Ancient India and China

The Dawn of Civilization
• Prehistory to AD 300
•1. The Beginnings of Civilization – Prehistory to 1000 BC
•2. The Ancient Near East – 4000 BC – 550 BC
•3. The Nile Civilizations – 5000 BC – AD 300
•4. Ancient India and China 2500 BC – 250 BC

Ancient India and China
2500 BC – 250 BC
•1. Early India
•2. Hinduism
•3. Buddhism
•4. China’s First Dynasties
•Like Mesopotamia and Egypt, India and China were each
home to an early river civilization
•They developed their own governments, languages,
customs, and social structures
•Religions and philosophies helped shape the lives of people
in Asia

1. Early Civilizations of Ancient
India
2500-250 BC
•Early civilization arose in the Indus River Valley, flourished,
and then mysteriously died out
•Later, India’s Vedic civilization developed a culture based on
old and new beliefs (Hinduism)

2500 – 250 BC
Indus River Civilizations
•Indus River Valley
•Subcontinent-large landmass that is part of a continent
•first two Indus River Civilizations were the Harappan and Mohenjo-Daro -
Mound of the Dead

Wide View, Mohenjo-Daro
2500 – 250 BC
•The first ruins of the Indus River Valley
•Within these ruins, archaeologists found hundreds of
artifacts, including statues, that can help us learn more
about ancient Indian life

2500 – 250 BC
Aerial View of Mohenjo-Daro
•Mohenjo-daro was well planned and carefully laid out
•Streets ran in grid pattern, north-south, east-west

2500 – 250 BC
Citadel (Fortress) Of Mohenjo-Daro
•In the largest cities, a walled,
elevated citadel, or fortress,
enclosed buildings such as
granaries, warehouses, and
meeting halls
•Homes, workshops, and shrines
were built outside the citadel
•Such planning suggests a
central authority held the
power

Well, Mohenjo-Daro
2500 – 250 BC
•people drew water from community
wells
•Or drew water from smaller wells dug
in the courtyards of their homes

Drain, Harappa
2500 – 250 BC
•Public drainage systems carried away wastewater

2500 – 250 BC
A Main Street, Mohenjo-Daro
•Streets ran in
grid pattern,
north-south, eastwest
•Major avenues
that were twice as
wide as minor
streets

Granery, Mohenjo-Daro
2500 – 250 BC
•Economy was based on agriculture and trade
•Most people farmed and herded livestock

2500 – 250 BC
The Great Bath, Mohenjo-Daro

Harappan Writing
2500 – 250 BC
•More than 3,000 samples of Indus script have been found, including
many seals that depict realistic animals alongside the writing

Indus Civilization Seals
2500 – 250 BC
Bison Seal, mohenjo daro
Unicorn Seal,
Harappa
Horned-God Seal,
mohenjo daro
•Despite the best efforts of the archaeologists and linguists,
however, no one has yet been able to decipher even one word from
any of the seals

2500 – 250 BC
A Male Head, Mohenjo-Daro
•Dravidian-originators of Indus River Civilization

Male Skeleton, Harappa
2500 – 250 BC

Female Skeleton with Child,
Harappa
2500 – 250 BC

•Sometime after 2000 BC, a new people took control of
India.
•Aryans – “noble”
•Historians disagree where they came from (either Indo-
European or originated there)
2500 – 250 BC

Aryan (noble) Migration
2500 – 250 BC
•Took control of the Harappan civilization
• pastoral depended on their cattle.
• warriors horse-drawn chariots.

Sanskrit
2500 – 250 BC
•ancient Indian writing and the
classical language
•Means “refined and sanctified”

The Vedas
2500 – 250 BC
• 1200 BCE-600 BCE.
• written in SANSKRIT.
• Hindu core of
beliefs:
‣ hymns and poems.
‣ religious prayers.
‣ magical spells.
‣ lists of the gods
and goddesses.
Rig Veda oldest work.

