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Ancient Civilizations of India and China ____ Ancient Civilizations of India and China Indian Civilization The Indus River Valley Civilization – Two large centers of Indus Valley: • Harappa and Mohenjo-daro (about 3,000 BCE) – Interested with the figure of the bull – art or religious, similar to the Minoan Greeks. – Written language; not deciphered yet. – Agriculture-based society (cotton) – Centralization – standards for weights and measurements – Ecological disasters –flood and overuse of land – Aryan invasions from the Northwest Torso of man – 3000 BCE The Aryans Indus Valley settlements c. 1500 B.C.E. No main city centers; more tribal Migrated from North to South. Uncertain origins Sanskrit - writing Caste System – Varnas – four social classes – Brahmins (teachers, scholars and priests), the Kshatriyas (kings and warriors), the Vaishyas (traders), and Shudras (agriculturists, service providers, and some artisan groups). Offspring of different varnas belong to different Jātis. Another group excluded from the main society was called Parjanya or Antyaja. This group of former "untouchables" (now called Dalits) was considered either the lower section of Shudras or outside the caste system altogether Agricultural / Pastoral Culture Tribal structure Epics: Ramayana, Mahabharata – written centuries after portrayed events. Contain complex story lines of gods, heroes and battles and how they subdued the Indus Valley dwellers. Still are dramatized in Indian TV Aryan Religion Complex, precise ceremonies and rituals – – – – Rituals for the fertility of the soil The Arrival of rain Ceremonies accompanied with hymns and gestures Oral form The Vedas – written rituals and prayers-(Rig Veda) – Core text of Hindu temple worship – Still chanted today in ceremonies; birth, sickness, death, etc. Upanishads – Existentialist thoughts – What caused the cosmos to be? How did human beings arise? – Philosophical focus – The ultimate reality is impersonal – Brahman – ultimate realty – Atman - The individual reality of a person and Atman: “Tat tvam asi.” – “You, are that” – You are the eternal essence of Brahman. Hinduism Priest and temple + meditation and study – Puja – altar for worshiping gods. Path to ultimate reality, Brahman – Path of Asceticism – fasting; non-possession – Path of Karma –one does one’s duty, according to the caste system. Priests sacrifice; warriors fight). – Path of Devotion (bhakti) – One should do deeds out of devotion to someone else; not the self. This checks the balance of one’s greed. Buddha – “The Enlightened One” Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 B.C.E.) – Inescapability of suffering and death – “Enlightened One” – Story written years after his death – myths – He was born to a a King. – Warrior caste – Born in the foothills of the Himalayas – present day Nepal – Married young; had a son. – Travelled outside of his palatial headquarters and saw suffering. – Left his family – wandering life – Practiced meditation, self-depravation, fasting – He decided to sit under the shade of a tree and meditate until he found the truth about existence. – He received the illumination Fourfold Noble Path – Eightfold Path – Emphasis on ethical, moderate living Liberation through knowledge – Truth lies within. Existence is suffering; Cessation of suffering NIRVANA Emperor Ashoka Many religious traditions when Buddha died. Ruthless ruler Unified all of India Appalled by suffering and bloodshed he caused. Remorse – converted to Buddhism. Established non-violence. Established Buddhism as official religion of India. Stupa in Myanmar Founded Buddhist monasteries – Sanghas Erected towers – Stupas or monuments that represent Buddah’s enlightenment. Buddhist monks as missionaries – to share Buddhist wisdom everywhere. [Image 5.2] Lion capital Lion Capital of a Column Erected by King Ashoka 242 BCE. Wheel represents the Wheel of the Law and small animals represent the four corners of the earth. Hindu and Buddhist Art Hindu Art Religious in spirit Eroticism – Sexual union represents unions with the Gods Naturalism Unity in all life forms – Avatars Buddhist Art Focus on spirituality Calm, transcendent images – Buddha, Bodhisattvas – Renunciation of worldly pleasures