Essay Questions

What was a magistrate?

A magistrate was a person appointed by the government and sent to a region of the country to enforce the law. A magistrate was sent there to make sure everything was in order and help the people during though times. The magistrates were seen with kind eyes by the people as they would more than often ask the emperor to grant tax reductions if the area was struck by natural disasters or to give more funds to the area. The magistrate also acted as a judge in some occasions, helping the people resolve conflicts. Even though they had an important role, they were seen as being the lowest ranking officials and would sometimes live in poverty as a result.

What was the siege of Peking and what were the consequences?

Peking was one of the biggest cities in China during the 17th century and it was among the last cities to fall during the Manchu Conquest of China. After the conquest, the people in China suffered for many months as there was no army or form of government until the country reorganized itself. During that time, bandits were free to roam the country and pillage the defenseless cities and villages. As a result, many people died and their possessions taken away from them.

What was the writing process in China in the 17th century?

In China, as well as in the rest of the world, not many people had the opportunity to learn how to write and to have the utensils necessary to write. In China, people wrote on paper as paper was available in China as early as 220 AD. In comparison with other mediums such as silk, paper was more easy to use and a lot cheaper so in China the government officials used paper. For writing, an inkstone and a brush would have been used. Ink was produced from soot after burning different woods and it was believed that burning certain types of wood produced better soot. The material was then mixed with animal fat which produced a paste similar to glue. For a person to use the ink, they would have to wet the brush and then use the ink to write characters. The ink was the most expensive element as it took a lot of work to produce quality ink.