CIVILIZATIONS OF THE FAR EAST

Chinese civilization
Location
Chinese civilization develops
in a fertile plain between the
Yellow (Hoang Ho) and Blue
(Yang-Tse Kiang) rivers, an
area with high agricultural
productivity. At the origin of its
history its limits were
established by the rivers
already mentioned, the China
Sea and the Kuen Lun
mountains (Tibet plateau). It is
currently bordered to the north
by the Republic of Mongolia
and Russia, to the east by the
Yellow Sea and the East
China Sea, to the south by the South China Sea, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, India,
Bhutan and Nepal and to the west with Pakistan.
It was precisely in China, where the remains of Peking Man were located, whose
age is estimated to be around 5oo,ooo years, and are considered contemporaries
of the most primitive races corresponding to the lower Paleolithic (Homo Erectus),
Connoisseur of fire, a hunter made all his tools out of stone, later he began to grow
rice and domesticate animals.
Between the 7th and 6th centuries BC, the first Neolithic civilizations emerged in
China, which are Peilikan and Cishan, precursors of the Yangshao culture.
Tradition says that the Xia were the first hereditary Chinese dynasty. However,
there are no archaeological remains that confirm this story; and the first dynasty of
which there is historical evidence is the Shang.
Historical Periods
Ancient Dynasties
Xia: the first prehistoric dynasty said to
be Xia from about 2100 BC until 1600
BC It is difficult to separate myth from
reality regarding the Xia. Xia Period
marks an evolutionary stage between
the end of the Neolithic cultures and the
typical Chinese urban civilization of the
Shang dynasty.
Shang: Shang dynasty is believed to be
created by a rebel leader who overthrew the last Xia ruler. The Oracle bones with
ancient Chinese writing from the Shang dynasty date back to as early as 1500 BC
by adiocarbon.
Zhou: The Zhou dynasty began to bow to external and internal pressures in the 8th
century BC. The early Zhou rulers, through conquest and colonization, gradually
sinicized, spread Shang culture across much of China to the north of the Yangtze
River.
Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period: The Zhou's ability to
control their regional kingdoms declines, and the kingdom eventually broke up into
small states, beginning in the Spring and Autumn Period and reaching full
expression in the period of combatant states.
Imperial Period
The Qin Dynasty Qin: It is a mark of
Chinese history. The Qin dynasty
was the dynasty that redefined
China. This was the first time that
outside forces recognized the
existence of another race of people,
and it completed the unification of
China.
Han: Founder of the famous
Emperor Liu Bang in 206 BC Han
was the first dynasty to embrace the
philosophy of Confucianism, which
became the ideological basis of all regimes until the end of Imperial China.
Three Kingdoms: This is a period of civil wars. The Three Kingdoms are Wei, Shu,
Wu who reigned during the period 220-280 AD This period was ended by Jin, a
new dynasty. However, the Jin royal court was forced to flee Luoyang and
reestablished in 317 AD
Sui: The sui unified China again and created many kingdoms that were adopted by
their successors, the Tang.
Tang: The Tang dynasty is the most prosperous period and the culture at this time
has a significant influence on modern China. Buddhism was the predominant
religion and was adopted by the imperial family and many of the common people.
The trade of the Tang Dynasty helped this ancient country developed into a
necessary place not only in Asia, but also in the world.
Song: In the Song Dynasty, Kaifeng became the capital and center of the country.
The economy at this time remains prosperous since the Tang Dynasty.
Yuan: It was founded by a Mongolian Genghis Khan, the famous person not only in
China, but also all over the world. It was also the first dynasty created by Chinese
ethnic groups.
Ming: During the Yuan dynasty, which lasted less than a century, there was
relatively strong sentiment among the people against Mongol rule. Frequent natural
disaster since the 1340s led to peasant revolts. The Yuan dynasty was eventually
overthrown by the Ming dynasty in 1368.
Qing: It is the last Chinese dynasty in history. It is also a beginning mark of modern
China. The Qing dynasty was established by the Manchu (nuzhen) people. About
268 years old, it was ruled by 11 emperors such as Kangxi, Yongzheng and
Qianlong who were very famous for their policies.
Modern Era
Republic of China: Since the Opium War
in 1840, China has experienced a stronger
history than at any time in the past. During
these days, the famous leader Sun Yet-
sen appeared on the historical stage.
Other historical figures such as Yuan
Shikai and Chiang Kai-shek also
influenced the Republic of China deeply.
People's Republic of China: After the
People's Republic of China since 1949,
another powerful nation had started its development in all aspects. The founder of
Mao Tse Tung built a good foundation for modern China.
Today: With the hard work of the Chinese leaders and the industrious Chinese
people, today's China has become an important country in the world in economic,
social, industrial, as well as agricultural aspects.
