Ancient India and China

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Ancient India and China
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Indus Valley

• India fertile plain between Indus and Ganges
  rivers. Area guarded by mountains and desert
• Subject to monsoons-wet and dry seasons
• Indus region was home to the largest of the four
  ancient urban civilizations of Egypt,
  Mesopotamia, South Asia and China. It was not
  discovered until the 1920's. Most of its ruins,
  even its major cities, remain to be excavated.
  The ancient Indus script has not been deciphered

• 2500 B.C.-began building planned communities
  (Kalibangan, Mohenjo-Daro, and Harappa)
• Indus valley sometimes referred to as Harappan
  civilization
• Indus Valley cities were laid out on a precise
  grid system with fortified areas called citadels.
  They had separate residential districts and
  sophisticated plumbing and swage systems
• TAKE A LOOK http//www.mohenjodaro.net/

click
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Harappan Religion

• Artifacts reveal links to modern Hindu culture

Hindus are polytheistic religion Around 1750 BC
life in Indus Valley began to decline ??? (river
changed course, land worn out, catastrophe, or
attack)
The Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro show the advanced
plumbing system. The drain in the middle would
take all unwanted water to the sewage system below
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Indian Civilization

• After the decline of the Indus River valley a new
  group migrated into the area from 2000-1500 BCE
  called the Aryans from Central Asia
• These nomads intermarried with locals to form a
  group who called themselves Aryans. They combined
  their culture and Indian culture
• Record from the Vedas or teachings of ancient
  India. This is known as the Vedic Age b/c how it
  was recorded

• Mohenjo-Daro had plumbing and sewers!
• Water came into their houses and was carried
  awayvery complex
• Most people here were farmers. They grew wheat,
  barley, melons, and dates. They may have even
  been the first people to cultivate cotton
• Merchants and traders-coins from Mesopotamia
  found

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India

• Aryans began to settle into villages and become
  farmers
• They were led by their local chief or rajahs. The
  rajah was elected from the warriors
• Over time some of these rajahs built control over
  many villages and became hereditary rulers
• Created the caste system or social hierarchy in
  India

• Brahmins priests
• Kshatriyas or warriors
• Vaisyas or farmers/ artisans/ merchants
• Sudras- people with little or no Aryan heritage
  (farm workers, servants, laborers)
• Dalits-untouchables (performed work that made
  them contaminated like butchers or trash
  collectors

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Religion

• Aryans were polytheistic
• They worshipped gods who embodied natural forces
  like rain and fire
• Their chief god was Indra or the god of war
• Some Aryans began to focus on the idea of
  mysticism or direct communication with god and
  began to meditate and do yoga
• Over time the Aryan and Indian gods melted
  together to form thousands of gods and the
  religion of Hinduism

• Around 500 BCE India was divided into regional
  kingdoms
• Mahabharata-epic poem in Indian history about
  history and warfare
• Ramayana poem to teach values and behavior

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2 Hinduism and Buddhism

• Aryan and non-Aryans blended religions
  together-resulting in thousands of gods
• Hindus share a common view religion liberates
  the soul from everyday existence
• One Force underlies everything God is one, but
  wise people know it by many names Brahman this
  spirit
• Therefore the religion is both polytheistic and
  technically monotheistic
• Goal is to achieved perfect understand (moksha).
  Usually not achieved in one life-time
  (reincarnation) and souls karma determines the
  next lifes circumstances such as caste
• Goal moksha or the union with brahman. To
  achieve the person must free themselves from self
  desires that separate them from the brahman. The
  believe in reincarnation or rebirth in order to
  continue working towards achieving moksha b/c it
  is very difficult to achieve in just one life

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Hinduism

• Hindus believe that you can come closer to moksha
  by obeying the law of Karma. Karma refers to all
  the actions of a persons life that affect their
  fate in the next life
• People who live virtuously earns good karma and
  are reborn at a higher level of existence while
  those who do evil acquire bad karma and are born
  into suffering at a lower level of existence. In
  Indian art this image is made in the wheel
• Dharma- religious and moral duties of an
  individual that helps to guide their karma. These
  duties vary according to occupation/ gender/
  class/ age
• Hinduism also stresses non-violence or ahimsa

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Hinduism
The religion reinforces the caste system. You
deserve to be in your position in society because
of your past karma. The caste system becomes more
complex over time. Rules were developed on what
you could eat, where you live, dressed, job, and
who you could marry. Contact with lower castes
would pollute a high-caste Brahmin. Untouchables
had to carry a wooden instrument called a clapper
to warm of their approach!
Brahman
Moksha
Humans
Animals
Plants
Objects-rocks and water
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Jainism

• Jainism-Mahavira the founder of Jainism
• believed everything in the universe has a soul
  and shouldnt be harmed (doctrine of
  non-violence)
• Jain monks sweep the sidewalks of insects so as
  not to kill any. They carry brooms.

