The Three Teachings and Tang Poetry
The Three Teachings and Tang Poetry
Brian Popovich, AP World History
Brentwood High School, Brentwood TN
Standards
From the AP World History Key Concept Outline
2.1 The Development and Codification of Religious and Cultural Traditions
II. New belief systems and cultural traditions emerged and spread.
A. Buddhism
B. Confucianism
C. Daoism
3.1. Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange Networks
III. Cross-cultural exchanges were fostered by the intensification of existing, or the creation of new, networks of trade and communication.
D. Diffusion of literary traditions
Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, students will
Identify ways in which Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism co-existed in Tang China
Analyze and interpret poems from Wang Wei, Li Bo, and Du Fu in terms of both form and content
Synthesize biographical information with literary expression to reach a new understanding of the role of “The Three Teachings” in Chinese society
Previous Knowledge
Prior to this lesson, the students will have learned the basic principles of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism in general. They will also have learned about how Buddhism changed as it spread in China through the time of the Tang Dynasty.
Procedure
Set
Begin with the proverb, “The black-haired sons of Han wear a Confucian thinking cap, a Daoist robe, and Buddhist sandals.” Based on previous knowledge, discuss why each of these three traditions might be associated with its respective item. Then, explore the ramifications of all three traditions inter-mingling in such a personal way. Finally, consider how this image might represent the experience of a typical person in various social classes.
Instruction
In a lecture format, begin with a brief explanation of the role of poetry in Chinese society, emphasizing its relation to the Confucian examination system, its role as a “cultural touchstone” in an increasingly diverse and cosmopolitan society, and its popularity among literate Chinese during the Tang Dynasty. Then, give a brief demonstration of how regulated verse works using bilingual texts from among those included in the resources section, noting in particular the strict character/syllable count, the use of rhyme, and the role of tone as a factor of versification (quite unlike anything students will have been exposed to). Finally, provide brief biographical sketches of each of the three poets (Wang Wei, Li Bo, and Du Fu) with an eye towards their philosophical leanings, as well as their propensity to follow or ignore the “rules” of regulated verse.
Activity
Select three to five poems (at least one from each of the three poets, more if time permits) from among those included in the resources section. The selections should include tropes associated with each of the three teachings (for example, “non-being” with Buddhism, drinking wine with Daoism, and social responsibility with Confucianism). Present the poems as a collection without including the poets’ names. Working in pairs or small groups, the students must try to figure which poet wrote which poem based on their understanding of both form and content. After 10 minutes (or so, as time permits), discuss each poem as a class, focusing on why students chose which poet, then reveal the true authors.
Closure
As an exit slip, students will write on the following free response topic:
- Identify and explain ONE way in which all three of Tang poets are similar.
- Identify and explain ONE way in which two of the Tang poets are similar but one is different.
- Identify and explain ONE way in which each of the Tang poets is different from the other two.
Assessment
The activity and subsequent discussions serve as aformative assessment. The teacher should monitor small-group discussions as a check for understanding of both the three teachings and the three poets. The whole class discussion should display an emergent understanding that among the three poets, there are no strict correlations, but rather unique blends that incorporate aspects of each of the three teachings.
The exit slip serves as a summative assessment. As it is a short-answer topic in the style of an AP World History examination question, it should be graded according to the relevant rubric provided by the College Board (which, as of now, is still in development).
Resources
Asian Topics on Asia for Educators, “Introduction to Tang Poetry”
This is a tremendous resource for teachers. The series of videos are short and easily incorporated into lessons. If an instructor is unsure of his or her knowledge in the “Instruction” section above, these videos could supplement or even replace the lecture. The only downside is that they will include discussions of poems that would likely be chose in the selections for the “Activity” section.
Yip, Wai-Lim. Chinese Poetry: An Anthology of Major Modes and Genres.Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1997.
This fantastic volume not only includes character-by-character transliterations, but introductory essays on genres (including regulated verse) that are extremely helpful, even if a bit technical. It presents a concise history of Chinese poetry as a whole, and includes an ample selection of poems by the three poets in the lesson.
Whincup, Greg. The Heart of Chinese Poetry.New York: Anchor Books, 1987.
This dual-language book has a limited number of poems (57 in total), but it does have the advantage of including phonetic approximations that help illustrate the rhyme schemes and the use of tone in regulated verse. Again, selections include several poems by the three poets in the lesson.