leading ancient states ii

8/9/2019 Leading Ancient States II

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Leading Ancient States

Roots of Chinese Civilization

According to the popular Chinese legend, it was the 1 st pan ku who made the worldwith the use of a hammer and a chisel. He completed this task after 18,000 years.

The people who preceded him also possessed pan kus distinct physicalappearance they had several heads, a body resembled that of a snake andenormous feet. It is widely held that some of the earliest and traditional Chinesecustoms originated from these beings.

Xia Dynasty (2205- 1766 BC)

Prince Yu

was regarded as the first prince of the legendary Xia dynasty

He fought of the river to save his kingdom from destruction thatmassive floods bring.

If not for Yu, we would all have been fishes

Xia Dynasty lasted for 14 generations before declining & being supersededby the Shang Dynasty.

It cannot be ascertained that it was indeed Prince Yu who established the XiaDynasty in 2205 BC. It is possible that Prince Yu supposedly fought off wasthe Huang Ho or Yellow River which may be found in Northwest China wherethe early Xia and Shang civilization were founded.

Shang Dynasty

Is almost similar with the Xia dynasty

Materials and designs of buildings

Animal bones and tortoise shells were used as talisman and for healinginfirmities

Heavens Mandate

Is a concept in which Chinese people believed that kings were sent by godsto rule over and administer them. They lead the people in making offeringsand seeking the intercession of their gods.

Became the basis and justification for dynasties

Societys leaders

Compose of ruling families, officials of the kings court, including those whopossessed mystical powers and advisers of the kings entire family.

Ordinary people


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Peasants and their families

Lived in the countryside

Shang were often at war with neighbouring people & moved their capital severaltimes, Shang kings could mobilize large armies for warfare and huge numbers of

workers to construct defensive walls and elaborate tombs.

The capitals were also moved several times due to the overflowing of the HuangHo. Shang priests performed many rituals including human sacrifices to implore thegods to spare their kingdom from the rampaging waters.

The worship of ancestors were also widespread during the Shang. Kings wereburied with ritual vessels, weapons, jades and numerous servants and sacrificialvictims suggesting that the Shang believe in afterlife. The people believed that eachperson had two kinds of spirits one is left in this world and while the other one joinsthe spirit world.

Shang dynasty ended in 110 BC due to unclear reasons. Some historians say

that its because the Shang leaders had last the heavens mandate, and thereforemust be replaced.

The last centre of the dynasty was set up in the province of Hunan.

CULTURAL LINKAGES

6th Century B.C.

- Cyrus the Great unified people of Iranian descent and created thekingdom of Persia, eventually conquering and ruling territory from theMediterranean Sea to the Indus River.

Darius I

- The third Persian King- Centralized the empires government and supported Zorogstrianism ( a

religion whose belief of good and evil and of heaven and hell may haveinfluenced other religions.)

330 BC

- Persia had been conquered by Alexander The Great (died in 323 BC), hisempire

broke apart into three kingdoms.

Alexander the Great- Became king og Mecedonia when his father (Philip II) was assassinated in

336 BC.- Led his troops in campaigns against Egypt and the Persian Empire.

The Seleucids ruled the Asian Kingdom, which broke into several states. Oneof these, called Bactria, straddled the east-west and north-south trade routes.


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Chinese silk and Indian cotton traveled across these routes to Greece and Rome inexchange for glass, manufactured items and gold.

Before the nomadic Kushan tribes from Central Asia conquered Bactria, Greekinfluences were dominant because the new rulers absorbed Hellenistic culture, orHellenism. Towards the 1st century AD, Greek was the international language of

business diplomacy.

Much or southwestern and Central Asia, however, was dominated by Parthiaand later by the Persian Sassanids. Beginning about 250 BC, the Arsacid Dynasty ofParthia gained control of this large region. Due to the regions central location, theArsacids dominated trans continental trade. Persian sassanids conquered Parthia in224 AD, spreading Persian culture widely.

INDIAN EXPANSION

The history and lives of the Indian people were influenced in a large part by

the countrys geography. Early India was composed of Pakistan, Bangladesh andpresent day India.

India is shaped like a triangle; the sea bounds the eastern and western parts.Its third side lies in the north and the huge mountains of the Himalayas and theHindu Kush serve as a wall.

India was not spared from attacks from invaders who passed through themountains. But while this may be so, foreign influences were not that effective inaltering the lives of the Indians.

The Aryan Settlement

The first phase of foreign invasion of India from the early stage up to themiddle ages. There where human made passages in the mountains that the foreignattackers used to get to India. Another route that the western countries used wasthrough the sea in the 16th century when sea voyages were no longer dangerousand when vessels were already more stable and sturdy.

