Catalog Search Results
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 30
Language
English
Description
In this final foray into Japan, you'll study the Heian period, which is one of the most fascinating periods in Japanese history. The Heians created a new political and social system that would dominate the country for a millennium. Unpack the era's political factions and the principles of land ownership, then turn to its artistic and literary achievements.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 20
Language
English
Description
Return to China and the era of fragmentation and conflict that followed the fall of the Han dynasty. Three kingdoms emerged, followed by the Jin and Sui dynasties. In this age of disunity, Buddhism made remarkable inroads into China as an alternative to Confucianism and Daoism, offering hope of salvation during a chaotic period.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 2
Language
English
Description
Start with the geography and climate of China, the very cradle of Eastern civilization. After looking at the geographical regions of China, you'll explore the country's two great river systems - the Huang Ye (or Yellow River) and the Yangtze (or Chang Jiang) - which have divided Chinese culture into two distinct regions.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 29
Language
English
Description
In 710, Japan's capital was moved to what is now Nara, and this shift marks the beginning of a new era in Japanese history. Tour the splendid new capital city, with its great halls and temples. The period's art, architecture, painting, and transcultural exchange created an extraordinary cosmopolitan environment.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 48
Language
English
Description
End your journey through the story of Eastern civilization by reflecting on the role of East Asia in the world today. What insights do the events at Tiananmen Square in 1989 shed on the people of China? Will China eventually democratize? What will become of China's One Child Policy? How will the story of Eastern civilization continue to unfold?
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 18
Language
English
Description
Examine one of the great "lost civilizations." Although they are largely unknown outside of specialist circles, the Kushans played an immensely important role as middlemen in the trade routes between China and the Roman Empire. Find out who the Kushans were and what makes them so crucial to the story of the Silk Roads.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 34
Language
English
Description
Experience everyday life in the Song dynasty, a prosperous, cosmopolitan, and very modern society. Consider the culture's foreign influences, the emerging xenophobia, the subordinate role of women, and the dynasty's impact on the global economy. Then see why Song innovations did not spread throughout the rest of the world.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 38
Language
English
Description
Delve into the Ming dynasty's great naval expeditions, led by the fascinating admiral Zheng He, a eunuch who crossed the Indian Ocean and brought rare and exotic treasures back to China. Then turn to Christianity and meet some of the Jesuit missionaries who visited China during the Ming dynasty - and consider some of the important ramifications of these missions.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 39
Language
English
Description
Follow the rise of the Qing dynasty, which followed a series of Manchu raids into China during the 17th century. Professor Benjamin explains why the Ming dynasty failed, and he then introduces you to two of the Qing dynasty's most effective rulers. He concludes with a discussion of why the dynasty began to fail in the 19th century.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 44
Language
English
Description
Following a political crisis in the 19th century, Emperor Meiji enacted a complete political, economic, and social reorganization of Japan, which transformed the country into a modern global and military industrial power. Watch as the nation became an imperial power and see what led to the Japanese role in World War II.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 9
Language
English
Description
Continue your study of great Chinese philosophy with a thorough examination of Daoism, which runs counter to Confucianism's rationality and civic engagement. Daoism offers a path for humans to live in harmony with the natural world and the cosmos by retreating from the world of politics and society.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 15
Language
English
Description
Meet the Chinese ambassador Zhang Qian, whose epic adventure changed the course of world history. His story begins with an expedition into the neighboring Xiongnu territory, where he was captured and held hostage for 10 years. After a daring escape, he fled into Central Asia and returned to China with fabulous stories, which inspired the emperor to send him on several subsequent missions west.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 4
Language
English
Description
While we still don't know much about the Xia dynasty, we have indisputable evidence that the Shang dynasty was responsible for the development of Chinese writing, the creation of a complex social structure, and the construction of the first large cities in East Asia. In this lecture, you'll visit the cities and tombs of the first significant Chinese dynasty.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 11
Language
English
Description
After the Warring States Era, the Qin dynasty emerged. Although the Qin ruled China for only 15 years, the dynasty established a model of government that became the country's template for the next 2,000 years. Meet China's first emperors and study the impact of Qin rule, from political reform to massive building projects.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 23
Language
English
Description
In the first of four lectures about Korea, Professor Benjamin surveys the nation's rugged terrain, its mountains and caves and rivers. He then uses archaeological evidence to trace the emergence of civilization in the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras, when early clan-based villages produced distinctive pottery and had a fascinating variety of religious beliefs.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 46
Language
English
Description
Continue your study of the transformation of Eastern civilization in the 20th century with an examination of the cold war and the tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. You'll investigate the wars in Korea and Vietnam and learn about the global causes and local impact of each conflict.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 33
Language
English
Description
Revisit China with an overview of the Song dynasty, whose rulers encouraged impressive advancements in civil administration, industry, education, and the arts. The Southern Song dynasty was responsible for a remarkable series of developments that transformed China into a global economic powerhouse, fueled by innovations such as the production of porcelain, the invention of gunpowder, and more.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 5
Language
English
Description
In this second lecture on the Shang dynasty, learn about the enigmatic "oracle bones" and the origins of Chinese writing. Then turn to the Shang society's social organization, religious practices, and cosmology, and find out how one of the core cultural and philosophical beliefs of Eastern civilization - the concept of yin and yang - emerged during the Shang dynasty.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 8
Language
English
Description
Return to the followers of Confucius and consider two contrasting views of human nature and political theory. While Mencius believed humans were innately good and were entrusted with the Mandate of Heaven, Xunzi believed human nature was essentially evil. Both philosophers, however, remained faithful to Confucius's belief in the need for well-educated, ethical rulers.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 32
Language
English
Description
Trace the spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam through Southeast Asia and see how these belief systems affected the history of Eastern civilization. This region served as a commercial and cultural hub, where Arabian, Indian, and East Asian cultures came together in interesting ways.
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