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Asian Multicultural Timeline
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By Mary Sharon Estey
The purpose of the Asian multicultural timeline is to develop a student's
understanding of the similarities, differences, and interrelationships between
the Japanese, Korean, and Chinese cultures. Ethnic literary works of fiction,
historical fiction, and primary source documents bring understanding and
knowledge to the project. Researching art forms and the purpose for their
creation give depth and insight into the cultures. History/social science
curriculum explores Asia in the sixth and seventh grades and high school. All
of these areas of study are required for the successful completion of the
timeline.
Three examples for the Asian multicultural timeline have been provided.
However, student-designed timelines will exhibit critical thinking, creative
innovation, organizational style, individuality and ownership of the project.
Time period designations B.C. and A.D. are used on these examples, as well as
B.C.E. (before common era) and C.E. (common era).
Example #1 - the model is direct with chronology and kingdoms
placed horizontally, and categories placed vertically on the left. Japan is
located in this example to complete the timeline.
Example #2 - there are three circle graphs, each one
representing a specific culture. A sequence of time periods appropriate to each
culture is placed within the circle. Japan, China, and Korea are each
represented by a flower motif in the center of the circle. In this example, the
category is Economy/Military. The flower motif is placed on the perimeter of
another culture when there is an interrelationship through trade agreements,
war, treaties, or other important events. In total there are five categories,
each containing three circles, representing Japan, China, and Korea.
- each circle's diameter should be eight inches or more.
- a two-inch space is left between circles in a category.
- for each of the circles, students can design a motif that is representative
of the culture.
Example #3 - this timeline presents a good horizontal graph
overview. A color code for each culture would show the culture's linear
placement for each category of the timeline.
The five categories used in the timeline:
- Geography - map location, bodies of water, rivers, mountains, plains, and
biomes.
- Economy/Military
- Sociopolitical - family, clans, rulers, and laws.
- Culture - myths, beliefs, religions, and customs.
- Art, Architecture, and Literary styles of writing.
Organizing the Asian multicultural timeline:
- The timeline works more easily if the students have been introduced to
units of areas of study in at least two of the suggested ethnic cultures.
- Allow four weeks for the project.
- Timeline works as an individual or group project.
- The actual project is large in size.
- Possible choices for materials are:
- rolls of shelf paper for scrolls
- 28" x 22" poster board for book or partition timelines
- a large box to walk around the timeline
- a banner to hang
- file envelopes for books
- students' original ideas
- Color coding of categories, time periods, and cultures is helpful.
- Encourage art work and pictures on timelines.
- Information for the timeline is available through various computer
programs.
Japan Chronological Table
| 50,000 BC |
Paleolithic |
| 11,000 BC |
Jomon |
| 300 BC |
Yayoi |
| 300 AD |
Kofun |
| 552 AD |
Late Yamato |
| 710 AD |
Nara |
| 794 AD |
Heian |
| 1,185 AD |
Kamakura |
| 1,333 AD |
Northern and Southern Courts |
| 1,392 AD |
Muromachi |
| 1,568 AD |
Momoyama |
| 1,600 AD |
Edo |
| 1,868 AD |
Meyi |
| 1,912 AD |
Taisho |
| 1,926 AD |
Showa |
Chronological Periods of Korea
| 5,000 BC |
Ancient Choson |
| 2,000 BC |
Bronze Age |
| 500 BC |
Iron Age, Puyo |
| 100 BC |
Three Kingdoms Period (Shilla, Koguryo, and Paekch |
| 600 - 900 AD |
Parhae Kingdom (Unified Shilla Kingdom) |
| 918 - 1,392 AD |
Koryo Kingdom |
| 1,392 - 1,910 AD |
Choson Kingdom |
| 1,897 AD |
Great Han Empire Proclaimed |
| 1,910 - 1,948 AD |
Annexation by Japan 1910 AD |
| 1,948 AD |
Republic of Korea |
Dynasty Periods of China
| 2,700 BC |
Huangdi |
| 1,800 - 1,200 BC |
Shang |
| 1,100 - 256 BC |
Zhou |
| 221 - 206 BC |
Qin |
| 206 BC - 220 AD |
Han |
| 581 - 618 AD |
Sui |
| 618 - 907 AD |
Tang |
| 960 - 1,279 AD |
Song |
| 1,279 - 1,368 AD |
Yuan |
| 1,368 - 1,644 AD |
Ming |
| 1,644 - 1,911 AD |
