions.
A fundamental difference between China and the US is that China, even though it is the
largest trading partner of more than 100 countries, still remains a lonely power without
allies, but not without spheres of influence, while the US has more than 50 allies including
Japan and South Korea, immediate neighbours of China.14 Hence the relationship is deeply
asymmetric. Still, despite its pivot to Asia, the credibility of the US presence is doubted and
a sometimes politically autistic China may, mistakenly, regard the US as an “East Asian
paper tiger.”
Very much depends on how China develops. The Chinese (29) ……Dream………….
deepens prevailing uncertainties. At the same time, for years to come, Beijing will be busy
with its own modernization and profound internal challenges, tasks that assume a peaceful
external environment. Chauvinistic dreams inspired by an imagined past face the immediate
realities of the developmental state. Vladimir Putin‟s blunt aggressiveness may fascinate
Beijing, but China‟s global interests are of a completely different magnitude, constraining
adventurism.
A crucial fact is that the Chinese leaders themselves, while assertive, seem to have a deep
sense of uncertainty about where China is heading. Much depends on China‟s own
behavior, on whether this restless power will be able to show the necessary restraint, but
the preparedness and ability of other countries to engage China is also very important. The
way to uphold regional peace is to further raise China‟s stakes in global interdependence,
and facilitate rather than constrain its modernization.
12
Joseph Nye, Is the American Century Over?, Polity (2014) p. 69
13
David Shambaugh, ”Reserving differences while finding common ground,” China US Focus, Sept. 28, 2015.
14
Steve Chan, Enduring Rivalries in the Asia Pacific, Cambridge University Press (2013), p. xiii.
7
No country has profited as much from globalization as China, and its forthcoming
presidency of the Group of 20 (G-20) nations will be a test of its preparedness to shoulder
greater responsibilities at a time of global economic uncertainties. A vibrant China
increasingly integrated into the global (30) ……economy………… and the global system
will offer the best chance for East Asia to remain peaceful. The East Asian Peace is fragile
and China‟s rise and the Chinese Dream are increasing rather than reducing its fragility.
China has the capacity to shape or undermine the East Asian Peace.
31. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank
whose mission is financing the Infrastructure for Tomorrow - infrastructure with
………sustainability………………. at its core. (SUSTAIN)
32. The East Asian Peace is fragile and China‟s rise and the Chinese Dream are
increasing rather than reducing its ……fragilization………..... (FRAGILE)
33. China‟s growth has been impressive compared to the rest of the world, but lost in the
……admiration……….is the fact that the growth rate has slowed down to around seven
percent - down more than four percentage points from the pre-crisis period. (ADMIRE)
34. The manifestation of China‟s growth pattern is that ……consumption……is very
low, especially household consumption, which is at only one-third of GDP. (CONSUME)
35. China‟s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a strategy initiated by the People‟s Republic
of China that seeks to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks
with the aim of ……improving………… regional integration, increasing trade and
stimulating economic growth. (IMPROVE)
36. The name was coined in 2013 by China‟s President Xi Jinping, who drew
……inspiration……… from the concept of the Silk Road established during the Han
Dynasty 2,000 years ago – an ancient network of trade routes that connected China to the
