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Date: 23rd June 2007 Current Problems of Buddhism 1. Note down the current problems that are concerned with the Buddhism in south Thailand. Whats your opinion to solve these problems? Suffering (problems) is one of the noble truths that the Buddha teaches us in his first sermon. Every one has problems, there is no way to get rid of except until one doesnt attain the Nibbana. Looking at the present situation in southern Thailand, sometime it makes us feel sorry about the people in those areas. They are facing many problems and government isnt able to answer the question that comes from their faded faces. To make it clearer we can divide their problems in different groups. i.e. 1. Economical Problems 2. Peoples daily life, 3. problems of monks life, 4. Political problems. Economical problems: As to solve three provinces (Yala, Pathani and Nathivat) burning issues government has been using big amount of money in order find the solution between the Buddhists and Muslims, which is affective for other provinces and whole nation. According to some local peoples saying those money goes to buy the arms for fighting. Wealth that government is spending in those areas is not using in right way. They are lots of corruptions inside the leaders. Some Muslim bandits and some group of Muslim try to use violence by killing the good people, teacher, Buddhist monks, national securities (army, police, soldier, officers and businessmen) which create fear among the people and force to hide the truths. They even dont dare to earn their daily food. Nobody knows when and where the violence begins. Every time they have fear in their mind. When people are not earning daily living government has to pay for them which cost so much money and effect to nations economical growth. Solutions To solve this problems government should visit the those areas and provide the more and better security for people so that people can trust government. Government should not send too much money without knowing what is going on and where is the money spending. Government must listen the peoples voice and provide health care to people who have been victim of violence. Government should provide financial help to families who have lost their members. And must stop corruptions among the leaders and related government officers. Problems in peoples daily life Among these problems, problems that are related to monks and people are concerned with the Buddhism. As we all know that southern three provinces are mostly habituated by the Muslims and few Buddhist. Muslim leaders want to have their own nation or autonomy. This is what the all problems base on. For many years Buddhism in those areas is facing many difficulties and unable to play the better role to solve the problems. What could be done by the Buddhist monks to solve these affected problems in those areas? It is very difficult to answer or to find the solutions to cure peoples hurt heart. People in those areas are under control. They are suppressed by the Muslim leaders so they dont dare to speak truths. If they do so they will lose one of the members of their family. In order to save their life Buddhist are moving to temples and looking for guiding how can they win the peoples heart who are blind of dreaming their free land. Who wants to leave their forefathers land where they grew up and leant many things where they lost their father mother and other relatives? But Buddhist people are facing these situations in those areas. Richer people are moving to other provinces and poor are in temples. Solutions To solve this problems government must be able to unify the people in those areas. People must not fear who are doing such things. People must think same and do same. They must have unity to help each other. Government ought to save the life of teachers, students, and common people and provide security in schools, universities and health care centers. If necessary government should allow teachers and other important people to carry the guns to defense themselves. But those guns must be registered. Government must not allow carrying unregistered weapons with people. Police and army must have unity and contact each other in order to know what are they doing and where. Its important have eyes on Muslim leaders who are suspected. Government should provide good security in border area and seek for the terrorists trying centre to prevent terrorism. Problems in political systems: These all problems are rooted from politic. Muslim leaders want the free land from Thailand but probably there are many answers why the Thai government doesnt want three provinces to have separate nation. Although they are Muslim they are belong to Thai. In my opinion Thai government must apply the same rules and curriculums in schools and university and same national language. Doing this, people wont have they concept of difference because they use same language, same practices and same thoughts. Solutions In order to solve political problems, government ought to have election of leader of village, tambol administration, members of parliament. Elected leaders must not only look for their benefits and safety. They must have idea of kamma and use it with others to save their lives. Leaders must be brave enough to talk to people and must have morality. Leaders must be choice of people who is always ready to talk in sage of people. Government must support the good, virtuous, honesty, compassionate, kind muslim religious teachers and their people. Problems in monks life: Thailand is known as land of yellow robe but it is starting to steps toward decay from the southern Thailand. Due to conflict between Muslims and Government, Buddhist monks are in middle. The violence in southern Thailand has affected monks life deeply. Monks are not free to move around. Some say, Muslim bandits have vowed to kill five monks each day. Many monks were killed and still these kinds of news are not stopping. Muslims are destroying the temples and Buddhas images. In some temples there is no monks has left. But Thai Buddhist people have strong belief in Buddhism. Monks are organizing seminars in different temples and people are supporting monks. In order to show their respect to Buddha, dhamma and Sangha people organized the kathina ceremony in hatyai last year, which represents the strong belief in Buddhist teachings. According to some articles in news paper monks have to walk alms bowl with guide and sometime carry to guns to protect themselves. Some time it is not safe to live in temples or even when they travel from one to other places. Muslim bandits have target to finish Buddhist monks in that area. Solutions Despite monks have many problems they are still following Buddhas teaching and guiding people peacefully. To promote Buddhist in those areas government should provide security to monks. Monks have been guiding the Thai nation for ling time so now it is governments responsibility to response monks safety. Because Buddhist is only one ornament of Thailand which Thailand is famous for. Presently, Thai leaders must understand the value of Buddhist teachings and ethics. Other wise in future the history of Thai Buddhism will be like Buddhism in Afghanistan, Indonesia and other central Asian countries. In the other hand monks should be active to deal with the present situation. There must be safety first. If we are safe we can do something later but if we are not we cant do anything. Monks should make people understand about the value of Buddhism. In addition, every nation has problems even worse than Thailand. Thailand is peace loving country and it must remain same in the future. I think it is time to have some strong decision to protect to Buddhism in Thailand because 95% people are Buddhist. Thai people must realize the cause of their well known in all over the world. Date- 25/ 08/ 2007 Buddhism in future of Thailand 1.Disciples Buddhist orders, laymans, lay monks? 2.cultural- 3.Temple leak of developing in make and roils roiling? 4.Temple leak of development in resale areas? 5.Schools of primary attentions in the dhamma? 6.Compression 7.Blind faith 8.Leadership of temple (abbots) no development? 5. THE CULTURAL DIMENSION OF EDUCATION Since the advent of Buddhism in Thailand nearly 1,000 years ago, monks have had crucial roles especially in the moral education of the public. The Thai mind, in general, is thus inculcated with compassion, friendliness, and love of peace. Nevertheless, having lacked knowledge of the Buddhist scriptures and modern academic knowledge, the Thais were superstitious and unable to improve their way of life. King Rama V (1868-1910) was aware of his peoples inadequate knowledge susceptible to Western imperialism. He began the process of educational reform in the country. The two Buddhist colleges, Mahamakuta and Mahachula, were built in order to properly train monks to be efficient Buddhist teachers and good followers of the dhamma. After their graduation, monks went to work in temple schools in villages throughout the country. They taught Buddhist ethics, Thai language, mathematics, history, and so on, and tried to improve folk ways of life. In the reign of King Rama V, Thai people were more educated and contented with their prosperity. Problems of Education in Thailand Today Though Thai education has been improved since the reign of King Rama V, the government is still unable to push all children through the process of compulsory formal education. The failure of educational management and administration as well as a rapid increase of population call for non-formal education, e.g., a Temple Pre-school Centre, a Buddhist Sunday School, etc. It is obvious that only a well-to-do family is able to send children to a good school. Many poor children in Bangkok and those in villages far away are condemned to stay with their parents to work for the rest of their lives. The sight of youngsters selling newspapers and garlands in the street is just an ordinary experience for everyone in Bangkok. Similarly, outside Bangkok, far away in the countryside, small boys and girls watch cattle in the fields without any chance to enter school. The Roles of the Government and Monks In order to prepare children for school and provide the socially disadvantaged with the chance to be literate, the Ministry of Education initiated Temple Pre-school Centres in 1963. The project gained good support from the Buddhist Sangha, which allowed any temple to establish a temple school. Monks became teachers of pre-school children. The outcome of the project was successfully accepted by the public. The Temple Pre-school Centre is a kind of social welfare promoted by the government. It invites people of all ages to come to the temple, be morally cultivated, and fulfil their human qualities. It widely interests the public with its following features: 1.It works on a basis of charity and gives free service. 