Chapter 4 Empires of India China Section 1

Chapter 4: Empires of India & China Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism Section 2: Powerful Empires of India Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China

Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism n Summary: n India was the birthplace of two major religions: 1. ) Hinduism n 2. ) Buddhism n

n Hinduism and Buddhism are two very important religions that developed in ancient India n They both influenced Indian civilization

Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism n Hinduism is one of the most complex religions in the world n Unlike most major religions, Hinduism has no single founder

Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism n Hinduism also has many sacred texts, instead of just one n Hinduism has developed and changed for over 3, 500 years n Many different groups have added their own beliefs and gods

Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism n To a Hindu, different gods are forms of an all-powerful spiritual force n The goal of life is to become one with this force n Hindus believe that it is hard to achieve this goal in one lifetime, therefore, people are reincarnated many times

Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism n Reincarnation is the rebirth of the soul in another bodily form n Hinduism is the most widely practiced religion in India today

Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism n The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, was born about 566 B. C. n After studying and reflecting, he believed he had found the cure for human suffering n Buddha taught that people must free themselves from desires

Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism n Buddha urged people to live a moral life and avoid evil words and actions n Through meditation, a person might achieve enlightenment, or understanding

Four Noble Truths 1. All of life is suffering. 2. Suffering is caused by desire 3. Suffering can be eliminated. 4. Suffering is eliminated by following the Noble Eightfold Path.

Noble Eightfold Path 1. Right beliefs 2. Right aspirations 3. Right speech 4. Right conduct 5. Right livelihood 6. Right effort 7. Right mindfulness 8. Right meditation

Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism n Buddha attracted many followers n After his death, missionaries spread his teachings across many parts of Asia n Although Buddhism took root in other parts of Asia, it slowly declined in India

Section 1: Hinduism & Buddhism Hinduism -No 1 founder -Supported Caste System -Developed over 3, 500 years -Important in India today Buddhism -Told people to live moral lives -Founded by Buddha -Accepted reincarnation -Rejected Caste System -Goal was union with an allpowerful spiritual force -Important in Asia, but few followers in India today

Section 2: Powerful Empires of India n Summary: n Two great empires, the Maurya and the Gupta, flourished in Ancient India

Section 2: Powerful Empires of India n In 321 B. C. , the Mauryas conquered most of northern and southern India n They built the first Indian empire n The Maurya Dynasty set up a strong government n n Officials collected taxes and managed road building People sought justice in royal courts

Section 2: Powerful Empires of India n Maurya rule was often harsh, and brutal secret police reported problems to the emperor n After almost 150 years, the empire declined

Section 2: Powerful Empires of India n Fierce rivalries, geography, and distance made it difficult to keep India united n In spite of conflicts, by 100 B. C. India had become a center of world trade n Merchants traded in fine cloth, jewels, and spices with faraway civilizations such as China and Egypt

Section 2: Powerful Empires of India n About 500 years after the Mauryas, the Gupta Dynasty again united much of India n This empire also had a strong government

n The Gupta period was a Golden Age, a time of peace and prosperity, or wealth n Under the Guptas, advances were made in the arts and sciences n Building, painting, and literature flourished

Section 2: Powerful Empires of India n Mathematicians invented the number system we use today as well as the decimal system

Section 2: Powerful Empires of India n Gupta doctors used herbs to cure sick people n n They performed plastic surgery and vaccinated people against small pox The Gupta empire lasted for over 200 years, then it too declined

Section 2: Powerful Empires of India Empire Maurya Gupta Dates 321 B. C. -185 B. C. A. D. 320 -550 Location Northern & Southern India Northern India Government -Harsh rule -Organized Gov. -Officials collected Taxes -Mild rule -Organized Gov. Learning -Schools & Libraries in capital -Missionaries spread Buddhism -Golden Age of learning -Number system we use today -Decimal system -Plastic surgery -Vaccines

Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life n Summary: n The three important parts of Indian life were the Caste system, villages, and the family

n The Caste System began in early Aryan times n By Gupta times, there were many castes n Caste was linked to Hindu beliefs n People in different castes were considered different types of beings

n Caste rules developed to prevent mixing among groups n These rules determined where people lived, what they ate, and what jobs they did n High castes had more status than low castes

Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life n People believed that Karma determined their caste n Karma refers to all of the actions of a person’s life that affect his or her next life

Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life n Living by caste rules meant that a person would be born into a higher caste in his or her next life n Although the Caste System might seem unfair to us, it created a stable society

n In India, the village was the center of everyday life n A village was made up of a group of homes surrounded by fields n Most people farmed and depended on summer monsoons for water n Together, farmers built irrigation systems to control monsoon rains

Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life n A village was left alone as long as it paid taxes to the rulers of the region n A local headman and council made decisions and led the village

Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life n In the village people lived in joint families n Parents, children, and grandparents lived together n Joint families created unity and security

Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life n The oldest male was head of the household, but property belonged to the whole family n Every family member had certain duties according to caste values

Section 3: Pillars of Indian Life The Caste System: Karma determines Caste In this life In next life If good & obeys Caste rules A person is born into a Caste Higher Caste Lower If bad & breaks Caste rules Caste

Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China n Summary: n Three schools of thought: 1. ) Confucianism n 2. ) Legalism n 3. ) Daoism n n Influenced the Chinese people

Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China n The late Zhou Dynasty was a troubled time in China n There were many wars, and economic and social changes disrupted everyday life n Thinkers looked for way to make society better

Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China’s most important thinker was Confucius n Confucius taught people to accept their place in society He said that older people were superior to younger people n Husbands were superior to wives n Respect for parents was the most important duty n

Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China n Confucius taught that people were good n Honesty, hard work, and caring promoted harmony n He believed a ruler should set a good example for the people n Rulers should take advice from educated men n Thus, education became a way to advance in Chinese society

Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China n Another thinker, Hanfeizi, believed that people were bad n He taught that a good ruler should use strict laws and harsh punishments n The teachings of Hanfeizi are called Legalism n Many rulers used the ideas of Legalism to help them rule

Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China n A third Chinese ruler was Laozi n His teachings were called Daoism n Daoists wanted to live in harmony with nature n To Daoists the best government was the one that governed least

Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China n The ideas of these three thinkers influenced Chinese life n n n Confucianism taught people how to behave Legalism punished those who would not do their duty Daoism affected people’s view of nature n Chinese ideas and beliefs were spread to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

Section 4: Philosophy & Religion in China Superior Ruler, father, husband, elder brother Owes loyalty & obedience to Takes care of and sets example for Inferior Subject, wife, son, younger brother

Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China n Summary: n Powerful emperors made China the most advanced civilization of its time

n By 221 B. C. , the ruler of the Qin [Chin] people had conquered the Zhou n He called himself Shi Huangdi, or first emperor

Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China n Shi Huangdi used cruel methods to control China n n He tortured, jailed, and killed those who did not support him However, he made measurements standard, created national coins, and repaired canals and roads

n The greatest achievement of the Qin was creating the Great Wall to keep out invaders n Thousands of workers labored for years to build the wall

n When Shi Huangdi died, the people revolted, or rebelled n They replaced the Qin with the Han dynasty n The Han changed the harsh rules of the Qin and reduced taxes

Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China n The Han developed a civil service system n Exams based on the teachings of Confucius, not family influence, decided who would get government jobs n This system was used for nearly 2, 000 years

Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China n Han China was the most advanced civilization of its time n n The Han learned to make paper out of wood pulp They invented the wheelbarrow, the fishing wheel, and the rudder, a device used to steer ships

Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China n In medicine, the Han used acupuncture, or treatment with needles, to reduce pain

Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China n The Han built beautiful temples and palaces

Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China n Artists carved jade and ivory

Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China n The Han opened a trade route called the Silk Road n The Silk Road connected China with lands as far west as Mesopotamia

Section 5: Strong Rulers Unite China 221 B. C. 206 B. C. Qin ruler Shi Huangdi unifies China; begins building the Great Wall Liu Bang becomes first Han Emperor 220 165 110 B. C. 55 210 B. C. 141 B. C. 87 B. C. Shi Huangdi dies Wudi, most famous Han emperor, begins his rule; he opens the Silk Road Wudi dies