Semester 2

Question 0

2 The CCP and government bureaucracies are organized along territorial and functional lines. Explain what ‘territorial’ and ‘functional’ mean in this context.

Answer 0

The territorial organization is based on a number of administrative divisions, with both a CCP committee and a “people’s government” in charge of each.

The functionally-based political organization is led soon the government side by ministries and commissions under the state council and on the CCP side. (122)

Question 1

1 China is governed by ‘mass organizations’, the most important of which is the CCP( Communistische Partij van China). Give two other examples of mass organizations in China.

Answer 1

Trade unions, a youth league and woman´s associations. (121)

Question 2

3 What are the responsibilities of the National People’s Congress as compared with the State Council?

Answer 2

NPC: All National legislative(wetgevende) power

State Council: is made responsible for executing(uitvoeren) rather than enacting(vaststellen, bepalen) the laws. (123)

Question 3

4 What is the role of the Standing Committee of the State Council?

Answer 3

They exercise major day-to-day decision-making authority, and its decision de facto have the force of law. (124)

Question 4

In theory, the NPC is a powerful organ. In reality, what is its actual role?

Answer 4

Ratify (bekrachtigen) the decisions already made by State Council. (124)

Question 5

If the Party’s Congress is not in session, as it usually isn’t, who is empowered to act in its place?

Answer 5

The Central Committee. (125)

Question 6

7 The functioning of the legal apparatus (politieke apparaten) is not without its problems. What are the two major obstacles?

Answer 6

• Shortage of qualified personnel.

- Deeply ingrained perspectives that do not accord the law priority over the desires of political leaders. (129)

Question 7

8​Deng Xiaoping once said: ‘Whether a cat is black or white makes no difference, as long as it catches mice it is a good cat.’ What did he want to point out?

Answer 7

Proclaiming(verklaren) that socialism and capitalism need not to be antagonistic(tegenstrijdig) or mutually(tweezijdig) exclusive. (131)

Question 8

9​Why is it strange that a condition like obesity is now so widespread in China?

Answer 8

Obesity was once rare in China. Cause: shortage of food, hard work and regular exercise. Now the economy has improved and wealth grows, and so do the people. (132)

Question 9

11​Name the three wealthiest areas in China and give an indication of their geographical position.

Answer 9

• Along the south-east coast, centered on the Pearl (Zhu) River delta.
• Along the east coast, centered on the lower Yangtze River.
• Near the Bo Hai (Gulf of Zhili), in the Beijing-Tianjin-Liaoning region. (135)

Question 10

12​What was the most important consequence of China’s acceptance into the WTO?

Answer 10

1 .Stipulations(stipulatie) (bepalingen) about further economic, 2.liberalization
​3. government deregulation (deregulering, verminderen van bemoeienissen van de overhead) (136)

Question 11

13​What are the three types of economic activity in China if one looks at planning and the role of the government?

Answer 11

• Those stipulated by mandatory planning.
• Those done according to indicative planning.
• Those governed by market forces. (137 – 138)

Question 12

14​Products are now sold in a two-tiered price system. What are these two tiers (niveau)?

Answer 12

• The State.

- The free market. (138)

Question 13

15​How much of China’s total land area is suitable for cultivation?

Answer 13

10 percent of China´s total land. (143)

Question 14

16​What are the two major agricultural crops?

Answer 14

Rice and wheat. (144)

Question 15

17​Two-thirds of China’s energy consumption is supplied by ….?

Answer 15

Coal. (146)

Question 16

18​What is the new name of the former Central Bank of China?

Answer 16

The People’s Bank of China. (148)

Question 17

19​What are China’s most important articles of import? (Mention three.)

Answer 17

• Machinery and apparatus
• Chemicals
• Fuels (151)

Question 18

20​What are China’s most important articles of export? (Mention three.)

Answer 18

• Manufactured goods
• Equipment and clothing
• Textiles and footwear (151)

Question 19

21​Chinese government censors routinely block access to certain web pages that address sensible issues. Name two of these issues.

