Prompt: What do we learn about the spread of Buddhism along the Silk Road from the Chinese Buddhist monk and translator Xuanzang?

The silk road by Peter frankpan is the book we use.

Xuanzang. 2003. “Record of the Western Regions.” Translated by Samuel Beal. Silk Road Seattle Project, 7-69. https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/xuanzang.html

While reading the text, focus on pages 7-12, 21-24, and 43-54.

Your response should include the following elements:

Two thoughtful paragraphs (~400 words total).

A sharp and original thesis statement. This is your argument.

Specific details from the writing of Xuanzang and at least one quotation from the text.

At least one piece of context from a secondary source (ex, Frankopan) from the class to support your analysis. I am looking for evidence that you completed the readings for the week. You might consider including details about Buddhism or its spread along the Silk Road that sharpens your argument. A summary of Frankopan’s argument provided by AI will not count.

Make sure to correctly cite all information, including quotations and context, using Chicago Style with page or section numbers. The text by Xuanzang includes page numbers.

There are full references for all readings at the end of the syllabus.

While I generally discourage using AI for discussion boards, if you do use it to brainstorm ideas, please ensure you follow the course policies, cite it and include the AI statement. Otherwise, your work will receive a zero.

You can use the discussion post checklist to ensure your assignment includes all the required elements.

Discussion Post​ ​Checklist*

HIST 1311: Hist Of Civilization I

For discussion posts each week, you should complete the following tasks:

TASKS FOR THE WEEK

• Initial response
• Two questions
• Responses to any questions

INITIAL RESPONSE (Due Wednesday)

• My​ ​introduction​ ​contains​ ​a​ ​clearly stated​ ​thesis​ that​ ​explains​ ​how​ ​or ​why something​ ​happened in the past.
• I utilized all the assigned primary sources for the week as my central evidence and analyzed them.
• I have supported my analysis with secondary sources from the class (e.g., Peter Frankopan).
• Each​ ​time​ ​I​ ​bring​ ​in​ ​evidence​ ​that​ ​is​ ​not​ ​clearly​ ​common​ ​knowledge,​ ​I​ ​have​ ​cited​ ​the source​ ​of​ ​that​ ​information​ ​with​ ​an​ ​author-date citation (in-text) or note.
• My response is ~400 words.
• I have chosen a single citation format (author-date or notes), and my​ ​citations conform ​to​ the Chicago​ ​style​. Any paper without citations (or with incomplete citations) will receive an automatic zero.
• I​ ​have​ ​included​ ​a​ ​bibliography​ ​or reference list of​ ​my​ ​sources that​ ​conform​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Chicago​ ​Style manual. Complete references are available at the end of the syllabus.
• If I used AI to brainstorm ideas, I checked the accuracy, cited the material correctly, and included the AI acknowledgment statement at the end of the post.
• ​​​I​ ​have​ ​proofread​ ​the​ ​response ​for​ ​spelling​ ​and​ ​grammar​ ​errors.
• I have subscribed to the thread of my post to get emails about any questions or responses.

QUESTIONS (Due Wednesday)

• I have asked two peers a question.
• Each question is unique and helps my peer further their understanding of the material.
• I have avoided vague questions, general opinions, historical counterfactuals (what could have happened), or topics unrelated to the readings.

Continues on the next page….

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS (Due Friday)

• I have responded to the first three (3) questions that I have been asked.
• If I did not get any questions, I answered one (1) question on a peer’s thread.
• I have responded to any questions from Prof. Yeaw.
• Each response is 150-200 words.
• I have brought in primary and secondary sources to support my answer.
• I have cited any readings I have used, and my​ ​citations conform ​to​ the Chicago​ ​Style (author-date or note) style​.
• If I used AI to brainstorm ideas, I checked the accuracy, cited the material correctly, and included the AI acknowledgment statement at the end of the response.
• I​ ​have​ ​proofread​ ​the​ ​response ​for​ ​spelling​ ​and​ ​grammar​ ​errors.

It has to be from these sources.

