HUM: 100 - Early China and Ancient India

Early China
and Ancient India
HUM/100 – Intro to the Humanities I
The Ancient World to Medieval Time
Prof. Francisco Pesante-Gonzalez
University of Phoenix – Puerto Rico Campus

Objectives
 Identify significant world events from ancient China
and India.
 Identify example of the humanities in ancient
civilizations, such as art, architecture, and philosophy.
 Identify major key examples from the humanities that
reflect developments in world events and cultural
patterns in ancient China and India.

What role does
China and India play
in contemporary
culture?

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Mexico Spain United Kingdom France United States of
America
India
2013 Major Movie Producers
Source: UNESCO Cinema Statistics -
http://www.uis.unesco.org/culture/Documents/languages-production.xlsx

World Population (2016): 7.444 Billions
China Population: 1.383 Billions (18.6%)
India Population: 1.329 Billions (17.9%)
 United States Population: 324 Millions (4.4%)
 North+Central+South America Population: 959 Millions (12.9%)

PREHISTORIC ASIA
The Geography of the Indian Subcontinent
 Indian Subcontinent
 Subcontinent—landmass that includes India,
 Pakistan, and Bangladesh
 World’s tallest mountain ranges separate it
from rest of Asia

PREHISTORIC ASIA
 Rivers, Mountains, and Plains
 Mountains to north, desert to east, protect
Indus Valley from invasion
 Indus and Ganges rivers from flat, fertile
plain—the Indo-Gangetic
 Southern India, a dry plateau flanked by
mountains
 Narrow strip of tropical land along coast.

PREHISTORIC ASIA
 Monsoons
 Seasonal winds dominate India’s climate
 Winter winds are dry; summer winds bring rain
can cause flooding

PREHISTORIC ASIA
 Environmental Challenges
 Floods along the Indus unpredictable; river
can change course
 Rainfall unpredictable; could have droughts
or floods

PREHISTORIC ASIA
Civilization Emerges on the Indus
 Indus Valley Civilization
 Influenced an area larger than Mesopotamia
or Egypt
 Earliest Arrivals
 About 7000 B.C., evidence of agriculture and
domesticated animals
 By about 3200 B.C., people farming in villages
along Indus River

PREHISTORIC ASIA
 Planned Cities
 By 2500 B.C., people build cities of brick laid
out on grid system
 Engineers create plumbing and sewage
systems Indus Valley called Harappan
civilization after Harappa, a city

PREHISTORIC ASIA
 Harappan Planning
 City built on mud-brick platform to protect
against flood waters
 Brick walls protect city and citadel—central
buildings of the city
 Streets in grid system are 30 feet wide
 Lanes separate rows of house (which
featured bathrooms)

INDIA EARLY ANCIENT HISTORY
Harappan Culture
 Language
 Had writing systems of 400 symbols; but
scientists can’t decipher it
 Culture
 Harappan cities appear uniform in culture; no
great social divisions
 Animals important to the culture; toys suggest
prosperity

Harappan Culture
 Role of Religion
 Priests closely linked to rulers
 Some religious artifacts reveals links to
modern Hindu culture
 Trade
 Had thriving trade with other peoples,
including Mesopotamia

Indus Valley Culture Ends
 Harappan Decline
 Signs of decline begin around 1750 B.C.
 Earthquakes, floods, soil depletion may have
caused decline
 Around 1500 B.C., Aryans enter area and
become dominant

PREHISTORIC ASIA
The Geography of China
 Barriers Isolate China
 Ocean, mountains, deserts isolate China from
other areas
 River Systems
 Huang He (“Yellow River”) in north, Yangtze in
south
 Huang He leaves loess—fertile silt—when it
floods

PREHISTORIC ASIA
The Geography of China
 Environmental Challenges
 Huang He floods can devour whole villages
 Geographic isolation means lack of trade;
must be self-sufficient
 China’s Heartland
 North China Plain, area between two rivers,
center of civilization

