The Hall of
Asian Peoples
Elementary School Teacher’s Guide
See inside
Panel 2 Introduction
3 Before Coming to the Museum
Standards
Vocabulary
4-7 At the Museum
8 Extending Students’ Investigations
Insert A Map of Asia
Photocards
Insert B Hall Map
Student Field Journal
Insert C Student Field Journal
Student Field Journal
Insert D Student Field Journal
Student Field Journal
Insert E Resources for Students and Teachers
Back In the Classroom
www.amnh.org
Panel 2
Introduction
There is no one “Asian” country. Forty-six countries make up Asia. These
nations are placed together as a cultural entity because of historical contact
and shared cultural traits. From earliest times to the present, large-scale
processes of cross-cultural interaction have linked the various sub-regions
of Asia and also connected Asia as a whole to the larger world. Routes of
trade like the famed Silk Road have witnessed the exchange of goods,
religions, inventions, and people. Through sea and land migrations, these
large, influential civilizations have had a profound effect on the politics,
religion, and arts of neighboring regions and, in turn, have been influenced
by them. Each country featured in the Hall of Asian Peoples represents a
unique culture yet one composed of layers of contact between cultures.
Asia, the largest landmass in the world covering some 30 percent of the
earth, is home to more than 59 percent of the world’s population, or 3.5
billion people. Asia boasts not just the highest peak on earth, but the ten
highest all in the Himalayas. On Asia’s Arabian Peninsula, in the
southwest, lies the lowest place on the earth’s surface—the Dead Sea, too
salty to support life. The world’s largest expanse of tundra stretches across
northern Asia. In eastern Asia, rainwater and snowmelt have created one
of the largest rivers in the world—the Yangtze.
Two of the most populous countries of the world—China and India—are
in Asia. Because so much of Asia is uninhabitable—too high, too dry, or too
cold—a majority of the population lives in densely settled coastal areas and
river valleys. Although most Asians make their living by farming or fishing,
a growing number are finding work in factories and service industries.
Biggest, highest, most populous—Asia also has the oldest state
civilizations. In the fertile plains between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
the first city-based civilizations probably arose. Here, people learned how
to control water for irrigation and to plant grain. Cities grew up. Over the
centuries, across Asia other civilizations arose in other river valleys in
China and India. These ancient cultures gave us writing, the wheel, and
astronomy, as well as some of the world’s major religions. Today, people in
the rural areas still live in traditional ways, as farmers and craft workers.
In the cities, though, the lifestyle of people is that of a crowded, fast-paced,
urban, industrialized society much like our own, but still distinctly Asian.
Panel 3
Standards
The following New York State
Learning Standards are
applicable to the Museum visit
and classroom activities
outlined in this guide:
Social Studies Standard 2 — World Histor y
(SS2), Social Studies Standard 3—Geography
(SS3), Math, Science, and Technology
Standard 6—Interconnectedness: Common
Themes (MST6), Ar ts Standard 4 —
Understanding the Cultural Dimension and
Contributions of Ar ts (A4), English Language
Ar ts Standard 1—Language for Information
and Understanding (ELA1), English Language
Ar ts Standard 4—Students Will Read, Write,
Listen, and Speak for Social Interaction
(ELA4).
Before Coming
to the Museum
HAVE A CLASS DISCUSSION
Write on a chalkboard the facts that come to mind when the students
think about China, Japan, Korea, or India. Ask the students what they
know about these cultures and what they would like to know. After your
trip, ask the students to do their own research about new things they
learned from the discussion and want to learn more about.
STUDY MAPS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
The enclosed map (insert) is provided to give students a sense of Asia
as both a physical and cultural place. Point out the natural geographic
boundaries that separate each nation and the possible areas of contact.
China and India are the two largest rice-producing countries in the world;
they produce paddy (irrigated) rice. Paddy rice needs lots of water either
from heavy rains, or flooding.Using the information you have about rice,
have the students mark the areas on the map of Asia that would be best
suited for rice production.
Have students study copies of the photographs (insert) of rural Japan
100 years ago and two teenagers in Japan today. Have them make up
stories or a journalist’s interview with the people in the photographs.
Discuss the differences in rural and urban living.
