Download “Orient-ation” Of East Asia Nations of East Asia China, 90 percent of

“Orient-ation”
Of East Asia
Nations of East Asia
• China, 90 percent of the land mass; 1.3
billion people make it most populated
country in world, Communists took control
in 1949.
• Japan, islands east of China (frequent
invader), 127 million residents
• North Korea, communist but leaderworship, 22.5 million people; shares
Korean peninsula with…
Nations of East Asia
• South Korea, 49 million people; fought war
with north in 1950s-early 1960s; now has
hostile border with north
• Taiwan, island just off Chinese coast, 23
million residents, fighting cold war against
unification with communist China
History of China
• Shang Dynasty, emerged 1750 BCE, highly
organized society develops
• Chou Dynasty (1122-222 BCE), western Chou
people take control; formed semi-independent
states; ends with Warring States Period;
Confucianism and Daoism come out of this
• Ch’in Dynasty (221-206 BCE), first strong central
government in China, start 4,000 mile-long
Great Wall of China
History of China
• Han Dynasty (202 BCE-220 CE),
Confucianism becomes foundation for
government and education system; trade
with Europe begins; Indian missionaries
bring Buddhism to China
• Post-Han, three competing kingdoms,
Buddhism spreads
History of China
• Tang Dynasty (618-907), brought prosperity,
made capital, Ch’ang-an (now Sian), great
cultural center, Meditation and Pure Land
Buddhism schools compete with Confucianism
• Sung Dynasty (907-1279), Confucian-educated
civil servants dominate government; NeoConfucianism combines Buddhist and Daoist
philosophy with Confucianism and receives state
endorsement
History of China
• Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), established by
Kublai Khan and Mongol invaders, Marco
Polo (1254-1324) visits at this time
• Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), stability,
prosperity and great vases; believe
culturally superior and rebuff European
traders and Christian missionaries
History of China
• Ch’ing Dynasty (1644-1911), Manchuria
rule, occupy Taiwan in 1683. Prosperity
and wealth until decline due to rapid
population growth in late 18th and 19th
centuries
• Opium War (1839-1842), between China
and Great Britain, caused by Chinese
resistance to opium smuggling into China,
but Great Britain won
History of China
• Nan-ching treaty gives Hong Kong to
Great Britain and opens some ports,
massive trade in tea and silk (Hong Kong
restored to China in 1997 with some
degree of autonomy)
• China weakened by Taiping Rebellion
(1851-1864), war with Japan (1894-1895)
and Boxer rebellion in 1900
History of China
• Republic established by nationalist
revolution led by Western-educated
doctor, Sun Yat-sen, deposes last
emperor, six year-old boy, in 1912 (“The
Last Emperor”)
• After period of struggle, Chaing Kai-shek
succeeds Sun Yat-sen as Nationalist Party
head in 1925, unifies China in 1928
History of China
• During World War II, Japan invades China
in 1931 and controls most of country by
1938
• Near end of war in 1945, civil war breaks
out between Nationalists and
Commmunists (latter led by Mao Zedong).
Communists win, create People’s Republic
of China; Nationalists flee to Taiwan.
History of China
• Cultural Revolution of 1966 represses
religions, but religion had greater freedom
after death of Mao in 1976.
• Religion still is government controlled,
religions have to register with government,
and cannot have outside connections
• Economic reform continues, but studentled democracy movement crushed in
1989.
Eastern Asian worldview
• Harmony: People must discover
underlying harmony in themselves and
social lives; balance between opposite
forces (Yin and Yang)
• Disharmony causes problems, caused by
people losing sight of preexistent harmony
and not maintaining harmony with rituals
to appease restless spirits
East Asian worldview
• Goal: harmony in this life, though also part
of afterlife. But emphasis is on this life.
Harmony continues family lineage and
protects against natural and human
disasters.
• Means: proper rituals at altars,
maintenance of de (virtue), xiao or hisao
(filial piety) for both family and empire and
ancestors
East Asian worldview
• Divination – cracks on heated bones and
tortoise shells, as well as dropped sticks –
determine future events
• Yin and Yang: harmony of. Yin is dark,
wet, cool, feminine; while Yang is bright,
dry, warm, masculine. Both are present in
varying degrees in all creation.
• Harmony also accounts for cosmic order