2. ancient asian civilizations standard: identify the major achievements of chinese and indian...

2. Ancient Asian Civilizations

• Standard: Identify the major achievements of Chinese and Indian societies from 1100 BCE to 500 CE.

• Essential Question: What were the major achievements of Chinese and Indian societies from 1100 BCE to 500 CE?

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China

India

• Element: Explain how geography of the Indian Subcontinent contributed to the movement of people and ideas.

India

• the geography of India is very diverse• core regions include:– mountain ranges– river valleys– dry interior plateau– fertile coastal plains

Indian Subcontinent

• a large area of land that is part of a continent but is also separated from the continent

• modern countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan

Indian subcontinent

Indian Mountains

• India is separated from the rest of Asia by two major mountain ranges– Himalayas– Hindu Kush

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Indian subcontinent

Indian Mountains

• Himalayas– the tallest mountains in

the world– Northeast of India

• Hindu Kush– Northwest of India

• Impact:– mountains protected the

Indus valley from invasion

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Indian subcontinent

• Invaders can only enter the Indian subcontinent over water or through a small number of mountain passes

Himalayas

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Indian subcontinent

•The most well-known mountain pass is the Khyber Pass.

Khyber Pass

Indian Rivers

• Plains stretch south from the mountains• There are three major rivers on these plains– Indus– Ganges– Brahmaputra

Indus River

Ganges River

Brahmaputra River

Indian Rivers• Indus: flows southwest from the Himalayas to

the Arabian Sea• Ganges: drops from the Himalayas and flows

eastward across northern India to join the Brahmaputra River as it flows into the Bay of Bengal

• link interior to the sea• irrigation and silt

India’s Climate

• Monsoon– a wind that changes direction– creates two seasons– also can mean heavy rain– dominates India’s climate

India’s Climate• Winter or Northeast

(November to March)– Brings dry air from mountains

• Summer or Southwest (June to September)– Brings wet air from the ocean

Indian Societies

• Element: Describe the development of Indian civilization to include the rise and fall of the Maurya Empire, the “Golden Age” under Gupta, and the emperor Ashoka.

• Vocabulary: Mauryan Empire, Ashoka, Gupta Empire

Early Civilizations

Description:•developed in the Indus River valley•known as Harappan or Indus civilization•3000 to 1500 B.C.•ruins of two dominant cities at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

Early Civilizations

Achievement:•planned cities•sewer system

Aryans

Description:•nomadic•Indo-European•living in central Asia•1500 B.C. moved south across the Hindu Kush

Aryans

Achievement:•excelled at war•conquered the Harappans•Magadha: the first Aryan kingdom to control almost all of India•Caste System

Caste System

Description:•hierarchy of classes•determined a person’s occupation, economic potential, and social status•five major classes/castes

Major Caste• Sudras– most of the population– peasants, artisans, manual labor– had limited rights

• Untouchables (Pariah/Dalits)– not considered part of the caste system– 5 percent of the population– had an extremely difficult life– performed tasks that other would not accept– not considered human– other classes considered their presence harmful

Maurya Empire

Rise:•324 to 183 B.C.•Unified by Chandragupta Maurya•Overthrew the king of Magaha•Skilled administrator•Developed efficient postal system

Maurya Empire

Asoka:•269 to 232 B.C.•considered the greatest Indian ruler•converted to Buddhism•governed in accordance with Buddhist ideals

Mauryan Empire (321 - 184 B.C.)Achievements:•After the adoption of Buddhism, Ashoka:

– Never again went to war– Carved his laws on rocks

and placed them throughout the kingdom

– Established free hospitals– veterinary clinics– Built roads with rest areas

for travelers connected to the Silk Roads

Maurya Empire

Silk Roads:•extensive trade route (about 4,000 miles)•Changan in China to Mesopotamia, then to Antioch, and finally to Greece and Rome•luxury goods from West traded for luxury goods to the East

Maurya Empire

Fall:•declined after Asoka’s death in 232 B.C.