In about 1500BC the Aryans settled in the upper reaches of the Indus,yammuna, and gangetic plains. Aryans spoke a language from the indo Europeanfamily and worshiped gods. They passed through the Khyber Pass and bolan in thehindu kush mountains. Before they successfully established a settlement in theIndian plains known as Hindustan (land of the Hindus), the Aryans engage inbattles against the daisyus. These are the natives of India who were called

Dravidians. According to the Aryans, the Dravidians were a race of short and darkskinned people who lived in areas with high fences. By 800BC the Aryans ruled inmost of northern India, occasionally fighting among them or with the people of theland they were settling in.

The Aryans destroyed the cities in Hindustan, and drove away the nativeDravidians. Intermarriages between the Aryans and Dravidians becamecommonplace. Not long after, the Aryans themselves sought ways to disassociates


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themselves with the Dravidians. Interaction, especially intermarriages betweenAryans and Dravidians were eventually prohibited.

The first civilization developed by the Aryans from 1500-900 BC is known asthe Vedic phase. Aryans were originated earliest forms of the sacred Vedas, acollection of orally transmitted text of hymns of devotion to the gods. In fact, the

word Veda id defined as knowledge. The rig Veda is regarded as the oldest Vedaand serves as a guide for morality among the Aryans (Knowledge about Aryans).

The Aryans lived in the rural areas. They were organized into tribes underelected kings who served as a judge, priest and warrior. There were times when thekings unites against the Dravidians, but there were also times when they foughtagainst each other.

As the Aryans slowly settled into agriculture and moved southeast throughthe gangetic plain, they changed their styles in living and political structures. Theylived in houses made from hardened mud. Theirs were extended families whereeven married children stayed in the same house. The father is the head of the Aryan

family. Women enjoyed a high status in Aryan society.Instead of warrior leading a tribe, a n Aryan chieftain ruled over the territory,

with its society divided into hereditary groups. This structure became the beginningof the caste system, which has survived in India until the present day. The fourcastes that emerged from this era were the Brahmans (priest), the Ksahatriyas(warriors and rulers), the Vaisyas (merchants, farmers, and trades), and the Sudras(artisans, laborers, and servants).

The two great epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana contain gems ofinformation about Aryan life during the epic phase. The Mahabharata is an epic ofthe battle between two noble families that dates from 400 BC and the Ramayanatalks about the life and struggles of rama.

The Aryans established city states along the coastline of the ganges river in900 BC while they were engaged in territorial expansion. The small tribes combinedand grew, giving rise to larger kingdoms. The epic phase lasted 400 years.

The Aryans are said to be very good carpenters and makers of bronze tools. They used horse drawn carriages, a reflection of Homeric culture. They alsoworshiped many gods including Indra, the god of warriors; Varuna, the god of theheavens; and Rudra, the god of rains.

By about 7th century, the small kingdoms in the Ganges were embroiled inconflict. Among these kingdoms, the state of Magadha which was hen under the

Saisanuga dynasty from the Kshatriya family prevailed. According to Jaindocuments, king Bimbisara, a follower of Buddha, administered Magadha. Magadhaprospered due to a flourishing trade with Babylon, Indonesia in the Philipines.Bimbisara was said to have been killed by his son Ajatasatru who was responsiblefor expanding his fathers kingdom. Ajatasatru established Pataliputra as thekingdoms capital city.


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The nandas who were from a lower social ousted the Saisanuga dynasty.Under nandas, Jainism and Buddhism continued to spread. Darious invadedgandhara and the lower Indus community in 516 BC.

India is source of gold and soldiers brought to Persia. With the fall of thePersian Empire, India was left open to yet another western invasion, this time from

the Greeks. The Greeks were resolute in their desire to overthrow Persian forces allover the world. This prompted Alexander the great to travel to Persia.

Alexander and some 30,00o soldiers transverse the Indus river in 330 BC toreach India. Alexander and his troops first entered Punjab, after which theyproceeded to Taxila, a rich community in India. Upon their return in Punjab, theypassed through Jhelum where they engaged the forces of Porus, an Indian king in afierce battle. After emerging victorious, Alexander was all set to proceed to theGanges but his men were not so ecstatic in following him anymore. Not evenAlexander promises of his men sharing in whatever riches they would find in Asiawere enough to convince his men to go with him. After three days of mulling it over,Alexander decided that his mission of invasion ends there. Alexander instead went

to Babylonia where he contracted malaria and died in 323 BC.

Aside from the establishement of the greek empire, Alexanders invasion ofnorthwest India yieled no other significant result. The linkage between India nad thewest that started from the achaemenid period of the Persian empire furtherdeveloped.

Selecus nicator I, the patron of the Seleucids, attempted to take over theterritories established by Alexander. Fortunately, the native Indians led by themauryans thwarted his plans.

