1. “L’Age Pivotal” or The Axial Age or Great Revolutions in Thought and Religion 1000 BCE – 350 BCE

2. Comparative Essay Compare how political turmoil led to intellectual and cultural creativity, during the period 1000 to 350 BCE in East Asia and South Asia

3. The World, c. 500 BCE Most revolutions in thought occurred near one of the four river valley societies. Mesopotamia Yellow River (Huang He) Nile Indus The Greeks & their mates

4. Generalizations Fringe regions develop on the borders of the river basin hearths Thinkers, teachers, prophets emerge from a world at war New types of political & social organizations emerge Cultural ideas develop into cultural identities “Second Generation” societies –Built on predecessors - tended to keep many original traditions

5. Commonalities of GREAT Revolutions Sanctified (Made Holy): –Time: sacred calendar, rituals, events like marriage –Space: shrines, pilgrimage sites –Language and literature; Sanskrit, Tripitaka, Torah –Art: art and music used to inspire religious feelings –Organization: membership makes you accepted

7. CRISIS Each Revolution in Thought occurred at a time of crisis –Iron tools made armies more powerful –Old societies disintegrating China - Period of Warring States –Zhou regime fractured –Huge competing Chinese armies –Population rising India – Invasion! –Aryans moved into India assimilating much of native population Greece – Unrest/search for meaning –Unsatisfying religion –Warring city states

8. "We're surrounded. That simplifies the problem!" Case Study I: China

9. New Ideas Emerge - “The Hundred Masters” Confucius (Kong Fuzi)- Confucianism –Searches for clues to good governance –Government by junzi (superior man) Laozi - Daoism –Follow the order of nature, do nothing Xunzi – Legalism –Men & women are innately bad –Need for strong authoritarian rule Scholars were bureaucrats & not free thinkers as in Greece & South Asia

10. A person is born with a liking for profit A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving Respect yourself and others will respect you Kong Fuzi Laozi Xunzi

11. Case Study II: South Asia The Vedas - collections of songs and prayers, most important is the Rig Veda The Vedas are a priestly perspective (priests would be interested in maintaining the status quo and their own high positions in society(POV)

12. Aryan Invasions

13. Aryans spread from Indus Valley to Ganges Plain Raj- kingdoms- emerged –Ruled by Kshatriyas –Some are oligarchies Aryan oral traditions is finally preserved using Sanskrit and Prakrit

14. Hinduism Aryan and Dravidian beliefs fused to create Hindu religion Very defined social order created stability Occupation defined role (Varna) –Priests and Teachers –Warriors and Nobles –Farmers, Artisans and Merchants –Landless Peasants and Serfs Jati - sub-castes, occupationally related Untouchables are added later (outcastes) Upward mobility impossible Foreigners are absorbed into the caste system- stability

16. Written alphabet challenged hegemony of Brahmans Upanishads “sitting down near” Discussions about the universe

17. Gender in Vedic Society Patriarchal Women have no public authority Women explicitly under men’s control Law Book of Manu - confirms second class status of women Sati recommended

18. New Ideas Emerge Jainism - developed from Hinduism –Mahavira – meaning "great hero" He was the last of 24 prophets, who taught Jainism –Ascetic You can achieve liberation of your soul through meditation and self-denial All living things have an immortal soul – step on no ant! –Not possible for peasants –Popular with traders

19. Buddhism Founded by Siddhartha Gautama –Four Truths Suffering exists Suffering arises from attachment to desire Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path –Must follow “Noble Eightfold Path” Right understanding, intent, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration –People are caught in a cycle of death and rebirth –There’s no place for the supernatural –Patronized by urban merchants

20. Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace. It is better to travel well than to arrive All living beings long to live. No one wants to die Non-violence is the highest religion

21. Don’t forget the Greeks! We won’t!

22. Comparative Essay Compare how political turmoil led to intellectual and cultural creativity, during the period 100 to 350 BCE in East Asia and South Asia