UNIT 5 - Classic Indian and China
INTRO:
Aryan and Vedic period, circa 1500-500 BCE
Aryans were one of several nomadic groups, collectively known as the Indo-Europeans
Hittites migrated to Anatolia and the Aryans to India
Aryans lived in small, scattered, semi-permanent villages. Aryans lived in kin-centered groups led by a local warlord.
They had a warlike culture that utilized horse-drawn chariots
Aryan characteristics: Light skin color, pastoralist lifestyle, no system of writing, rigid social structure
Indo-Davidian (Dasas): Dark skin color, urban agriculture, had a system of writing
The influence of Aryan culture on India was enormous. This is most evident in the social class system and religion
The Aryans brought a very rigid social structure to India. This social structure came to be known as the Varna, or caste system
4 major castes: 1. Brahmins 2. Kshatriyas 3. Vaisyas 4. Sudras
The caste system maintained that people were born into specific social classes. An individual cannot change their caste, marry someone from a different caste, or seek a role or occupation outside of their caste
Aryan religious beliefs also have a dramatic influence on India. The Aryans have a collection of prayers and rituals known as the VEDAS
Sacred text: Upanishads (NEED TO KNOW)
Upanishads serve as a foundational text for Hinduism
Sacred text: Mahabharata is an epic poem that tells the story of a power struggle for the throne
Pandavas vs. Kauravas
The earliest cities of the Indian civilization were built along the Indus River
Harappa and Mahenjadra are the two ancient Indian cities
Indus cities collapsed because of environmental and climate factors
The people of India now settled in The Ganges after abandoning the Indus River
Around 1,500 BCE, Sanskrit appeared in India
Around 1,500 BCE, the Vedas/the rig Vedas (sacred scriptures) appeared in India
The Aryans brought this language and the sacred scripture to India
This language and scripture did not originate in India because there were huge similarities between Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit
The Aryans cross into India by passing over the Hindu Kush Mountains
By 1,000 BCE Aryan tribes had settled across north India and were fighting each other for supremacy. The Mahabharata is a great story that recalls this period
The bulk of the Mahābhārata was probably compiled between the 3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE
Parts of this great story may have some basis in fact
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HINDUISM:
A monotheistic religion. All the deities of the Hindu religion are believed to be different manifestations, or characteristics, of the true god, Brahman.
Many Hindus will focus their worship on one manifestation of Brahman. For example, many worship Brahma, the creator
Vishnu is the preserver. Shiva is the destroyer
Hinduism does not have a founder or a single set of beliefs. It evolved from the combination of Aryan and Indus River Valley beliefs
The Upanishads (sacred text) focused on how one could be liberated from this life
Hindus believe that the goal of humanity is to achieve moksha. Moksha is the liberation from samsara. Samsara is the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth
Rebirth, or reincarnation, is bad news. Life comes with suffering. To escape this suffering you must escape rebirth
The part of you that gets reborn in your atman, or your eternal soul. It is your soul that will be repeatedly reborn until you achieve moksha
Upon bodily death, your atman's destination is due to your karma and dharma. Karma is action or your good and bad deeds
Karma reflects the law of cause and effect. Who we are today is the product of our actions in previous lives. Our actions today will determine who we will be in the future
Dharma is your duty. The most important fact for determining your dharma is your caste
Achieving moksha often takes several lifetimes. Your atman will be reborn, or reincarnated until you achieve moksha
The achievement of moksha is often related to your location in the caste system. In general, the higher castes have a better chance of achieving moksha
You will achieve moksha when you are no longer bound to the attachments of this world. When you renounce this world, including your body, you will understand your true identity as a man
When you understand your true identity as atman, you will also realize that you are part of Brahman, the universal soul
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BUDDHISM:
The caste system was a political, economic, and social system. It determined who had the right to rule, one’s occupation, and which one could marry. But the caste system was also believed to serve a religious purpose as well
The caste system was believed to be a reflection of a person’s place in his or her quest for Moksha
Siddhartha Gautama is the founder of Buddhism (NEED TO KNOW FOR TEST)
Legend stated that he had a miraculous birth. Prince Siddhartha would either grow up to be a powerful ruler or a great spiritual leader
He soon left the confines of his palace and ventured into the outside world
He encountered an old person, a sick person, and a dead person
This was the first time that Siddhartha had ever confronted mortality
Siddhartha wanted to find a way to liberate himself from this suffering
Siddhartha gained an understanding of suffering and how it could be overcome. He thus became enlightened. He became the Buddha
Four Noble Truths:
Life is dukkha, or dissatisfaction (suffering)
Dukkha is caused by desire
To eliminate dukkha one must eliminate the desire
To eliminate desire one must follow the Eightfold Path
When an individual follows the Eightfold Path, he can achieve Nirvana or enlightenment. This results in the release from the cycle of samsara
Buddhism spread by the efforts of merchants and missionaries
Buddhism, however, never became prominent in India.