THE MAURYAN EMPIRE (321- 184 BC)

Chandragupta Maurya, the leader of the armed forces of the Nanda king inMagadha, established the Mauryan Dynasty with the help of a Brahman priestnamed Kautilya. Chandragupta attempted to kill the king of Nanda. His plan wasexposed and so he was banished from Magadha together with Kautilya.

According to tradition, Chandragupta went to Punjab where he met up withAlexander the Great. When Alexander left India, Chandragupta effectively droveaway Indias invader both old and new. Chandragupta came back to Magadha to killthe Nanda king. In 322 BC, Chandragupta established the Mauryan Dynasty andestablished its center at Pataliputra.

Over a period of ten years, Chandragupta was able to take control of Punjab

as well the plains of Indus and Ganges Rivers. Since then, he was proclaimed not asking, but as emperor.

Chandragupta Maurya alone decided on all matters. His ministers ablyassisted him in the dispensation of his duties. To town became the fundamental unitof government. The towns formed one district, and together the districts made up aprovince. A viceroy who was a member of the royal family ruled the province.


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Chandragupta known for being ruthless leader, there were always threats tohis life. His palace had secret tunnels that he could use to escape should dangerarise. He always had someone taste his foods and drinks for fear and beingpoisoned. He seldom left his palace, and saw to it that his time was spent inmanaging the affairs of the state.

Under the powers of the Mauryan emperor:

the whole of India remained united

the economy progresses because of effective leadership

the empire depended on agriculture

the state sought ways to further improve irrigation and embarked on floodcontrol projects

the Mauryan people also made their livelihood from mining and trading

commerce flourished as a result of the outstanding road system that theemperor ordered built

The emperor did not interfere on matters of religion. People were free to chooseand practice their faith. Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism spread throughout theEmpire.

Kautilya was very good adviser to the emperor. He authored the Arthasastra,which was a political discourse stated that a leader would have to employ both goodand bad means in order to maintain his authority.

Although the emperor was callous and merciless toward his enemies, he was

lenient and bighearted to his loyal followers. This is Chandraguptas legacy to thosewho come after him.

After his death in 298 BC, his son Bindusara who ruled until 273 BC replacedChandragupta. Under him, the empire expanded. Ashoka, who was Chandraguptasgrandson, was able to defeat the Kalindas (now Orissa state).

Gupta Dynasty (320-500AD) (Golden Age of Hinduism)

320AD: Chandragupta I, ruler of Magadha kingdom,united the people andfounded the Gupta Dynasty

North India: capital of Gupta Dynasty

1. They got the control over rich mineral deposits and trade in Gangessea

2. Political alliance with the Licchayi and married a Licchayi princess

Samudragupta(335-375AD)


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Chandragupta I died in 335 AD

Samudragupta: his son continued the quest for territorial expansion

Defeated powerful feudal states

He took the kingdoms of and Padmavati, Malwas, the Yaudheyas, theArjunayanas, the Maduras and the Abhiras, he had incorporated over twentykingdoms extended from the Himalayas

firm believer in Hinduism

He gave himself the titles King of Kings and World Monarch. He is consideredthe Napoleon of north India.

Chandragupta II

Son of Samudragupta

Instrument of peace and

Development to north India

Supported art and sciences

Information about his leadership can be found:

Writings of Fa Hsien-chinese Buddhist

Writinmgs of Kalidasa

According to Fa Hsien:

People lived a prosperous and plentiful life

The king was generous, patient and never resort harsh punishment

Hospitals- free health services

Travelers- free accommodations

Golden Age of Indian Civilization

A. Literature

dramas and poems of Kalidasa

ex. Sakuntala- romantic drama

Puranas- collection of myths and philosophical dialogues, basic sourcefor tales of gods central to Hinduism

Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti


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B. Science and technology was higher than Europe

The use of Zero

Decimal System

C. Trade and Commerce

Indian products were traded to Southeast Asia

India sold spices and cinnamon to Rome

Taxes on agricultural lands- wealth of Gupta Dynasty

Chandragupta II died in 413 AD, he was replaced by Kumaragupta

Skandagupta (455 AD)

on his reign, the tribe of Huns already entered Northwest part of the

kingdom

He made use of all his strenghth but nothing happened

And his death in 467 AD signaled the fall of the Gupta Dynasty

By 16th century, the dynasty was just a part of the memory

Fall of Gupta resulted to political division of India

Harsha(606 AD)

A kind leader just like Ashoka

His kingdom was the only one in terms of strength, to replace Gupta Dynasty

His death in 647 AD reverted India to darkness due to absence of a strongleader to unify India

Expansion of the Chinese Civilization

Zhou Dynasty (1050-456 BC)