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Buddhism

• Siddhartha Gautama is the founder
• He was born a prince about 563 BCE. It was
  predicted that he would either be a great king or
  wandering holy man
• His father kept him in the palace in the hopes of
  him becoming a great ruler
• At 16 Gautama married
• At 29 Gautama left the palace and his life
  changed. He saw an old man, a sick person, and a
  dead body. He discovered human suffering so he
  set out to discover the realm of life where
  there is neither suffering or death

• Gautama wondered for 6 years
• He came upon a tree and began to mediate on this
  issue. He did so for 49 dayshe also fasted. It
  was set that by poking him in the stomach that
  you could touch his back!
• After the 49 days he understood the cause and
  cure for suffering and sorrow. He then became
  known as the enlightened one or Buddha

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Buddha
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Buddhism

• Buddha then spent the rest of his life preaching
  on how to achieve enlightenment
• Four Noble Truths state of life
• Eight Fold Path to reach enlightenment
• Buddha died at age 80. Afterwards the religion
  divides into various sects (Theravada
  Buddhism-original teachings of Buddhism vs.
  Mahayana Buddhism-makes gods and people worship
  to find salvation)
• Buddhism was from Hinduism. Differed b/c instead
  of focusing on priests all could seek
  enlightenment through meditation. Also Buddhism
  rejected the caste system offering the hope of
  nirvana to all regardless of birth
• Grew and spread across Asia, but in India
  Buddhism declined and was absorbed by Hinduism
  and Buddha became one of its many gods

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Four Noble Truths
Eight Fold Path
First noble truth Everything in life is suffering and sorrow
Second noble truth The cause of all suffering is peoples selfish desire for the temporary pleasures of this world
Third noble truth The way to end all suffering is to end all desire
Fourth noble truth The way to overcome such desire and attain enlightenment is to follow the 8 fold path, which is called the Middle Way between desires and self-denial
Right Views Right Livelihood
Right aspirations Right Effort
Right Speech Right Mindfulness
Right Conduct Right Contemplation
Goal nirvana (union with the universe and
release from the cycle of life)
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Indian Empires

• 1500 BCE the Indus River Valley disappeared
  (classical age)
• Indo-Europeans began migrations, Aryans
• Internal fights between various Aryan kingdoms
• In 326 BCE Alexander the Great from Macedonia
  conquers Persia and makes his way to India. He
  conquerors northern India and brings with him
  Hellenistic and Greek culture. By the time he has
  made it to India many of his men are homesick and
  force Alexander to go back home. Soon afterwards
  Alexander the Great dies.
• His troops refused to fight the Magadha Empire in
  India along the Ganges River.

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Magadha Kingdom
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Indian Empires

• The Mauryan Empire was created in the late 4th
  century (or late 300s) by Chandragupta when he
  killed the last Magadha king and took control of
  the territory. He also defeated the general left
  in charge of the northern Indian territories
  following the death of Alexander the Great. He
  and his successors expanded the empire to cover
  of Deccan. He had a well organized bureaucracy
  with royal officials overseeing projects and tax
  collection. He also encouraged trade and had
  state owned factories and shipyards. He had royal
  courts to settle disputes, but was harsh in the
  fact that he had a secret police force to report
  on corruption, crime, and dissentience. He also
  had a specially trained group of warrior women to
  protect him at his palace!
• Ashoka (269-232 BCE) Chandraguptas grandson
  and great emperor. He continued to expanded and
  fought a very bloody battle for Kalinga where he
  slaughtered more than 100,000 people. He was so
  horrified at the seen that he converted to
  Buddhism and upheld its belief of non-violence.
  He then brought much peace and prosperity to the
  people of India.