Vocabulary
FAMILIARIZE STUDENTS
WITH THE VOCABULARY
You may decide to review these before
your class visits the Museum, or use
them for your own reference.
Ancestor Veneration (ancestor worship)
The custom of honoring deceased ancestors, who
are still considered a par t of the family and whose
spirits are believed to have the power to inter vene
in the af fairs of the living.
Buddhism A religion based on the teachings
of Buddha (approx. 560–480 BC). The basis of
Buddhist teachings are “the four noble tru t h s ” —
that life is full of suf fering (such as not being
satisfied, old age, disease, and death), that the
cause of suffering is desire and wanting things
only for oneself, that there is a cure for this
suf fering, and that this cure is the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path is right attitude, motives,
speech (not lying or gossiping), action (not to kill
or steal), ef for t, mindfulness, and meditation.
Caste System A system of occupationally
specific, hierarchically ordered statuses to which
members of society are assigned at bir th.
Confucianism A philosophy based on the
teachings of Confucius (approx. 551–479 BC) and
his followers, who stressed that ever yone has a
place in society with specific duties and
responsibilities. Great impor tance was placed on
five relationships: ruler to subject, parent to child,
elder brother to younger brother, husband to wife,
and friend to friend.
Divination The practice that seeks to foretell
the future by “reading” signs.
Dowry Wealth a bride’s family contributes to the
marriage, usually consisting of clothing, household
furnishings, and utensils.
Dynasty A Chinese dynasty took its name from
a sequence of rulers from the same patrilineal
(through the male line) family. For more than
2,000 years China was ruled by a series of
dynasties.
Extended Family A residential group consisting
of two or more families of at least two
generations.
Hinduism A complex Indian religion (nearly
4,000 years old) with elaborate mythology, 3,000
gods, ceremonies for purification, and steps one
goes through in the life cycle.
Islam A religion based on the teachings of the
Prophet Muhammad (approx. 570–632 CE) as
found in the sacred book, the Koran. The followers
of Islam are called Muslims.
Matchmaker A person whom families consult to
find proper marriage par tners for their children.
The marriage is called an arranged marriage.
Monsoon A periodic wind in South Asia generally
laden with rain.
Nomad A wandering pastoral (herding) people.
Shamanism A belief system in which cer tain
individuals are believed to be in direct contact with
the spirit world through trance and to be able to
command spirits to do their bidding.
Shinto A native religion of Japan, dating to the
sixth centur y AD, originally centered on belief in
“kami,” or spiritual forces thought to live in all
natural objects. Later it included worship of
ancestors, heroes, and the emperor. Shinto
stresses harmony among divine, natural, and
human elements.
Taoism A philosophy formulated by Lao Tzu
(either third or sixth centur y BC) in which the aim
of life is to conform to nature’s way. Yin (female,
wet, dark, cool) and Yang (male, dr y, bright, hot)
and the five elements (fire, water, ear th, wood,
metal) interact to bring harmony.
Terracing A raised embankment leveled on top
with a ridge to hold water (commonly used in wetrice farming).
Wet-Rice Cultivation Common method of
growing rice in Asia by flooding fields with water.
Later, when the crops mature, the fields are
drained. Usually involves animal plow cultivation
and the use of fer tilizers.
Panel 4
THE SILK ROAD
No name evokes the mystery of the ancient Silk Road more than Samarkand,
a city rich with history and unmistakable magic. Samarkand was already a
great walled city when it was conquered in 329 BC by Alexander the Great.
The Registan pictured in the diorama is a majestic commercial center
flanked by blue-tiled madrasses or free schools and mosques. In the madrasses
famous Islamic scholars, mathematicians, and astronomers lectured. The
central mosque has graceful minarets where muezzin (religious leaders)
called the religious to prayer. The marketplace drew merchants from
Europe and other parts of Asia. They came on foot, by horse, by camel
caravan, or accompanying troops of soldiers. In the bazaars they would
meet, share stories of their desert travails, eat, enjoy music, and trade.