Varna (Social Hierarchy)
2500 – 250 BC
Priests and teachers
Brahmins
‣Rigveda – Vedic
society divided into
four social classes
Warriors and Rulers
Kshatriyas
Traders, farmers,
herders
Vaishyas
Servants
Shudras
Pariahs [Harijan] Untouchables

Caste System
2500 – 250 BC
WHO IS…
Brahmins
• The mouth?
• The arms?
• The legs?
• The feet?
Kshatriyas
Vaishyas
What is a JATI?
People under their feet or
rule
Shudras

Religions of South Asia
2500 – 250 BC
•Hinduism gave birth
to Buddhism, Jainism,
Sikhism
•Christianity –Jesus
Christ, son of God –
the Bible
•Islam – Muhammadlast
prophet to talk to
Allah – t he Quran
•Do you think Islam
had an effect on
Hindu India?

2500 – 250 BC
2. Hinduism?
• The religion of Hinduism developed and evolved over a long time in
India, giving rise to a variety of beliefs and practices and to other
religions, including Jainism

2500 – 250 BC
What is Hinduism?
• One of the oldest religions of humanity
• The religion of the Indian people
• Its origins are difficult to trace
Brahman

2500 – 250 BC
How did Hinduism begin?
• No particular founder
• Indus River Valley Civilization >5000 years ago
• Aryans enter 4000 - 3500 years ago
• Vedic Tradition 3500 – 2500 years ago:

2500 – 250 BC
What do Hindus believe?
• One impersonal Ultimate Reality – Brahman -the
creator
• Atman, the soul, is Brahman trapped in matter
• Reincarnation – reborn into this world lifetime
after lifetime (Samsara)
• Karma – spiritual impurity due to actions keeps
us bound to this world (good and bad)

2500 – 250 BC
How does Hinduism direct
life in this world?
– Dharma-set of spiritual duties-based on class and station
– Four “stations” of life (Caste) - priests & teachers, nobles &
warriors, merchant class, servant class
– Four stages of life – student, householder, retired, renunciant

2500 – 250 BC
What are the Sacred Texts?
• Shruti (“heard”) – oldest, most
authoritative:
– Four Vedas (“truth”) – myths, rituals,
chants
– Upanishads - metaphysical
speculation
• Smriti (“remembered”) – the Great
Indian Epics:
– Ramayana
– Mahabharata (includes Bhagavad-
Gita)

2500 – 250 BC
What are the spiritual
practices of Hinduism?
• Yoga-meditation in order to attain moksha
• Ultimate goal of life – to release Atman and reunite with the divine,
becoming as one with Brahman (Moksha)

Who do Hindus worship? –
2500 – 250 BC
the major gods of the Hindu Pantheon
Brahma, the creator god

Who do Hindus worship? –
2500 – 250 BC
the major gods of the Hindu Pantheon
Vishnu, the preserver god
Incarnates as ten avatars (descents) including:
Rama (featured in the Ramayana)
Krishna (featured in the Mahabharata)
(Each shown with his consort, Sita and Radha, respectively)

Who do Hindus worship? –
2500 – 250 BC
the major gods of the Hindu Pantheon
Shiva, god of constructive destruction (the transformer)
Appears as Shiva Nataraj,
lord of the dance of creation…
and with his wife, Parvati, and son Ganesha
(the elephant headed remover of obstacles)

What about the goddesses?
Devi – the feminine divine
2500 – 250 BC
•Saraswati, goddess of wisdom, consort of Brahma

2500 – 250 BC
What about the goddesses?
Devi – the feminine divine
Lakshmi, goddess of good fortune, consort of Vishnu

2500 – 250 BC
What about the goddesses?
Devi – the feminine divine
•Parvati, divine mother, wife of Shiva

2500 – 250 BC
What about the goddesses?
Devi – the feminine divine
Durga, protectress
Plus about 330 million other deities
Kali, destroyer of demons

All these deities are but
Manifest forms (attributes
and functions) of the
impersonal Brahman

Jainism
2500 – 250 BC
•500 BC – a group of Hindus broke away
•Mahavira – Jainism – thought Hindus placed too much
emphasis on ritual
Plus about 330 million other deities
•Ahimsa- nonviolence towards living things; avoid stealing
and tell the truth