Mediterranean via Eurasia for centuries. (INSPIRE)
37. The BRI has been associated with a very large programme of
…………investments……………. in infrastructure development for ports, roads, railways
and airports, as well as power plants and telecommunications networks. (INVEST)
38. The BRI now places increasing emphasis on “high quality investment”, including
through greater use of project finance, risk ……mitigation………tools, and green finance.
(MITIGATE)
39. The BRI is an ……increasingly……… important umbrella mechanism for China‟s
bilateral trade with BRI partners: as of March 2020, the number of countries that have joined
the Belt and Road Initiative by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China
is 138. (INCREASE)
40. Presently, because of the ongoing pandemic, many BRI projects are on hold and a
number of BRI countries are facing difficulties in servicing their debt
………obligations…………. to China. (OBLIGE).
8
READING AND TRANSLATING
Belt and Road Stakeholders Don’t Believe China Uses ‘Debt-Trap Diplomacy’
The authors‟ recent book, which includes a survey of opinion leaders from BRI
stakeholder countries, debunks the “debt-trap diplomacy” thesis.
By Pradumna B Rana and Xianbai Ji
November 06, 2020
The Indian geostrategist Brahma Chellaney is frequently credited with coining the term
“debt trap diplomacy” in 2017. Chellaney asserted that the aim of China‟s Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI) was to saddle small nations with debt that they could not hope to repay,
“leaving them even more firmly under China‟s thumb.”
Since then, based on a review of just a limited number of cases and projects, many others
have come up with similarly skeptical views on the BRI. The debt-trap diplomacy (DTD)
thesis has, therefore, morphed into something approaching conventional wisdom.
The specter of debt-trap diplomacy has also been widely used by world leaders. For
example, a bipartisan group of 16 U.S. senators in August 2018 expressed apprehensions
about the BRI by citing “the dangers of China‟s debt-trap diplomacy.” They noted that it
was imperative for the United States to counter China‟s attempts at leveraging foreign debt
to advance geopolitical goals. Leaders in Japan and Australia, which together with the U.S.
and India comprise the China-containing Quad bloc, also frequently use the term.
A recent Chatham House research paper by Lee Jones and Shahar Hameiri offers a robust
challenge to the DTD thesis. Jones and Hameiri argue that the BRI reality is both messier
and more nuanced. They argue that oftentimes controversial BRI projects were actually
initiated by recipient governments, and that Chinese financial institutions were not
coordinated enough to pursue detailed strategic objectives.
However, they too focus on the experience of only two countries, Sri Lanka and Malaysia,
a very small subset of over 165 countries and international organizations that have signed a
BRI memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China.
For our recent book, “China‟s Belt and Road Initiative: Impacts on Asia and Policy
Agenda,” we conducted an online perception survey of opinion leaders (defined as
policymakers, academics and representatives of businesses and media) from a wide range
of stakeholder countries including 26 Southeast, Central and South Asian countries that
have signed a BRI MOU with China. Many of these countries have borrowed funds and are
responsible for repaying BRI debt to China. Opinion leaders from Japan, Australia and India
were excluded from our survey as they are not “stakeholders.”
More than 1,200 opinion leaders responded to our questionnaire. We also simulated a
computable general equilibrium model, and conducted regional case studies to assess other
economic impacts of the BRI.
