Ancient Civilizations of India and China

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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.