Gupta Empire

Development:•AD 320 to the end of the fifth century•Built by Chandragupta I – no relation to Chandragupta Maurya– Called the “Golden Age” of India– Built many Hindu temples

•Reached height under Chandragupta II (A.D. 375 – 415)

Gupta Empire: Achievements

Folktales & Drama:•Panchantantra – folktales to teach moral lessons through stories of animals•Kalidasa, famous playwright – wrote Shakuntala – about the love between a king and forest maiden

Gupta Empire: Achievements

Art and Architecture:•Ajanta Caves•Capital at Pataliputra•Stupas

Gupta Empire: Achievements

Astronomy:•Realized earth is roundMathematics:•Developed principles leading to algebra•Invented concepts of infinity and zero•Devised symbols for 1-9 (“Arabic Numerals”)•Developed a decimal system

Gupta Empire: Achievements

Medicine:•Vaccination•Plastic Surgery•Hospital SystemTrade:•Arabia (Persia and North Africa) – gems, spices, cotton, teak and ebony•China – silk•Rome – gold

Indian Religion

• Element: Explain the development and impact of Hinduism and Buddhism on India and subsequent diffusion of Buddhism.

• Vocabulary: Hinduism, Brahman, atman, Dharma, Karma, Samsara, moksha, Siddhartha Gautama, Buddhism, Nirvana

Development of Religion

• Mahabharata: an epic Arayan tale that told of the struggle to control the southern portion of India– Krishna: one hero from the epic– Many believe that this struggle is what led the

founding of Hinduism and Buddhism

Hinduism

Founder:•based on Aryan religious beliefs•no single founder, added to over time

Homeland:•India•vast majority of Indian people are Hindus

Hinduism

God:•Brahman = ultimate reality (God)•Hindu gods and goddesses – gave ordinary Hindus a way to express their

religious feelings– three chief deities• Brahma the Creator• Vishnu the Preserver• Siva the Destroyer

Hinduism

Sacred Writings:•Vedas = collections of hymns and ceremonies passed down orally by Aryan priests and later written down•knowledge comes from the Vedas

Hinduism: Key Beliefs

• Henotheistic – recognize existence of many gods but believe in only one supreme god

• Atman– the duty of the individual self– to seek to know this ultimate reality (Brahman)

• Fulfilling its duty would allow the soul to merge with Brahman after death

Hinduism: Key Beliefs

• Dharma: duties you are expected to perform, the ethical way in which you are supposed to behave

• Ahimsa: non-violence towards all living things

Hinduism: Key Beliefs

• Reincarnation– 500s B.C. – the idea that the individual soul is reborn in a

different form after death– after many existences, the soul may fulfill its final

goal and unite with Brahman – you may be reborn into a higher or lower caste

Hinduism: Key Beliefs

• Karma– an important part in reincarnation– the idea that people’s actions determine:• their form of rebirth• the class into which they are reborn, if they are reborn

as a person

Hinduism: Key Beliefs

• caste system– religious basis created by the system of

reincarnation– higher caste members worthy of privileges

because of good karma – lower classes hoped to improve their social status

in future lives if they behaved well in the present

Hinduism: Key Beliefs

• Yoga (“union”)– developed as a practice to achieve oneness with

God– seen as a kind of dreamless sleep

Hinduism: Key Beliefs

• Aum (or Om)• represents Brahman,

everything that is absolute in the universe

Hinduism: Key Beliefs

• Swastika– Represents

everything that is good in the world

– Means “it is well” or “may good prevail”

• Color: Saffron (Represents fire from Brahman)

Buddhism

Description:•sixth century B.C.•new doctrine appeared in northern India•rivaled Hinduism

Buddhism

Founder:•Siddhartha Gautama– known as the Buddha – “Enlightened One”

BuddhismFounder:•Legend:– Born into luxury, became shocked when he drove

around in his chariot and saw poverty and sickness

– Left wife and newborn son to wander around India at age 29

– Lived as hermit for 7 years until finally finding enlightenment

Buddhism

Homeland:•Northern India

God:•rejects the idea of a deity

Buddhism

Sacred Writings:•Mahayana Sutras•The Tripitaka

Ceremonies:•Buddha Day

Buddhism: Key Beliefs

• taught:– the physical realm is an illusion– attachment to worldly things causes suffering– giving up attachments stops suffering– leads to Bodhi (wisdom)

• More philosophy than religion, but can be considered both or either

Buddhism: Key Beliefs• Four Noble Truths:

1. The truth of suffering (dukkha)• All people suffer and know sadness and sorrow

2. The truth of the cause of suffering (samudaya)• People suffer because of their material desires

3. The truth of the end of suffering (nirhodha)• Suffering could end by elimination desires

4. The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (magga)• By following the Eightfold Path one could eliminate desires

Buddhism

• Purpose: To reach nirvana (enlightenment)– ultimate reality– reunion with the Great World Soul– achieving wisdom is a key step

