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Imperial China: Power, Belief, and Bureaucracy
Created by Shaunak Ghosh
Master the sophisticated government systems of East Asia from 1200-1450. Explore how the Mandate of Heaven, Neo-Confucian ideology, and the meritocratic Civil Service Exam created a centralized state that balanced continuity with innovation.
What you'll learn
- Contextualize the Song Dynasty within broader Afro-Eurasian trends.
- Explain how the Song Dynasty revived and modified Confucianism to strengthen political legitimacy.
- Analyze the structure and function of the Civil Service Exams.
- Describe the functional structure of the Song central government (Six Ministries).
Learning path
4 modules • Each builds on the previous one
1
State Formation in Afro-Eurasia
A comparative analysis of how states across Afro-Eurasia utilized religion, trade, and bureaucracy to demonstrate continuity and innovation in the 13th century.
2 videos11 min
2
Neo-Confucianism as State Ideology
An examination of the Neo-Confucian synthesis (Zhu Xi) and its role in justifying imperial hierarchy, filial piety, and the Mandate of Heaven.
2 videos10 min
3
The Civil Service Examination System
A deep dive into the Imperial Examination (Keju) system as a mechanism for meritocratic recruitment and the erosion of military aristocratic power.
1 video6 min
4
The Song Bureaucratic Apparatus
Structural analysis of the centralized administration (Six Ministries, Censorate) and the rise of the Scholar-Gentry class as the dominant political force.
2 videos13 min
Start Learning
Begin your learning journey
Modules4
Duration38 min
Science-backed learning
In-video quizzes and scaffolded content to maximize retention.
Key concepts
State Formation In Afro-EurasiaNeo-Confucianism As State IdeologyThe Civil Service Examination SystemThe Song Bureaucratic Apparatus