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Ashoka
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Mauryan Empire
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Indian Empires

• After the death of Ashoka the Mauryan Empire
  decline and fell apart
• Soon regional kingdoms and infighting spread
  throughout India. They were then conquered by
  foreign to the north, the Kushan invaders
• In the south on the Deccan various kingdoms
  arose Dravidians to the north who absorbed many
  nrothern ideas such as language and religion and
  were tolerant and the Tamil kingdoms to the south
  focused on trade. Tamil rulers improved the
  harbors and sent spices, fine textiles, and other
  luxuries westward to Roman! When the Roman empire
  declined they traded with China.

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Gupta Empire

• About 500 years following the fall of the Mauryan
  Empire the next strong empire arose in India, the
  Gupta Empire
• The Gupta empire was founded by Chandra Gupta and
  lasted from 320-540. It was called the Golden Age
  of India because its rulers brought much peace
  and prosperity to the people of India. The Guptas
  supported Hinduism. Much of Indian rule was based
  on village and city governments with their local
  rulers claiming subservience to the Gupta king.
  Trade flourished and this prosperity supported
  art and learning which became very important

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Gupta Empire
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Achievements/ Decline of Gupta

• Math Arabic numerals, concept of zero, decimal
  system
• Medicine remedies to treat illnesses, setting
  bones and simple surgery, and even some early
  version of vaccinations
• Literature many writers in the Sanskrit
  language. Kalidasa the most famous playwright
  story of Shakuntala
• Decline Because of weak rulers, civil wars, and
  invasion by the HUNS the Gupta Empire came to an
  end. It split again into regional kingdoms

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Everyday Life (India)

• Most people of India were poor peasant that lived
  in the countryside in villages. Their lives were
  consumed with work, caste system, family and
  village life, and their duties to each
• The family structure was a joint family with
  parents, children, and their offspring living in
  a common dwelling. The culture was patriarchal
  with men having power. There were traditions like
  consulting the wife and family on important
  decisions. Property belonged to the family
  itself.
• Family interests came before individual
  interests! They trained children, performed their
  caste duties, and learned rituals to honor their
  ancestors.
• Women left the home after marriage to resident
  with their husbands family. (dowry)
• At first women enjoyed many freedoms in India,
  but by the Gupta Empire they were restricted and
  couldnt leave the house without being covered
  from head to foot!

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Culture (India)

• Women were believed to hold and specific energy
  that needed to by channeled by her husband
  (shakti)
• Women were thought to only achieve a higher
  existence (reincarnation) through being devoted
  to her husband. Virtuous widows would even
  through themselves onto their dead husbands
  funeral fires to join him.
• The village was the heart of daily life. It was
  run by a headman and council that made important
  decisions (at first women could be on the
  councils, but this changed). They organized
  projects like road and irrigation projects. The
  town was organized into a cluster of homes
  surrounded by the fields
• Farming depended on the monsoons, too little or
  too much rain could mean famine. The farmers
  rented their lands from landlords and were
  required to pay a percentage of their crops as
  payment leaving very little for the family. They
  village people also traded some goods and
  participated in trade across the continent

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China

• Natural barriers isolated ancient China Pacific
  Ocean, Taklimakan desert, Plateaus of Tibet and
  Mongolia, Gobi Desert, and the Himalayan
  mountains
• Plain between Huang He (Yellow River) and Yangtze
  is China heartland-farmings
• Silt from yellow river overflowing-loess-also
  called the River of Sorrows
• 2000 B.C. cities arose in China
• Xia dynasty led by Yu (flood control and
  irrigation projects)

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The Yellow River gets its name because of the
yellow windborne clay dust called loess that is
blown across the north of China from the steppes
of Central Asia. The loess is blown into the
river and gives it a yellow appearance
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Shang Dynasty of China

• Shang 1766-1122 BCE. invaders, written records,
  created walled cities-protection, society sharply
  divided by class (King, warrior-nobles, and
  peasants) (118ft mounds)
• Culture placed importance on family and loyalty
  to king/emperor
• Local princes and nobles governed most of the
  lands controlled by the king
• Elite women may have enjoyed high statussome
  have been found to own land and even lead armies
• Majority of people were peasants who lived in
  small villages. They worked the fields or worked
  on public projects. There was also trade and a
  class of merchants and artisans

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Shang Dynasty

• Religion-believed spirits of family members could
  influence fortune (Chinese version of Dracula!)
• Polytheistic-worshipped a supreme god, Shang Di,
  and many lesser ones through the spirits of their
  ancestors
• Shang kings consulted the gods through oracle
  bones, which priest would break and then
  interpret
• Writing system-(pictographs) no links between
  Chinas languages and writing system