2.It can be established in any temple. 3.Children eligible are five to eight years old. 4.Any illiterate adult is welcome to enrol. 5.Monks and novices are teachers. Lay people can be teaching assistants. 6. Children are prepared to enter compulsory school and their morals and manners are cultivated. Since 1988, the Temple Pre-school Centre has changed to the Centre of Pre-school Children in the Temple. It is open to children three-to-six years old. Apart from the project of the Ministry of Education, there are some other projects for poor children launched by developer monks. One worth mentioning is Phra Khamkhian Suvanno of Sukhato Forest hermitage in north-eastern Thailand. Phra Khamkhian Suvanno founded the Centre for Child Development in 1978 in order to take care of small children whose parents had to work in the fields all day. Most north-eastern villagers were poor farmers. They had to bring their children to the fields because there was nobody at home to look after them. Waiting for their parents to finish work, children played in the rain or were exposed to the sun the whole day. Some were severely ill and died. Phra Khamkhian thus decided to set up the Centre so that children would be taken care of and would learn to read and write elementary Thai language. At first, there were 20 children in the Centre. Phra Khamkhian brought up these children himself. They were fed with the food given to monks everyday. They had soy milk to drink and sweetmeats to eat regularly. The Centre gave a free service to the community for 8 months of the year from March to November. It was closed on the Buddhist Sabbath days. Some years later, a few volunteer assistants came to teach the children. Parents could leave their children in the centre and go to work happily in the fields. Apart from 2,554 pre-school centres around the country, the government and the Buddhist order also carry on the project of the Buddhist Sunday School. The Buddhist Sunday School originated in Sri Lanka in 1886. It teaches various fields of Buddhist knowledge and languages. From 1953 to 1957, Phra Bimaladharma of Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist College, Bangkok, had visited Sri Lanka and witnessed moral and cultural teaching in the Sunday School. He deeply appreciated the success of its work. After his return to Thailand, he established the first Buddhist Sunday School in Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist College in 1958. The Buddhist Sunday School was founded and has been carried on until today in order to inculcate moral discipline and general knowledge in children. Many social problems, e.g., juvenile delinquency, drug addiction, etc., arise from a lack of moral training and moral cultivation. If children are acquainted with the Buddhist teachings and properly follow the Buddhist precepts, they will be able to attain peaceful happiness and live successful lives. In order to save young people from ignorance and worthless life, Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist College thus began the Buddhist Sunday School with the following objectives: 1. To make young people and children familiar with Buddhism. 2. To inculcate moral discipline and cultural appreciation in young people and children. 3. To teach young people and children to lead their lives according to Buddhist principles. 4. To train young people and children to work for public welfare. Nowadays there are 995 branches of the Buddhist Sunday School around the country. Class levels are arranged according to students grades as follows: 1. There are 4 elementary classes for primary school pupils of grades 1, 2, 3 and 4. 2. There are 3 intermediate classes for secondary school students of grades 1, 2 and 3. 3. There are 3 advanced classes for high school students of grades 4, 5 and 6. 4. There are 2 final classes for college students. It takes 12 years to complete the entire course. Monks and some lay teachers, due to their compassion and loving kindness towards students, work in the programme on a voluntary basis. Their work is much appreciated by all Buddhists and considerably helps improve public morality. Apart from Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist Colleges public service of education, there are some other Buddhist leaders, both monks and lay people, who actively work for the sake of disadvantaged children. Worth mentioning here are Phra Vidya Cittadhammo of Mount Sarb Temple School and Mr Pai Soisaklang, the head of Sa Koon village. According to Thai Buddhist tradition, only a male has the privilege of becoming a novice or a monk and is able to stay in a monastery for further education. A female can be merely a lay attendant and cannot closely associate with monks. Thus, male children have a good chance to fulfil their education through ordination. The case of Mount Sarb Temple School may well illustrate the point. Phra Vidya Cittadhammo, the developer monk who runs the school, explains that all other secondary schools in the country emphasise only academic knowledge. They pay less attention to the moral cultivation of students minds. Mount Sarb Temple School, on the contrary, accepts all underprivileged boys whose parents are too poor to send them to a formal school. These children are ordained in the temple and have studied in its secondary school, free of charge, for 3 years. The subjects are Thai, English, mathematics, and social studies. Children and young people who are novices hold to the ten Buddhist precepts during their 3 years of education, which covers both secular knowledge and dhammic knowledge. It is very important nowadays to pay attention to juvenile development. Samanera Vidya, a young novice, points out that due to his poverty, he cannot enter any other school and that most youngsters are wayward and delinquent. He stresses that the Mount Sarb Temple School tremendously helps young people cultivate their minds, fulfil their human qualities, and be able to survive happily in this suffering world. Another example of service for young students is the Sa Koon Village School, founded by the headman Pai Soisaklang and all villagers. Pai Soisaklang uses Buddhist teachings as a guide for village life. He and the villagers built the school, without any support from the government, in order to prevent youngsters from wrongdoing. By means of education, children learn to differentiate right from wrong and be sufficiently knowledgeable to depend on themselves. He also encourages the villagers to live according to the Buddhist precepts, for their own peaceful happiness, through the following village rules: 1. Do not kill animals, since it is forbidden by the first Buddhist precept. 2. Do not fire a gun within the village since it will frighten others. 3. Do not drink alcoholic beverages in the village since the drunkenness may cause trouble to others. During the Buddhist Lent, young people are persuaded to listen to a sermon and join a religious ceremony in the temple. They learn to stay close to their parents and follow the traditional way of life. During weekends, children stay home to help their parents work in the fields and dig fish-ponds. They are happy to make themselves useful to their community. A Look to the Future The changing role of Thai monks from ascetics to social developers is indispensable for Thai society nowadays. This phenomenon does not diminish monks sacred status at all since they still preserve their monastic discipline. Once when I spent a week at the Sukhato Forest Hermitage in north-eastern Thailand, I had the opportunity to examine Phra Khamkhian Suvannos community development. I found that his work was much beneficial to the villagers and indispensable for community life. The three villages around the hermitage are located quite far away from the helping hand of the government and cannot survive without monks assistance. Phra Khamkhians method of work is a combination of dhammic practice and social development. He follows the Buddhist teaching that a good mind yields a good practice. If one has learned to purify oneself and is able to lessen ones own defilements, one can live for the sake of others and thus can yield benefits to ones community and to the rest of the world. Phra Khamkhian teaches the villagers to abstain from all evil deeds and to practise meditation in order to learn more about themselves and to understand the nature of the world. Under the sponsorship of the Thai Khadi Research Institute, Thammasat University, Bangkok, I spent nearly 2 months interviewing many villagers, monks, and government officials who were responsible for the well-being of these villages. The outcome of Phra Khamkhians work, however, is unsatisfactory. Most projects are initiated and run only by Phra Khamkhian. Villagers are merely participants and thus have no motivation to carry on and fulfil their work. For example, even though the Centre for Child Development