Answer 19

• Sovereignty (oppergezag) of Taiwan

- Human rights abuses in Tibet. (155)

Question 20

22​What is the name of the principal national newspaper?

Answer 20

Renmin ribao -> People’s Daily. (155)

Question 21

23​What are the names of the two religions (or rather ‘religio-philosophical schools’) that originated in China?

Answer 21

Confucianism and Taoism. (159)

Question 22

24​What foreign (i.e., non-Chinese) religion became important in the period of 300 BC – AD 100?

Answer 22

Buddhism. (159)

Question 23

25​What became China’s official religion in 1949, after the Communist takeover?

Answer 23

Atheist. (159)

Question 24

26​Confucianism is not only a religion, but it has other characteristics as well. Explain.

Answer 24

A world view, a social ethic, a political ideology, a scholar tradition and a way of life. (160)

Question 25

27​According to the authors of the book, who was the founder of Confucianism?

Answer 25

The legendary Yao and Shun. (162)

Question 26

28​The Analects is sometimes seen as a collection of unrelated conversations. What else is it?

Answer 26

Confucius' personality. His ambitions, his fears, his joys, his commitments, and his self-knowledge. (164)

Question 27

10​What is the ‘little emperor’ phenomenon?

Answer 27

It was a result of the Chinese government’s declaration(verklaring) in 1979 of the “one child policy”. Single children are taken care by the parents and grandparents, becoming the center of a small constellation (constellatie) (“toestand)

Question 28

29​What was Confucius’ moral mission?

Answer 28

To restore trust in government and to transform society into a moral community by cultivation(bewerking) and a sense of humanity in politics and society. (167)

Question 29

30​What was the role of the fellowship of junzi?

Answer 29

To redefine and revitalize(nieuw leven inblazen) those institutions that for centuries were believed to have maintained social solidarity and enabled people to live in harmony and prosperity. (167)

Question 30

​31.What is the idea behind the common use of the family metaphor in the Confucian tradition?

Answer 30

The family-centered nomenclature (naamgeving) implies a political vision. (168)

Question 31

​When did Confucianism reach its apex as a cultural and political ideology?

Answer 31

During the Qing dynasty 1644-1911. (169)

Question 32

33​Modern China is still suffused with Confucian values. Give two examples.

Answer 32

Some influential intellectuals in China have continued to think from Confucian roots. Like: - Liang Shuming's cultural analysis - Feng Youlan's reconstruction of the learning of the principle - He Lin's new interpretation of the learning of the mind (170 - 171)

Question 33

34​Who was Laozi (Lao-tzu)?

Answer 33

The founder of Taoism. (172)

Question 34

35​What is the name of the classic text of Taoism?

Answer 34

Classic of the way of power. (172)

Question 35

36​What practical contributions has Taoism made to Chinese culture?

Answer 35

Graphic guides - Calligraphy - Figure painting - The language of speculative Taoism was pressed into service as the basic vocabulary of Chinese aesthetics (schoonheidsleer). (184-185)

Question 36

37​Where does Taoism have its principal refuge(toevluchtsoord) today?

Answer 36

Taiwan. (185)

Question 37

38​What other religion was early Buddhism associated with?

Answer 37

Taoism. (186)

Question 38

39​What was the golden age of Buddhism in China?

Answer 38

During the Tang dynasty. 618-907 (192)

Question 39

40​What are the two schools of Buddhism in China?

Answer 39

- The Chan school | - The Pure Land Tradition (193)

Question 40

41​In what region of China is Buddhism the dominant religion?

Answer 40

Tibet

Question 41

42​What is the Qin Emperor best known for in the West? And in China?

Answer 41

- In the West: For his lavish(uitdrukkelijk aanwezige) tomb(tombe, graf) outside the city Xi'an, near his capital city. - In China: As the burner of books. (203)

Question 42

43​Why was (and still is) the Tang dynasty considered to be China’s ‘golden age’?

Answer 42

For three centuries there was peace at home and a solid economic base for the prosperity(success) of the country. (204)

Question 43

44​What is the name of the dynasty that the Manchus established in the 17th century?

Answer 43

The Qing dynasty. (211)