While Buddhism accepted the idea of reincarnation and the goal of release from samsara it rejected the gods of Hinduism
It also rejected the caste system which is one reason why many of Buddha’s early followers were laborers
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JAINISM:
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SIKHISM: X
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THE EMPIRES OF INDIA:
MAURYAN/GUPTA EMPIRE:
Chandragupta Maurya was the first king to unite parts of India into one state. As a result, Chandragupta Maurya was the first emperor of India, establishing the Mauryan Empire (323 - 185 BCE)
Chandragupta Maurya faced the challenge of governing such a vast territory. He turned to his Brahmin advisor, Kautilya, for advice
Kautilya compiled his advice in a work titled Arthasastra. He suggested that controlling such a vast empire required (1) dividing the empire into a bureaucratic state and (2) governing through fear
Chandragupta Maurya divided his empire into provinces, each governed by a viceroy. Viceroys were usually princes although some were local chiefs
However, the emperor has spied to report on the loyalty of his viceroys (LIKE THE PERSIANS = DARIUS)
Governing through fear mandated the use of torture
Asoka was Chandragupta’s grandson and under Ashoka’s leadership, the Mauryan Empire would reach its greatest height
Following the extremely violent battle of Kalinga, Asoka became a devout Buddhist committed to the principle of ahimsa. He renounced war.
EDICTS OF ASHOKA: Asoka issues several proclamations including publicising his new policies of tolerance and non-violence
He inscribed these principles on stone pillars that were distributed around his empire
The principle of tolerance means that Asoka will respect all the diverse sects in India
Ahimsa means that he announced that the royal palace would no longer participate in hunting, sacrificing, or eating animals
Asoka sought to improve the general welfare of his subjects and he also built hospitals, veterinary shelters, a system of roads that included rest houses, banyan trees for shade, and mango gardens and wells for food and water
Chandra Gupta would establish India’s 2nd empire. The Gupta Empire would oversee India’s Golden Age
Chandra Gupta and Chandragupta Maurya are two different people who established two different empires
Mathematical discoveries in the Gupta era: Arabic Numerals, Pi, Decimals, Fractions, etc…
They are called the Arabic Numerals because the Arabs brought them with them to Europe but the Indians were the ones who invented the system of 1 - 9
Astronomy discoveries: Calculated the length of one year, figured out that the planets are spherical, made good estimates of the earth’s size and proposed that the heart turn on its axis, figured out the cause of lunar eclipses, and discovered that Mercury and Venus revolve around the sun
Aryabhata was an important figure in both Astronomy and mathematics discoveries but not sure if it’s going to be on the Unit Test
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MOST INFLUENTIAL PHILOSOPHIES IN CHINA WERE CONFUCIANISM, DAOISM, AND LEGALISM
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CONFUCIANISM:
The founder of Confucianism was Kong Fuzi
Need to know the actual name of the founder for the test
Confucius believed that order could be restored to China, if people practiced li, or proper behavior (know the word li for test)
The most important examples of li is illustrated by the Confucian emphasis on the Five Relationships
Do not need to know what the Five Relationships are in detail, but should know that the concept is associated with China and Confucianism for test
In each relationship the superior should be virtuous and the inferior should be obedient. The former was a revolutionary concept
It was revolutionary because Confucius taught them just because someone is superior does not mean they have the right to abuse their power, but rather they should set a good example by being fair and just
He thought that rulers should be fair and subjects should do as they are told
The parent-child relationship requires that the parents guide and protect their children. In return, children should practice filial piety or honor and serve their parents and ancestors
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DAOISM & LEGALISM:
Daoism argues that a natural force called the Dao guides all things
The order could be restored in China if people would follow this natural order
All follow this natural order with one exception: human beings. And it is this insistence to resist nature that causes human suffering
The size and power of government should be reduced
Legalism, however, vehemently disagreed with this Daoist teaching. Legalists believed that the size and power of government should be increased with strict laws and punishments to keep the people from disobeying their superiors
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EMPIRES OF CHINA:
QIN DYNASTY:
The Warring States period was brought to an end when Qin defeated all other rival states
Shi Huangdi led the Qin Dynasty
He seized the land of nobles and required that they move to the capital city
This was a way for him to ensure that any threat of rebellion was diminished
He also ordered that all weapons be brought to the capital to be melted down and turned into statues and bells for his palaces
A power move intended to show the people of China that he is in charge and there is no changing that
Shi Huangdi hired Li Su, a legalist philosopher, to be his chief advisor.