still operates today, Phra Khamkhian is the only one who manages it and takes responsibility for all the work. Due to poverty and the lack of self-dependent orientation, the villagers would rather leave all problems to Phra Khamkhian than participate in the Centre or donate some money to support it. Phra Khamkhian is well conscious of his role as a Thai monk venerated by lay people. His community development has been done within the context of Buddhist discipline. Thus, his monastic status is always held as sacred by the villagers. Furthermore, it can be noted that most private agencies working for community development do not like to communicate or seek assistance from governmental officials. They prefer working by themselves. The case of Phra Khamkhian is an example of a leading developer monk who devotedly works for the sake of the poor community but lacks internal cooperation and external support. In Thailand the traditional system of primary education is as important as the modern system since ethical training is no less crucial than academic proficiency. The Thai traditional system of primary education began in a temple or a monastery where monks were teachers and preachers. Its aim was to moralise the public as well as to improve the folk ways of life. According to Buddhist beliefs, the cultivation and purification of the mind is the source of all good deeds. Thus, if we properly bring up children at the earliest, they will become good citizens and good human beings in the future. Their knowledge will be applied to save the world. Right now, the Ministry of Education in Thailand is well conscious of this fact and mandates that all primary school pupils should study Buddhist ethics and should be trained to be morally good in their own traditions. It seems that the traditional system of education emphasizes the role of religion for the good of students while the modern system honours academic knowledge and Westernization as signs of educational achievement. I believe that both moral cultivation and academic training are equally important for students. We would rather have a morally knowledgeable person than an evil brilliant guy or a virtuous idiot. In order to train children both morally and academically, the government and all private agencies need to cooperate in supporting educational projects in all schools and in providing all illiterates throughout the country with compulsory education and elementary knowledge suitable for their folk lives and local environment. An ideal primary school or centre of education should be well equipped with pictorial lessons and audio-visual materials in order to draw pupils attention and make the entire process of teaching attractive. The size of the centre depends on the number of pupils in a community. Nevertheless, it is better to have 15-20 pupils in each class so that the teacher is able to train and look after everyone. Children who are ready to enter a primary school and be able to fulfil their course are ideally 5 years old. The curriculum should emphasise knowledge useful for children, encouraging optimistic viewpoints and leading to the fulfilment of their potential. The characteristics of a teacher and parents education are no less important. Teachers should love children and be cheerful enough to make the lessons interesting. They should be trained particularly for their profession. Needless to say, if the government really wants to support public education and fight against illiteracy, it needs to provide the public with free and compulsory primary education. Since the children of today are the adults of tomorrow, as a Thai proverb says, the attempt by all means to make the best of children is thus worth the investment. 8. Leadership of temple (abbots) no development? The Dhammakaya Temple - perfect match? Being a former core member of Phra Dhammakaya Temple for nineteen years, I am compelled to write this article after having observed the latest developments in both Thailand's largest Buddhist community and its largest political party. It is my hope that this might shed light on certain aspects of the new socio-spiritual relationship, which may jeopardise national security. I believe that the Thai Rak Thai Party and Phra Dhammakaya Temple make a perfect couple. The only difference between them is that one is a political party and the other a Buddhist monastery. They share the same philosophies of management and administration and both use the media relentlessly for self-promotion. Thai Rak Thai and Phra Dhammakaya Temple are huge organisations - two of the largest and most powerful in the country. Their leaders are known to be shrewd investors, bold enough to take on new risks - both are equally fond of the latest technologies, capitalism and modernism in general. However, while their leaders are strong, they have also both been tainted by allegations of corruption and embezzlement. Not only are their goals the same - to assume power - but they also share common enemies. Seven years ago, while Thailand was in the midst of an economic crisis, Phra Dhammakaya Temple launched a massive fundraising campaign to assist in its ambitious plans to construct a gigantic pagoda. This pagoda, worth over US$500 million (Bt18.7 billion) was named the Dhammakaya-cedi. In order to encourage the public to support this project, the leadership of the temple claimed that its guru possessed supernatural powers. This brought the temple a great deal of criticism in the media. The crisis the temple's administrators faced at the time was the worst a Thai Buddhist monk could ever imagine. First, there was a series of four letters issued by the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand commanding that the abbot be defrocked. Then, a series of investigations of the temple's finances followed. The temple's abbot was charged with several counts of embezzlement and public fraud, including one count of lese majeste against HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. All of these were serious charges. Criticisms against Phra Dhammakaya Temple extended not only to its aggressive fundraising, but also regarding the heterodox promotion of Buddhism and the abbot's lavish lifestyle. In retaliation, the abbot of Phra Dhammakaya Temple, Dhammajayo, retaliated aggressively. His lawyer filed a lawsuit against every individual who had (supposedly) incorrectly quoted his name or misinformed the public. The abbot also expanded his mission by whatever means were available before he was forced to officially resign from his position. Phra Dattajivo, his deputy, became abbot, however for practical purposes Phra Dhammajayo remained in control. Realising that his true enemy was neither the Ecclesiastical Council nor the Thammayuttikanikaya sect, the former abbot turned to politics in order to restore his power. In the senatorial elections of 2000, Dhammajayo supported candidates with links to the Thai Rak Thai Party. The former abbot of Phra Dhammakaya Temple was the first one to initiate contact with members of Thai Rak Thai. It was decided that the Thai Rak Thai Party would have Dhammakaya's backing. Thai Rak Thai representatives were given the opportunity to speak to the temple's followers, who were urged to cast their votes for the party, as it would naturally be beneficial for their master and temple. According to the law of karma as promoted by the temple, Thaksin Shinawatra was hailed as the ideal lay Buddhist, who had been blessed by the merit of his past lives and was endowed with a great many virtues. The temple played a song praising Thaksin composed by the Phra Dhammajayo himself on its Dow Tham satellite television channel - broadcasting 24 hours a day. However, the gathering clouds of controversies and criminal investigations surrounding him prevented Thaksin from visiting the temple. Nevertheless, senior Thai Rak Thai leaders, such as Sudarat Keyuraphan and Suriya Jungrungreangkit, began regularly attending the monastery. The Thai Rak Thai-Phra Dhammakaya Temple relationship proved mutually beneficial. It allowed the Thai Rak Thai Party to promote itself with greater efficiency. Phra Dhammakaya Temple also began broadcasts on Dow Tham. Using a massive budget and having recruited qualified personnel - all inspired by the Doctrine of Dhammakaya - the satellite television channel produced a series of programmes, enriched with computerised images and attractive animations, thus capturing the eyes of the younger generation. The star of the channel is Phra Dhammajayo, whose talk-shows have dealt with the retribution of karma - ie the whereabouts of people after their deaths, thus revealing his transcendental insight. However, the Tipitaka (the Buddhist canon) reserves this insight for the Buddha only. Never before in its history was the temple able to expand its powers so quickly. The temple was able to significantly build up its local, national and international networks after Thai Rak Thai came to power. At the end of August of this year, all legal cases against Phra Dhammajayo were released from the judicial process. These decisions were based on utilitarian grounds - in consideration of the former abbot having returned all the money he and his disciples had taken for the pagoda, and because he had contributed to the public good by teaching Buddhism. The former abbot of Phra Dhammakaya Temple has now been cleared of all criminal charges, much to the delight of his followers. However, this is a source of great dismay to other Buddhists, who feel that justice was not served. The political turmoil facing Thaksin Shinawatra's leadership this year cemented the relationship between the Thai Rak Thai Party and Phra Dhammakaya Temple. For Phra Dhammajayo, victory for the Thai Rak Thai was the equivalent of a victory of his own, and votes for that party were the same as votes for the security of his temple. The political turmoil of this past year has completely