Khajuraho – northern India Wooden figures representing three avatars or incarnations: Vishnu-preserve and protect the divine. Three of his many forms. Krishna and the Maiden in a Garden. Scene from Mahabharata. Regarded as a God - Blue Buddha surrounded by followers from Gandharan – northwest India – were exposed to Greek art. The Gupta Empire and Its Aftermath After Ashoka died, invaders Some independent regions emerged Good economy; trade Chandra Gupta I (C.E. 320) – new large-scale kingdom Chandra Gupta II - grandson (ruled 380-415) – “The Sun of Power” (Chandra Gupta known as) – Was a Buddhist monk – Decline of Buddhism, rise of Hinduism Gupta Literature – Sanskrit – written; but not spoken by population – Kalidasa’s Sakuntala marriage that collapsed due to a curse. – Sudraka’s The Little Clay Cart – cross-section of society; • Nobleman, prostitute, thief – who teaches housebreaking techniques. The Gupta Empire and Its Aftermath Gupta Science/Universities – Foundation of large universities – 5,000 students, from everywhere in Asia. – Mechanics, medicine, mathematics Collapse of Gupta Rule – The White Huns 480 CE – White Huns invaded, as well as other Central Asia tribes, the same tribes that moved on to sack Rom in 476 CE, creating the absolute Roman empire fall . – When a new united Indian Empire developed – 15th and 16th century, rulers were Muslim, not Hindu. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jUBEBbhowE Aishwarya Rai Hindi Bollywood Dance (Nimbooda-Hum Dil De Chu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8dVvzG7djU Ancient Chinese Music Origins of Civilization in China Shang Dynasty (1600-1100 B.C.E.) – – – – Urban life developed later than Mesopotamia and Egypt Bronze craftsmanship Trade, commerce System of writing – similar to Egyptian hieroglyphs representing sounds and ideas. Chou Dynasty (1100-221 B.C.E.) – – – – No central government Emperors coordinated separate kingdoms Period of the Warring States (403-221 B.C.E.) This is the period of time when Chinese thought and culture were laid. Origins of Civilization in China Confucianism – religion/philosophy – Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) – Creating a new, virtuous social order – The morally superior person should posses: • Five inner virtues, two outer virtues – Purpose of the State – Authority and discipline – Loyalty, integrity love of humanity, charity, education, unconcerned with material rewards. Origins of Civilization in China Taoism – Lao Tzu (570 B.C.E.) – obscure figure. Supposed to have lived around Confucius time. But Lao-tzu’s book was written about 200 years after Confucius’ death. – Emphasized the limitations of human perceptions – “the Way” (tao) – Accept your own nature; follow it; do not distinguish good from bad, accept it as part of your “way.” – Tao te ching – Passivity and resignation – don’t change things! – “the soft yield of water cleaves the obstinate stone” – Ideas expressed in contradictory language The Unification of China Ch’in Dynasty (221 B.C.E.) – emerged due to power struggles. – – – – Shih Huang-ti, “First Emperor” Brutal Emperor Centralization, tight grip on people Burning of the Books – destroy all philosophical accounts/schools of thoughts. – The Great Wall – connected pre-existing fragmented walls. Built by prisoners and peasants. Dangerous. Many deaths. – The Emperor’s tomb – 3rd Century BCE. MORE THAN 6,000 Warriors. Clay. Used limited number of molds, but soldiers put together with different combination of these molds. The Unification of China The Han Dynasty (202 B.C.E. - C.E. 202) – Kao-tsu (256-195 B.C.E.) – Elaborate central bureaucracy – Reconstruction of philosophical texts Aristocratic feuds / civil war T’ang Dynasty (C.E. 618-906) – China’s Golden Age The Arts in Classical China: Literature The Five Classics – History, Politics, Actual Speeches, Poetry. Popularity of poetry Short Story – Li Po (C.E. 701-762) – Court Poet. – Own style. Philosophical writing – Mahayana, Hinayana Buddhism Short story The Arts in Classical China: Visual Arts Blend of new and traditional styles Direct impressions of daily life Shrines, monumental carvings Emphasis on craftsmanship – Precision and clarity of design Calligraphy – Emphasis on beauty of line 403-221 CE 800 CE