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Zhou Dynasty

• Zhou overthrow Shang around 1122 BCE
• Justified by Mandate of Heaven (bad rulers could
  lose gods support and others could then overthrow
  him)
• This began a patter of rise and fall in dynasties
  in China-dynastic cycle. Floods, famine, and
  other problems were sign that a dynasty had lost
  the mandate
• Zhou began feudalism to control lands (nobles can
  use kings land in return for loyalty and service)
• Technology-roads, coined money, government
  workers, and iron
• Zhou lost power 256 BC and nobles began fighting

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Zhou Dynasty

• By 771 BCE the Zhou was very weak and the monarch
  was killed in an invasion into the city he lived
  in (nomadic invaders). Family moved to another
  city and pretended to rule for the next 500
  years. This was a chaotic time and much fighting
  occurred between powerful vassal. The time of the
  called the period of the warring states
• Extended land, banned human sacrifice, began to
  standardize language
• By 256 BCE Zhou fell apart and a warlord took
  control of the China and trimphed over the other
  war lords, his name Qin Shi Huangdi. He started
  the Qin Dynasty
• Confucius also lived during this time period

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Religion

• Believed in many gods, but believed that humans
  could not speak with them
• Only the ancestors of great people could speak to
  the gods on behalf of people
• So Ancestor worship-people prayed to their
  ancestors to help them with the harvest and even
  war. The ancestor would then speak with the God.
  At first only royal family and nobility were
  thought of as having ancestors of enough power.
  Over time this began to change and many prayed to
  their ancestors for things like good fortune

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Confucius 551BCE

• Ancient belief of peace and harmony nature yin/
  yang. Confucius created a philosophy or system of
  ideas that was concerned with worldly matters,
  especially good government. He thought that the
  government needed to be centralized and that
  peace needed to be restored to China. His local
  leaders refused to allow him to work for them b/c
  he was too opinionated and so he traveled around
  looking to be a chief advisor. Didnt have much
  success, but had disciples who wrote his idea in
  the Analects.
• He then became a very famous teacher. He had a
  strong focus on patriarchy and respect for elders
  and country. Know and accept your role/ position
  in society. Relationships were to reflect this
  position (ruler to subject, parent to child, and
  even husband to wife). Correct behavior would
  bring stability and order. The most important
  duty was respect to parents. Do not do to
  otherwhat you would not wish yourself

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Confucius
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Daoism

• Laozi founded around the same time as Confucius
• Concerned with living in harmony with nature
• You should look beyond everyday cares and focus
  on the Dao or the way of the universe
• Believed that one who truly understood the Dao
  wouldnt speak of it!
• Rejection of conflict and strife (water does not
  resist, but yields to outside pressure, yet is an
  unstoppable force)
• Believed that government was unnatural and cause
  many problems. The best government was one that
  governed the least!

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Religion

• Daoism changed and evolved into a popular
  religion with gods, goddesses, and magical
  practices. People turned to priests for good luck
  and cures
• Over time many Chinese mixed Daoist and Confucian
  ideas because Confucianism taught them how to
  behave while Daoism influenced their view of the
  natural world

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Achievements

• Shang astronomers studied the movement of the
  planets and recorded eclipses. This helped them
  to make an accurate calendar with 365 ¼ days
• Technology for bronze making weapons
• 2640 BCE learned how to make silk. This became
  Chinas most valuable export and kept the
  technology secret for many years
• Writing system people across China spoke various
  languages and dialects. Therefore having one
  language was important for Chinese unification.
• Language characters that represent words. Must
  memorize thousands of characters in order to be
  successful reading or writing. As you can imagine
  only the most wealthy could afford tutors.
• Calligraphy became popular
• Zhou first book written book of songs

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Strong Rulers section 5

• Qin dynasty rose up from the Zhou and the time of
  the warring states
• Shi Huangdi or the First Emperor proclaimed
  himself emperor after the fight for power in 221
  BCE
• He spent 20 years conquering most of the warring
  states and then needed to unify them
• He created a centralized government that was
  legalistic
• Legalism is based on the teachings of Hanfeizi
  who died in 233 BCE. He believed that the nature
  of man was evil and that goodness was something
  acquired. Therefore, the only way to achieve
  order was to pass very strict laws and impose
  harsh consequences for crimes
• Shi Huangdi tortured, enslaved, or killed his
  critics many whom were nobles and Confucian
  scholars
• In order to root out dissent, Shi Huangdi, also
  approved the burning of books (exception was
  medicine and agriculture)

