HIST 270: Chapter 4 Reading Guide

Ebrey, A History of China — Chapter 4: Political Division in China and the Spread of Buddhism (200–580)

Note: This is a reading guide, not a study guide. It is designed to be completed while you read — directing you to specific passages, keeping you engaged, and holding you accountable as you move through the text. The goal is comprehension and evidence-gathering, not review.

Chinese history can feel unfamiliar at first. This guide will help you identify and understand the most important events and processes, so that by the time you finish the chapter, you will have a solid grasp of the material your professor wants you to know — and be well prepared for the Chapter Quiz.

Step 1: Find the sentence using the page and opening words provided. Type it verbatim into the first box.
Step 2: Answer the question in your own words. No outside research needed or permitted.
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Review Question 1

On Page 62, find the sentence beginning with the words: "Wei made the..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

How did the state of Wei achieve military and administrative dominance during the Three Kingdoms period, and what systems did they implement to secure their power?

Review Question 2

On Page 65, find the sentence beginning with the words: "The invention of..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What military, technological, and demographic factors contributed to the seizure of power by non-Chinese groups in northern China after the breakdown of the Jin Dynasty?

Review Question 3

On Page 66, find the sentence beginning with the words: "He banned the..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Analyze the state-building strategies of the Northern Wei Dynasty. How did Emperor Xiaowen attempt to integrate the Xianbei and Chinese elites, and what were the consequences of his policies?

Review Question 4

On Page 67, find the sentence beginning with the words: "With the transfer..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What sparked the Revolt of the Garrisons in 523, and how did the subsequent division of the North lead to the creation of the fubing (divisional militia) system?

Review Question 5

On Page 68, find the sentence beginning with the words: "These generals were..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Characterize the political dynamics of the Southern Dynasties at Jiankang (Nanjing). Why were the military strongmen who founded these dynasties ultimately unable to establish long-lasting, stable regimes?

Review Question 6

On Page 69, find the sentence beginning with the words: "During the Period..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

How did the arts of poetry, calligraphy, and painting evolve among the southern aristocracy during the Period of Division, and what did these arts signify about the men who practiced them?

Review Question 7

On Page 70, find the sentence beginning with the words: "In a rough..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Despite initial conflicts with traditional Chinese values like the ancestral lineage, why did Buddhism successfully gain widespread popularity during the Period of Division?

Review Question 8

On Page 71, find the sentence beginning with the words: "Joining a nunnery..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

What new social and spiritual opportunities did the introduction of Buddhism offer to Chinese women during the Period of Division?

Review Question 9

On Page 72, find the sentence beginning with the words: "In contrast to..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Examine the relationship between Buddhism and the state during this period. How did rulers patronize the religion, and how did they simultaneously attempt to regulate it?

Review Question 10

On Page 72, find the sentence beginning with the words: "This religion had..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

How did the Daoist religion evolve during the Period of Division in both elite and popular circles, and how did it respond to the growing influence of Buddhism?

Review Question 11

On Pages 68–69, in the Biography feature, find the sentence beginning with the words: "In 554, however..."

Type the entire sentence verbatim here to identify the evidence:

Using the biography of Yan Zhitui as a case study, illustrate the impact of constant warfare and political dislocation on the educated elite during the Northern and Southern Dynasties.