changed the nature of politics and the religious landscape of Thailand for good. Followers of Phra Dhammakaya Temple and Thaksin believe that the alliance between the two serves their best interests. It must be remembered that the overarching threat to Thailand is no longer just Thaksinomics, but the real menace is the Dhammakaya-TRT consortium. General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said that last week's coup was triggered by the deep divisions in Thai society. There is little doubt that the unholy alliance between Phra Dhammakaya Temple and Thai Rak Thai has contributed in no small part to this polarisation. In the wake of the coup, both Thai Rak Thai and Phra Dhammakaya Temple have kept a low profile. They can be expected to lay low for the time being waiting for an opportunity to spring back. Their greatest concern is what the coup-makers and the interim civilian government plan to do with them in the course of trying to uproot the culture of deceit and corruption by the Thai Rak Thai Party and what the likely repercussions of this would be for Phra Dhammakaya Temple. Buddhism nowadays buddha statue Two main movements composed Thai Buddhism Dhammayut - movement formed in the mid 1800 by the future King Rama IV). Since the destruction of Ayuthaya in 1767 Buddhism was declining. This movement was created because Thai Buddhism was not pure as it should have been and needed reforms. It has also revitalised the main movement. During centuries Thai society was based on Thai Buddhism and on the concept of "KAM KAO" , which means old sins, old actions. It is the concept of karma. The current life is a consequence of the past actions. This rule has lead to an unequal society where the ruling classes do nothing for the poor classes knowing that those classes will not rebel because they believe that their poor status is due to their previous actions. Nowadays things have evolved. For example, farmers rally in Bangkok and ask for better recognition of their problems. That would never have been possible a century ago. People still believe in Buddhism precepts but now they understand that their life can be improved today. They do not have to wait for next life. They also understand that those influential powerful people are not people that did act in a good way in their previous life but are corrupted people that take profit over poor people. In the same way Thai Buddhism is different from the original Buddhism as people can expect improvement in their current life by making good actions. Since a few decades, in fact since the beginning of real economic development in Thailand, Buddhism is facing problems. 1. First problem is the decreasing number of monks. There are still 200 000 monks in Thailand but the number is declining (same as in Europe where the number of priests is also declining). One of the major problem is to find new monks. Now with the growing of the consumption society, less young people are becoming monks. Before for most people, becoming a monk was a choice of life. Now some people become monks not by religious choice but only to escape their own life. Becoming a monk brings high status and for some people it is the only way to reach higher rank in society. 2. Second problem is that people go less often in temples, especially in big cities. So donations to temples are declining. In the past Thai people went to temples at least for every holy day ( "WAN PHRA, which happens once a week. Now most people only go for major feasts. Upcountry where life is not so stressed, more people still go to temple. 3. Third problem is due to monks forgetting Dharma rules and using improper activities in order to increase the donations to their temple. For example in 1998 the abbot of "WAT SANAM CHAN" in Chachoengsao province initiated a new styling of the image of Buddha called "stepping on Earth". More faithful visited the temple and donated more money. Even holy water was sold. The Religious Affairs Department stepped in and asked the abbot to stop the activities. Is that business or Buddhism ? It is very far from the Lord Buddha's original teachings. The potential danger for Thai Buddhism is often inside and not outside. 4. Fourth problem is contest inside Buddhism. During the 20th century Thai Sangha has confronted with other Buddhist movements: 1. The Suan Mokh School of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu ("PHUTTHATHAT" in Thai language) stresses rationalism in core Buddhist teachings as opposed to animist believes often found in popular Buddhism. For example blessing cars, motorcycles, trees, washing machines and even Thai Airways planes blessed by the Suprem Patriarch. Actually monks do what lay people expect from them. Buddhadasa Bikkhu thinks this is not the right way, monks are here to teach Dharma to lay people. Even if animism gives a colourful Buddhism, animism beliefs should not force monks to do things that are incompatible with Buddhism. The Buddhadasa Bikkhu (1906-1993) is known as a reformist of the Thai Sangha. Very early he was in contradiction with the Sangha ideas. For him the Buddha's lessons and teachings were not respected anymore. Centuries that passed away have added other beliefs, other texts that has distorted the original teachings. 2. The Forest Monks school, stresses a reclusive, meditative life. 3. The cult-like Huppa Sawan focuses on mysticism. 4. The fundamentalist Santi Asoke emphasizes self-sufficiency and anti-consumerism. 5. Dhammakaya movement incorporates consumer values with popular Buddhism. Dhammakaya movement main temple is located at Pathum Pani. In year 1999, it has been accused to act like a sect, to have distorted and to have commercialised Buddhism. Phra Dhammachayo was removed as the abbot of Wat Dhammakaya following police inquiries into his alleged role in the embezzlement of over 90 million baht in temple funds. Thai Buddhism has fallen victim to the 1997 crippling economic crisis, which is forcing devotees to curb participation in religious activities. A survey of 1,253 Bangkok residents by the Thai Farmers Bank research centre found 43.5 percent were cutting back on religious events, such as temple-going, which normally involve donations of food or money. The most popular religious activity among respondents was going to the temple (19.1 percent), followed by the early-morning practice of giving alms to monks at 18.1 percent and praying (17.1 percent). The average sum of money given to monks had fallen to 50 Baht a time, from between 100 and 200 Baht during the country's boom years. A separate survey of 59 abbots of Buddhist temples found a quarter had noticed the faithful were donating significantly less money to their local temples. A third said their temples were having severe financial problems because of a lack of funds, while 12.7 percent said their temples were increasingly the target of thieves. Some 16.2 percent said more people were coming to ask for free meals and 14.5 percent said monks were receiving fewer alms in their morning rounds. Articles about monks can be found in Thai newspapers. Some related bad affairs like raping young girls, seizing fake money in temples, black magic ritual that caused death to people, seizing amphetamines pills carried by monks, monks who visited a resort island and observed beauty contestants in their swimsuits, donations embezzlement (monk who has got 60 Mercedes Benz cars and so violates the religion anti-materialist precepts, monk who stole over 300,000 baht from his temple to gamble on World Cup matches), abbots having intercourse with women, monks wearing laymen clothes and going to karaoke, an abbot wearing an army colonel uniform and entertaining women in a remote house, monks involved in murder. The moral towards monks is also declining. In 2000 a Thai fashion designer made monk robes used as outfits for female models. Also an abbot was killed in order to steal the donation money given to the temple. More and more people are asking for a global reform of the Sangha. Major complains are about the Sangha Council which is composed of 19 monks. Most of them have reached 80 years old. So a substitution is asked. Sangha Council takes too long time to take decisions, for example Dhammakaya movement, Phra Yantra (Yantra was defrocked in 1995 for a number of alleged misdeeds). Some critics want to cut the links with the state's bureaucracy and Monarchy. In fact the Dhammayut movement is linked with the Monarchy and many monks are accused to look for honor or gratitude given by the King. Phra Maha Boonthueng Chutinataro, deputy rector of Maha Chulalongkorn Rajavithayalai, said "it was time for the old monks to make way for the younger generation. These monks are too old and are still in the old world. I see no bright future for Buddhism if it continues to depend on these old monks. It's time for them to take a rest and leave the matter to the young-blooded, who are more determined and truly dedicated to our religion". He said the entire system should be overhauled and made to comply with the country's democratic system and the new constitution. Sangha organization is often compared to a big bureaucracy where promotion through monastic ranks depended on seniority and regulations laid down by the Sangha Council. More and more people are also asking for a more professionally financial management system for temple donations. It should allow donations to be better used for the benefit of the Thai society and Thai Buddhism. What did the Buddha teach about magic and fortune telling? Answer: The Buddha considered such practices as fortune telling, wearing magic charms for protection, fixing lucky sites for building, prophesizing and fixing lucky days to be useless superstitions and him expressly forbids his disciples to practice such things. He calls all these things 'low arts.' "Whereas some religious men, while living of food provided by the faithful make their living by such