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How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

author:Qiyue scholar

The ideology and values of the United States also determine that in compiling history textbooks, they do not start from the perspective of the masses, but prefer heroic values.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

Through the introduction of these specific Chinese historical figures, we can understand China economically, politically, culturally and even philosophically, and also meet the needs of American ideology and values.

Politically, the idea of the Mandate of Heaven is prominent, that is, the concept of heroic history

In pointing out the change of dynasties in China, the idea of the Mandate of Heaven is generally cited as an important key factor, and it is pointed out in American history books that the Son of Heaven often claimed to be a man of heaven in order to maintain his rule.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

And the values to which the mandate of heaven belongs, reflected in the length of the emperor's reign, depend on the approval of heaven, and for this reason the ruler will also value his own rule.

And the change time of each dynasty is long and short, naturally it can also be explained by the concept of the Mandate of Heaven, this process of prosperity and decline is a fate that cannot be escaped in the end.

Based on this view of the Mandate of Heaven, any side that overthrows the dynasty naturally has a valid reason for replacement, that is, the Mandate of Heaven is coming, making such frequent changes seem reasonable.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

This view of the Mandate of Heaven, implemented in the history books, has two characteristics in the selection of historical figures, one is to show a growing trend towards the absolute monarchy, and the second is to pay more attention to the founding monarchs and prosperous kings of the dynasty.

For this reason, it is easy to imagine that Qin Shi Huang who swept Liuhe, Emperor Wudi of Han, the most powerful emperor of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Taizong of Tang who ruled Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty, and so on.

The expression of Emperor Wudi of Han not only shows his great contribution to the expansion of the territory of the Han Dynasty, but also mentions that he took Confucianism as the foundation of the country and deposed the hundred schools, so that the country could be unified in thought.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

As a well-known Tang dynasty, Tang Taizong is naturally also a strong stroke in American textbooks, pointing out that Tang Taizong reunified China and pushed it to an unprecedented peak.

It is believed that seizing the imperial throne and becoming Emperor Taizong means representing the great ancestors, leading the army of the Tang Dynasty from south to north and east to west, sword to Manchuria Vietnam and Weihai.

With the help of the Magi, the political system was successfully reformed and improved, and these reforms were emulated by many Asian countries.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

You can see that the two mainstream middle school history textbooks, the introduction of ancient Chinese sage monarchs are emperors who created a prosperous era, both have strong characteristics of heroic history.

Feminism in the book

History textbooks also attach great importance to the first and only recognized female emperor in Chinese history, pointing out that Wu Zetian was originally the wife of Emperor Taizong of Tang and later became the favorite concubine of Emperor Taizong's son.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

Later became empress, and with the weakness of Emperor Taizong's son and the fact that Empress Wu's two sons were also inactive, this provided an opportunity for Empress Wu to gradually seize the authority of the court.

The key exposition of Wu Zetian is that Wu Zetian's values and political correctness in the United States are very much in line with the appetite of the US government, and feminism occupies a very important position in the United States.

An implicit expression of the class struggle

The struggle between the slave-owning class and the slave class, as well as the struggle between the landlord class and the peasant class, is a distinctive feature of Chinese history in American history textbooks.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

For example, when talking about Qin Shi Huang's sweep of Liuhe and the creation of a unified China, he pointed out that such centralized measures were a progressive system.

For writing, weights and measures, and basic projects related to the people's livelihood, such as the construction of spiritual canals, it is an important and outstanding contribution to the development of economy and culture.

However, such high taxes and excessive concentration of power made the Qin ruling class not popular with the people, believing that the unity of the Qin Dynasty was based on the price of the people's freedom.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

Finally, pointing out that such centralization of power was bound to be overthrown by the rulers, it is inevitable to mention class struggle in the exposition of Chinese history, and when referring to the decline of the Qin Dynasty, it is pointed out that the peasants began a three-year revolt.

Eventually overthrown by a peasant leader surnamed Liu, this is one of the few depictions of a frontal conflict between the two classes, which shows that American textbooks historically differ from Chinese values.

The Silk Roads at sea and on land

American history textbooks believe that the Han and Tang and Song dynasties in ancient China were the most prosperous periods in Sino-Western trade, and at this time, contrary to the normal state of China's foreign trade, it adhered to a strong supportive attitude.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

The key description of Zheng He's voyage to the West during the Ming Dynasty, in addition to pointing out that the emperor believed that the Central Plains was the center of the world, and believed that China's influence on the West was still very obvious at this time.

And for Zheng He to go to the West several times to give a high evaluation, sailing travel trade is particularly in line with Western values, in Zheng He, also found the shadow of ancestors like Diaz.

The exposition of the Silk Road points out that China's advanced technology gradually went to the West through the Silk Road, and at the same time transmitted Chinese ideas to the West.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

It is also pointed out that this self-centered thinking led to the gradual decline of China after the Ming and Qing dynasties, gradually detached from the center stage of the world, and the beginning of this price was the beginning of the Opium War.

The embodiment of Chinese philosophy

American history textbooks generally introduce Confucianism in relative detail, and it is impossible to introduce Confucianism without mentioning the founder of Confucianism, Confucius, and the specific content of his Confucianism.

How do American history books describe China? It is only 20 pages and contains 6 Chinese

Interestingly, the American textbook specifically points out that Confucianism is not a religion, but exists as a theoretical system, and in order to highlight the particularity of Confucianism, this history textbook also has several major religious sects in the world, making horizontal comparisons.

However, the summary comparison between other religions and Confucianism actually includes Confucianism in the scope of religion, and it also shows that the compilers of the textbook still do not have a particularly deep understanding of Confucianism.

However, the embodiment of Confucianism in American textbooks is mainly that Confucianism played a decisive role in maintaining the social order of ancient China and the rule of rulers.

epilogue

It goes without saying that the middle school stage is a key and important stage in everyone's life, this stage is in the period of establishing people's three views, people are not born with deep thoughts, this kind of thinking needs to be practiced and trained the day after tomorrow.

For this reason, American middle school history textbooks are, to a large extent, a tool for the US government to consciously construct mainstream American values through secondary education.

Therefore, the discussion of ancient Chinese history in American middle school history textbooks is also the US government's desire to establish a basic understanding of China when it is a student, and form a basic impression that meets the needs of the US government.

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