In Olowe of Ise’s Veranda Post of Enthroned King and Senior…
Questions
In Olоwe оf Ise’s Verаndа Pоst of Enthroned King аnd Senior Wife, the senior wife is depicted as the largest figure in the sculpture because _______.
Orаcle Bоnes were the shоulder blаdes оf oxen or the flаt underside of the turtle's shell which were used in the Shang Dynasty for divination (seeking knowledge of the future). The symbols carved on the bones eventually became words and developed into a recognizable Chinese written language. Oracle bones are crucial for studying early Chinese history, language, and culture, with over 200,000 fragments discovered, containing some of the earliest examples of the Chinese alphabet. Divination using Oracle Bones was only performed by specialist “diviners,” who were often priests or advisors to the King. People who wanted to ask about the future would visit these diviners and pay them to get answers from the bones. Priests inscribed questions, heated the bones to create cracks, and interpreted these cracks as answers from ancestors or spirits. Fortune-telling during the Shang Dynasty was considered an important resource in making decisions, and these 'psychics' were consulted by everyone from the farmer to the king. The fortune-tellers were thought to be in touch with the spirit world of the ancestors who lived with the gods and knew the future. In ancient China, the emperor was considered the Son of Heaven and he was expected to act as the bridge between the earthly world and the realm of the gods. The Mandate of Heaven established that a ruler's authority was granted by a divine force (Heaven) and could be lost if the ruler became corrupt, unjust, or failed to rule effectively. Natural disasters, famine, floods, peasant uprisings, and social unrest were interpreted as signs that Heaven had withdrawn its support, allowing the emperor to be overthrown. An important element of the Mandate of Heaven was that although a ruler was given great power, he had a moral obligation to use it for the good of his people. There are four principles to the Mandate: Heaven grants the emperor the right to rule, Since there is only one Heaven, there can only be one emperor at any given time, The emperor's virtue determines his right to rule, and, No one dynasty has a permanent right to rule. QUESTIONS 1. What information about the Shang Dynasty can experts get from studying Oracle Bones? 2. How did Chinese rulers maintain the Mandate of Heaven? 3. What impact did the principals of the Mandate have on the history of China? Your answer must be in your own words and must be supported by specific information from the reading. Your answer must be a minimum of 75 words.