The Mongol Empire for Many Years

Home , Kublai Khan, Shangdu

wh10a-IDR-0312_P3 11/24/20033:28PMPage44 44 Name B. A. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Section 3 Clarifying information aboutMongolruleinChina. Summarizing Unit Y What broughtaboutthefallof What? Chinese history? Why istheYuan Dynastyimportant in conquer Japan? Why weretheMongolsunableto high governmentpoststoforeigners? Why didtheMongolsgivemost Why? foreign trade? How didKublaiKhanexpand their Chinesesubjects? How didtheMongolrulerstreat How? the capitalofhisempire? Where didKublaiKhanmove palaces? Where didKublaiKhanbuild Where? When didKublaiKhanrule? control ofallChina? When didtheMongolsgain When? Who wasMarcoPolo? Who wasKublaiKhan? Who? 12 CHAPTER uan Dynasty? 3, Chapter On thebackofthispaper, explaintheoriginofword GUIDED READING As youreadthissection,usethequestionstohelpsummarize 12 The MongolEmpire kamikaze. Date

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CHAPTER PRIMARY SOURCE Marco Polo at the Mongol Court 12 Marco Polo, a Venetian merchant and traveler, reached Kublai Khan’s court in about 1275 and remained in China until 1292. During Marco’s stay in China, Section 3 Kublai Khan sent him on special government missions around China. After Marco returned home, he was captured during a war between Venice and Genoa and put in prison. He entertained fellow prisoners with his travel stories, and one of the prisoners gathered his stories into a book. In this excerpt, Marco describes Kublai Khan’s summer palace in Shangdu, on the border of Mongolia and China. Which features of the palace can you visualize?

eparting from the city last mentioned, and entablature. The roof is of bamboo cane, likewise Dproceeding three days’ journey in a north- gilt, and so well varnished that no wet can injure it. easterly direction, you arrive at a city called Shandu, The bamboos used for this purpose are three palms built by the Grand Khan Kublai, now reigning. In in circumference and ten fathoms in length, and this he caused a palace to be erected, of marble being cut at the joints, are split into two equal parts, and other handsome stones, admirable as well for so as to form gutters, and with these (laid concave the elegance of its design as for the skill displayed and convex) the pavilion is covered; but to secure in its execution. The halls and chambers are all gilt, the roof against the effect of wind, each of the and very handsome. It presents one front towards bamboos is tied at the ends to the frame. the interior of the city, and the other towards the The building is supported on every side (like a wall; and from each extremity of the building runs tent) by more than two hundred very strong silken another wall to such an extent as to enclose sixteen cords, and otherwise, from the lightness of the miles in circuit of the adjoining plain, to which materials, it would be liable to oversetting by the there is no access but through the palace. force of high winds. The whole is constructed with Within the bounds of this royal park there are so much ingenuity of contrivance that all the parts rich and beautiful meadows, watered by many may be taken asunder, removed, and again set up, rivulets, where a variety of animals of the deer and at his majesty’s pleasure. This spot he has selected goat kind are pastured, to serve as food for the for his recreation on account of the mild tempera- hawks and other birds employed in the chase, ture and salubrity of the air, and he accordingly whose mews are also in the grounds. The number makes it his residence during three months of the of these birds is upwards of two hundred; and the year, namely, June, July, and August. . . . grand khan goes in person, at least once in the from The Travels of Marco Polo (New York: Orion Press), week, to inspect them. Frequently, when he rides 100–102. about this enclosed forest, he has one or more small leopards carried on horseback, behind their keepers; and when he pleases to give direction for Activity Options their being slipped, they instantly seize a stag, or 1. Creating a Model Make a simple architectural goat, or fallow deer, which he gives to his hawks, drawing of Kublai Khan’s summer palace and its and in this manner he amuses himself. grounds based on the details in this excerpt. Then In the centre of these grounds, where there is share your drawing with the class. a beautiful grove of trees, he has built a royal pavil- 2. Creating Oral Presentations With a partner, ion, supported upon a colonnade of handsome pil- role-play Kublai Khan giving his guest, Marco lars, gilt and varnished. Round each pillar a dragon, Polo, a tour of his summer palace at Shangdu.