low arts, such wrong means of livelihood as palmistry, divining by signs, interpreting dreams... bringing good or bad luck... invoking the goodness of luck... picking the lucky site for a building, the monk Gotama refrains from such low arts, such wrong means of livelihood." D.I, 9-12 Question: Then why do people sometimes practice such things and believe in them? Answer: Because of greed, fear and ignorance. As soon as people understand the Buddha's teachings, they realize that a pure heart can protect them much better than bits of paper, bits of metal and a few chanted words and they no longer rely on such things. In the teachings of the Buddha, it is honesty, kindness, understanding, patience, forgiveness, generosity, loyalty and other good qualities that truly protect you and give you true prosperity. Question: But some lucky charms do work, don't they? Answer: I know a person who makes living selling lucky charms. He claims that his charms can give good luck, prosperity and he guarantees that you will be able to pick three numbers. But if what he says is true then why isn't he himself a multi-millionaire? If his lucky charms really work, then why doesn't he win the lottery week after week? The only luck he has is that there are people silly enough to buy his magic charms. Question: Then is there such a thing as luck? Answer: The dictionary defines luck as 'believing that whatever happens, either good or bad, to a person in the course of events is due to chance, fate or fortune.' The Buddha denied this belief completely. Everything that happens has a specific cause or causes and there must be some relationships between the cause and the effect. Becoming sick, for example, has specific causes. One must come into contact with germs and one's body must be weak enough for the germs to establish themselves. There is a definite relationship between the cause (germs and a weakened body) and the effect (sickness) because we know that germs attack the organisms and give rise to sickness. But no relationship can be found wearing a piece of paper with words written on it and being rich or passing examinations. Buddhism teaches that whatever happens does so because of a cause or causes and not due to luck, chance or fate. People who are interested in luck are always trying to get something - usually more money and wealth. The Buddha teaches us that it is far more important to develop our hearts and minds. He says: Being deeply learned and skilled. Being well-trained and using well-spoken words; this is the best good luck. To support mother and father, to cherish wife and child and to have a simple livelihood; this is the best good luck. Being generous, just, helping one's relatives and being blameless in one's actions; this is the best good luck. To refrain from evil and from strong drink, and to be always steadfast in virtue; this is the best good luck. Reverence, humility, contentment, gratitude and hearing the good Dhamma; this is the best good luck. Thailand In Thailand, influenced by the model of the Thai monarchy, the Buddhist monastic community has a Supreme Patriarch and a Council of Elders with responsibility for keeping the purity of the tradition. There are two types of monastic communities, those who dwell in the forests and those who live in the villages. Both are objects of great veneration and support by the lay community. The strong forest tradition of mendicant monks lives in isolated jungles and engages in intense meditation. It follows strict adherence to the monastic rules of discipline, which forms the focus of its study program. Village monks perform numerous ceremonies for the welfare of the local people. Their study, however, consists primarily of memorizing texts. In keeping with the Thai cultural belief in spirits, these monks also provide amulets to the laypeople for protection. There is a Buddhist university for monks, primarily for training monastics to translate the Buddhist scriptures from classical Pali into modern Thai. Following months of political turmoil in Thailand in 2006, the military ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup endorsed by the monarchy. In addition to the political crisis, the country faces many obstacles, particularly that of the Muslim insurgency in the south. Nevertheless, the promised return to democracy is the benchmark by which the country will be judged in 2007. Millennium Development Goals Thai children Thanks to the strong performance of its economy during much of the 1990s, Thailand has already achieved, or is on its way to achieving, most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The percentage of people living in poverty has been halved and, with literacy rates at 96 percent for men and 91 percent for women and almost universal primary education enrolment, the country is now concentrating on improvement of secondary education. Whilst divisions of wealth between rich and poor, and between rural and urban communities are deepening, overall health indicators for child and maternal mortality are progressing well and the threat of malaria is limited to endemic regions and is under control. Thailand has also done unexpectedly well to achieve near universal access to safe water and sanitation due to well-financed government programs. However, as the MDG 2004 report on Thailand notes, people in the hills of the north and in the three Muslim majority provinces in the south bordering Malaysia tend to be marginalized. And Thailand faces a formidable challenge in MDG 7 (sustainable development) because of the damage the environment has suffered through the period of rapid economic growth over recent decades. Karenni refugees in Thailand Yuina Nevertheless, the generally positive progress towards the MDGs has a number of interesting consequences. Firstly, Thailand has unilaterally set new targets, dubbed MDG plus, including the aim to further decrease its poverty level to 4 percent by 2009. Secondly, the country has paid greater attention to the somewhat neglected MDG 8 (global partnership) by instigating regional aid programmers and engaging in HIV/AIDS projects in Africa. Finally Thailand has produced a regional MDG Report for Mae Hong Son Province, a rare examination of the potential of decentralized MDG policymaking. Politics Despite a history of military coups, by the end of the 20th century Thailand had established a reputation as one of the most democratic countries in Southeast Asia. Alas, the roots of good governance proved all too shallow when the military seized power in a September 2006 coup, while Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was abroad. Thailand is once again under severe fire from the international community. Reasons given by the military for the coup, Thailands first in 15 years, include concerns over corruption, abuse of power, and failure to observe the electoral process. Tsunami impact in Thailand Tsunami impact in Thailand Following the Asian financial crisis in 1997, Thailand experienced a rise in populist movements in the political arena. In 2000, and again in 2005, the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party led by Thaksin Shinawatra won an overwhelming victory on a platform that emphasized redistribution of wealth. However, suspicions that Thaksins true priority lay in enriching the interests of an elite group of businessmen came to a head - shortly after earning his second term - over criticism surrounding the $1.9 billion, tax-exempt sale of Shin Corporation, a telecoms giant owned by the Prime Ministers family, to the Singaporean state holding company. Despite Thaksins popularity amongst the rural poor, his dissolution of Parliament in February 2006 and subsequent shambles of electoral stand-offs prompted the army to act. The head of the army, a Muslim, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, took control by replacing all government institutions with martial law, banning assembly for political purposes and suspending interactive phone-in and SMS media programmers. He appointed an interim Prime Minister, the retired General Surayud Chulanont, to govern under an interim constitution which has virtually no democratic accountability and severely curtails rights enshrined in the 1997 Peoples Constitution. A 25-person committee, selected by the militarys Council for National Security (CNS) will draft a new Constitution, which will then be put to a referendum. An investigation is under way into the alleged corruption of the Thaksin elite. The military government says that it will stay in power only until a general election in October 2007 but the international community is dissatisfied, citing that the coup will only serve to weaken democratic institutions in Thailand and is an infringement of peoples human rights. King Bhumibol, the worlds longest reigning monarch and held in high regard among his people, has endorsed the coup. While his authority is informal, the Thai monarch has traditionally played a stabilizing role in Thai politics. His contribution to his people over 60 years was internationally recognized in 2006 by a unique UNDP human development award. Thailand has an extensive civil society with NGOs and other groups working in areas from womens rights to HIV/AIDS awareness, decentralization, and forest rights for communities. Some of these organizations are also affiliated with universities. Violence in Thailand Thailand has a history of avoiding conflict through careful negotiations and policies of accommodation. The fact that the country remained un-colonized in the era of British and French imperial rule provides a great source of national pride. Internal conflict, however, among Muslim separatists in the southernmost Muslim provinces of Thailand led Thaksin to declare martial law in the region in January 2004, giving the government authority to censor the media and detain individuals suspected of insurgent activities. Violence on both