• The Middle Way (eightfold path) is important– Away from extremes– Moderation

Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism

Right-coiled White Conch

Precious Umbrella

Victory Banner

Golden Fish

Dharma Wheel

Auspicious Drawing

Lotus Flower

Vase of Treasure

Color Symbolism in Buddhism

• Blue = coolness, infinity• Black = hate, primordial darkness• White = knowledge, purity• Red = sacred blood, life• Green = balance, harmony• Yellow = earth, renunciation

Diffusion of Buddhism

• The first “great missionary faith”• Spread into Afghanistan by A.D. 1 • Spread into China during mid 1st century A.D.• Reached Japan and Korea by A.D. 500

Diffusion of Buddhism

• Ashoka was the first ruler to send out Buddhist missions to convert other nations, helping the religion spread

Diffusion of Buddhism

Diffusion of Buddhism

• In some places, Buddhism merged with local traditions

– Examples:• Zen Buddhism in Japan• Pure Land and Chan Buddhism in China• Buddhism in Vietnam

Buddhism Throughout Asia

Japan

Buddhism Throughout Asia

China

Buddhism Throughout

Asia

Vietnam

Buddhism Throughout Asia

Afghanistan

Thailand

Buddhism v. Hinduism• Related to Hinduism– Shares belief of:

• Karma – (accumulation of good or bad deeds)

• Dharma – (but in this case is the teachings of Buddha telling you how to

act/live)• Reincarnation

– (rebirth)

– Differs: Rejection of caste system• taught that all individuals could reach nirvana as a result of

their behavior in their current life

Chinese Societies

• Element: Describe the development of Chinese civilization under the Zhou and Qin.

• Vocabulary: Mandate of Heaven, dynastic cycle, Zhou Dynasty, Qin dynasty, Shi Huangdi, autocracy, Great Wall of China, terra cota army

Geography of China

Geographic China

• slightly larger than the United States• rich in natural resources (tin, tungsten, coal,

iron, copper, lead and aluminum)• Farming a challenge on 2/3 of the land surface• East China is where 96% of population live

Demographic China

• World’s largest population with 1.2 billion• 94% are the Han (ethnic group)• 6% are comprised of 55 minority groups• 80% of the population are farmers • 20% live in urban areas

Early Chinese Civilizations

• 5000-1700 BCE• isolation from other emerging centers of

culture (Mesopotamia, Egypt & India)• late development• Yangshao began 7,000 years ago in Huang He

Valley• Longshan developed 2,000 years later and

replaced the Yangshao

Shang Dynasty (1766-1122 BCE)

Description:•China’s first flourishing civilization•ruled from about 1750 to 1122 B.C.emerged from the Longshan culture•ruled for 600 years

Shang Dynasty (1766-1122 BCE)

Development:•believed supernatural forces could help with worldly life•Priests read oracle bones to communicate with the gods

Oracle Bones

• king’s question to the gods was etched on a bone

• bone was heated until cracked

• Priests interpreted the meaning of the cracks

Shang Dynasty (1766-1122 BCE)

Achievements:•organized government•a system of writing: represented ideas not sounds•making of bronze vessels (made from copper & tin)

Zhou Dynasty (1122-256 BCE)

Description:•ruled from 1122 to 256 B.C. •overthrew the Shang dynasty•claimed Mandate of Heaven•rule for 900 years•developed feudalism in China

Zhou Dynasty (1122-256 BCE)

Mandate of Heaven:•Divine (God) approval of the ruler•Heaven/law of nature•kept order in the world through the king•helped make legitimate the dynastic cycles•from beginning to A.D. 1912

Zhou Dynasty (1122-256 BCE)

Mandate of Heaven - How it works:•king expected to rule with goodness and efficiency•following the proper “Way,” or Dao•ruled correctly = gods would be pleased•ruled incorrectly = gods would allow bad harvests and/or other disasters•king could then be overthrown and replaced with a new ruler

In time, dynasty declines and becomes corrupt; taxes are raised; power grows weaker

New dynasty gains power, restores peace and order, and claims to have Mandate of Heaven.

Strong dynasty establishes peace and prosperity; it is considered to have Mandate of Heaven.

Disasters such as floods, famines, peasant revolts, and invasions occur.

Old dynasty is seen as having lost Mandate of Heaven; rebellion is justified.

Dynasty is overthrown through rebellion and bloodshed; new dynasty emerges.