The key findings of our book, which challenge the DTD thesis, are threefold.
9
First, after having considered both the benefits and costs of the BRI, on balance, 41.6
percent of the respondents believed that the BRI represented a net benefit for their countries,
while only 17.8 percent said that it was a net cost. The strongest endorsements for the BRI
came from South Asian countries like Bangladesh (64.5 percent), Pakistan (59.7 percent)
and Nepal (58.8 percent), while opinion leaders from the Philippines were the least receptive
to the BRI.
Second, on the DTD thesis itself, more than 42 percent of the respondents to our
stakeholder survey rejected the alarmist narrative, although it is important to bear in mind
that 30.6 percent felt otherwise. More than a quarter (27.3 percent) of the respondents had
not made up their minds yet. Echoing the conclusions of the Chatham House report, several
respondents highlighted various domestic factors (such as corruption and reckless
propensity to borrow), rather than Chinese BRI financing, as being responsible for rising
debt levels. Also, like Jones and Hameiri, several others felt that China‟s financial system
was too fragmented and would not be able to ensnare countries in debt traps.
Third, using the methodology developed by the Center for Global Development,
which focuses on the level of public and publicly guaranteed debt-to GDP ratio, we found
that three out of the five South Asian countries for which data are available are presently
facing debt distress. These are Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Maldives. However, Sri Lanka
owes more to Japan than to China, which holds only 3 percent of its debt. The country
also borrows extensively from international capital markets, which represents roughly half
its total debt holdings.
Similarly, Pakistan owes more to multilateral development banks and Islamic creditors (34
percent) than to China (only 6 percent). The Maldives appears to be an exception, but the
country has been at a high risk of distress for at least a decade, with or without the BRI.
Summing up, in contrast to the views of many commentators and analysts, our recent book
finds that although there are a large number of implementation and geopolitical issues
confronting the BRI, the stakeholder countries generally feel that the DTD thesis is more a
myth than a reality.
COVID-19 and BRI‟s Future
Summing up, in contrast to the views of many commentators and analysts, our recent book
finds that although there are a large number of implementation issues confronting the BRI,
the DTD thesis is more a myth rather than a reality. Presently, because of the ongoing
pandemic, many BRI projects are on hold and a number of BRI countries are facing
difficulties in servicing their debt obligations to China. China is helping these countries to
restructure their debt including through partial debt forgiveness.
China will not let the BRI collapse as this project, labelled as the “project of the century”
by President Xi Jinping, marks the country‟s re-emergence in the global scene and its
eventual ascent to be the number one economy in the world. The success of the BRI could
also spell good news for Asia as a whole. The BRI has the potential to convert “Maritime
Asia” into “Continental Asia” which will herald the “Renaissance of Asia” as the global
centre of economic and political gravity.
10
Pradumna B. Rana is a Visiting Associate Professor with the Centre for Multilateralism
Studies (CMS) at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang
Technological University (NTU), Singapore.
Xianbai Ji is an Assistant Professor and a Distinguished Young Scholar at the School of
International Studies, Renmin University of China in Beijing.
