Monday, May 25, 2020

The Enormous Bronze Age Shang Dynasty Capital of Yin

Anyang is the name of a modern city in Henan Province of eastern China that contains the ruins of Yin, the massive capital city of the late Shang Dynasty (1554 -1045 BC). In 1899, hundreds of ornately carved tortoise shells and ox scapulas called oracle bones were found in Anyang. Full-scale excavations began in 1928, and since then, investigations by Chinese archaeologists have revealed nearly 25 square kilometers (~10 square miles) of the enormous capital city. Some of the English-language scientific literature refers to the ruins as Anyang, but its Shang Dynasty residents knew it as Yin. Founding Yin Yinxu (or the Ruins of Yin in Chinese) has been identified as the capital Yin described in Chinese records such as the Shi Ji, based on the inscribed oracle bones which (among other things) document the activities of the Shang royal house. Yin was founded as a small residential area on the south bank of the Huan River, a tributary of the Yellow River of central China. When it was founded, an earlier settlement called Huanbei (sometimes referred to as Huayuanzhuang) was located on the north side of the river. Huanbei was a Middle Shang settlement built around 1350 BC, and by 1250 covered an area of approximately 4.7 sq km (1.8 sq km), surrounded by a rectangular wall.​ An Urban City But in 1250 BC, Wu Ding, the 21st king of the Shang Dynasty {ruled 1250-1192 BC], made Yin his capital. Within 200 years, Yin had expanded into an enormous urban center, with an estimated population of somewhere between 50,000 and 150,000 people. The ruins include more than 100 pounded earth palace foundations, numerous residential neighborhoods, workshops and production areas, and cemeteries. The urban core of Yinxu is the palace-temple district at the core called Xiaotun, covering approximately 70 hectares (170 acres) and located at a bend in the river: it may have been separated from the rest of the city by a ditch. More than 50 rammed earth foundations were found here in the 1930s, representing several clusters of buildings which had been built and rebuilt during the citys use. Xiaotun had an elite residential quarter, administrative buildings, altars, and an ancestral temple. Most of the 50,000 oracle bones were found in pits in Xiaotun, and there were also numerous sacrificial pits containing human skeletons, animals, and chariots. Residential Workshops Yinxu is broken into several specialized workshop areas that contain evidence of jade artifact production, the bronze casting of tools and vessels, pottery making, and bone and turtle shell working. Multiple, massive bone and bronze working areas have been discovered, organized into a network of workshops that were under the control of a hierarchical lineage of families. Specialized neighborhoods in the city included Xiamintun and Miaopu, where bronze casting took place; Beixinzhuang where bone objects were processed; and Liujiazhuang North where serving and storage pottery vessels were made. These areas were both residential and industrial: for example, Liujiazhuang contained ceramic production debris and kilns, interspersed with rammed-earth house foundations, burials, cisterns, and other residential features. A major road led from Liujiazhuang to the Xiaotun palace-temple district. Liujiazhuang was likely a lineage-based settlement; its clan name was found inscribed on a bronze seal and bronze vessels in an associated cemetery. Death and Ritual Violence at Yinxu Thousands of tombs and pits containing human remains have been found at Yinxu, from massive, elaborate royal burials, aristocratic graves, common graves, and bodies or body parts in sacrificial pits. Ritual mass killings particularly associated with royalty were a common part of Late Shang society. From the oracle bone records, during Yins 200-year occupation more than 13,000 humans and many more animals were sacrificed. There were two types of state-supported human sacrifice documented in the oracle bone records found at Yinxu. Renxun or human companions referred to family members or servants killed as retainers at the death of an elite individual. They were often buried with elite goods in individual coffins or group tombs. Rensheng or human offerings were massive groups of people, often mutilated and decapitated, buried in large groups for the most part lacking grave goods. Rensheng and Renxun Archaeological evidence for human sacrifice at Yinxu is found in pits and tombs found across the entire city. In residential areas, sacrificial pits are small in scale, mostly animal remains with human sacrifices relatively rare, most with only one to three victims per event, although occasionally they had as many as 12. Those discovered at the royal cemetery or in the palace-temple complex have included up to several hundred human sacrifices at once. Rensheng sacrifices were made up of outsiders, and are reported in the oracle bones to have come from at least 13 different enemy groups. Over half of the sacrifices were said to have come from Qiang, and the largest groups of human sacrifices reported on the oracle bones always included some Qiang people. The term Qiang may have been a category of enemies located west of Yin rather than a particular group; little grave goods have been found with the burials. Systematic osteological analysis of the sacrifices has not been completed as of yet, but stable isotope studies among and between sacrificial victims were reported by bioarchaeologist Christina Cheung and colleagues in 2017; they found that the victims were indeed nonlocals. It is