Ancient India and China

Geography, Cast Systems, and Religion

Geography

India and China separated by Himalayas -- two great truth seekers

Buddha and ConfuciusIndia -- Why a sub continent?Indus and Ganges riversIndus flooded each year - fertile siltWell planned cities - Harappa and

Mohenjo-Daro (2500 B.C.)

Development of Cities

Populations of 30,000, grid like streets, walls around cities, specialized workers

Buildings, storehouses, bathhouses, storied houses, concerned with cleanliness and sanitation

Most people farmersDomesticated animalsCrafts, rolling dice, kids had clay toys

The 1st Decline

1750 B.C. - Why decline - Indus changed course? Misuse of land and resources? Invaders?

1500 B.C. - Aryans moved in and no written language left - did have sanskrit (memorization of hymns and poems - learned by priests and passed orally

Hinduism

The Vedic Age? (page 76)Rig-Veda = 1028 hymns - written down

in 1400 B.E.Upanishads -- 400 B.C. wise Hindu

teachers tried to interpret Vedic hymns and answers were memorized (pg 77)

The Caste system

The Cast System

Brahmins (mouth) - Became priests and were highest group in society

Kshatriyas (arms) - rulers and warriorsVaishyas (legs) - Merchants, land

owners and artisansShudras (feet) - servants and slavesUntouchables - Not part of the gods

body but did serve a purpose

Questions of the Caste System

Was the Caste system part of the Hindu religion as it comes in a lot of criticism for being rigid because you are born into each caste?

How does that relate to other religions and social class status in Europe

Rules within the Castes

People were born into castes and accepted their positions.

Caste depended upon deeds of the past lives ---- reincarnation

Karma guaranteed that good deeds in one life meant rebirth into a higher caste. Bad deeds meant lower

The Caste System Today

India is the 2nd largest Country The caste system is still followed and

there is an increased gap between the rich and the poor

Untouchables - dalits make up 20%Rich - 56%, Christians 3%Can move in the caste system now

Rules Continued

“just as he acts, just as he behaves, so he becomes”

Dharma = duty in caste Funeral pyres --- burning of the dead

body for journey to its new soul--wife expected to jump into husbands pyre in ancient times.

Siddhartha Guatama (Buddha)

Buddha was born into a high caste in 563 B.C. He had a privilidged life and never saw pain and suffering until he was an adult.

He realized that life was an endless cycle of pain and only escape form it was wisdom (page 79)

4 noble truths

1) Everything in life is suffering and sorrow

2) Cause of all Pain in desires -- seek pleasure that cannot last and leads to rebirth and more suffering

3) What to end all pain is to end all desires

4) People can overcome desires and gain enlightenment of they follow the eightfold path (see next slide

The eight fold path

1) Right knowledge

2) Right purpose

3) Right speech

4) Right action

5) Right living

6) Right effort

7) Right mindfulness

8) Right mediation

Eightfold Path

Like a staircase -- master one stepThen you can reach nirvanaNirvana = release of pain and sufferingTreat all living things with love/kindnessShowed concern for all -- men, women,

low born, high bornWould not even swat a mosquito

China

Chinese viewed themselves as the center of the universe

All others were barbariansStrong bonds held society togetherFamily (page 84) filial pietyDead family members could bring good

or bad.Sacrifices were made to fathers family

Government

Ruler was like a grandfather to chineseMandate of HeavenDynastic Cycle Famous dynasties - Shang, Chou,

Ch’in, HanThe video will explain these dynasties

Geography and engineering

Yellow River - China’s sorrow; Loess (yellow ) silt was distributed for planting

Silkworms - crime to share knowledge of making silk in the ancient world

Use of Oracle Bones (Writing)

The Great Wall

Built for protectionMany labored to build it (Chin dynasty)Where bodies thrown in as fillers?Can the great wall can be seen from space? Wonder of the world and the longest man

made structure.About 30 feet high and 10 feet wideHow long is the wall? Different sources

Confucius

Born 551 B.C. (12 years younger)Said that social order and good

government would result if organized around 5 basic relationships

5 relationships

1) Ruler and subject

2) Father and son

3) Husband and wife

4) Older brother and younger brother

5) Friend and friend

*Respect on these levels is important.