PRIMARY SOURCES

Al-Tabari, Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Jarīr ibn Yazīd. 2012. “The History of the Prophets and Kings” in Readings in Late Antiquity: a Sourcebook, edited by Michael Mass. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis, 399-400.

Boccaccio, Giovanni. 2023. “The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio.” Translated by John Payne. Edited by Katrina Yeaw. Course reading for World Civilization I, received at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR, January 17.

The Chronicle of Séert. 2014. Edited by Anthony Alcock. https://archive.org/details/AlcockChronicleOfSeertET

Comnena (Komnene), Anna. 2001. “The Alexiad: Book XI.” Internet Medieval SourceBook, last modified January 20, 2021. I-XII. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/AnnaComnena-Alexiad11.asp

D’Aguiliers, Raymond. 1997. “The Siege and Capture of Jerusalem: The March to Jerusalem, 2. Version of Raymond d’Aguiliers.” Internet Medieval SourceBook, last modified January 20, 2021. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/cde-jlem.asp#raymond1

“From the History of Karka d-Beth Slokh.” 1998. Holy Women of the Syrian Orient: Transformation of the Classical Heritage, edited by Sebastian Broch and Susan Ashbrook Harvey. Berkeley: University of California Press, 77-78.

Herodotus. 1998. “Artemisia at Salamis, 480 BCE.” Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, last modified January 20, 2021. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/480artemisia.asp

Herodotus. 2013.“The Histories” in Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 138-140.

“The Holy Martyr Mar James the Dismembered.” 2014. The Chronicle of Séert, edited by Anthony Alcock, 67-68.

Ibn Battuta. 2001. “The Plague of 1348” in Travels in Asia and Africa, 1325-1354. Internet Medieval SourceBook, last modified October 24, 2024. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/1354-ibnbattuta.asp

Ibn Faḍlān, Aḥmad. 2012. Ibn Fadlan and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travellers in the Far North, edited by Paul Lunde and Caroline Stone. London: Penguin Books, 58-129.

Ibn Hawqal. 2012. “Ibn Hawqal on the trade in eunuchs 988” in Ibn Fadlan and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travellers in the Far North, edited by Paul Lunde and Caroline Stone. London: Penguin Books, 2012, 153.

Ibn Hawqal. 2012. “Ibn Hawqal on Khwarazm and its trade 988” in Ibn Fadlan and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travellers in the Far North, edited by Paul Lunde and Caroline Stone. London: Penguin Books, 155-156.

Ibn Munqidh, Usmah. 1998. “Autobiography, excerpts on the Franks.” Internet Medieval SourceBook, last modified October 24, 2024. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/Usamah2.asp

Ibn Ya’cub, Ibrahim. 2012. “Ibrahim ibn Ya’cub on Northern Europe in 965” in Ibn Fadlan and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travellers in the Far North, translation by Paul Lunde and Stone Caroline. London: Penguin Books, 162-168.

“Jāmāsp Nāmag.” 1997. Seeing Islam as Others Saw It: A Survey and Evaluation of Christian, Jewish and Zoroastrian writings on early Islam, edited by Robert G. Hoyland. Princeton, The Darwin Press, 321-324.

John, Bishop of Nikiu. 2012. “The Chronicle 120.17- 28” in Readings in Late Antiquity: a Sourcebook, edited by Michael Mass. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis, 400-401.

Juvaini. 2013. “The History of the World Conqueror” in Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 492-493.

Chinggis Khan. 2013. “Letter to Changchun” in Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 491.

Mas‘udi. 2012. “Mas‘udi on a Viking raid on the Caspian” in Ibn Fadlan and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travellers in the Far North, translation by Paul Lunde and Stone Caroline. London: Penguin Books, 131-132.

Miskawayh. 2012. “Miskawayh on the Rus raid on Bardha‘a 943” in Ibn Fadlan and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travellers in the Far North, translation by Paul Lunde and Caroline Stone. London: Penguin Books, 134-137.

“Muhammad and Archangel Gabriel.” 2013.Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 401.

“Qardah the Martyr.” 2014. The Chronicle of Séert, edited by Anthony Alcock, 7-9.

Sebeos. 1999. “Chapter 42” in The Armenian History Attributed to Sebeos. Vol. 31, edited by James Howard-Johnston. Liverpool University Press, 94-102.