Political organization
The political organization was exercised by dynasties
based on absolute monarchies, which were inherited
from generation to generation.
Based on the system of dynasties, where the rulers are
related to each other. It had an emperor or king who, due
to the extent of the empire, delegated power to feudal
lords who ruled over the states. These lords, whose
position was sometimes hereditary, during some of the
dynasties were even more powerful than the
king/emperor himself.
After the emperor and the feudal lords, there were the
mandarins, royal officials who could read and write, but
who did not participate in decision-making.
The way dynasties changed was by overthrowing the reigning family, being
replaced by another of the noble families.
Social organization
The social organization of Chinese
civilization was based on a
hierarchy for which they had
significant respect; This was
composed of:
 Emperor: considered of
glorious origin and
thought to have received
his power by virtue or by
the orders of the gods.
 The nobles: the court,
landowners and military
leaders, these were in charge of the army.
 Mandarins: they were the emperor's trusted officials; Among them were
governors, judges, police officials, tax collectors and supervisors of
agricultural work. They were mainly in charge of monitoring agriculture
and controlling irrigation.
 The peasants: were those who worked the landowners' fields under
tenant conditions.
 Slaves: they were prisoners of war.
Economy
Chinese civilization was organized
around agriculture mainly based on
the cultivation of rice, which was
complemented by animal husbandry.
Likewise, this economy will be
complemented with the creation of
industries such as metallurgy, which
allowed the manufacture of bronze
weapons and tools; In addition to this,
they began to produce porcelain and silk, products that allowed the Chinese to
have good trade and could extend to the Mediterranean world.
Religion
China's religion was based on
Confucianism, Taoism and/or
Buddhism. Unlike the religions that were
presented in the West, this civilization
was not attached to a specific divinity,
but rather believed in the forces of
nature. They believed that every living
being had a duty on this earth and that it
had already earned its place in heaven,
as long as it fulfilled the “mission” for
which it had been sent. However, they had deities like the sky, which they
worshiped in the temples.
Contributions
The Chinese developed great contributions to the arts, architecture, painting,
literature, writing and fabrics; This is why they created elements like:
 Pagodas: which are multi-story constructions with roofs superimposed on
each other.
 Chinese Wall: which is built with the purpose of defending the nation from
the invasion of the Xiongnu nomads from Mongolia and Manchuria and
which, due to its length and height, can be seen from space.
 Terracotta Army: they were life-size figures of soldiers and horses made of
terracotta, built under the command of the self-proclaimed first Emperor of
China, of the Qin dynasty. By burying them, it was believed that the
 Emperor would continue to have troops under his command, even after
death.
 Silk was one of the great discoveries made by this culture, it began as a
basic need, and then became an element restricted only to the Emperor and
his loved ones.
 Writing: it is one of the aspects that characterized this civilization. It is based
on refined curves; It is considered an abstract art, full of harmony.
Hindu Civilization
Location
The Indian civilization developed in the
southern part of the Asian continent,
specifically between the Ganges and Indus
rivers. As it is a peninsula with a large area of
territory, it also became known as Hindustan.
Its territory extends to the north with the
Himalayan mountains and its surroundings,
which has a frigid climate and is practically
unexplorable for humans. Also in its central part
it extends from the Arabian Sea to Bengal, and
is crossed by enormous rivers such as the
Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Indus, which
makes it an extremely fertile and populated
terrain. Finally, it extends southwards with a plateau that covers the entire lower
end of India, including Bombay and Madras.
origins
The origins of Indian culture date back to the
Stone Age, as paintings have been found in the
Bhimbetka rock shelters located in the state of
Madhya Pradesh. The first human settlements
began in 6000 BC, around the Indus Valley,
giving rise to the culture known by the same
name. The Indus culture flourished around
3300 BC and when it disappeared in 500 BC,
the Vedic period began, which laid the
foundations of Hinduism.
From this moment on, independent kingdoms
and other states called Majayanapadas began
to be created. It is in the 3rd century BC when Chandragupta Mauria conquered
part of South Asia and united it with the Mauryan Empire so that it flourished under
the command of Asoka the Great. Later, specifically in the 3rd century AD, the
Golden Age of India took place under the Gupta dynasty, which ruled them for just
over two centuries. Right after came the empires of the Chalukia, the Chola and
the Vivia Nagara that made science, technology, art, astronomy and religion,
among others, develop and prosper.