Qing |
| 1,911 - Present |
Taiwan, Republic of China |
| 1,949 - Present |
People's Republic of China |
Example 1
Korea
Time Periods
Kingdoms |
5,000 BC
Ancient Choson |
2,000 BC
Bronze Age |
| Geography |
North Korean Peninsula |
River |
| Economy/Military |
Neolithic Hunters
Hunters and Gatherers |
Trading
Hunters and Gatherers |
| Sociopolitical |
Clan |
Matrilineal Families |
| Cultural |
|
Totemistic, Nature, Shaminism |
| Art, Architecture, Literary Style |
|
Tools |
China
Time Periods
Dynasties |
2,700 BC
Huangdi |
1,800 - 1,200 BC
Shang |
| Geography |
Wei and Huang He meet, N.E. China |
Huang Hep Plain |
| Economy/Military |
Farm, wheat, millet; raise cattle, sheep, pigs |
Farming, war chariots, bronze age |
| Sociopolitical |
Villages, plastered floors and walls |
Picture writing |
| Cultural |
|
Nature gods, ancestor worship, oracle bones |
| Art, Architecture, Literary Style |
Houses built |
Jade ornaments, pottery jars |
Art and Art History Resources
Museum Resources
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Education Department
5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
213-857-6000
- Monthly evenings for educators, teacher's packets
- Korea: Art, History and Social Studies: Curriculum Guide for Grades 9-12
- Includes color slides from the Choson Dynasty, 1996
- From the Land of the Thunder Dragons, Textiles of Bhutan: Grades K-12
- Includes colored slides and lessons, 1996
- The Use of Perspective in the Art of Diverse Cultures: Grades 4-12, 1996
- Multicultural Art Print Series
Pacific Asian Art, from the Pacific Asian Museum Collection
The J. Paul Getty Trust, 1991
Crystal Productions, Box 2159, Glenview, IL 60025
800-255-8629
- Norton Simon Museum
411 Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA
818-449-6840
- Pacific Asian Museum
Los Robles Ave.
Pasadena, CA
- The Getty Conservation Institute
4503 Glencoe Ave.
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
310-822-2299
The Getty Education Institute for the Arts
310-440-7315 phone
310-440-7704 telefax
Art and Art History Literature
- Art Treasures in China, by Mary Tregar (Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1994,
New York, Times Mirror Publishing)
- Peking Opera, Painted Faces (Morning Glory Publishers, Bejin, 1994)
- Tau Te Ching, Lao Tsu and Taoism (Random House, Inc.) - ink brush
painting and poetry
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Asia (Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York, 1987, available at the museum stores and catalog)
- Treasures of China, vol. I and II, Ting Sing Wu, ed., copyright
1970, Chinese/English
Specialty Areas
- A Day in the Life of China, photographed by 90 photo-journalists on
one day, April 19, 1989
- Cultural Atlas of Japan, Martin Collcutt (Facts on File, Inc. 1988)
- Korea: Its History and Culture, Korean Overseas Information Service
(1994)
- Lost Civilizations and Time Frame series (Time-Life Books,
Inc., Time Life - Customer Service, 800-621-7026), excellent resources for
teachers and students, superior photographs
- Samurai: The Story of a Warrior Tradition, Harry Cook (Sterling
Publishing Col, 1993)
- Samurai Warriors, Stephen Turnbell (Sterling Publishing Co., 1987)
- The Shape of the Turtle: Myth, Art and Cosmos in Early China, Sarah
Allan (State University of New York Press, 1991)
- The Silk Road Saga, Jean-Pierre Drege (Facts on File, Inc., 1989)
Fiction
- The Korean Singer of Tales, Marshal R. Pihl (Howard University
Press, 1994)
- The Song of Shim Ch'ong
- From a Chinese Grandmother, Folktales of a Chinese Grandmother,
Frances Carpenter
- Carry Centuries of Bilingual Chinese Wisdom in Your Pocket, Ruthanne
Lum McCunn
- Cambodian Folk Stories from the Gatiloke, Muriel Carrison, 1987
- Dia's Story Cloth, The Hmong People's Journey of Freedom, Denver
Museum of Natural History (Lee and Law Books, Inc., 1996)
- Song of Yvonne, Cecilia M. Braenard, 1991
- The Dragon's Robe, Deborah Nourse Lattimos
- The Essence of Tai Ji, Al Huang
- The House of Sixty Fathers, M. De Jong
- Young Tru of the Upper Yangtze, Elizabeth Foreman Lewis (Henry Holt &
Co., Inc., 1932 Newbery Award - 50th anniversary issue)
- The Weaving of a Dream, Marilee Heyer (Viking Penguin, Inc.)
- Lady White, adapted by Xu Tei (Hai Teng Publishing Co., 1985)
- Dragon Tales, A Collection of Chinese Stories, Panda Books (Chinese
Literature Press, 1990)
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