sides has claimed more than 1700 lives. Treatment as second-class citizens by Buddhist-dominated governments may be a source of the conflict. The region is less prosperous than the rest of Thailand and has more cultural affinity with Malaysia indeed the status of the province of Pattani has always been unsettled and a separatist group known as Mujahadeen Islam Pattani may have become more active; other speculation centres on Islamic fundamentalism, perhaps provoked by the fact that Thailand has allied itself with the United States over the War on Terror. Interim Prime Minister Chulanont has however publicly apologised for the hard-line tactics of the previous government in a gesture of reconciliation. Offers of talks have also been issued alongside willingness to consider the recommendations of a National Reconciliation Commission which had been brushed aside by Thaksin. Human Rights The severity with which Thaksin's government enforced the state of emergency in the south has attracted the attention of human rights organizations, concerned about the scale of the killings and the lack of independent reports permitted from the region. In March 2004, a human rights lawyer and Muslim leader, Somchai Neelapaijit, was abducted and likely killed. The government and military had threatened him for bringing up charges of police torture of Muslim separatists and for defending two Thai nationals accused of belonging to Jemaah Islamiyah, a group affiliated with al-Qaeda. Later that year, up to 80 Muslim men died from suffocation whilst in custody, following an anti-police protest. Thailands human rights record had come under serious scrutiny even before the state of emergency was declared, primarily as a result of the governments war on drugs launched in February 2003. The measures led to the extra-judicial killing of nearly 2500 drug offenders. The new Prime Minister has committed to investigating these human rights abuses under Thaksins government. Karenni refugees in Thailand Karenni refugees in Thailand © Ng Yuen The feeling that Thailands human rights credentials have deteriorated in recent years is not helped by Thaksin Shinawatras apparent efforts to improve ties with Burmas military government, which has an abhorrent record. Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and has refused adequate protection for Burmese refugees such as the Karenni, forcing the UN Refugee Agency to move refugees from Bangkok to the border between Thailand and Burma where the potential for deportation is inevitably greater. Again, the new government has made conciliatory gestures and there is some prospect of the refugees receiving ID cards to enable them to work in Thailand. Trafficking of children for the sex trade is an established problem in Thailand, both internally and across borders. Information and Media Thailand, harnessing globalization Thailand, harnessing globalization © MAG / Changemakers.net The 1991 Constitution provided for freedom of the press; however, the government has taken increasing measures to restrict the media in recent years, particularly in the southern regions covered by the state of emergency. The National Police Department has the authority to revoke publishing licenses on grounds of national security. The government and military own and operate most of the television networks and several radio stations. The Thai Journalists Association and the Thai Broadcasters Association have complained of unfair treatment of journalists and outlets not in line with the government position. Thailands position in the Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders has dropped sharply since 2004. Thai media exercises a level of self-censorship concerning the royalty, which is legally protected from criticism, and the military. Thailands experience with HIV/AIDS demonstrates that governments, civil society, and ordinary people can work in partnership to fight the pandemic. Following the heterosexual outbreak of AIDS in Thailand, the government responded quickly and aggressively. Former Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun made HIV a national priority in 1991, taking the issue out of the Ministry of Health and into his own office. He instructed all cabinet ministers to develop AIDS plans for their sectors. By 1996, the AIDS budget amounted. Mechai Viravaidya Thailand also launched a mass media campaign promoting condom use, especially among commercial sex workers. Rather than sanctioning brothels, which are widespread but technically illegal, the government chose to force them to make their patrons use condoms. Senator Mechai Viravaidya, nicknamed Mr. Condom, established the Population and Community Development Association (PDA), which implemented a system of educational networking and condom distribution to the rural population. Thailand has brought down the adult HIV prevalence rate among the general population to 1.5 percent. The country's major concern at present is for the treatment of its 600,000 infected people. Stricter international trade agreements protecting drug patents will make it more difficult for Thailand to manufacture affordable generics of anti-retroviral drugs. Additionally, condom use among heterosexual couples is on the decline, creating anxiety that complacency could undo the progress made thus far. Economy Make Trade Fair, Thailand The Asian financial crisis of 1997-1998 hit Thailand even harder than many of its neighbors and undercut some of the tremendous economic progress that the country has enjoyed. Some commentators blamed the crisis partly on the pressures Thailand faced to open its capital account in order to attract foreign investment - too much money was flowing into the country too quickly. The subsequent IMF bailout package itself may have hindered recovery through the neo-liberal policies that it imposed. Thailands west coast suffered the devastating impact of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, resulting in about 8000 deaths of both Thai and foreign nationals and damage valued at over $350 million. With the assistance of relief funds, most of the resort areas re-opened for business just a few months after the tsunami and are attracting tourists once more. However, the instability of the current political situation has led to reduced foreign investment, lower consumer confidence, higher levels of inflation, and budget constraints. Environment Pak Mool Dam Peter Charlesworth People & the Planet The tsunami cannot be blamed for the general environmental devastation experienced in Thailand. Indeed the prior clearance of about half of the natural protection of mangrove forests along the coastline may have intensified its impact. Commercial logging inland has also led to the destruction of precious rainforests. Thailand has acknowledged the loss of these natural resources as a national emergency. 1. How do you think about current difficulty of blind faith of people (satukam theme) describe what of tuning? In the cities rising levels of air pollution are amongst the worst in the world. Poor quality of air in Bangkok cost the healthcare system an estimated $6.3 billion in the year 2001 alone. Government efforts to reduce air pollution include the construction of an above-ground rail system in the city. A National Committee on Long-term Global Environmental Issues has been established by the government in response to the rising levels of greenhouse gases. Topic. ASSESSMEN Buddhist monk and human problem of universal in Thai. Problem-: of A Buddhist perspective Life in Thailand economic. The Thailand of Bangkok, Thailand is probably that country's most prominent social critical and activist, and one of the major contemporary exponents of socially engaged Buddhism. Now sixty years old, he has for the last 30 years combined provocative intellectual work with continual grassroots organizing in Thailand. He has founded rural development projects as well as many non-governmental organizations dedicated to exploring, in Thailand and internationally, alternative models of sustainable, traditionally-rooted, and ethically - and spiritually-based development. They Thailand is as a stubbles country and human undeveloped so were could not education parson, were would like to money and happens god food it and relaxing fleeing, some time time offering to buddha puja offering, and some time offering to Buddhist monk puja offering something like that. There one human at fist problem to money shelve any human to world had them. This is a current problem Buddhist monk and human shelf of life money. There is as a problem into political human to society. Anything would like to human dependent society of family and were life is karma and activity to nessaril life in the economic to job and matins to family like that anything. The problem of people like: The problem of people money and karma, and would like to human some dhamma in like that. After they human believe to karma so were shelve to family. The money to human always helps to human any problem shelve life this one. The problem of the monk like: The Buddhist monk is like to always charting and any ceremony would like that in money. So were couldnt anything angels to human but were always happens life, and sometime practice to mediation and sometime would like to education in school and university study there time can money caste to money there time no body help. About student anything didnt analogs. Some body thinking Buddhist life very happy life and no problem to anything monk, as a Buddhist monk life is as a very hard life and anything problem. The imputing money to Buddhist monk student but were defendant to upahasik and upahasika is as a father and mother this mains Buddha tort. Other one yang sister and bather there one Buddhist like compassion to lovingkins in Buddha wisdoms like them that. This privacies some problem to aslama so some time killing to Buddhist monk and aslaime couldnt not shidduch fey mind, and we were unplaced fully world aslaime them. This country no has been that all Buddhist country a takes to aslaime were gangue and politics everything and kill man also there one problem. Some people using to Buddha images for human and some body using to Buddha horoscopes in life coquetry human. The will be god feeling to human life them. