ancient civilizations of india and china ______
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Ancient Civilizations of India and China
______
IndianCivilization
The Lost Indus River Valley Civilization– An independent artistic
tradition over 4000 years old (see right)
– Declined around 1700 BCE
– Ecological disasters– Aryan invasions
The Aryans Indus Valley settlements c. 1500 B.C.E. Uncertain origins Spoke Sanskrit
– Yoga (yoke) – jugum (Latin: yoke) - yoke (English)– Agni (God of fire) – ignis (Latin: fire) – ignition
(English) Society organized in a caste system Epics: Ramayana, Mahabharata
Hinduism From the Vedas and the Upanishads Ultimate
reality is an impersonal reality called Brahman.
Each person has Brahman within, called Atman
Brahman is the ultimate reality; everything else is somewhat unreal
Life is a path to ultimate reality; there are three paths:– Path of Asceticism
– Path of discipline (karma)
– Path of Devotion (bhakti)
Buddha Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 B.C.E.)
– Inescapability of suffering and death– “Enlightened One”
Fourfold Noble Path– Eightfold Path– Emphasis on ethical, moderate living
Liberation through knowledge– Truth lies within
Hindu and Buddhist Art
Hindu Art Narrative art Religious in spirit Eroticism Naturalism Unity in all life forms
– Avatars
Buddhist Art Focus on spirituality Calm, transcendent
images – Buddha, Bodhisattvas
– Renunciation of worldly pleasures
Origins of Civilization in China
Confucianism– Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.)– Creating a new, virtuous social order– Five inner virtues, two outer virtues– Purpose of the State– Authority and discipline
Origins of Civilization in China
Taoism– Lao Tzu (570 B.C.E.)– Limitations of human perceptions– “the Way” (tao)– Tao te ching– Passivity and resignation– “the soft yield of water cleaves the obstinate
stone”
The Unification of China
Ch’in Dynasty (221 B.C.E.)– Shih Huang-ti, “First Emperor”– Hsien-yang, captial city– Centralization– Burning of the Books– The Great Wall– The Emperor’s tomb
Exam Question 5
Describe the origins and main beliefs of one of the following eastern religions: Hinduism; Buddhism; Confucianism; Taoism.
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