Rana and Ji are co-authors of China‟s Belt and Road Initiative: Impacts on Asia and
Policy Agenda (Singapore, Palgrave Macmillan, 2020).
Source: <https://thediplomat.com/2020/11/belt-and-road-stakeholders-dont-believe
china-uses-debt-trap-diplomacy/>
11
Các bên liên quan trong Vành đai Con đường không tin Trung Quốc sử dụng 'Ngoại
giao bẫy nợ'
Cuốn sách gần đây của các tác giả, bao gồm một cuộc khảo sát ý kiến của các nhà lãnh đạo
từ các quốc gia liên quan đến BRI, vạch trần luận điểm “ngoại giao bẫy nợ”.
Bởi Pradumna B Rana và Xianbai Ji
06 Tháng mười một, 2020
Nhà chiến lược địa lý Ấn Độ Brahma Chellaney thường được ghi nhận là người đã đặt ra
thuật ngữ “ngoại giao bẫy nợ” vào năm 2017. Chellaney khẳng định rằng mục đích của
Sáng kiến Vành đai và Con đường (BRI) của Trung Quốc là khiến các quốc gia nhỏ phải
gánh khoản nợ mà họ không thể hy vọng trả được. , “khiến họ thậm chí còn vững chắc hơn
dưới ngón tay cái của Trung Quốc.”
Kể từ đó, chỉ dựa trên việc xem xét một số trường hợp và dự án hạn chế, nhiều trường hợp
và dự án khác đã đưa ra quan điểm hoài nghi tương tự về BRI. Do đó, luận điểm ngoại giao
bẫy nợ (DTD) đã biến thành một cái gì đó tiếp cận với sự khôn ngoan thông thường.
Bóng ma ngoại giao bẫy nợ cũng đã được các nhà lãnh đạo thế giới sử dụng rộng rãi. Ví
dụ, một nhóm lưỡng đảng gồm 16 thượng nghị sĩ Hoa Kỳ vào tháng 8 năm 2018 đã bày tỏ
sự e ngại về BRI bằng cách viện dẫn “sự nguy hiểm của chính sách ngoại giao bẫy nợ của
Trung Quốc”. Họ lưu ý rằng Hoa Kỳ cần phải chống lại những nỗ lực của Trung Quốc
trong việc tận dụng nợ nước ngoài để đạt được các mục tiêu địa chính trị. Các nhà lãnh đạo
ở Nhật Bản và Úc, cùng với Hoa Kỳ và Ấn Độ tạo thành khối Quad bao gồm Trung Quốc,
cũng thường xuyên sử dụng thuật ngữ này.
Một bài báo nghiên cứu gần đây của Chatham House của Lee Jones và Shahar Hameiri đưa
ra một thách thức mạnh mẽ đối với luận án DTD. Jones và Hameiri cho rằng thực tế BRI
phức tạp hơn và nhiều sắc thái hơn. Họ lập luận rằng các dự án BRI đôi khi gây tranh cãi
thực sự được khởi xướng bởi các chính phủ tiếp nhận và các tổ chức tài chính Trung Quốc
đã không phối hợp đủ để theo đuổi các mục tiêu chiến lược chi tiết.
Tuy nhiên, họ cũng chỉ tập trung vào kinh nghiệm của hai quốc gia, Sri Lanka và Malaysia,
một nhóm rất nhỏ trong số hơn 165 quốc gia và tổ chức quốc tế đã ký biên bản ghi nhớ
(MOU) về BRI với Trung Quốc.
Đối với cuốn sách gần đây của chúng tôi, “Sáng kiến Vành đai và Con đường của Trung
Quốc: Tác động đối với Châu Á và Chương trình nghị sự Chính sách,” chúng tôi đã tiến
hành một cuộc khảo sát trực tuyến về nhận thức của các nhà lãnh đạo quan điểm (được
định nghĩa là các nhà hoạch định chính sách, học giả và đại diện của các doanh nghiệp và
phương tiện truyền thông) từ nhiều bên liên quan. các quốc gia bao gồm 26 quốc gia Đông
Nam Á, Trung và Nam Á đã ký Biên bản ghi nhớ BRI với Trung Quốc. Nhiều quốc gia
trong số này đã vay vốn và chịu trách nhiệm trả nợ BRI cho Trung Quốc. Các nhà lãnh đạo
dư luận từ Nhật Bản, Úc và Ấn Độ đã bị loại khỏi cuộc khảo sát của chúng tôi vì họ không
phải là “các bên liên quan”.
Hơn 1.200 nhà lãnh đạo quan điểm đã trả lời bảng câu hỏi của chúng tôi. Chúng tôi cũng
mô phỏng một mô hình cân bằng chung có thể tính toán được và tiến hành các nghiên cứu
điển hình trong khu vực để đánh giá các tác động kinh tế khác của BRI.
Những phát hiện chính trong cuốn sách của chúng tôi, vốn thách thức luận điểm DTD, gồm
ba phần.
9
Đầu tiên, sau khi cân nhắc cân bằng cả lợi ích và chi phí của BRI, 41,6% số người được
hỏi tin rằng BRI mang lại lợi ích ròng cho quốc gia của họ, trong khi chỉ 17,8% cho rằng
đó là chi phí ròng. Sự ủng hộ mạnh mẽ nhất đối với BRI đến từ các quốc gia Nam Á như
Bangladesh (64,5%), Pakistan (59,7%) và Nepal (58,8%), trong khi các nhà lãnh đạo dư