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu There is no Buddhism; there is no Christianity; there is no Islam. According to Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, How do you think? Give your reason. Buddhadasa bhikkhu in the famish all Thailand and other wound he very active to temple work and study very hardly and there time also he pietistic meditation, and any country faring arrived in the Thailand he monk is as a help to they monks problem shelve, on the buddhadasa bhikkhu. He monk would like to all religion and kindness and worldwide them. Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was born in 1906 as Nguam Panid in Phumriang (Chaiya district) in southern Thailand to a Chinese father, who was a shopkeeper, and a Thai mother, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu became a bhikkhuor Buddhist monk in 1926. As was expected of young monks at the time, he went to Bangkok to study. However, he found the WATS (temples) there dirty, crowded, and, most troubling to him, corrupt. As a result, he returned to his hometown and moved into an abandoned temple. At the temple, Buddhadasa practiced a simple or pristine form of Buddhism by getting to the heart of the Buddha's message of doing wholesome actions, avoiding harmful actions, and purifying and training the mind. As such, he tried to avoid the ritualism and internal politics, which dominated Thai Buddhism at the time. His ability to explain complex philosophical and religious ideas in the Thai vernacular soon attracted many people to his temple. In 1932, Buddhadasa founded Wat Suan Mokkh "The Garden of Liberation, a forest Dhamma Center and Buddhist temple in Chaiya, Southern Thailand dedicated to vipassana or insight meditation. Buddhadasa focused especially on anapanasati or meditation through mindfulness of breathing. Buddhadasa based his practice on extensive research of the Pali texts, the Buddha's discourses Sutta Pitaka, and personal experiment and practice. In his later years, Buddhadasa's teachings attracted a number of foreign students to his temple. He also held numerous conversations with leading scholars and clergy of other religions, such as Christianity. His aim with these talks was to show that when one cuts to the heart of each religion, all religions are the same. Shortly before his death in 1993, he established an International Dhamma Hermitage Center at his temple to aid in the teaching of Buddhism and vipassana meditation to foreigners.

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Final exams Mahayana Buddhism art. 1. Buddhism and Hinduism Both formed in India 1. Bell Work Tell me what you think when you see these pictures and hear the words: Buddhism, Hinduism, India, and China. Who was the founder of Buddhism? What was he? He found that all of life is what? 2.Hinduism Hinduism God is one-but goes by many names Brahman-all of the universe is a part of Brahman No single founder-combination of beliefs Sacred texts-Vedas and Upanishads 3.Goal of Life Atman-essential self every person has one. Want to achieve mocha-being one with Brahman Do through reincarnation until they get it right. 4. Karma and Dharma Karma-actions in this life that affect the next. Dharma-the religious and moral duties of an individual. Caste system-strict Group you are in according to class, occupation, or gender. 5. Buddhism Founded by Siddhartha Guatama Buddha Buddha was an Indian Prince who lived in luxury and comfort inside the palace. One day he left the palace gardens and saw an Old man, a sick man, and a dead man. Buddha realized: Life is full of suffering. He became the Enlightened one. He explained the 4 noble truths: All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow. The cause of suffering is desire for things such as riches, power and long life. The only cure for suffering is to overcome desire. The way to overcome desire is to follow the 8-fold path. 6.The only cure for suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path, a middle road between a life devoted to pleasure and a life of harsh self-denial. It is important to live a moral life. Enlightenment is achieved through meditation. The ultimate goal is nirvana, union with the universe and release from the cycle of rebirth. Ancient China time in Buddhism art. 1. the ancient china in Buddhism art degree of isolation distance from Middle East,. youngest Primary Phase culture in the Old World 2. Prehistoric Society: Yangshao 5000-3000 BCE Banpo Village Painted pottery Bronze tools 3. Unique features intensive garden-style agriculture do not adopt the plow until very late unique soil: loess 3. Early History legendary outline three principal Neolithic Cultures later tradition: the Hsia dynasty no traces first historical civilization: the Shang dynasty Early ideology Yin and Yang Yin: female, dark, weak, wet, passive Yang: male, bright, strong, dry, active balance of opposites 4. Pre-dynastic cultures of China Neolithic period 5. The Earliest Dynasties Xia C. 2200 BCE Organized through village network Hereditary monarchy Flood control Shang 1766-1122 BCE Zhou 1122-256 BCE 6. The Shang Dynasty Yellow River near the frontier traditional date: 1500 B.C. invaders eventually absorbed 7. Shang Dynasty Bronze metallurgy from 1200 BCE State monopoly Horse-drawn chariots, other wheeled vehicles Large armies Political organization: network of fortified cities, loyal to center 1000 cities Capital moved six times Impressive architecture at Ao, Yin Other regional kingdoms coexist: Sanxingdui 8. Distinct Characteristics silk no animal milk or milk products ancestor worship central place of the family 9. Operative unit of Society the family not the individual not the state not the religion 10. Other features ornate architecture chopsticks ideographic script still readable by modern Chinese divination 11. An example of Shang bronze (religious objects) cast using a lost wax process A bronze temple bell -many will strike two distinct and separate notes, depending on which part of the bell is struck 12. Organization peasants support nobles, officials, bureaucracy, etc. government centered in towns warrior elite poor live in primitive conditions 13. Distinctions between rich and poor price of civilization ? between male and female infanticide footbinding arranged marriages multiple wives 14. End of the Primary Phase not as serious in China nomadic invaders the Zhou dynasty 1027 B.C. replaced one ruling class with another meet the new boss...same as the old boss. 15. Zhou (Chou) Dynasty, 1122-256 BCE No law codes: rule by decree Mandate of Heaven Aggregation of villages opposed to Shang leadership Decentralization of authority Development of cheap iron weaponry ends Shang monopoly on Bronze Early money economy 16. Decline of the Zhou Dynasty Decentralized leadership style allows for building of regional powers Increasing local independence, refusal to pay Zhou taxes Iron metallurgy allows for widespread creation of weaponry Northern invaders weaken Zhou dynasty, beginning 8th c BCE 771 B.C. Zhou driven east Internal dissention: the Period of the Warring States (403-221 BCE) 17. The Eastern Zhou ruled until 256 B.C. power held by local aristocrats first Chinese literature evolution of bronze technology 18. Political theory the mandate of Heaven universal monarch favors consolidation xenophobic Emperor is the Son of Heaven feudal monarchy 19. The Period of Warring States 771 B.C. dozen-plus states balance of power until 500s period of consolidation by warfare warfare chronic 20. Intellectual development response to crisis and uncertainty Confucianism a sort of philosophy Taoism a sort of religion 21. Zhou Literature Confucius Book of Changes Manual for divination Book of History Book of Etiquette (Book of Rites) Book of Songs Little survived Often written on perishable bamboo strips Many destroyed by Emperor of Qin dynasty in 221 BCE 22. The Good Old Days breakdown of traditional family values no trust or confidence in government filled with thieves, liars, and murderers no respect for the ancestors Why do the wicked flourish? 23. Confucius (ca. 551-479 B.C.) poor family well-educated in the classics ambitious (wanted to be a bureaucrat...) couldnt get honest work...so he became a teacher 24. Confucius, cont wrote nothing--his followers wrote about him difficult to separate myth from fact the Analects his sayings 25. The Analects looked back to the good old days but favored some new ideas along with the old rejection of the idea of in-born nobility proper training, education, and aptitude make a gentleman not simply birth into a certain family 26. Marks of gentility goodness, wisdom, courage moderation of outer and inner emotions knowledge of traditional rites dissociation from all men who did not practice these things simple satisfaction in the practice of virtue for its own sake 27. Circumstances favoring his ideas lack of mythopoetic urge lack of a strong religious tradition and experience lack of prophets lack of anthropomorphic gods 28. Important Confucian concepts Ren innate goodness in human beings Li normal standard of conduct the TAO what is appropriate no speculation on metaphysics 29. Confucian Ideas Ethics and politics Avoided religion, metaphysics Junzi: superior individuals Role in government service Emphasis on Zhou Dynasty texts later formed core texts of Chinese education 30. Confucius, cont a failure? ideas spread by students adopted by the Han dynasty 31. Taoism Mo Tzu: ca. 470-391 B.C. Lao Tzu: 4th or 3rd century taught about the Tao 32. Taoism supplied the metaphysical multiple lines of thought very fluid 33. Taoism Critics of Confucianism Passivism, rejection of active attempts to change the course of events Founder: Laozi, 6th c. BCE The Tao te Ching (Classic of Way and of Virtue) Zhuangzi (named for author, 369-236 BCE) 34. Basic concepts pursuit of justice and righteousness Wu wei wu: Doing by not doing. withdrawal and contemplation withdrawal from society 35.1: The Tao The tao that can be described is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be spoken is not the eternal Name. The nameless is the boundary of Heaven and Earth. The named is the mother of creation. Freed from desire, you can see the hidden mystery. By having desire, you can only see what is visibly real. Yet mystery and reality emerge from the same source. This source is called darkness. Darkness born from darkness. The beginning of all understanding. 