2500 – 250 BC
3. Buddhism
•Buddhism, which
teaches people that
they can escape the
suffering of the world
through the Buddhist
teachings, developed in
India and spread to
other parts of Asia

2500 – 250 BC
Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE)
Unlike Hinduism,
Buddhism can be
traced to one single
founder, Siddhartha
Gautama
Prince of a small
kingdom; he lived
sheltered life and
sought the answer to
ending suffering
After years of
meditation searching
for Nirvava he
became Enlightened
He transformed into
Buddha

What is the fundamental cause of
all suffering?
2500 – 250 BC
Desire!
Therefore, extinguish the self, don’t obsess about
oneself. Give up all materials and possessions of the
world.

2500 – 250 BC
Four Noble Truths
‣ There is suffering in the world. To live is to suffer.
(Dukkha)
‣ The cause of suffering is self-centered desire and
attachments. (Tanha)
‣ The solution is to eliminate desire and attachments.
(Nirvana = “extinction”)
‣ To reach nirvana, one must follow the Eightfold Path.

Eightfold Path
2500 – 250 BC
Right Understanding
Right Intention
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Concentration
Right Mindfulness

2500 – 250 BC
Eightfold Path
Nirvana
The union with the ultimate spiritual reality.
Escape from the cycle of rebirth. Reincarnation

2500 – 250 BC
Types of Buddhism
Therevada
Buddhism
Mahayana
Buddhism
Tibetan
Buddhism
Zen
Buddhism

2500 – 250 BC
Theravada Buddhism
The oldest school of Buddhism.
The “Way of the Elders” or the “Small Vehicle.”
Found in southern Asia.
The monastic life is the best way
to achieve nirvana.
Focus on wisdom and meditation.
Goal is to become a “Buddha,” or “Enlightened One.”
Over 100,000,000 followers today.

2500 – 250 BC
Mahayana Buddhism
The “Great Vehicle.”
Founded in northern Asia (China, Japan).
Buddhism “for the masses.”
Seek guidance from Boddhisatvas, wise beings.
Goal: Not just individual escape from the wheel, but
the salvation of all humanity through self-sacrifice of
those enlightened few.

2500 – 250 BC
Tibetan Buddhism
The “Diamond Vehicle.” [Vajrayana]
Developed in Tibet in the 7c CE.
A mix of Theravada and Mahayana.
Boddhisatvas include Lamas, like
the Dalai Lama.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead
[Bardo Thodol].

The Dalai Lama
2500 – 250 BC

2500 – 250 BC
Zen Buddhism
The “Meditation School.”
Seeks sudden enlightenment [satori] through meditation, arriving at
emptiness [sunyata].
Use of meditation masters [Roshi].
Beauty, art, and aesthetics:
• Gardens.
• Archery.
• Tea ceremony.
• Calligraphy.

Buddhism in America (1999)
2500 – 250 BC

Relieve Stress & Meditate:
Get a Mantra !
2500 – 250 BC
Ohm...mani...padme...hung...
Hail to the jewel in the lotus!

4. China’s First Dynasties
2500 – 250 BC
2500-250 BC
•China’s river valley civilizations built the foundations of a long shared
Chinese culture.
•The achievements of the Shang and Zhou dynasties can be felt to this
day.

Neolithic China
2500 – 250 BC
Sinanthropus
pekinesis
•“Peking Man”
(750,000 – 500,000 BCE)
•China’s isolation helped early
civilization develop and grow
without foreign intrusion for
several centuries.

Yellow River Civilization
2500 – 250 BC
•China first civilizations, like India, Egypt, and the Middle East
began around fertile river valleys.
•Chang Jiang and Huang He (Yellow River) – annual floods
•Loess-fine dusty soil that was carried into China by desert winds

Pan-Gu
2500 – 250 BC
•Mythical Creator of the Universe

Yu, the Great
2500 – 250 BC
•Founder of the Asia

“Huangdi” – Emperor
2500 – 250 BC
• The “Yellow Emperor.”
• Legend has it that he ruled for
over 100 years.
• Associated with the invention of
wheeled vehicles, ships

2500 – 250 BC
Emperor Fuxi
• Mythical Asia ruler.
• Taught the Chinese how to read
and write, according to legend.