INDIA
INDIA: THEATER AND FESTIVAL
Many of the world’s greatest stories and fairytales derived from traditional
Indian theater performed in religious and seasonal festivals. Elaborate masks
and puppets are used in the telling of these well-loved stories. The three large
papier-mâché figures in this case depict characters from the Ramayana, an
epic poem. The Ramayana and its characters—Rama, loyal to his father’s
memory, and Rama’s wife Sita, the paragon of wifely virtues—are widely
known to children in every town in India. Other characters from the
Ramayana are Ravana, the demon king (bearded 10-headed gold mask),
and Hanuman, the monkey king (red mask in Crafts case on left). These
performances were held outdoors with limited scenery. Each Indian village
had its own unique way of celebrating religious and popular mythic stories.
Although theater today in India has to compete with movies and television,
old religious and mythic themes are still popular.
Student activity—standards: SS2,A4, ELA4
INDIA: THE WEDDING
This diorama dramatically depicts a wedding in a rural Hindu village in
central India. The wedding was an important family celebration in both
urban and rural settings. Rarely were two families joined together from
the same village; this was not socially desirable. In accordance with
important Hindu beliefs, the bride and groom had to be from the same caste
and subcaste. The bride’s ornate clothing and jewelry visually expressed the
wealth of her family to the wedding guests and spectators. Her jewelry alone
was hers to keep or use as she needed. Besides her husband, the Brahman
priest and the matchmaker, often the village barber, are shown.
Student activity—standards: SS2, ELA 4, SS3, M6
CHINA
CHINA: THE FRONTIER
The painting in this case depicts the Great Wall of China. This section,
near Beijing, was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). China’s
walls protected it from nomadic invaders and foreign governments.
The skeletal remains in this case belong to a nomadic warrior (Hsiung-nu)
who lived in approximately AD 1000. The skeleton is seen with the
warrior’s quiver and saddle. The painting symbolizes daily life and the
meeting of two ecosystems—the wheat-growing population of the flat
plains of n o r t h China next to the nomadic population of the hills and
tundra of n o r t h China and Mongolia. On one side of the Great Wall,
the right side of the painting, is a wheat farming settlement, while
on the opposite side a caravan of traders approaches the gates.
Student activity—standards: SS2, SS3, ELA4, ELA1
TRADITIONAL CHINA: THEATER
Theater in a variety of forms flourished throughout China’s countryside and
urban centers. Opera and puppet shows enlivened village and temple festivals.
In opera, the stage set was simple, while the actors’ makeup, costuming, and
movements were elaborate. The characters of the shadow puppets here are
from the story of the Monkey King, from the novel Journey to the West.
Sun-Wukong, the Monkey King, is a mischievous anti-authoritarian figure
renowned for his magical and martial arts skills. In the shadow puppet screen
in the diorama, Sun-Wukong (far right) and his sidekicks, Friar Sands and
Pigsy (left), assist the Tang Priest Xuanzang on his sacred quest to India to
bring back Buddhist sutras (texts). This story is popular with children today
not only in opera performances, but also in cartoons and movies.
Student activity—standards: A4, SS2
TRADITIONAL CHINA: THE WEDDING
Traditional Chinese society was based on the extended family as the
primary economic and social unit. Weddings are important family events
because they bring in new members, brides, who produce children. The
elaborate decoration of the wedding chair has much symbolic meaning.
The blue kingfisher feathers symbolize beauty and a happy marriage. The
small dangling mirrors protect the bride and her marriage by frightening
away ghosts. The wedding chair was used to transport the bride to her new
home. Brides are usually carried (on bikes or in cars today) to protect them
during this transitional period. The bride, who most likely would not have
met her husband before the wedding, was hidden inside the chair by the
front panels (at the right side of diorama), which have been left off for
display purposes. The matchmaking of the couple was carefully planned
according to Chinese astrology and financial strategy. The bride’s dowry
would have been carried along as part of the procession, displaying the
status of her family. The chair, the day, and the event mark dramatic
changes in the life cycle and identity of the bride. She is no longer a
member of her parents’ family, but that of her husband.