PREHISTORIC ASIA
Civilization Emerges in Shang Times
 The First Dynasties
 Around 2000 B.C. cities arise; Yu, first ruler of
Xia Dynasty
 Yu’s flood control systems tames Huang He
(“Yellow River”)
 Shang Dynasty, 1700 to 1027 B.C., first to
leave written records

PREHISTORIC ASIA
Civilization Emerges in Shang Times
 Early Cities
 Built cities of wood, such as Anyang—one of
its capital cities
 Upper class lives inside city; poorer people live
outside
 Shang cities have massive walls for military
defense

CHINA EARLY ANCIENT HISTORY
The Development of Chinese Culture
 Chinese Civilization
 Sees China as center of world; views others as
uncivilized
 The group is more important than the
individual

 Family
 Family is central social institution; respect for
parents a virtue
 Elder males control family property
 Women expected to obey all men, even sons
 Social Classes
 King and warrior-nobles lead society and own
the land

 Religious Beliefs
 Spirits of dead ancestors can affect family
fortunes
 Priests scratch questions on animal bones and
tortoise shells
 Oracle bones used to consult gods; supreme
god, Shang Di

 Development of Writing
 Writing system uses symbols to represent
syllables; not ideas
 People of different languages can use same
system
 Huge number of characters make system
difficult to learn

Zhou and the Dynastic Cycle
 The Zhou Take Control
 In 1027 B.C., Zhou Dynasty takes control of
China
 Mandate of Heaven
 Mandate of Heaven—the belief that a just
ruler had divine approval
 Developed as justification for change in
power to Zhou
 Dynastic cycle—pattern of the rise and
decline of dynasties

 Control Through Feudalism
 Feudalism—system where kings give land to
nobles in exchange for services
 Over time, nobles grow in power and begin
to fight each other

 Improvements in Technology and Trade
 Zhou Dynasty builds roads, canals to improve
transportation
 Uses coins to make trade easier
 Produces cast iron tools and weapons; food
production increases

CHINA EARLY ANCIENT
HISTORY
Zhou and the Dynastic
Cycle
 A Period of Warring States
 Peaceful, stable Zhou
empire rules from
around 1027 to 256
B.C.
 In 771 B.C., nomads
sack the Zhou capital,
murder monarch
 Luoyang becomes
new capital; but
internal wars destroy
traditions
King Cheng of the Zhou

RELIGIONS AND THEIR CULTURE -
CHINA
Confucius and the
Social Order
 Confucius Urges
Harmony
 End of Zhou
Dynasty (256 B.C.)
is time of disorder
 Scholar Confucius
wants to restore
order, harmony,
good government
Confusius ( 551 – 479 b.C.)

Confucius and the Social Order
 Confucius Urges Harmony
 Stresses developing good relationships,
including family
 Promotes filial piety—respect for parents and
ancestors
 Hopes to reform society by promoting good
government
RELIGIONS AND THEIR CULTURE - CHINA

Confucius and the Social Order
 Confucian Ideas About Government
 Thinks education can transform people
 Teachings become foundation for
bureaucracy, a trained civil service
 Confucianism is an ethical system of right and
wrong, not a religion
 Chinese government and social order is
based on Confucianism

Other Ethical Systems
 Daoists Seek Harmony
 Laozi teaches that people should follow the
natural order of life
 Believes that universal force called Dao
guides all things
 Daoism philosophy is to understand nature
and be free of desire
 Daoists influence sciences, alchemy,
astronomy, medicine

 Legalists Urge Harsh Rule
 Legalism emphasizes the use of law to restore
order; stifles criticism
 Teaches that obedience should be
rewarded, disobedience punished

 I Ching and Yin and Yang
 I Ching (The Book of Changes) offers good
advice, common sense
 Concept of yin and yang—two powers
represent rhythm of universe
 Yin: cold, dark, soft, mysterious; yang: warm,
bright, hard, clear
 I Ching and yin and yang explain how people
fit into the world

RELIGIONS AND THEIR CULTURE - INDIA
Buddhism and Hinduism Change
 Traditional Hindu and Buddhist Beliefs
 Hinduism blends Aryan and other beliefs;
belief in many gods
 To Buddhists, desire causes suffering but
suffering can be overcome