The Shang Dynasty
2500 – 250 BC
•Most historians date the beginning of early Chinese civilization to the
rise of the Shang Dynasty.
•According to legend formed around 1766 BC and centered around the
Yellow River valley. During the Bronze Age

Religious Beliefs
2500 – 250 BC
•Much of what historians know about the Shang, comes
from studying royal tombs.
•Shang religion centered around ancestor worship.
•Oracle Bones -bits of animal bones used to advise Shang
•Part of their worship

The Evolution of Chinese Writing
2500 – 250 BC
•Pictographs – the
development of writing tied
into the oracle bones
•Symbols actually written on
the bones to represent
objects or ideas
•Semantic-Phonetics –
eventually replaced
Chinese pictographs

Oracle Bones Calendar
2500 – 250 BC
•Shang astronomers created precise calendars based on the
cycles of the moon.
•They may have created one of the first systems of money.

Axe Scepter 1100 BCE - jade
2500 – 250 BC
Ceremonial Dagger 1028 BCE

Shang Urn
2500 – 250 BC

Shang Bronzes
2500 – 250 BC
•Major advances in bronze making
•Artists created highly decorated bronze vessels and
objects – used in religious rituals

The Zhou Dynasty
2500 – 250 BC
•The Shang ruled China for more than 600 years, but
in 1100 BC, armies from a nearby tribe called the Zhou
invaded and established a new ruling dynasty.

Western Zhou: 1027-771 BCE
2500 – 250 BC
•The Zhou held power for
several centuries
•Divided into two periods
•Western Zhou - Xian
•Eastern Zhou - Luoyang

Eastern Zhou: 771-256 BCE
2500 – 250 BC
•During the reign of the
first period, the dynasty
experienced peace.
•Later, however, conflict
arose in China and the kings
moved east.
•When the Zhou conquered
the Shang, their leaders
worried that the Chinese
would not accept them.
•To gain acceptance, they
introduced the Mandate of
Heaven.

The Mandate of Heaven
2500 – 250 BC
“T’ien Ming”
1. The leader must lead by ability and virtue.
2. The dynasty's leadership must be justified by
succeeding generations.
3. The mandate could be revoked by negligence and
abuse; the will of the people was important.

•The rise and fall of
dynasties in China – any
Start here
power that lost power
was because they lost
their mandate
A new
dynasty
comes to power.
The emperor
reforms the govt.
& makes it more
efficient.
2500 – 250 BC
Emperor is
defeated !!
Rebel bands find
strong leader who
unites them.
Attack the emperor.
Poor lose
respect for govt.
They join rebels
& attack landlords.
The
Dynastic
Cycle
Lives of common
people improved;
taxes reduced;
farming encouraged.
Problems begin
(extensive wars,
invasions, etc.)
Taxes increase;
men forced to
work for army.
Farming neglected.
Droughts,
floods,
famines occur.
Govt. increases
spending;
corruption.

Zhou Achievements
2500 – 250 BC
• Pendant of a Dancer - jade
3c BCE (Eastern Zhou)
Ritual Food Vessel,
bronze 11c BCE (Western
Zhou)
•The Zhou learned how
to use iron, which
replace the Bronze Age.
•This strengthened
their empire – catapult
and the first cavalry
•Better farming
techniques, roads and
canals, transportation
and communication

Decline of the Zhou
2500 – 250 BC
•Warring States Period – 403 BC – 221 BC – a
number of small states headed by nobles fought for
land and power over the king
•Eventually, the Qin dynasty rose to power and
ended the reign of the Zhou Dynasty.