Historical Periods
The historical evolution of the Indus civilization has traditionally been divided into
four periods:
to. Mohenjo Daro and Harappa civilization (2,500 to 1,500 BC. of C.),
b. Vedic Period (1,500 to 1,000 BC. of C.),
c. Brahmanic Period (1,000 to 321 BC. of C.), and
d. Period of Empires (321 BC) of C. to 535 AD. of C.).
The main characteristic of the historical development of the Indus civilization is its
deep religiosity.

CIVILIZATION OF MOHENJO DARO AND HARAPPA (2,500 TO 1,500 BCE. DE

C.)
The civilization of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa
developed at the expense of the Indus River. As in
Mesopotamia and Egypt, every time the Indus River
experienced floods, its floods deposited sediments
on the valley lands. Due to this, the Dravidians
based their economy on the cultivation, mainly, of
cereals such as wheat and barley, although they also produced various types of
fruits and vegetables.
THE VEDIC PERIOD (1,500 TO 1,000 BCE. DE C.)
The invasion of the Aryans ended the dominance of the Dravidians over the Indus
civilization; However, their arrival enriched the cultural level of the valley's
inhabitants, since it allowed the introduction of horses and the knowledge of
metallurgical techniques for working iron.
BRAHMAN PERIOD (1,000 TO 321 BCE. DE C.)
As Vedic culture and Hinduism were progressively adopted by the inhabitants of
the valley and thanks to the spread of the use of iron, the Brahmins progressively
acquired more power and expanded towards the south and occupied the banks of
the Ganges River, where they managed to develop a much more advanced
culture.
PERIOD OF THE EMPIRES (321 B.C. DE C. AL 535 D. DE C.)
As Buddhist beliefs developed, the Brahmins saw their power weakened and the
territory of the ancient Aryan culture was long disputed by a series of peoples from
the northwest of the Himalayas who came into conflict with the Hindus.
Political organization
In ancient times, the political organization of India revolved around a decentralized
patriarchal monarchy, by virtue of which, there were a set of provinces governed by
officials and tributary territories led by relatively autonomous petty kings.
However, it was not until the time of the Aryan invasions that the Hindus saw the
need to form city-states to defend themselves, in which the palace of the Rajah
was built, whose authority was greater than that of the chiefs of the provinces.
However, after the Aryan incursion, power came to reside in the warriors, until the
priests managed to take control, imposing the brahmanical religion and a society
divided into closed castes of brahmins and shatrias, in this sense, it was about a
regime of family classes, fundamentally religious, that held power by lineage.
Thus, the hierarchy of power in Hindu culture was composed of the king, as the
highest ruler; the brahmins, who were part of the priestly class, administered
justice and imposed laws called dharma, whose principles referred to spiritual
purity or contamination; and a feudal elite, made up of officials who owned large
estates.