In 11th century, ZHOU dynasty rose against and defeated Shang Dynasty

Traditionally, it was divided into two periods:

Western Zhou (1050-770 BC)

Capital: near the Luoyang

Eastern Zhou(771-456 BC)

Capital: further east to Lu


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Western Zhou

Stable and peaceful life

Zhou kingdom into smaller feudal states feudal lords( chosen by Zhourulers)

Obedient feudal lords freedom and authority

Under them were the nobility members

Under them were the peasants-food production

li- set of complex rules of social etiquette and personal contact

Civilized: practiced li

Barbarians: never practiced li

Zhou Dynastys supremacy= very effective armed forces

King YU- last emperor of western zhou disowned his son and gave thethrone to his other son queens father sought help of other feudal lords andattacked Luoyang king was killed and they moved the capital to Lu.And gave way to Eastern Zhou

Eastern Zhou Dynasty

People set up communities in the rich valley of Yangtze

Fewer feudal states< nobility

Power was laid to larger states

As a result: king mere figurehead of the state priestly functions

Power of eastern zhou declined

After more than 500 years, dynasty ended

Four major forces that threatened to replace the dynasty:

A. Wu

B. Chu

C. Yue

D. Chin- led by Lu Puwei, defeated the Zhous

256 BC- Zhou Dynasty ended

Zhous Contributions to Chinas History


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1. Economic development through

expansion of trade and commerce

2. Calligraphy: system of written communication

It is an art of turning square Chinese characters into expressive imagesby the responsiveness of paper as well as the speed and pressure of apointed Chinese brush

3. Teachings of Confucius and Loa Tzu

Most important

Basic foundation of Chinese society

Confucianism

a Chinese ethical and philosophical

system developed from the teachings

of the Chinese philosopher Confucius

Principle of good conduct, practical

wisdom and proper social relationship

"Do not do to others

what you do not want done to yourself"

TEACHINGS:A. Paternalistic government

B. Leaders responsibility over his followers

C. In education, the famous quote:

in education there is no class distinction.

D. 5 levels of interaction that bring unity and harmony in society:

Father and son

Husband and wife

Older and younger siblings

Friends

Leader and follower

Taoism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confuciushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius


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2nd to Confucianism

Tao= way

one must do nothing( wuwei)

Give birth to Hsu in art

blank paper

Chin Dynasty (221-206 BC)

Defeated all feudal states and unified the whole China

Lasted 15 years

Major contribution: China

Leader: Qin Shihuangd, who confiscated all the properties of feudal lords

Ordered construction of Great Wall of China

Major infrastructure: irrigation system and roads

Before the use of bricks, the Great Wall was mainly built from Earth or Taipa,stones, and wood.

During the Ming Dynasty, however, bricks were heavily used in many areas ofthe wall, as were materials such as tiles, lime, and stone. Consequently,stones cut in rectangular shapes were used for the foundation, inner andouter brims, and gateways of the wall.

Length: 8,851.8 km (5,500.3 mi)

Shihuangdis death in 210 BC= fall of dynasty

Result: widespread chaos

Two tribes that fought for political power:

Liu Pang- won in 206 BC new dynasty

Hsiang Yu

Han Dynasty(206-220 BC)

Liu Pang/Kao Su: leader

Major contribution: in public administration

Examination for government officials


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scholar-gentry- intelligent people who passed theexaminations

Accounts of peoples life under Han Dynasty:

Writings ofSuma Chien- Father of Chinese History

Under Wang Mangs Administration:

China became miserable and the people returned the power to Liu Pang andtransferred the capital to Luoyang

Chinese invented paper from fiber, trunk of trees and abaca

Silk production- improved due to invention ofweaving machine

Discovery of compass

Weapons and tools from steel

The next phase in China was chaos

Sui Dynasty(581-618 AD)

Yang Jian/ Wen Ti- leader

Military commander who reunified China

Construction of Grand Canal- a canal going to Chang-an and connectedYang Zhou to Yellow River

604: Wen Ti was succeeded by his son Yang Guang Yang Dynasty failed

618: Yang died and Li Yuan declared himself an emperor of TangDynasty

Tang Dynasty(619-907 AD)

Li Yuan: emperor

One of the high periods of traditional Chinese civilization

China cultural center of East Asia

Chang-an capital

Tai Tsung/ Li Shi Min- son of Li Yuan

Implemented the policies that made Tang Dynasty famous

Policies:

1. Land Reform


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2. Government Reforms

3. Legalist System

Confucius teachings became the basis for interaction among people insociety

4. Military System

Contributions:

A. Art

Listening to music, painting and poetry

Machine that use wooden blocks for printing

Golden Age of Poetry

B. Buddhism


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Asian Civilization

Leading Ancient States

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