China is a very influential world power and has been for many years. The Classical and Post-Classical years in China were a time of achievement and advancement, especially in the religious movement. Post-Classical and Classical China were very important historical periods, and their religions, and the effect of them on the world around them highlighted that importance.
Some internal struggles that led to the fall of the Ottoman and the Qing were similar. Both civilizations strode to implement reforms to help restructure society. These reforms were more concentrated and more far-reaching in the Ottoman Empire, but we're just as ineffective as the Qing reforms. One of the Ottomans last sultans, Selim III, attempted to westernize society and the military. He exchanged ambassadors with European powers and allowed them to supervise Ottoman training. Over time, the westerners saw the Ottomans as barriers to more radical reforms. Thus, they began to clash with many classes in society, causing more conflict to arise. In China, many reforms were proposed and backed by radicals. The most well known radicals were the Taipings. Led by Hong Xuiquan, they sponsored
China was affected tremendously by the spread of Buddhism from 300 to 900 C.E. Buddhism itself was spread to China around 100 C.E by Indian missionaries, and after taking hold during the Era of Division (300s-500s), it became a household religion (particularly the Mahayana and Chan variations . Buddhism’s popularity rose consistently from the late Han dynasty through it’s peak during Empress Wu’s rule in the late 600s and early 700s. But, the religion’s popularity fell sharply during Emperor Wuzong’s reign as the persecution of Buddhism grew common (CONTEXT). The spread of Buddhism affected all classes and people of China in different ways; Chinese peasants were able to worship this religion regardless of education or social position (though
The Ch’in Dynasty had a strong, totalitarian, central government that was very structure and provided structure for the people. Legalism was very beneficially effective in the way that it ended the Warring States period by using their powerful government to rid China of feudal lords and feudal states and taking all of the land back from them because they had all taken advantage of both each other and the land. During the period of their strict rule through legalism, the Ch’in accomplished starting and building 1,845 miles of the Great wall of China to keep out invaders from the north, helping to protect their people, and building over 400 miles of roads and irrigation systems for their people. However, legalism also negatively impacted the lives of the people of China during the Ch’in Dynasty in multiple ways. In order to make the people believe that Legalism was best, the Ch’in burned books on history and Confucianism, and killed Confucian scholars who refused to give up their beliefs. Those who did something that the government did not like were punished. All of the people’s actions had consequences, both good and bad. The Ch’in forced people to work for them for months on end without having any guarantee for them or their families of knowing when they would be home, if they would ever return, or if they would die working. This violated the basic human rights of the people who were forced to work for the government on projects such as the Great Wall of
During Classical China, the main religions that were believed in included Taoism and Confucianism. While Confucianism wrote about “earthly life”, morals, and spoke of the 5 key relationships, Taoism was its spiritual counterpart. When it came to politics, emperors tended to favor Taoism, due to it’s lack of political threat. In the beginning of Classical China, starting with the Zhou dynasty, China ran it’s civilization using feudal system. However, it soon showed its faults with betrayal and that loyalty can’t be truly promised. Since then, Classical China evolved into using bureaucratic political system, in which people could be replaced throughout the system causing a stronger central government which positions that could be replaced. Despite that, Legalism was thought of to be useful, because of it’s ability of control and discipline. Even though China had religious beliefs, they mainly
Chinese state and that was the major sticking point for the religion in China. For
Whats effects does religion have on culture? Why are they connected? Over time, humans have stopped hunting and gather to survive. Instead they have created civilizations as it is more effective. Religion and culture are connected because religion is the basis for civilization and culture. The Han Dynasty is structured with many different social classes, emperors being at the top. Confucianism played a big role on the social structure. Thus, the cultural setting of the dynasty was well documented. For example the many cultural achievements are known to us because they were written down.
Before Emperor Wu of Han decided “oust others doctrines, the overwhelming Confucianism”[ Baisha Yi,易白沙 Kongzi pingyi shang 孔子评议上[Kritische Beurteilung von Kongzi, Teil 1], Qingnian zazhi 青年杂志,1916a, 571-576], which means use Confucianism as the only religion in China, Taoism was one of the most popular religions in China. In the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, Taoism was the most important religion and philosophy, and it influenced political theory. What is Taoism? How had Taoism changed politics and activities of people who lived in Han dynasty? This essay seeks to answer these questions by examining the background and few important points of Wu-wei, one of the most famous Taoist thoughts.
The Chinese and European cultures came together for the first time in the fifteenth century when great Chinese fleets traveled throughout the Indian Ocean and along the coast of Africa. These voyages created much concern for China. They lead to a period of isolation for security reasons. By the time the first Europeans arrived in China there was little to no evidence of these voyages. (Mungello 2005) Fallowing that time the Chinese government proceeded with a policy of containment to the trade merchants and missionaries that would visit them in the coming centuries. This paper will server an explanation to why China and Europe at first embraced each other then rejected each others
At first, Buddhism received positive responses (Documents 2 and 3) and indifferent responses (Documents 1 and 5), with the Chinese encouraging and defending its customs/beliefs during times of political and social unrest because it offered relief towards the Chinese people and prevented further chaos. Later, Buddhism received negative and unfavorable scrutiny (Documents 4 and 6) after the Tang dynasty was established since it blamed Buddhism for social/political problems because Buddhism rejected the social hierarchy favored by government officials.
Throughout its history, China has gone through transformations that have left their mark; certain central aspects have endured while others have remained the same. Regardless of what changed and what endured, the events that took place from the Qin to the Tang Dynasties shaped the philosophies, religions, governments, and the culture of China.
The region of China is extensive and profound. “In China lay people did not belong to an institutionalized sect, nor did their religious life have anything to do with signing articles of faint. Religion in China was so woven into the broad fabric of family and social life that there was not even a special word for it until modern times, when one was coined to match the Western term” (Thompson, 1). In China, Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism are all blended. In the earliest period, Shang Dynasty (2000 BC), people in China had worshipped a lot of different gods (polytheism) such as weather god, river god. People in the Shang Dynasty believed that their ancestors become like gods after they died, so people worshipped their
The Qing dynasty was also called the Manchu dynasty. The Qing dynasty lasted from 1644 to 1911/12. During the time the population went from 150 million to 450 million. 1636 was when the Qing dynasty was established. In 1644 Beijing was captured by the rebel leader Li Zicheng. Manchus helped and decided to take china for themselves.
Religion has been a major factor for the growth and development of societies since the establishment of even the very first ancient civilizations. Though each of the ancient societies—the Chinese, the Egyptians, the Indians, and the Mesopotamians—had different spiritual beliefs, they each shared the common belief that the presence of religion within a civilization would have positive results upon the entire civilization.