Formation of the Empire

At the end of the 3rd century BC
Chandragupta Maurya unified northern
India and formed the first great Indian
empire. The greatest of their emperors
was Ashoka (286-231 BC).
The golden age of Indian history begins
with the Gupta Empire, which lasted two
centuries (4th and 5th). The arts
flourished and scholarly work on
mathematics, astronomy and medicine
was carried out. It was during this time that the Kamasutra, a famous treatise on
love, was written.
The invasion of the White Huns meant the end of the Gupta Empire; Northern India
was dismembered into various kingdoms and was not unified again until the arrival
of the Muslims.
In the south, great rival dynasties emerged such as the Cholas, Pandyas and
Pallavas (the latter created Dravidian architecture, in the baroque style).
The Muslim invasions that began in the 700s had a great impact on Indian culture
(language, clothing, architecture and social values). In 1192 Muslim power came to
the area permanently. The most important Muslim empire was that of the Mughals,
a Central Asian dynasty founded by Babur at the beginning of the 16th century.
During Shahjehan's reign the capital was moved to Delhi and the Taj Mahal was
built (c. 1650).
In 1296 Ala-ud-din Khalji proclaimed himself Sultan of Delhi, and by 1311, all of
India found itself under the sultanate. To counter Muslim power, in 1336, the
Vijayanagara Empire, the kingdom of the Hindu alliance, was founded, with its
capital in Hampi. As time went by, several uprisings divided the empire and the
Muslim sultanates formed a new alliance. In 1565 the coalition of sultanates
defeated the army of Vijayanagar. As a result of this, power over the region passed
to Muslim rulers. Later their kingdoms were annexed to the Mughal Empire (1529-
1857).
The arrival of the Europeans began a crucial stage in the history of India. In 1687,
the British East India Company settled in Bombay and throughout the 18th century
its private army waged war against the French, whom it defeated in 1784. Starting
in 1798, the Company's troops, commanded by Richard Wellesley, undertook the
methodical conquest of Indian territory.
Social organization of Indian Civilization
In Indian civilization there was a type of class distinction different from that of other
civilizations in the world, since it was based on customs, religion and law. This
society was divided into four different groups:
Economy of Indian Civilization
The economy of the Hindus was based mainly on agriculture, since they harvested
important products in large quantities due to their fertile territory. These products
include barley, wheat, cotton and sesame. Additionally, they dedicated themselves
to raising goats, camels and buffaloes. In addition, they developed pottery in
materials such as copper, bronze, tin and lead. The textile industry was not left
behind either. All this together with the great strength of its land and maritime
communication with European, African and Asian peoples, which contributed
enormously to foreign trade.
Religion of Indian Civilization
Originally there were two main religions for the Hindus:
 Brahmanism : This religion was monotheistic and was the first among the
early Hindus, which was based on the worship of the supreme god Brahma,
who was considered to be the creator of all things, including other gods,
living beings and also of the soul. This soul was believed to be immortal and
therefore, after the person died, this soul was reincarnated into another
person, if it had been good, or into an animal, if it had been bad. On the
other hand, they were guided by fundamental principles of life, collected in
what was known as the Code of Manú, through which all the beliefs of
Brahmanism were explained.
 Buddhism : this religious doctrine is born from a character called
Siddhartha Gautama, who was a descendant of the Rajah of the kingdom of
Sakias. This principle became a beggar with the firm belief that he had been
chosen, so he adopted the name Buddha, which means "the enlightened
one." Buddha dedicated himself to preaching his doctrines against
Brahmanism, condemning things like social difference and racism. One of
their beliefs states that the soul can be guided to Nirvana, or paradise,
through love, goodness, charity and other good virtues.
Contributions of Indian Civilization
Cultural diversity and millennia of existence have allowed Hindus to contribute in
different fields:
 Mathematics: like the Mayans, the Hindus managed to implement the use of
zero as part of numbers. In addition, they developed algebra, something that
has been extremely useful in the mathematical field.
 Medicine: traditional Hindu medicine has provided interesting systems and
procedures that have been useful in our time. For example, the natural
system known as Ayurveda is one of the oldest and was created by the
Hindus.
 Architecture: Indian civilization was characterized by designing and building
impressive monuments, temples and palaces such as the famous Taj
Mahal, one of the wonders of the world.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://rocio-civilizacionchina.blogspot.com/2010/06/ubicacion-geografica-y-origen.html

https://www.viajedechina.com/guia-de-china/la-historia-de-china.htm

http://froac.manizales.unal.edu.co/roapRAIM/scorm/322/