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Similarities Between China And Classical India

Decent Essays

Although both Classical India and China developed unique approaches to developing aspects of society and government, some similarities inevitably existed. Cultural diffusion was partly responsible for this, as trade and Buddhist ideals influenced each culture directly and indirectly. The Chinese and Indian civilizations executed similar practices and beliefs, such as the idealistic role of women, wide divisions between social classes, and the influence of Buddhism. However, discrepancies existed between the rigidity of hierarchy and gender roles, and the impacts of religion and philosophy in government.
While India focused more on religion, China leaned towards secularism. In Classical India, Hinduism was widely popular. The brahmins, or priests, would hold immense power and be at the top of the caste system. Alongside the elected chiefs, brahmins …show more content…

Generally, there were a large amount of peasants and laborers at the bottom, and ultimately few people could hold power. India was governed more strictly than China through the caste system, where one would be born into a strict socioeconomic level, and there was no room for movement. Marriage and interactions were restricted to people in one’s class. On the other hand, China’s social hierarchy was more forgiving, as even peasants had the opportunity to move to higher classes through civil service examinations. Furthermore, the religions and philosophies of each region reflected differently on how some groups were organized. For example, merchants in China had a different status than of merchants in India. In China, Confucian values stressed the moderation of desires, therefore, moneymaking was not popular. Merchants were at the bottom of the class and were often shunned by society. In contrast, India valued its’ merchants and they were often in higher castes. Overall, these differences in who was valued in society depended heavily on the beliefs of the

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