Don’t need to know Li Su’s name for the test
Confucian books were burned and Confucian scholars were killed
Shi Huangdi is best known for expanding the Great Wall of China and for his elaborate tomb
The wall was built to keep out invaders
Convicts and peasants were forced to build the wall, oftentimes, under horrific conditions. Those who died while constructing the wall were simply used as fill
Upon the emperor’s death, he was buried in his tomb. It is believed to have a replica of the capital city complete with mercury rivers and pearl constellations
To protect the tomb, they set up booby traps to prevent grave robbers from entering
The emperor was to be protected in the afterworld by his incredible terracotta army of over 8,000 soldiers. The army consists of foot soldiers, archers, and crossbowmen equipped with real weapons
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HAN DYNASTY:
Although the Qin Dynasty could unify China it came at a great cost. The Chinese rebelled against the high taxes, forced labor, and harsh punishments of the Qin
The Han Dynasty was responsible for such a change
The Han would utilize Confucianism as the governing philosophy. Many government positions, were filled through civil service exams on the ideas/beliefs of Confucius
In theory, the civil service exam system provided government jobs to the best-qualified candidates, no matter what their social status
These jobs, however, were mostly open to the sons of wealthy families. Poor families could to afford the costs of education and women could not overcome the patriarchy of Chinese society
Ban Zhao wrote Lessons for Women. Which was a hugely revolutionary novel that urged women to change their roles which was to serve their husbands and children effectively, and embrace a role that was more equivalent to men
Wudi during his reign increased the territory of China through war
Nomadics who raided China from the north and west were attacked by Wudi
Wudi also colonized Manchuria, Korea, and Vietnam. To unify these diverse peoples Wudi sought to assimilate them by forcing them to adopt Chinese culture
This expansion would expose China to the rest of the world
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TRADE - SILK ROADS:
Wudi’s expansion to the West resulted in Chinese control of significant sections of trade routes that connected the Far East with India, the Middle East, and Europe
The West was enthralled with what China had to offer particularly silk
Western demand for Chinese silk was so high that these trade routes were named the Silk Roads
Chinese silk flooded Rome while Roman gold poured into China
Although the Silk Roads resulted in great prosperity for China, contact with the outside world was also a source of great unease
Many in China feared the growing numbers of foreigners in their empire and the potential dilution of traditional Chinese culture that could result
This unease is reflected in the relatively known status of the growing number of merchants in Chinese society
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SUI, TANG & SONG DYNASTIES:
Following the collapse of the Han Dynasty, China entered a period of disunity
The Sui Dynasty re-established order through legalism
The Sui used forced labor to construct the Grand Canal. This canal, which connects the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, greatly enhanced Chinese unification
The Sui were replaced by the Tang and Song Dynasty. They would be the cause of China entering a golden age
Wu Zhao claimed the throne and proclaimed herself emperor. She was the only woman to do so
Empress Wu (Tang) reinstated Confucianism and the civil service system which revived the gentry class
The gentry class began to rival the power of traditional, aristocratic landowning families
Under Empress Wu’s successor, China entered its Golden Age
Trade along the Silk Roads exploded during the Tang Dynasty
After the collapse of the Tang, the Song Dynasty took power
Although China was unable to recognize the lands that were lost after the collapse of the Tang, China remained prosperous under the Song
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FOOTBINDING:
Although the Tang & Song were a Golden Age for China, it was hardly a golden age for Chinese women
Footbinding began during the Song Dynasty
The central theme of the Chinese story of Ye Xian (Basically the Cinderella story)
Do NOT need to know the story of where footbinding came from for the test
Footbinding was the process of applying painfully tight bindings to the feet to prevent growth
Bindings would break the arch of the foot, bringing the heel and ball of the foot together
Mothers would insist on binding their daughters’ feet because it ensured marriage & a life of leisure rather than hard labor
Men desired women with bound feet because they could control women, who were unable to leave the house or work. They could not be unfaithful or independent (Status symbol, shows that the man was so rich that he could afford to have a wife that just lounges around all day)
The practice led women crippled for life and sometimes led to death. It was declared illegal in the early 1900s but many women continued to bind the feet of their daughters
Footbinding was finally brought to an end with the rise of communism in China because social class distinctions were to be abolished and everyone had to work equally
Note: Footbinding was usually a practice of higher-class women because lower-class or peasant women had to work out in the fields when farming so they could support their family
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PASSAGE FROM NOTES AND NOTES FROM KAT
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