 A More Popular Form of Buddhism
 Belief in bodhisattvas develops—potential
Buddhas who save humanity
 Mahayana sect—Buddhists accepting new
doctrines of worship, salvation
 Theravada sect—Buddhists who follow
original teachings of Buddha
 Wealthy Buddhist merchants build stupas -
stone structures over relics

 A Hindu Rebirth
 Hinduism is remote from people by time of
Mauryan Empire
 Hinduism moves toward monotheism; gods
part of one divine force

Buddhism and Hinduism
Change
 A Hindu Rebirth
 Chief gods:
Brahma: creator of
the world
Vishnu: preserver of
the world
Shiva: destroyer of
the world

THE CIVILIZATION OF ANCIENT INDIA
The Mauryan Empire Is Established
 Chandragupta Maurya Seizes Power
 In 321 B.C., Chandragupta Maurya seizes
power, starts Mauryan Empire
 Chandragupta Maurya Unifies North India
 Chandragupta defeats Seleucus I; north India
united for first time
 Chandragupta uses taxes to support his large
army

 Running the Empire
 Chandragupta’s chief adviser is Kautilya, a
priest
 Chandragupta creates bureaucratic
government
 He divides the government to make it easier
to rule

 Life in the City and the Country
 A Greek ambassador writes glowing praise of
the empire
 Chandragupta’s son rules from 301 to 269
B.C., 32 years
 Asoka—Chandragupta’s grandson, brings the
empire to its height

 Asoka Promotes Buddhism
 After a bloody war with Kalinga, Asoka
promotes Buddhism and peace
 Preaches religious toleration—accepting
people of different religions
 Builds roads, with wells along them

A Period of Turmoil
 The Breakup of the Mauryan Empire
 Asoka dies in 232 B.C.; kingdoms in central India
soon break away
 The Andhra Dynasty dominates central India for
centuries
 Northern India receives immigrants from Greece,
other parts of Asia
 Tamils—a people living in southern India - remain
separate and frequently war with rival peoples

The Gupta Empire Is Established
 Chandra Gupta Builds an Empire
 Chandra Gupta marries into kingship in north
India in A.D. 320
 Starts Gupta Empire—India’s second empire;
flowering of Indian civilization, especially
Hindu culture
 His son Samudra Gupta expands empire with
conquest

 Daily Life in India
 Majority of Indians are farmers; entire family
raises crops together
 Families are patriarchal—headed by the
eldest male
 Farmers have to contribute work to
government and pay heavy taxes
 Some Tamil families are matriarchal—led by
mother rather than father

 Height of the Gupta Empire
 Chandra Gupta II rules from A.D. 375–415
 He defeats the Shakas and adds western
coast to empire
 Gupta Empire sees flourishing of arts, religion,
and science
 After Chandra Gupta II dies, the empire
declines

Achievements of Indian Culture
 Astronomy, Mathematics, and Medicine
 Ocean trade leads to advances in astronomy
 Indian astronomers in Gupta Empire prove
that world is round
 Mathematicians develop idea of zero and
decimal system
 Doctors write medical guides and make
advances in surgery

The Spread of Indian Trade
 India’s Valuable Resources
 India has spices, diamonds, precious stones,
and good quality wood

 Overland Trade, East and West
 Trade routes called Silk Roads connect Asia
and Europe
 Indians build trading posts to take advantage
of the Silk Roads

 Sea Trade, East and West
 Indian merchants carry goods to Rome by
sea
 Merchants trade by sea with Africa, Arabia,
China, Southeast Asia

 Effects of Indian Trade
 Increased trade leads to rise of banking
 Bankers lend money to merchants, careful of
degree of risk
 Increased trade spreads Indian culture to
other places
 Trade brings Hinduism, Buddhism to other
lands

THE CIVILIZATION OF ANCIENT CHINA
The Qin Dynasty Unifies China
Zhou Dynasty
 Lasted 1027 to 256 B.C.; ancient values decline near
end of dynasty
The Qin Dynasty
 Qin Dynasty replaces Zhou Dynasty in third century
B.C.