tains the projection of the roof, and its talons or ©M claws are extended to the right and left along the

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CHAPTER HISTORYMAKERS Kublai Khan 12 Balancing Mongol and Chinese Ideas Section 3 “I have heard that one can conquer the empire on horseback, but one cannot govern it on horseback.”—Chinese adviser to Kublai Khan

fearless warrior and wise leader, Kublai Khan challenges from conservative Mongol leaders Aruled over the Mongol Empire for many years. throughout his reign. Kublai was born and trained in the Mongol tradi- To win their allegiance, Kublai continued the tion, but he came to accept many practices and Mongol policy of conquest. His armies won control ideas of his adopted home in China. Throughout of southern China, ending the Song Dynasty, in part his life, he tried to balance these two cultures. because he used artillery operated by two Muslim Kublai was born in 1215 to Tolui, a son of engineers. He also won control of Burma and pres- Genghis Khan, and Sorghaghtani Beki, a noble- ent-day Vietnam. These successes gained him the woman. Because Tolui was often away fighting support he needed. He did not lose that backing wars, Kublai spent most of his childhood with his despite suffering disappointment in his attempt to mother. According to a Persian historian, she was conquer Korea and Japan. “extremely intelligent and able and towered above In running his empire, Kublai tried to balance all women in the world.” She was a Christian, and Mongol and Chinese cultures. He adopted the he learned religious tolerance from her. She was Chinese system of government, had his children also proud and tough-minded. When Genghis given a Chinese education, and even moved the Khan died, and her husband was passed over as his capital from Mongolia to China. However, he successor, she was determined that her four sons imposed a four-level structure on society that put would never suffer that fate. Indeed, all four came the Mongols at the top and the Chinese at the bot- to rule different parts of the Mongol Empire. tom. He also made sure that top-level government Kublai grew up to be an able Mongol warrior. posts were reserved for Mongols or other peoples He was known for both his skill as a horseman and and not the Chinese. his great courage. In 1251, his older brother On the other hand, he took steps to promote the became the ruler, or the Great Khan, of Mongol Chinese economy. He created an agency of the China. As a result, Kublai led his armies there and government to help farmers learn how to increase experienced his first major success. Following the their crop production. In addition, he extended the teachings of his mother, he tolerated all religions in Grand Canal, which made it easier to transport food. the area, helping to win acceptance of Mongol rule Finally, he promoted trade, an activity that tradi- by the Chinese. Also, recognizing that his Mongol tional Chinese emperors had looked down upon. followers were better suited to conquer than to rule, Kublai’s last years were sad, however. The fail- he relied on Chinese advisers to help him govern. ures in Japan proved costly, and his monetary poli- Success in North China led to greater power. cy hurt the Chinese economy. The deaths of his During this time, Kublai also built his famous and wife and son also took their toll. He died in 1294, luxurious summer palace in Shangdu. By designing having lost his energy and his role in ruling his the palace in the Chinese style, he showed his sub- empire. jects that he was adopting Chinese culture. In 1259, Kublai led one of three Mongol armies Questions into southern China. During the fighting, the Great cDougal Littell Inc. All rights reserved. Khan was killed, and Kublai made a claim to the 1. Recognizing Effects How did Kublai Khan’s ©M throne. So did another brother, though, and many mother influence him? Mongols supported that brother. They felt that 2. Making Inferences How did Kublai Khan’s Kublai was abandoning the old Mongol ways and actions reflect the advice of his Chinese adviser? becoming too Chinese. In the resulting civil war, 3. Drawing Conclusions How successful was Kublai emerged victorious but was plagued by Kublai Khan in trying to balance Mongol and Chinese ideas? Explain.

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CHAPTER 12 RETEACHING ACTIVITY The Mongol Empire Section 3

Determining Main Ideas Complete the chart below by listing details of Kublai Khan’s impact on East Asia.

Kublai Khan’s Rule in East Asia Political Impact of Kublai’s Rule 1.

Economic Impact of Kublai’s Rule 3.

Territorial Impact of Kublai’s Rule 5.

Empires in East Asia 63