2021 HKDSE 中國歷史 Practice Paper | DSE Mock

Study the clues below regarding the territory and engineering projects of the Qin Dynasty, and fill in the blanks (a) to (d) with the correct historical terms or place names:

1. Qin established its capital at **(a)**, which served as the political center of the empire.
2. In the north, General Meng Tian expelled the Xiongnu and connected the Great Wall, which stretched from Lintao in the west to **(b)** in the east.
3. In the south, to secure military logistics for conquering the Baiyue region, Qin constructed the **(c)** Canal, which connected the Xiang River and the Li River.
4. Following the conquest of the Lingnan region, Qin set up three commanderies, among which **(d)** Commandery (with its seat at Panyu) covered most of modern Guangdong.

Briefly explain two reasons why Han Wudi implemented the state monopoly on salt and iron, and analyze one negative impact of this policy on the private merchant class.

Explain how the military and financial autonomy of Fanzhen (military commissioners) after the An-Shi Rebellion weakened the authority of the Tang central government.

In the early Tang Dynasty, the Equal-Field System (Juntian), the Zuyongdiao System (taxation), and the Fubing System (militia) were closely intertwined, forming a rigorous and integrated system. Analyze the inner connection among these three systems (3 marks), and explain how the collapse of the Equal-Field System led to the failure of the other two systems (3 marks).

In the early Tang Dynasty, the Equal-Field System (Juntian), the Zuyongdiao System (taxation), and the Fubing System (militia) were closely intertwined, forming a rigorous and integrated system. Analyze the inner connection among these three systems (3 marks), and explain how the collapse of the Equal-Field System led to the failure of the other two systems (3 marks).

Source A: A map showing the military garrisons (Fanzhen) in the late Tang Dynasty. It highlights two distinct zones: 'Group X' in the Hebei region (consisting of Weibo, Chengde, and Yanyun), which maintains hereditary military succession and retains local tax revenues; and 'Group Y' in the Huaihe and Yangtze River basins (the Southeast), which regularly remits grain, salt, and iron taxes to Chang'an via the Grand Canal.

Based on Source A and your historical knowledge, answer the following questions:
(a) Identify the two types of military garrisons (Group X and Group Y) in terms of their political and financial relationship with the Tang central government. (2 marks)
(b) Explain how the coexistence of these two types of Fanzhen affected the financial survival and political longevity of the late Tang court. (4 marks)

Source B: An excerpt from a map of the Western Han Dynasty under Emperor Wu, showing the distribution of state-run monopolies:
- 'Salt Offices' (鹽官) are densely located along the coastlines of Shandong, Jiangsu, and the inland salt pools of Sichuan and Hedong.
- 'Iron Offices' (鐵官) are heavily concentrated in the iron-ore rich regions of Henan, Shandong, and Shaanxi.

Based on Source B and your historical knowledge, answer the following questions:
(a) Identify two geographical characteristics of the distribution of the Salt and Iron Offices in the Han Dynasty. (2 marks)
(b) Explain the political and economic significance of Emperor Wu's state monopoly on salt and iron. (4 marks)

Explain the content of Emperor Wu of Han's "Salt and Iron Monopoly" policy, and illustrate how it achieved the purpose of "strengthening the trunk and weakening the branches" (strengthening central finance and suppressing local magnates).

To ensure the fairness of the imperial examinations, the Song Dynasty implemented the policies of "Huming" (sealing candidates' names) and "Tenglu" (transcribing exam papers). Explain the concrete operation of these two policies, and illustrate how they prevented exam fraud.

Ming Taizu (Emperor Hongwu) abolished the prime ministership to consolidate imperial autocratic power, but this institutional reform ironically paved the way for the rampant eunuch interference in politics in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. To what extent do you agree with this view? Explain your answer with historical facts of the Ming Dynasty.

Although both Qin Shi Huang and Han Wudi implemented strict policies of centralization, Han Wudi's integration of Confucianism with Legalist statecraft allowed the Han Dynasty to avoid the rapid collapse experienced by the Qin. To what extent do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer with reference to the rule policies of both emperors.

Compare the Equal-Field System (均田制) of the Northern Wei and the Tang dynasties. Analyze their differences in terms of: (1) the nature of land allocation categories (5 marks); and (2) their integration with taxation and labor service systems (5 marks).

Compare the measures taken in the imperial examinations of the Song and Ming dynasties to ensure fairness and prevent regional monopolies. Analyze from the following two aspects: (1) exam anti-cheating/security measures (5 marks); and (2) regional allocation of quotas (5 marks).

Some historians argue that 'The evolution of the Imperial Examination System from the Tang to the Song dynasty not only consolidated the centralized monarchy but also facilitated social mobility.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? Please evaluate based on historical facts of both dynasties.

Evaluate the view that 'the collapse of the Equal-Field System and the implementation of the Double Tax Law in the Tang dynasty was an inevitable outcome of socioeconomic development, but it also sowed the seeds for the dynasty's political decline.' Discuss with reference to the historical context of the mid-to-late Tang dynasty.