Major Chinese Philosophies
2500 – 250 BC
•Conflicts during the Warring States Period allowed
many Chinese thinkers to question the nature of society
and of people’s roles in it.
•Confucianism – treat one another humanely to improve
society – Kongfuzi
•Daoism – retreat from the laws of society and yield to
the laws of nature
•Legalism – the law is the supreme authority – rule with a
firm hand

2500 – 250 BC
Confucius
* 551 – 479 B.C.E.
* Born in the feudal state of
Liu.
* Became a teacher and editor
of books.
*Express love and respect for
one another by practicing
traditional manners

2500 – 250 BC
Major Confucius Principles
Li --> Rite, rules, ritual decorum (Binding force of an
enduring stable society)
Ren --> humaneness, benevolence, humanity
Shu --> Reciprocity, empathy
Do not do unto others what you would
not want others to do unto you.
Yi --> Righteousness
Xiao --> Filial Piety (Respect your elders!)

Five Principle Relationships
2500 – 250 BC
1. Ruler Subject
2. Father Son
3. Husband Wife
4. Older
Brother
5. Older
Friend
Younger
Brother
Younger
Friend

Confucian Temple
2500 – 250 BC

2500 – 250 BC
The Analects
* The single most important Confucian work.
* In Chinese, it means “conversation.”
* Focus on practicalities of interpersonal relationships and
the relationship of the role of rulers and ministers to the
conduct of government.

2500 – 250 BC
Saying from The Analects
* Knowing what he knows and knowing what he
doesn’t know, is characteristics of the person
who knows.
* Making a mistake and not correcting it, is
making another mistake.
* The superior man blames himself; the
inferior man blames others.
* To go too far is as wrong as to fall short.

Stone Engraved with Confucius
Life Stories
2500 – 250 BC

Confucius Tomb
2500 – 250 BC

2500 – 250 BC
Legalism
* 280? - 233 B.C.E.
* Han Fe Zi.
* Lived during the late Warring
States period.
* Legalism became the political
philosophy of the Qin [Ch’in]
Dynasty.

2500 – 250 BC
Legalism Principles
1. Human nature is naturally selfish.
2. Intellectualism and literacy is discouraged.
3. Law is the supreme authority and replaces morality.
4. The ruler must rule with a strong, punishing hand.
5. War is the means of strengthening a ruler’s power.
6. Authoritarian – individuals should obey authority
rather than exercise individual freedom
The ruler, therefore, “cracks his whip” on the backs of
his subjects!

2500 – 250 BC
Daoism
* Not sure when he died.
[604 B.C.E. - ?]
* His name means “Old Master”
* Was he Confucius’ teacher?

2500 – 250 BC
The Dao De Jing
* The basic text of Daoism.
* In Chinese, it means The Classic in the Way and
Its Power.
* “Those who speak know nothing:
Those who know are silent.”
These words, I am told,
Were spoken by Laozi.
If we are to believe that Laozi,
Was himself one who knew,
How is it that he wrote a book,
Of five thousand words?

2500 – 250 BC
Daoism Principles
1. Dao [Tao] is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force
that flows through all life.
2. A believer’s goal is to become one with Dao; one with
nature. [“The butterfly o the man?” story.]
3. Wu wei --> “Let nature take its course.”
--> “The art of doing nothing.”
--> “Go with the flow!”
4. Man is unhappy because he lives according to man-made
laws, customs, & traditions that are contrary to the ways
of nature.

2500 – 250 BC
The Dao
To escape the “social, political, & cultural traps” of life, one
must escape by:
1. Rejecting formal knowledge and learning.
2. Relying on the senses and instincts.
3. Discovering the nature and “rhythm” of the universe.
4. Ignoring political and social laws.

The Universe of Opposites –
Find the balance
2500 – 250 BC
* Feminine
* Passive
* Darkness
* Cold
* Weak
* Earth;
Moon
* Masculine
* Active
* Light
* Warmth
* Strong
* Heaven;
Sun

2500 – 250 BC
Uniqueness of Daoism
How is a man to live in a world dominated by chaos,
suffering, and absurdity??
Confucianism --> Moral order in society.
Legalism --> Rule by harsh law & order.
Daoism --> Freedom for individuals and less
govt. to avoid uniformity and conformity.