possible that rensheng sacrifice victims may have been slaves before their deaths; oracle bone inscriptions document the enslavement of the Qiang people and chronicling their involvement in productive labor. Inscriptions and Understanding Anyang Over 50,000 inscribed oracle bones and several dozen bronze-vessel inscriptions dated to the Late Shang period (1220-1050 BC) have been recovered from Yinxu. These documents, together with later, secondary texts, were used by British archaeologist Roderick Campbell to document in detail the political network at Yin. Yin was, like most Bronze Age cities in China, a kings city, built to the order of the king as a created center of political and religious activity. Its core was a royal cemetery and palace-temple area. The king was the lineage leader, and responsible for leading rituals involving his ancient ancestors and other living relations in his clan. In addition to reporting political events such as the numbers of sacrificial victims and to whom they were dedicated, the oracle bones report the kings personal and state concerns, from a toothache to crop failures to divination. Inscriptions also refer to schools at Yin, perhaps places for literacy training, or perhaps where trainees were taught to maintain divination records. Bronze Technology The Late Shang dynasty was at the apex of bronze making technology in China. The process used high-quality molds and cores, which were pre-cast to prevent shrinkage and breaking during the process. The molds were made of a fairly low percentage of clay and an accordingly high percentage of sand, and they were fired before use to produce a high resistance to thermal shock, low thermal conductivity, and a high porosity for adequate ventilation during casting. Several large bronze foundry sites have been found. The largest identified to date is the Xiaomintun site, covering a total area of over 5 ha (12 ac), up to 4 ha (10 ac) of which have been excavated. Archaeology in Anyang To date, there have been 15 seasons of excavations by Chinese authorities since 1928, including the Academia Sinica, and its successors the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. A joint Chinese-American project conducted excavations at Huanbei in the 1990s. Yinxu was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006. Sources Campbell Roderick  B, Li Z, He Y, and Jing Y. 2011. Consumption, exchange and production at the Great Settlement Shang: bone-working at Tiesanlu, Anyang. Antiquity 85(330):1279-1297.Cheung C, Jing Z, Tang J, Weston DA, and Richards MP. 2017. Diets, social roles, and geographical origins of sacrificial victims at the royal cemetery at Yinxu, Shang China: New evidence from stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope analysis. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 48:28-45.Flad R. 2016. Urbanism as technology in early China. Archaeological Research in Asia 2016/09/29.Jin ZY, Wu YJ, Fan AC, Yue ZW, Li G, Li SH, and Yan LF. 2015. Luminescence study of the initial, pre-casting firing temperatures of clay mould and core used for bronze casting at Yinxu (13c. BC~11c. BC). Quaternary Geochronology 30:374-380.Smith AT. 2010. The evidence for scribal training at Anyang. In: Li F, and Prager Banner D, editors. Writing and Literacy in Early China. Seattle: University of Washington Press. p 172 -208.Sun W-D, Zhang L-P, Guo J, Li C-Y, Jiang Y-H, Zartman RE, and Zhang Z-F. 2016. Origin of the mysterious Yin-Shang bronzes in China indicated by lead isotopes. Scientific Reports 6:23304.Wei S, Song G, and He Y. 2015. The identification of binding agent used in late Shang Dynasty turquoise-inlayed bronze objects excavated in Anyang. Journal of Archaeological Science 59:211-218.Zhang H, Merrett DC, Jing Z, Tang J, He Y, Yue H, Yue Z, and Yang DY. 2016. Osteoarchaeological Studies of Human Systemic Stress of Early Urbanization in Late Shang at Anyang, China. PLOS ONE 11(4):e0151854.Zhang H, Merrett DC, Jing Z, Tang J, He Y, Yue H, Yue Z, and Yang DY. 2017. Osteoarthritis, labour division, and occupational specialization of the Late Shang China - insights from Yinxu (ca. 1250-1046 B.C.). PLOS ONE 12(5):e0176329.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Definition and Examples of Division in Rhetoric

In classical rhetoric, division is the part of a speech in which an orator outlines the key points and overall structure of the speech. Also known in Latin as the divisio or partitio, and in English as the partition. The etymology originates from  the Latin, divide. Observations of the Term The partition is of two parts: the speaker can state the material on which there is agreement with the opponent and what remains in dispute, or can list the points to be proved. In the latter event it is important to be brief, complete, and concise. Cicero notes that there are additional rules for partition in philosophy that are not relevant here.(George Kennedy, Classical Rhetoric and Its Christian and Secular Tradition, 2nd ed. University of North Carolina Press, 1999)The Latin term divisio is related to partitio, but indicates that the main heads of the argument are prepared in view of the opposing position. The author of  Rhetorica ad Herrenium describes the divisio as having two parts. The first contains the points of agreement and disagreement between litigants arising out of the narrative. This is followed by a distribution, which is made up of two parts: the enumeration and the exposition. The enumeration involves telling how many points one will make. The exposition is th e giving of the points to be discussed. No more than three points are recommended. Cicero (Inv. 1.31) indicates that the partitio can take two forms: points of agreement and disagreement with a stated problem, or the matters which we intend to discuss are briefly set forth in a mechanical way. In theory, partitio heads should be explicit -- but in actual speeches this is the exception rather than the rule. Commonly the partitio is much less obvious (at least to modern readers).