Student activity—standards: M6, SS2, ELA4, ELA1
TRADITIONAL CHINA: CITY STREET SCENE MURAL
This mural of an urban street depicts aspects of traditional life at the time
of Marco Polo’s famous visit. Like any urban center, the one shown in the
painting is complex. Multiple activities, such as a Buddhist temple ceremony,
fortune-telling, games and entertainment, transporting of goods, a wedding
procession, and shopping, are occurring simultaneously.
Student activity—standards: SS2, SS3
KOREA
The two rooms depicted in this diorama show the home of a Korean
upper-class family in the nineteenth century.
KOREA: THE CONFUCIAN TRADITION
The scholar in his studio is studying a text of Mencius, a disciple of
Confucius, written in both Chinese and the Korean alphabet, hangul.
Educated Koreans had to be able to read Chinese as well as their own
language in order to study the classics. The scholar is seated on a floor
cushion at his low desk, surrounded by the material necessary to his work,
such as writing brushes and scrolls. The scholar’s attire, including the kat
hat, marks his economic status, for only the elite could afford the luxury
of a life of study. This room would have been heated by the ingenious ondol
system of heated pipes under the floor, which made sitting and sleeping
on the floor comfortable during the cold winters.
KOREA: THE UNIQUENESS
MUSEUM ARTIFACTS AND
EDUCATION VOLUNTEERS
Education Teaching Volunteers
may be stationed in the Hall
during your visit. Students
can ask questions about the
dioramas and examine Asian
clothing and items of trade.
The wife of the scholar works in the inner room of the house. This
woman wears the hanbok, a traditional style of dress. While her hanbok
is decorated with the Chinese characters for good fortune, long life, and
happiness, the bright colors are traditionally Korean. In the foreground
of the diorama is a set of metal tongs heating over coals, which this
woman would use for ironing. Hanging on the wall is a painting of a
type traditionally found in the woman’s sanctum. Unlike the painting
in the scholar’s studio, this one is brightly colored, with a folk motif of
Mandarin ducks, a symbol of marital happiness.
JAPAN
MODEL OF TRADITIONAL HOUSE
This model of a traditional Japanese house is typical of a farmer’s home
in the nineteenth century. The architecture demonstrates many uses of rice
and other natural materials in building construction. The windowpanes,
made from rice paper, are well suited to an earthquake region, as they do
not shatter. Rice was also used in roof thatching. The wooden frame of
the house, which allows the structure to bend, is well suited to a region
of tsunamis (tidal waves), typhoons, and earthquakes. The daily life of
the residents of this traditional house contrasts sharply with that of the
small families of urban Japan today.
CLOTHING IN THE CENTRAL CASE
Children in rural Japan might have seen their fathers going to work in the
fields wearing the mino. The mino, made from rice stalks, is a raincoat. It
has been replaced today by modern rain clothing.
Both women and men in traditional Japan wore the kimono. Today it
is still worn on special occasions, such as festivals and weddings. Kimonos
in traditional Japan reflected the age of the wearer. Bright colors were worn
by girls, while elderly women wore more subdued colors. Except for priests
and officials, men usually wore dark kimonos.
The Shinto priest sitting on the pedestal at the rear of the case is
wearing the traditional clothing and hairstyle of his station. Shinto
priests still wear these beautiful garments today.
FESTIVALS (MATSURI) THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
Families today, as in the past, gather together at annual festivals to
celebrate religious and life-cycle traditions. Three of these festivals are
Hinamatsuri (the Doll Festival), Shogatsu (New Year), and Obon. The
following information is designed to assist educators’ discussions with
their students on the objects in the Shintoism: The Indigenous Religion,
Buddhist Altar, and Life-Cycle cases.
SHINTOISM: THE INDIGENOUS RELIGION
For the New Year, parents take their children to a Shinto shrine for
blessings of good health and happiness from the kami (spirits) and the
Shinto priest. Displayed in this case are objects necessary for the Shinto
priest’s blessing, such as the purification wand at the top right side of the
center section of the shrine. To call the kami, parents and children ring a
bell, bow twice, clap twice, and bow a final time.
BUDDHIST ALTAR AND THE AMIDA (AMITABHA) BUDDHA
THE TRADITIONAL
TRADE ROUTES OF ASIA
The boats in this diorama
represent the variety of nations
that traded with Asia. Students
can study the boats and the
spices in the front of the case
to complete their journals as
travelers to Asia. Discuss what
items they might have bought
and why. Would a compass be
a good item to return with?