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Shi Huangdi

• His Tomb

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Shi Huangdi (tomb)
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Qin Dynasty

• He started to standardize Chinese and created
  weights and measurements to use throughout the
  country. He even required all cart axles be the
  same size so that wheels could run through the
  same ruts on Chinese roads!
• He abolished feudalism and replaced the various
  states with 36 military districts with loyal
  officials in charge
• He force noble families to move to the capital at
  Xianyang in order to closely watch them
• He gave some of the lands taken from nobles to
  the peasants to work
• He also built the Great Wall of China. This took
  the conscripted labor of peasants and it took
  them toiling constantly for 25 years to build the
  wall to protect the Chinese for northern
  invaders. The wall took on the nickname longest
  graveyard due to all the peasants that died
  building it.
• Shi Huangdi died in 210 BCE and after his death
  the empire fell. People revolted due to high
  taxes, conscripted labor, and cruel policies. In
  206 BCE Gao Zu (a illiterate peasant leader)
  defeated rival armies to find the next dynasty,
  the Han

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Han Dynasty 202 BCE-220 CE

• Gao Zu restored order and justice. He lowered
  taxes and ended curtailed Legalist policies. He
  also restored Confucian scholars as government
  advisors
• Wudi (141-87 BCE) was a famous Han emperor who
  strengthened the government by choosing Confucian
  scholars and he even set up an imperial
  university. He built roads and canals and set up
  granaries across China. He also created a
  government monopoly on iron and salt thereby
  creating an income for the government so they
  wouldnt have to increase taxes.
• Wudi was an expansionist and expanded the
  territory of China. In doing this he also opened
  up a network of trade routes called the Silk
  Roads that linked China eventually all the way to
  the West! New foods and products flowed into
  China and China exported much silk. The road was
  eventually about 4,000 miles long (relay trade)

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Wudi
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Han Dynasty

• Under the Han dynasty, Confucianism became the
  official belief of the state
• The state relied on well-educated Confucian
  bureaucrats to run the government
• These Confucian scholars were civil servants or
  officials of the government. They believed that
  someone should gain their position by merit and
  not family ties. If someone proved themselves
  then they were promoted through the government
  ranks. Eventually, they might be recruited to
  take a civil service exam to test their knowledge
  of government and history (Five Classics). Later
  under the Sui dynasty a formal civil service exam
  was established. Only men from wealthy families
  could afford the training needed in order to pass
  the test. Sometimes brilliant peasant boys were
  paid for but that was unusual. Women were
  excluded from this system due to the patriarchal
  nature of the country.
• The test remained in use until 1912 in China!

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Han Fall

• Court intrigues undermined powers of the emperor
  and powerful warlords emerged
• Weak emperors let canals and roads fall into
  disrepair while they increased taxes
• Taxes became so high that they send out tax
  collectors. Peasants revolted by abandoning
  villages and fleeing to the mountains where they
  joined bandit groups with colorful names like the
  Red Eyebrows or Green Woodsmen
• In 220 powerful warlords overthrew the last Han
  emperor and China broke up into regional
  kingdoms. Additionally, northern invaders purged
  into the country (Huns)!

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Achievements/ Golden Age

• Han dynasty chemistry, zoology, botany, and
  astronomy. Developed calendars, timekeeping
  devices, seismographs to detect earthquakes, moon
  eclipses, acupuncture, diagnosed diseases, and
  developed anesthetics and remedies (drugs)
• China was the most advanced civilization in the
  world at the time
• Cai Lun invented a method for making paper of
  out of wood pulp
• Ship building rudder to steer
• Bronze and iron stirrups, fishing reel,
  wheelbarrows, and suspension bridges
• Art expanded during this time, palaces and
  temples were built, and large parks
• Silk makers improved, jade and ivory cravings
  improved

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Buddhism

• By 100 missionaries and merchants from India
  spread Buddhism to China
• Spread during times of trouble and did oppose
  basic traditional Confucian Chinese values of the
  family, hierarchy, and the patriarchy
• Personal salvation and hope to end suffering were
  appeal Neither Daoism or Confucianism emphasized
  the idea of personal salvation
• By 400 Buddhism had spread throughout the
  country and became somewhat popular