luận từ Philippines là những quốc gia ít tiếp thu BRI nhất.
Thứ hai, về chính luận án DTD, hơn 42 phần trăm số người được hỏi trong cuộc khảo sát
các bên liên quan của chúng tôi đã từ chối câu chuyện của những kẻ gây hoang mang, mặc
dù điều quan trọng cần lưu ý là 30,6 phần trăm cảm thấy khác. Hơn một phần tư (27,3 phần
trăm) số người được hỏi vẫn chưa quyết định. Đồng tình với kết luận của báo cáo Chatham
House, một số người được hỏi đã nhấn mạnh các yếu tố trong nước khác nhau (chẳng hạn
như tham nhũng và xu hướng vay mượn liều lĩnh), thay vì tài trợ cho BRI của Trung Quốc,
là nguyên nhân dẫn đến mức nợ gia tăng. Ngoài ra, giống như Jones và Hameiri, một số
người khác cảm thấy rằng hệ thống tài chính của Trung Quốc quá rời rạc và sẽ không thể
khiến các quốc gia rơi vào bẫy nợ.
Thứ ba, sử dụng phương pháp do Trung tâm Phát triển Toàn cầu phát triển, tập trung vào
mức độ nợ công và tỷ lệ nợ công được bảo đảm trên GDP, chúng tôi thấy rằng ba trong số
năm quốc gia Nam Á có dữ liệu hiện đang phải đối mặt với tình trạng khó khăn về nợ. . Đó
là Sri Lanka, Pakistan và Maldives. Tuy nhiên, Sri Lanka nợ Nhật Bản nhiều hơn Trung
Quốc, quốc gia chỉ nắm giữ 3% nợ của nước này. Quốc gia này cũng vay mượn nhiều từ
các thị trường vốn quốc tế, chiếm khoảng một nửa tổng số nợ đang nắm giữ.
Tương tự, Pakistan nợ các ngân hàng phát triển đa phương và các chủ nợ Hồi giáo (34%)
nhiều hơn Trung Quốc (chỉ 6%). Maldives dường như là một ngoại lệ, nhưng quốc gia này
đã có nguy cơ gặp khó khăn cao trong ít nhất một thập kỷ, dù có hay không có BRI.
Tóm lại, trái ngược với quan điểm của nhiều nhà bình luận và phân tích, cuốn sách gần đây
của chúng tôi nhận thấy rằng mặc dù có rất nhiều vấn đề về triển khai đối mặt với BRI,
luận điểm DTD giống như một huyền thoại hơn là thực tế. Hiện tại, do đại dịch đang diễn
ra, nhiều dự án BRI đang bị đình trệ và một số quốc gia BRI đang gặp khó khăn trong việc
thực hiện các nghĩa vụ nợ đối với Trung Quốc. Trung Quốc đang giúp các quốc gia này cơ
cấu lại khoản nợ của họ, bao gồm cả việc xóa nợ một phần.
Trung Quốc sẽ không để BRI sụp đổ vì dự án này, được Chủ tịch Tập Cận Bình gọi là “dự
án thế kỷ”, đánh dấu sự tái xuất hiện của đất nước trên trường quốc tế và cuối cùng vươn
lên trở thành nền kinh tế số một thế giới . Thành công của BRI cũng có thể là tin tốt cho
toàn châu Á. BRI có khả năng chuyển đổi “Châu Á Hàng hải” thành “Châu Á Lục địa”,
điều sẽ báo trước “Sự phục hưng của Châu Á” với tư cách là trung tâm toàn cầu về sức hút
kinh tế và chính trị.

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INTO THE PAST: THE SILK ROAD

giving and taking (2) ……exchange…………………….

The Silk Road

Communication and cooperation between the East and the West

3. Which countries were influenced by the Han politics and culture?

The Han Dynasty

a group of people, especially traders or pilgrims, traveling together (9)

Classical Chinese Philosophy

2. Where did Nanaivandak make frequent stops?

to generate profit (7)………yield………………..

The Silk Road and its impact on globalization (Cont.)

TRUE if the statement agree with the information

11. The military government established by Minamoto Yoritomo was led by an

The Rise of the Samurai

Countries alongside Silk Road routes: Korea1

TRUE if the statement agree with the information

Countries alongside Silk Road routes: Korea (cont.)

Countries alongside Silk Road routes: Korea (cont.)

TRANSLATE THIS ARTICLE INTO VIETNAMESE

dispute / a serious disagreement or argument (2) ………conflict………..

the initiation (4) ……………a shift(??)………………………….

The Chinese Dream: Does it Challenge East Asia’s Peace?1

THE DREAM OF GREAT REJUVENATION AND STRENGTH 5

THE CHINESE DREAM: INCREASING THE STAKES FOR REGIONAL PEACE

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