600 to 1000: Expanding Zones of Exchange and Encounter
Sui 589 to 618
Tang 618 to 906 — 5 dynasties, 10 kingdoms, Lio
907-960
N.Song
Asuka 538 to 710
Nara 710 to 794
Early Heian 794 to ca.900
Late Heian ca.900 to 1185
3 Kingdoms
Unified Silla 668 to 935 — (Later Koguryo, Paekche, Parhae)
Koryo
Pre-Angkor Period (Cambodia) 550 to 802
Angkor Period (Cambodia, at times incl. Vietnam)
Powerful regional states, incl. Pallava, Pandya, Chalukya, Chola 500 to 1300

KOREA 600-1000 CE
KOREA: HISTORY-ARCHAEOLOGY

Unified Silla (668 to 935); Koryŏ (918-1392)

Korea, 500-1000 A.D. [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
"Through a series of military and political moves, the kingdom of Silla (57 B.C.–668 A.D.) achieves dominance over most of the Korean peninsula by the end of the seventh century." With a period overview, list of key events, and nine related artworks.

United Silla, 668-935 [The Art of Asia, Minneapolis Institute of Arts]
"In 660, the Silla rulers allied their armies with forces from T'ang China to defeat both Paekche and Koguryŏ." A brief one-paragraph overview, with one object representative of the period.

Golden Treasures: The Royal Tombs of Silla [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
A short introduction, with images of six artifacts, of which four are found in the museum's collection.

Silla Korea and the Silk Road: Golden Age, Golden Threads [PDF] [Korea Society]
This 200-page curriculum unit covers three topics: 1) Was Silla Part of the Silk Road?; 2) Did the Silk Road Create Silla's Golden Age?; 3) Sillan Individuals and the Silk Road. (The third section discusses two nodiv women of the period, Queen Sondok, r. 632–647, and Queen Chindok, r. 647-654.) With maps, images of artworks, in-depth readings, and suggested activities for the classroom.

DBQsThe Rise of Silla [PDF] [Korea Society]
For grades 9 to 12. With five "documents" — two historical sites with religious significance, one map, and two works of literature/philosophy.

Koryŏ Dynasty, 918-1392 [The Art of Asia, Minneapolis Institute of Arts]
"The last Silla king abdicated the throne in the early 10th century and married the daughter of the upstart General Wang Kon, who founded the Koryo dynasty (918-1392)." A brief one-paragraph overview, with two objects representative of the period.

GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

The Ten Injunctions of King T'aejo

Primary Source w/DBQsThe Ten Injunctions of Wang Kŏn (King T'aejo) [PDF] [Asia for Educators]

TECHNOLOGY, INVENTIONS, SCIENCE

Mechanical Toys

Mechanical Toys, Korea's Silla Period [Asia Society]
"The elaborate mechanical toys in 7th century Korea are described by a Korean monk some five hundred years later. This essay reveals to the reader a little about the technology and trade of that time."

SOCIETY

Two Silla Queens, Sondok (r. 632-647) and Chindok (r. 647-654)

Ten Essential Women for a World History Class: Sondok, Silla Queen [World History Connected, University of Illinois]
Article about Queen Sondok, who "fought off rival kingdoms and the Chinese to continue the consolidation of Korea, built major temples, the oldest existing observatory in Asia, and bolstered Buddhist links between China and Japan."

Queen Sondok, Silla Dynasty [Women in World History]
A brief overview of Queen Sondok's life and times.

Lesson PlanFamous Koreans: Six Portraits: Queen Sondok [PDF] [Education About Asia, Association for Asian Studies]
Lesson plan designed "to provide an opportunity for students to learn about famous Koreans through readings and/or dramatizations." Brief overviews of the lives of six nodiv figures in Korea's history, including the Silla Queen, Sondok. Each overview is imagined as a first-person narrative written by the historical figure.

Note to Teachers • The journal Education about Asia has many excellent teaching resources on-line on all topics related to East, South and SE Asia.

Silla Korea and the Silk Road: Golden Age, Golden Threads [Korea Society]
This 200-page curriculum unit covers three topics: 1) Was Silla Part of the Silk Road?; 2) Did the Silk Road Create Silla's Golden Age?; 3) Sillan Individuals and the Silk Road. (The third section discusses two nodiv women of the period, Queen Sondok, r. 632–647, and Queen Chindok, r. 647-654.) With maps, images of artworks, in-depth readings, and suggested activities for the classroom.

Social Stratification: The "Bone Rank" System

Primary Source w/DBQsSŏl Kyedu [PDF] [Asia for Educators]

LITERATURE

Hyangga: Oral Poetry of the Silla

Primary Source w/DBQs"Song for a Dead Sister," by Wŏlmyŏng [PDF] [Asia for Educators]

Primary Source w/DBQs"Song for the Peace of the People" (Anmin'ga), by Ch'ungdam [PDF] [Asia for Educators]


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