A New Emperor Takes Control
 Emperor Shi Huangdi unifies China, ends fighting,
conquers new lands
 Creates 36 administrative districts controlled by Qin
officials
 With legalist prime minister, murders Confucian
scholars, burns books
 Establishes an autocracy, a government with unlimited
power

A Program of Centralization
 Shi Huangdi builds highways, irrigation projects;
increases trade
 Sets standards for writing, law, currency, weights and
measures
 Harsh rule includes high taxes and repressive
government

Great Wall of China
 Emperor forces peasants to build Great Wall to
keep out invaders
The Fall of the Qin
 Shi Huangdi’s son loses the throne to rebel
leader; Han Dynasty begins

The Han Restore Unity to China
 Troubled Empire
 In Qin Dynasty peasants resent high taxes and
harsh labor, rebel

 Liu Bang Founds the Han Dynasty
 Liu Bang defeats Xiang Yu, a rival for power,
and founds Han Dynasty
 Han Dynasty - begins in 202 B.C., lasts 400
years
 Han Dynasty has great influence on Chinese
people, culture
 Liu Bang establishes centralized government -
a central authority rules
 Liu Bang lowers taxes and reduces
punishments to keep people happy

 The Empress Lü
 Liu Bang dies in 195 B.C.; wife Lü seizes control
of empire
 Empress Lü rules for her young son, outlives
him
 Palace plots and power plays occur
throughout Han Dynasty

 The Martial Emperor
 Liu Bang’s great-grandson Wudi rules from 141
to 87 B.C.
 “Martial Emperor” Wudi defeats Xiongnu
(nomads) and mountain tribes
 Colonizes Manchuria, Korea, and as far south
as what is now Vietnam

A Highly Structured Society
 Emperor’s Role
 Chinese believe their emperor has authority
to rule from god
 Believe prosperity reward of good rule;
troubles reveal poor rule

 Structures of Han Government
 Complex bureaucracy runs Han government
 People pay taxes and supply labor, military
service
 Government uses peasant labor to carry out
public projects

 Confucianism, the Road to Success
 Wudi’s government employs 130,000; bureaucracy
of 18 ranks of jobs
 Civil service jobs—government jobs obtained
through examinations
 Job applicants begin to be tested on knowledge
of Confucianism
 Wudi favors Confucian scholars, builds school to
train them
 Only sons of wealthy can afford expensive
schooling
 Civil service system works well, continues until 1912

Han Technology, Commerce, and Culture
 Technology Revolutionizes Chinese Life
 Invention of paper in A.D. 105 helps spread
education
 Collar harness, plow, wheelbarrow improve
farming

Han Technology, Commerce, and Culture
 Agriculture Versus Commerce
 As population grows, farming regarded as
important activity
 Government allows monopolies—control by
one group over key industries
 Techniques for producing silk become state
secret as profits increase

The Han Unifies Chinese Culture
 Bringing Different Peoples Under Chinese Rule
 To unify empire, Chinese government
encourages assimilation
 Assimilation—integrating conquered peoples
into Chinese culture
 Writers encourage unity by recording Chinese
history

The Han Unifies Chinese Culture
 Women’s Roles—Wives, Nuns, and Scholars
 Most women work in the home and on the
farm
 Some upper-class women are educated, run
shops, practice medicine

The Fall of the Han and Their Return
 The Rich Take Advantage of the Poor
 Large landowners gain control of more and
more land
 Gap between rich and poor increases

 Wang Mang Overthrows the Han
 Economic problems and weak emperors cause
political instability
 In A.D. 9, Wang Mang seizes power and stabilizes
empire
 Wang Mang is assassinated in A.D. 23; Han soon
regain control

 The Later Han Years
 Peace restored, Later Han Dynasty lasts until
A.D. 220

• Murpey, R. & Stapleton, K. (2014). History of
Asia (7TH ed). Pearson Education.
• World History: Patterns of Interaction
(2007). McDougal Littell.
REFERENCES

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