Students can pick items to
research and present in their
classroom projects.
A summer festival, Obon is a time when families honor and remember
their ancestors. It is believed that during Obon the spirits of ancestors
return. Families welcome the spirits, visit family altars and graves,
celebrate the knowledge they gained from their ancestors, and then
assist the spirits in returning to the land of the dead.
The celebrations of Obon center around the Buddhist temple. Families
would go to the temple where they might see a large image of Buddha like
the Amida Buddha on top of the central case. The altar shown here
belonged to a wealthy family. It was kept closed except during times of
ancestor remembrance. The figure seated on a lotus flower at the top of
the shrine represents Sakyamuni Buddha (historic Buddha).
THE JAPANESE CYCLE OF LIFE
In the past, on the day of the Doll Festival (Hina Matsuri), dolls
representing the Imperial court—including the emperor, empress,
musicians, and samurai, as well as beautiful accessories—were displayed
in homes to bring happiness and good fortune to daughters. Today this
festival is still celebrated, but children do not play with these dolls as
they did in traditional times; they are family heirlooms. Families have
parties with the dolls on display and special food.
Panel 8
Extending Students’
Investigations
Students can extend their research on the animals and geography
of Asia in several other Museum halls.
For additional information
regarding educational programs,
please contact:
American Museum
of Natural History
Department of Education
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
www.amnh.org/education
This guide was produced by
the American Museum of Natural
Histor y, Depar tment of Education.
MANAGING EDITOR: Karen Kane
PRODUCTION: Rachael Woodruf f
THE HALL OF ASIAN MAMMALS/
THE HALL OF BIODIVERSITY
Many Asian folktales are based on the animals
of Asia—the panda, the tiger, the water
buffalo, the Asian elephant, or the peacock.
The dioramas provide dramatic representations
of these animals as well as information on their
situation in the biodiversity of Asia.
THE GUGGENHEIM HALL
OF GEMS AND MINERALS
Precious jewels—pearls, jade, and the famous
Star of India—are also a part of many Asian
folktales. Let students visit the Hall and
research a gem and its mythology.
WRITERS: Arlyn Bruccoli and Karen Kane
HALL MAP: Choonyong Lee
MAP OF ASIA: Joyce Pendola
PHOTOGRAPHS: ©American Museum
of Natural Histor y. Kimono cour tesy
of Yoshie Tachibana. Modern Japan
cour tesy of Akie Jida. Samarkand
cour tesy of Karen Kane.
DESIGN: Davidson Design, Inc., New York
©
American Museum of Natural History 2000
Printed in the United States of America
THE GOTTESMAN HALL
OF PLANET EARTH
Mountain ranges, earthquakes, and volcanoes
are part of Asian geography. After studying
maps, students can discover the forces of
nature that created the Asian landscape
and the methods scientists use today to
understand them.
BIRDS OF THE WORLD
Students can draw good examples of deserts
in Mongolia and the landscape and seasons
of Japan.
Resources for
Students & Teachers
WEBSITES
Find more examples of traditional
Asian artifices in the AMNH anthropology collection database at
http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/
databases/asia_public/asia_map.htm.
For information and curriculum
guides on Asia. From the Museum
site, go to Education, then Cultural
Programs. Asian Pacific American
Heritage Month at the AMNH/
Multicultural programs.
Students can take virtual tours
of Asian museums and research
other artifacts at www.icom.org/vlmp/.
Click on Japan, Korea, or
Rest of the World.
Look at Curriculum on Asia,
www.curriculum.edu.au/accessasia/.
This program is for purchase, but
the Web site has many links that
provide sample curriculum on Asia.
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS:
Faces, Cobblestone Publishing Co.
Simon and Schuster Education
Group, Peterborough, NH.
http://www.cobblestonepub.com. Back
issues that directly relate to the
Museum experience include Rice,
Growing Up in China, Japan, India,
Courtship, Korea, Central Asia, and
Calendars, among others.
The Lands, Peoples, and Cultures
Series, created by Bobbie Kalman,
Crabtree Publishing Company, 1990.
