& the Quest for Salvation Ancient Indian Civilization State, Society, & the Quest for Salvation Ancient Indian Civilization

The Mauryan and Gupta empires 321 B.C.E.-550 C.E.

India Before the Mauryan Dynasty 520 BCE Persian Emperor Darius conquers north-west India 327 Alexander the Great destroys Persian Empire in India Political power vacuum

Kingdom of Magadha Most significant remaining kingdom after Alexander’s departure Central Ganges plain Economic strength Agriculture Trade in Ganges valley, Bay of Bengal Dominated surrounding regions in north-eastern India

Chandragupta Maurya Overthrew Magadha rulers Founder of Maurya Empire - creates 1st unified Indian empire

Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 BCE Founder of Mauryan Empire Unified northern India. Divided his empire into provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law enforcement. He feared assassination  food tasters, slept in different rooms, etc.

Chandragupta’s Government Like Persia & China, built a bureaucratic administrative system. Domestic policies Network of spies Legend: Chandragupta retires in 301 BCE to become a monk, starves himself to death

Ashoka (304 – 232 BCE) Grandson of Chandragupta Represents high point of Mauryan Empire, r. 268-232 BCE Expanded empire to include all of Indian subcontinent Positive leadership integrated Indian society Better known as a governor than conqueror Dedicated his life to Buddhism.

Decline of the Mauryan Empire Economic crisis follows death of Ashoka High costs of bureaucracy, military not supported by tax revenue Regions begin to abandon Mauryan Empire Disappears by 185 BCE

The Gupta Dynasty Based in Magadha Founded by Chandra Gupta (no relation to Chandragupta Maurya), c. 320 CE Slightly smaller than Mauryan Empire Highly decentralized leadership Foundations for studies in natural sciences and mathematics

Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE

Gupta Rulers Chandra Gupta I Hindu revival. Maintained the Silk Road r. 320 – 335 CE “Great King of Kings” Hindu revival. Maintained the Silk Road

Extensive Trade: spices silks cotton goods rice & wheat spices horses gold & ivory gold & ivory cotton goods

Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture. Gupta Art Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.

500 healing plants identified Printed medicinal guides Gupta Achievements 1000 diseases classified 500 healing plants identified Printed medicinal guides Kalidasa Literature Plastic Surgery Medicine Inoculations Gupta India C-sections performed Solar Calendar Astronomy Mathematics Decimal System The earth is round PI = 3.1416 Concept of Zero

Gupta Decline Frequent invasions of Huns, 5th century CE Gupta Dynasty disintegrates along regional fault lines Smaller local kingdoms dominate until Mughal Empire founded in 16th c.

Trade in the Indian Ocean Basin Seasonal sea trade expands Spring/winter winds blow from south-west, fall/winter winds blow from north-west Trade from Asia to Persian Gulf and Red Sea, Mediterranean

Social Order Caste system from Aryan times Brahmins (priests) Kshatriyas (warriors, aristocrats) Vaishyas (Peasants, merchants) Shudras (serfs)

Early Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama, c. 563-483 BCE Encountered age, sickness, death, then monastic life Abandoned comfortable life to become a monk

Gautama’s Search for Enlightenment Intense meditation, extreme asceticism 49 days of meditation under bo tree to finally achieve enlightenment Attained title Buddha: “the enlightened one”

Buddha and his Disciples

Buddhist Doctrine: The Dharma The Four Noble Truths all life is suffering there is an end to suffering removing desire removes suffering this may be done through the eight-fold path (right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration)

The Eightfold Path Right views Right intention Right speech Right conduct Right livelihood Right effort Right mindfulness Right meditation

A Buddhist Monastery

Stupas A stupa (from Sanskrit literally meaning "heap") is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of a Buddha or saint.

C H I N A Copyright © Clara Kim 2007. All rights reserved.

Political Ruled by dynasties As Mesopotamia, Egypt and Indus were declining, Shang Dynasty in China was rising to power Zhou Dynasty Mandate of Heaven: Justification through right of God Dynastic Cycle: Pattern of the rise and fall of dynasties Feudalism: nobles have permission from Kings to own and work king’s land

Economic Because of China’s isolation by natural barriers, early settlers had to supply their own goods within China Not much trade outside of China

Religious Family and Religion are closely linked Prayed to ancestors because they thought their ancestors could bring them luck or disaster Consulted the gods through ancestors Shang Di – Supreme God

Social Society was sharply divided between nobles and peasants Family was central to society Had arranged marriages Group was more important than the individual

Society Society Society Society Society Society Society

Intellectual Shang Dynasty was the first to leave written records Oracle Bones: animal bone or tortoise shells where priests scratched questions for gods then applied heat until it cracked. Then they priests interpreted the cracks

Intellectual No connection between written and spoken Chinese Advantage: Someone can read Chinese without knowing how to speak it

Achievements Oldest Shang city – Anyang built in the woods mainly from wood Had massive earth walls for protection Found a wall 118 feet thick and 1.2 square miles

Achievements Introduced the chariot – a major tool of war Skilled in bronze work, silk and weapons

Achievements During the Zhou Dynasty they: Built roads and canals Developed blast furnaces that allowed them to produce cast iron

Geography Surrounded by natural barriers on all cardinal directions North: Gobi Desert East: Pacific Ocean South: Himalaya Mountains West: Taklaman Desert and Plateau of Tibet

GOBI DESERT TAKLIMAKAN DESERT PACIFIC OCEAN HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS

Geography Fertile plain found between 2 major rivers 1. Huang He (Yellow River) Floods left behind LOESS: yellow silt 2. Yangtze River Flooded unpredictably

Huang He (Yellow River)

Yangtze River