Sophronius of Jerusalem. 2012. “Sermon on the Epiphany” in Readings in Late Antiquity: a Sourcebook, edited by Michael Mass. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis, 399.

“Story of Shahdost the Martyr and Tenth Catholicos.” 2014. The Chronicle of Séert, edited by Anthony Alcock, 51-52.

Tacitus, Publius Cornelius. 2013. “Germania” in Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson. Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 140-142.

“The Battle of Badr.” 2013. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 404.

“The Chronicle of Novgorod.” 2013. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 494-495.

“The Destruction of Idols.” 2013. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 406.

“The Night Journey of Muhammad.”2013. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 402.

“The Secret History of the Mongols.” 2013. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 489-490.

“Treatise on the Relics of the Patriarchs at Hebron.” 2012. Readings in Late Antiquity: a Sourcebook, edited by Michael Mass. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis, 400.

Sima Qian. 2013. “Records of the Grand Historian” in Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 143-145.

William of Rubruck. 2013. “Journey to the Land of the Mongols” in Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources, edited by Robert W. Strayer and Eric W. Nelson Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 496-497.

Xuanzang. 2003. “Record of the Western Regions.” Translated by Samuel Beal. Silk Road Seattle Project, 7-69. https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/xuanzang.html

Yu Huan. 2004. “The Peoples of the West.” Translated by John E. Hill. Silk Road Seattle Project, Sections 11-14. https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/weilue/weilue.html#section11

BIBLIOGRAPHY/SECONDARY SOURCES

Note: Not all of these secondary sources are assigned every semester.

Berger, Adolf, Barry Nicholas, and Susan M. Treggiari. 2012. The Oxford Classical Dictionary. 2012. 4th ed. rev. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Bentley, Jerry H., Herbert F. Ziegler, and Heather Streets-Salter. 2016. Traditions & Encounters: A Brief Global History. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Eastman, David L. 2023. “Marytrs Texts.” Bible Odyssey. Society of Biblical Literature. Accessed February 21, 2023. https://www.bibleodyssey.org/video-gallery/martyr-texts/

Eusner, Jacob. “Babylonian Jewry and Shapur II’s Persecution of Christianity from 339 to 379 A.D. Hebrew Union College Annual 43 (1972): 77–102

Fernández-Armesto, Felipe. The World: A History: Combined Volume. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River [N.J.]: Prentice-Hall, 2010.

Frankopan, Peter. 2016 The Silk Roads: A New History of the World. First American ed. New York: Alfred A.

Hansen, Valerie. 2017. The Silk Road: A New History with Documents. New York: Oxford Oxford University Press,

Ibn Faḍlān, Aḥmad. 2012. Ibn Fadlan and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travellers in the Far North, edited by Paul Lunde and Caroline Stone. London: Penguin Books.

Liu, Xinru. 2010. The Silk Road in World History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, USA.

Maalouf, Amin. 2003. Samarkand: A Novel. New York: Interlink Books.

Maas, Michael. 2012. Readings in Late Antiquity: A Sourcebook. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

Mair, Victor H., and Jane Hickman, eds. 2014. Reconfiguring the Silk Road : New Research on East-West Exchange in Antiquity : The Papers of a Symposium Held at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology March 19, 2011. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Mark, Joshua J. 2014. “Artemisia I of Caria.” World History Encyclopedia. Last modified March 12. https://www.worldhistory.org/Artemisia_I_of_Caria/.

Mark, Joshua J. 2022. “Herodotus.” World History Encyclopedia. Last modified October 19. https://www.worldhistory.org/herodotus/.

Rael, Patrick. 2004. Reading, Writing, and Researching for History: A Guide for College Students. Brunswick, ME: Bowdoin College. https://courses.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/reading/how-to-read-a-primary-source/

Strayer, Robert W., and Eric W. Nelson. 2013. Ways of the World: A Brief Global History with Sources. Second Edition, Combined ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Wood, Philip. 2013. The Chronicle of Seert: Christian Historical Imagination in Late Antique Iraq. Oxford: Oxford University Press.