(Fredrick J. Long, Ancient Rhetoric and Pauls Apology. Cambridge University Press, 2004) An Example of Division/Partitio So you can see what the situation is; and now you must decide yourselves what is to be done. It seems to me best first to discuss the character of the war, then its scale, and finally the choice of a commander.(Cicero, De Imperio Cn. Pompei. Cicero: Political Speeches, trans. by D.H. Berry. Oxford University Press, 2006) Quintilian on Partitio [A]lthough partition is neither always necessary nor useful, it will, if judiciously employed, greatly add to the lucidity and grace of our speech. For it not only makes our arguments clearer by isolating the points from the crowd in which they would otherwise be lost and placing them before the eyes of the judge, but relieves his attention by assigning a definite limit to certain parts of our speech, just as our fatigue upon a journey is relieved by reading the distances on the milestones which we pass. For it is a pleasure to be able to measure how much of our task has been accomplished, and the knowledge of what remains to do stimulates us to fresh effort over the labour that still awaits us. For nothing need seem long, when it is definitely known how far it is to the end.(Quintilian, Institutes of Oratory, 95 AD, translated by H.E. Butler)

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Tao-te Ching by Lao-Tzu and The Prince by Machiavelli...

â€Å"The Tao-te Ching† by Lao-Tzu and â€Å"The Prince† by Machiavelli Throughout history, it can be argued that at the core of the majority of successful societies has stood an effective allocation of leadership. Accordingly, in their respective works â€Å"The Tao-te Ching† and â€Å"The Prince†, Lao-Tzu and Machiavelli have sought to reach a more complete understanding of this relationship. The theme of political leaders and their intricate relationship with society indeed manifests itself within both texts, however, both Lao-Tzu and Machiavelli approach this issue from almost entirely opposite positions. Lao-Tzu appears to focus the majority of his attention on letting problems or situations take their course and allowing good to prevail. On the†¦show more content†¦Perhaps in his time Lao-Tzu viewed that his interpretation of human nature was entirely possible, but as far as the twenty-first century is involved, the idea that if societies are left unattended we are able to â€Å"Trust them† ( § 75, 59) is absurd. It can be argued legitimately that Lao-Tzu’s concepts have been applied and in fact have proven to be extremely effective. For example, a capitalistic, laissez-faire approach to governing, particularly the form advocated by American Republicans. However, cases of removing regulations and adopting the leadership standards Lao-Tzu advises have been strictly applied to market economics, not to each and every facet of government. Refraining from absolute negativity about Lao-Tzu’s work, the Tao does have many redeemable qualities. The emphasis Lao-Tzu places on the attainment of individual happiness is extremely honorable, however this doesn’t detract from the ineffectiveness Lao-Tzu encounters, as he is unable to come to well-grounded conclusion on the means for effective leadership. His advice to politicians is to only interfere when it is an absolute necessity; yet he takes this to a radical extreme advising leaders to pretty much do nothing. His ideas are taken to an extent where if human nature falters, which itShow MoreRelatedLao-Tzu vs. Machiavelli1606 Words   |  7 PagesLao-tzu vs. Machiavelli Government is the essential authority of a country or state, which is directly, affects society because it provides key securities. Two of history’s greatest thinkers Lao-tzu, authors of the Tao-te Ching, and Niccolo Machiavelli, author of The Prince have similar but very contrasting ideas of government, and how people should be governed. Lao-tzu was born in the Chinese state of Ch’u. 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One believed that the ruler could accomplish the most by doing the least; the other believed that by controlling how the public perceived a ruler was what would make him a success or a failure. Machiavelli believed that to rule the prince must do things that would win approval with hisRead MoreAmerican Government Essay example684 Words   |  3 Pagesgovernment, if we want the government to remember theirs. How perfect would It be if our government was run according to Lao-tzu and his teachings in Tao-te Ching? Lao-tzu believed in the unseen ruler, which means to show the people the way and they will follow. Lao-tzu paints an idealistic picture of how if there were no government at all the people would be better. Lao-tzu thinks there is no need in laws or war. Throw away holiness and wisdom, and people will be a hundred times happier. ThrowRead MoreLao-Tzu: Characteristics of a Good Leader Essay examples1844 Words   |  8 Pagesaffected by it. 