Dynastic Cycle

Zhou Dynasty (1122-256 BCE)

Dynastic Cycle:•dynasties went through a cycle of change•Pattern of rise, fall and replacement of dynasties– (Rise)a new dynasty would establish its power– (Fall)then begin to decline which lead to rebellions

or invasion and end of the dynasty– (Replacement)a new dynasty would begin and

start the cycle all over again

Zhou Dynasty (1122-256 BCE)

Decline:•collapse of the Zhou Dynasty•Rulers had difficulty controlling their territory•Nobles gained more power than the ruler•Age of the warring states•a period of instability•Confucius tried to develop a system for good government

Qin Dynasty 221 - 206 B.C.

Description:•Ying Zheng took the throne in 246 B.C. at age 13•221 B.C. unified a collection of warring kingdoms•took the name of Qin Shi Huang Di—the First Emperor of Qin

Terra Cotta Army

• an elaborate mausoleum created to accompany the first emperor of China into the afterlife

Qin Dynasty

Description:•standardized coins, weights, and measures•interlinked the states with canals and roads•credited for building the first version of the Great Wall

Great Wall of China

• concerned with the Xiongnu– a nomadic people– lived north near the Gobi dessert

• strengthened a system of walls• some of the original walls remain standing• much of what we know today was actually

built 1,500 years after the rule of Shi Huang Di

Han Dynasty 202 B.C. – A.D. 221 Description:•lasted over four hundred yearsAchievement:•large & efficient bureaucracy•created to handle rapidly increasing population•expanded westward into central Asia and southward into Vietnam•many cultural, scientific, and technological achievements

Confucius• Element: Explain the impact of Confucianism on

Chinese culture; include the examination system, the Mandate of Heaven, the status of peasants, the status of merchants, and the patriarchal family, and explain diffusion to Southeast Asia, Japan, and Korea.

• Vocabulary: Confucius, filial piety, bureaucracy, examination system

Family in Ancient China

Family:•the basic economic and social unit•a symbol of the social orderFarm Life:•made families important•many people were needed to work the farms

Family in Ancient China

patriarchal family:•important to ancient Chinese family life•every member has his or her own place•the needs of the family members comes second to the head male•an important Confucian concept

Family in Ancient ChinaRoles:•Young children worked in the fields•Older sons

– expected to undertake physical labor– to provide for their parents

•Men– responsible for providing food for their families– governed society– were warriors and scholars

•Women– raised children– stayed at home

Confucius• Kung Fu Tzu (551-479 BCE)• a Chinese philosopher• his teachings were recorded

and studied by his students• Chinese pupils continued to

study Confucius’s teachings until the twentieth century

• developed a code of ethical conduct

• wrote “The Analects”

Confucianism

• Confucius code of ethical conduct– developed as a result of the time of Warring

states after the fall of the Zhou Dynasty– to restore order and moral living in China – society was organized by right relationships

• believed that if humans acted in harmony with the universe, then their affairs would prosper

Confucianism• Dao (Way) - key to proper behavior– careful observance of ancient traditions– reverence for learning– cherishing of honesty– devotion to parents, family, friends and obedient to rule

• individual needs second to the needs of family and community

• urged people to “measure the feelings of others by one’s own” (Golden Rule)

Five Constant Relationships

• governed everybody• each individual has a duty to all others• relationships:

1. father & son (filial piety)2. husband & wife3. older & younger brother4. friend & friend5. ruler & subject

Role of Government

• if each individual worked hard to fulfill his or her duties, society would prosper

• rulers must set a good example and rule virtuously if society is to prosper

• dominate relationship is the family• strong, efficient government begins with the

family

Examination System• civil service positions

were not to be chosen through special or inherited privilege, but through an individual’s own abilities

• began in the 6th century

• required government officials to pass tests

Examination System

• exams included civil laws, revenue and taxes, agriculture and geography, military strategies, and classics of Confucianism

• led to the development of a bureaucracy - a trained civil service, or those who run the government on day to day bases

Social Order

• “Let the ruler be a ruler, the subject a subject”

• supports idea of the Mandate of Heaven

• Devine Right Ruler highest class in society

Social Order

• peasants made up the second-highest class• Merchants occupied the lowest class because

they merely bought and sold what others had made

• social division did not indicate wealth or power

• Peasants were still poor and merchants were still rich

Diffusion

• Confucian scholars opposed war and other coercive measures

• lead by moral example• not by conquest or conversion• legacy of Chinese regimes in

Vietnam(southeast Asia) and Korea• embraced in Japan