Department of Education
Asia for Kids, Master
Communication, Inc., Cincinnati,
Ohio. http://www.asiaforkids.com.
A catalog dedicated to Asian and
Asian-American publications.
RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS:
Cultural Awareness for Children,
by Judy Allen, Earldene McNeillk,
and Velma Schmidt, Addison-Wesley
Publishing, 1992. For Asia and the
world a truly multidisciplinary
approach to teaching cultures.
Japan: An Island Culture and
Korea: Crossroads of Asian Culture,
Learning Trough an Expanded
Arts Program, Inc. New York, NY.
Excellent curriculum guides for
teachers with slides based on the
Hall of Asian Peoples.
Education About Asia, published
by the Association for Asian
Studies, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan.
A continual source of ideas for
teaching about Asia by scholars and
educators. www.aasianst.org/eaa/subs.htm
or (734)665-2490 for back issues.
SILK ROAD
For a review of literature and
curriculum on the Silk Road, see
“The Silk Road: An Educational
Resource,” Morris Rossabi,
Education About Asia, 4/1, 1999
available through the Association
for Asian Studies, Inc. Ann Arbor,
Michigan. www.aasianst.org/eaa/subs.htm
or call (734)655-2490 for back issues.
Back in the Classroom
REVIEW THE MUSEUM EXPERIENCE
In the field journal sheets the students are encouraged to make notes about
and drawings of their observations, just like Marco Polo. Back in the
classroom, students can work together in teams to create theater
performances or murals of street scenes.
Student activity -standards: SS2, ELA1
RE-CREATE THE SILK ROAD
Divide students into teams of merchants from various cultures represented
along the Silk Road. Discuss some of the inventions and foods that were
traded along this route. Assign each team to be one of the countries that
participated in the silk trade. Have students bring in spices and food,
or make items to trade, and have a bazaar.
Student activity -standards: SS3, MST6, A4, ELA 4
RELATE THE PAST TO THE PRESENT
Encourage students to bring in photos of modern cities in Asia from
calendars, tourist agencies, or magazines. Students can discuss the lifestyles
of the people in the past and in the present. If they visited Asia today, which
objects from the Hall of Asian Peoples would be seen or used? Discuss the
occasions when we wear traditional clothes. Review the student’s
observations about the photos of Japanese 100 years ago and today.
Student activity -standards: SS2, MST6, ELA4
CELEBRATE ASIA
Let students research the food and activities surrounding different Asian
festivals. If possible, visit sections of the metropolitan area with large Asian
populations during one of these community events with your students and
encourage them to sketch festival objects and art.
Student activity -standards: A4
Department of Education
The Hall of Asian Peoples
Department of Education
The Hall of Asian Peoples
1
THE LURE OF ASIAN TRADE
1. SAMARKAND: CROSSROADS OF ASIA
INDIA
2 . T H E AT E R A N D F E S T I VA L
3. TRADITIONAL WEDDING DIORAMA
2
CHINA
3
4. THE FRONTIER
5 . T R A D I T I O N A L T H E AT E R
6. TRADITIONAL CHINESE WEDDING DIORAMA
7. STREET SCENE
6
4
KOREA
8. KOREAN UNIQUENESS
5
7
9. CONFUCIAN TRADITION
J A PA N
10. TRADITIONAL HOUSE
11. CONTINUING TRADITIONS
12. SHINTO: INDIGENOUS RELIGION
13. CYCLE OF LIFE
9
8
14. BUDDHIST SHRINE
15. THE TRADITIONAL TRADE ROUTES OF ASIA
15
14
10
11
Department of Education
13
12
Student Field Journal
JOURNEY TO ASIA
Explorers from Asia and Europe kept journals of their travels. Keep your own
journal. Make sketches, write down stories you hear, and describe the cultures you
encounter. When you return to your classroom, you can create a book about your
travels in Asia and share it with your classmates.
THE SILK ROAD — SAMARKAND
Sketch a mask or puppet:
The Lure of Asia
You are in the market at Samarkand. People came by caravan from all parts of Asia
to trade in the bazaar. What means of transportation did you use to get here? Look at
the painting in the diorama in front of you for ideas. What will you do now—eat,
relax, or trade? Look at the objects in the case. Choose three items to bring back to
your own city in the West and describe them in your journal.