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Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Reflexive Research on Dynamic Leadership- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theReflexive Research on Dynamic Leadership forFacilitative. Answer: In my entire life, I have always defined leadership as a dynamic process of incorporating my team members into a visionary organization with achievable goals. I consider this as a basis of leadership where a single individual begins by embracing their capabilities by believing that they can and later on convincing a group of people with the same motives to explore and achieve certain goals. This process of organizing and leading people has always been a matter of intelligence, trustworthiness, reliance, discipline and courage all put together. Since time immemorial, the styles of leadership have gradually been evolving and advancing right from autocratic ,democratic way of leadership until in the recent past that leadership began being dynamic in the sense that it brought positive change and growth in our modern societies through facilitative and strategic governance (Cheng, 2010). Over the course of my educational life, I have come to appreciate that leadership is not all about a heavy-handed action from the top. Its distinguishing characteristics vary according to different needs and wants. In my journey as a prospective leader, I first became acquainted with autocracy while I was a member of the music group. It was a painful and least enjoyable mode of leadership that saw some very promising talents get wasted away since some members were more privileged than others (Smith, 2016). Two years down the line, I left the group to join the students leadership counsel as a nominated member, three months later a by-election was conducted and I was elected the in the treasury post. This journey has never been a ride in the park at least not even once. The greatest challenges that I have encountered is mostly that of aligning peoples mindsets to coincide with the organizational goals. Understanding peoples weaknesses and strength comes with a unique challenge that of incorporating them wholly as individuals into your organizational structure (Arrow, 2012) In my search of leadership knowledge, I carefully studied Robert Greenes work for example the 48 powers of law and the 33 strategies of war. Throughout this research I was able to tailor the way I make critical judgments, my interactions with larger groups and even the way I manage my unlimited time to address the most pressing needs in my organization. To all the rising leaders, I would strongly recommend them to read the same books to gain enormous leadership skills (Winter, 2016) The wide range of cultural diversities and varying social standings of different groups in our society has adverse effects on the mode of leadership to be adopted. I have always applied the authoritative-type of leadership style in my organization where I dictate the procedures and policies required to undertake each activity. In a few cases, my leadership style tends to be paternalistic since most of other times my subordinates view the working relationship as just that. Although communism is widely practiced in the Western nations than in most Asian countries, this is majorly contributed by the conflicting cultural and social differences. Therefore, for one to emerge as great and influential leader you first closely study the group of people you are about to lead to distinguish their characteristics. My leadership journey has been fairly easy since throughout my entire time I have led people from a similar cultural background hence the growth rate of achieving our goals has been high. Bibliography Basham, M. J., Mathur, R. P. (2010). Dynamic leadership development in community college administration: Theories, applications, and implications.New Directions for Community Colleges,2010(149), 25-32. Greenfield, D. (2007). The enactment of dynamic leadership.Leadership in Health Services,20(3), 159-168. Manning, T., Robertson, B. (2011). The dynamic leader revisited: 360-degree assessments of leadership behaviors in different leadership situations.Industrial and commercial training,43(2), 88-97. Duffy, F. M. (2005). Power, Politics, and Ethics in School Districts: Dynamic Leadership for Systemic Change.Rowman Littlefield Education Allen, K. E., Cherry, C. (2000).Systemic leadership: Enriching the meaning of our work(Vol. 7). Unit PR of Amer Kumises, S. R. (2016).Leadership for a better world: Understanding the social change model of leadership development. John Wiley Sons Dugan, J. P. (2006). Involvement and leadership: A descriptive analysis of socially responsible leadership.Journal of College Skives, S. R. (2016).Leadership for a better world: Understanding the social change model of leadership development. John Wiley Sons. student Development,47(3), 335-343. Arrow, K. J. (2012).Social choice and individual values(Vol. 12). Yale university press. Duffy, F. M. (2005). Power, Politics, and Ethics in School Districts: Dynamic Leadership for Systemic Change.Rowman Littlefield EduGlanz, J. (2010). Justice and Caring: Power, Politics and Ethics in Strategic Leadership.International Studies in Educational Administration (Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration Management (CCEAM)),38(1).cation. Cheng, Y. C. (2010). A topology of three-wave models of strategic leadership in education.International Studies in Educational Administration (Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration Management (CCEAM)),38(1). Smith, J. (2016).Countering the narrative of borderland public schooling: Voices from the Columbia Plateau. Lewis and Clark College. Winter, C. L. (2016).Women Superintendents, the Feminist Ethic, and Organizational Leadership(Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University).