INDIA
Theater and Festival
Now you have arrived in a small town in India, and a theater performance is going on as
part of a festival. Many of our fairytales like, Cinderella, were probably first told in
India. Choose a mask or puppet. Make a sketch of it. Describe what you think the character represented by this mask or puppet is like. Later try to make up a fairytale based
on this character.
The Wedding
In this village, a wedding is about to take place. For this special occasion, the bride and
groom have traditional clothing on. Who do you think the other guests at the wedding
are (imagine who usually goes to a wedding)? The man standing is a village barber, and
he has helped arrange the wedding for the parents of the bride and groom. They let their
parents pick their partner. One hundred years ago, the two might have only been 11 and
15 years old. What were the advantages of early marriages?
Department of Education
Student Field Journal
TRADITIONAL CHINA
The Frontiers
As we approach China on our caravan, we see the Great Wall in the distance.
Many soldiers wrote poetry about being stationed along the borders of China
In the poem Mending Wall, Robert Frost, a famous American poet wrote:
"Before I built a wall I’d ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And whom I was like to give of fense.
Something there is that doesn’t love a wall."
If you were a Chinese wheat farmer (like the one on the right side of the painting),
how do you think would feel about the Great Wall? Why?
If you were a nomadic trader (like the ones on the left side of the painting and whose
bones are in front of you), how do you think you would feel about the Great Wall?
Why?
What items might people on each side of the wall trade? Who would be better soldiers?
Department of Education
Back in your classroom you and your classmates could create a wall of your own poems.
Student Field Journal
TRADITIONAL CHINA
Sketch a painted face:
Theater
In Chinese villages, festivals include theater performances, foods, and objects to buy.
Look at the painting at the top of the case showing a Chinese New Year Festival. Select
a puppet, painted face design, or opera figure from the case. One of the most famous
tales in China is about a naughty monkey with fabulous powers. Pick one of the faces
that looks like a monkey, or a face you like, and sketch it.
The Wedding
As you move down the road in China, a wedding chair passes your caravan.
In a traditional Chinese wedding the bride would be transported to her new home
(probably with her in-laws) in a special red or decorated sedan chair. Families rented
these wedding chairs and one wedding chair would be used in hundreds of different
weddings. This chair might have carried happy brides and sad brides. If this chair
could tell you a story, what do you think it might say? .
City Street Scene Mural
The mural above you is a street in China at the time of Marco Polo. Can you find any
of the events or objects you have seen today? Select a section of the mural and draw
what you see.
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Student Field Journal
JAPAN
The Japanese Farmhouse
This is a house of a wealthy farmer in Japan 100 years ago. Imagine you are sitting
somewhere in the house or garden. What would you hear? Feel? Touch? What
materials were used to build the house? The roof and windowpanes are made from
the same plant. What is a common Asian plant? Why might this house be safe in an
earthquake?
Traditional Clothing
Can you find the clothing of a farmer, a geisha (performer), and a Shinto priest?
Describe one.
Shinto Festivals, Buddhist Festivals, and Annual Festivals
Which festival would you like to participate in with your family—New Year (a
Shinto festival), Obon (a Buddhist festival), or the Doll Festival (celebrated at
home)? Find the Shinto shrine, the doll display, or the Buddhist altar and giant
statue of Buddha. Pick an artifact in the display; describe a festival and how the
object would be used.
Department of Education
Student Field Journal
KOREA
The Confucian Tradition
In Korea, you have been invited into the home of a wealthy family. Here are two
sections of a Korean home. In the section representing the study of the house sits the
husband, a scholar. Describe the scholar, what he wears and what he is doing. What
kinds of jobs would be hard to do in his clothes?
The Uniqueness
The other section represents the back room, where the wife works. Compare the two
rooms and the activities of the scholar and his wife.
Sketch a boat:
THE TRADITIONAL TRADE ROUTES OF ASIA
Pick a boat to carry you home. Sketch it. Pick a spice or other trade item to take
home. Explain why you picked this. Bon voyage!
Department of Education