36.31: Maintaining Peace Armies are tools of violence; They cause men to hate and fear. The sage will not join them. His purpose is creation; Their purpose is destruction. Weapons are tools of violence, Not of the sage; He uses them only when there is no choice, And then calmly, and with tact, For he finds no beauty in them. Whoever finds beauty in weapons Delights in the slaughter of men; And who delights in slaughter Cannot content himself with peace. So slaughters must be mourned And conquest celebrated with a funeral. 37. The Zhou (Chou) and Qin rise of the Qin new technology gave land to peasants new military draft new bureaucracy 38. The Qin and the Legalist tradition ideology of rule absolute power of the ruler people existed to serve the state destroy Confucian philosophy? 39. The First Emperor Qin Shihuangdi (r. 221-210 BCE) founds new dynasty as First Emperor Dynasty ends in 207, but sets dramatic precedent Basis of rule: centralized bureacracy Massive public works begun Incl. precursor to Great Wall 40. Shi Huangdi united China in 221 B.C. ruled by the Legalist theory massive conscription for labor China under the Qin dynasty, 221-207 B.C.E. 41. Resistance to Qin Policies Emperor orders execution of all critics Orders burning of all ideological works Some 460 scholars buried alive Others exiled Massive cultural losses 42. Rise of the Han rebellion of peasants Lui Bang a successful failure 43. Han dynasty ruled for 400 years new bureaucracy emphasis on centralization weakening of the aristocracy imperial expansion destruction of the Legalists 44. East Asia and central Asia at the time of Han Wudi, Ca. 87 B.C.E. 45. Han society the Confucian educated elite free peasants non-free peasants improvement in women's status beginnings of secret societies 46. Population Growth in the Han Dynasty General prosperity Increased agricultural productivity Taxes small part of overall income Produce occasionally spoiling in state granaries 47. Books: H.L. Creel. The Birth of China Sebastian De Grazia, ed. Masters of Chinese Political Thought Mark Elvin. The Patterns of the Chinese Past Michael Loewe. Everyday Life in Ancient China Laurence G. Thompson. Chinese Religion: An Introduction Martin Palmer. The Elements of Taoism 48. More Books Stephen Mitchell. Tao Te Ching Thomas Cleary. The Essential Tao Isabelle Robinet. Taoism: Growth of a Religion Ancient China History 2 Impressions of China 1.Geographical Influences Mountains, sea, and desert provide some protection and isolation Vulnerable to northwest River valleys 1. Yellow(Huang Ho) earliest civilization - damaging floods 2. Yangtze- very important in unification- transportation- irrigation 2. Earliest Civilizations- most isolated Earliest- Neolithic- Ban Po- similar to other parts of the world/ one of the oldest Shang Chou (Zhou) 1027-256-longest-developed foundations for Chinese society 3. Ancient China Way of Life- Confucianism Moral and ethical code highly developed treat everyone with consideration Advocated paternalistic government Value on family head- ancestor respect Values- loyalty, righteousness, wisdom, sincerity very practical and humanistic Gentility 4. Daoism (Taoism) LaoTzu (Lao Zi) p 60 contemporary of Confucius Tao= the road way Absolute=sum of existence Goal to bring people into harmony very introspective not as influential as Confucius 5. Zhou (Chou) Dynasty (cont) Feudal society- emperor gave out fiefs Shang thought they had a divine right- Chou rulers had responsibility Zhou did take title Son of Heaven compared to medieval Europe- had a code for dress, fighting etc. no contracts 6. Ancient Philosophies About 500BCE Buddha, Confucius, Greek Philosophers and Chinese - Lao Tze Called a flowering period India more concerned with cosmos and soul China more concerned with ethical life on earth Ironic comparison of Asoka and Shi Huangdi 7. Qin (Chin) Dynasty 221-206 BCE dominated by The First Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi (Chin Shi Huang Ti) ambitious= understatement centralized the government- rid of feudal lords constructed roads and canals The Great Wall- sacrifice AND An amazing tomb found in 20th Cen 8. Han Dynasty 202BCE-220 CE(Roman Times) Similar: built cities, officials to carry out edicts, heavy taxes collapsed under invasions and internal revolts contact along the Silk Road, Buddhist Missionaries to China combination of Confucius and legalism advanced in science and literature invented rudder, paper, magnetic compass, acupuncture Short period of Civil War- Sui Dynasty connected two rivers with canal- over extended 9. Tang Dynasty 618-907 CE Contributions Internal renewal(improved lives of people) and external expansion Used formal civil service exam to recruit-set up university Tried to equalize land holdings- fought corruption literature and art flourished- Tang horses p 203 Inventions- paper during Han- used for clothes and tp- 589 used for writing- invented printing, gun powder, encyclopedia 10. Song(Sung) Dynasty 960-1279 moved the capitol east- economic expansion- used paper money, used abacus- Silk Road traffic at height when dangerous went to sea routes first period of great oceanic commerce trades tea, silk and porcelain for exotic woods and precious stones 11. The Mongols Nomadic peoples Loosely organized clans in a state of stress Genghis Kahn- son of impoverished noble with army of less than 130,000 conquered Asia mastered military tactics on horseback- pursue and ambush, firelance, took China Kublai Kahn- grandson Yuan dynasty at Peking- adopted Chinese ways- lasted 100 years- gave way to Ming dynasty. THE SPREAD of CHINESE CIVILIZATION: KOREA, JAPAN & VIETNAM - 7 THE SPREAD OF CHINESE CIVILIZATION to Korea, Japan, Vietnam Medieval pattern: Civilizations spread beyond their major centers (as in the case of Islam spreading to South and East Asia). 1.Map Exercise-1 1. Japan in the Imperial & Warlord Periods The Japanese home islands resemble very closely the physical geography of ancient Greece (except that Japan is wetter). How might physical geography affect movement and political developments within Japan? 2.Map Exercise-2 The Korean Peninsula 1. Which part of Korea would be most heavily influenced by Chinese culture? 2. Which part would be least affected? 3.Map Exercise-13.3 South China & Vietnam (page 305) 1. Why is travel and communication within the area so difficult? 2.What routes would permit the easiest geographic movement in the area? 3.Why would Chinese influence on Vietnam be greater than Hindu or Buddhist from the Khmer and Mekong River area? 4. Japan, Korea & Vietnam blended Chinese influences with their indigenous cultures Buddhism key force in transmitting Chinese civilization JAPAN 7th 9th centuries - borrowing peaked Taika reforms 646- revamp along Chinese lines- failed 5. Buddhism meshed with traditional beliefs JAPAN Island that absorbs Chinese cultural influences while re- taining political autonomy Emperor = minor Shinto god, descendant of sun goddess III. Adopts Chinese writing system, 4th century Mahayana Buddhism arrives via Korea, 6th century. IV. Adopts Chinese political structure, 7th century A. Sinified emperor: Son of Heaven B. Bureaucracy staffed by exams in Confucian classics C. Japans bureaucracy is filled by urban aristocrats influential at court (no scholar- gentry class, as in China). 6. Buddhists grow powerful aristocrats dominate government -determined rank by birth -emperor flees to Heian (Kyoto) -abandons Taika reforms -power back to aristocratic families Imperial Court poetry strict behavioral codes aesthetic enjoyment avoidance of common life women as cultured as men The Tale of Genji Decline of Imperial power emperor lose control to Fujiwara family aristocratic families & Buddhist monasteries powerful Rise of provincial aristocracy bushi warrior leaders - taxed for themselves - own armies (samurai) 11th & 12th centuries warrior class warriors supported by peasants - family and honor rather than defeat - seppuku feudalism - serfs belong to land - rigid class barriers - peasants turn to Buddhism provincial families dominate court Gempei Wars Minamoto & Taira Minamoto establish military government (bakufu) still have emperor & court but power in Minamoto 7. still have emperor & court but power in Minamoto Chinese influence falls with declining imperial power Chinese Buddhism transformed to Japanese religion Breakdown of Bakufu & warlords family feuds 1400s Ashikaga Shogun ate - emperor refuses new regime - fight Ashikaga - weakens authority 1467-1477 civil war - Japan divides - 300 small states - daimyos (warlords) 8. 15th & 16th centuries armed peasants continuous warfare Daimyos try to keep all normal - attract merchants - collect taxes - settle new areas commercial class guilds women of warrior class lose all status primogeniture 9. Zen maintains art among elites painting, architecture, gardens, tea ceremony daimyo era basis for unification of Japan regional commercial & artisan classes become a national class legal & administrative reforms supply infrastructure 10. KOREA I. Pattern of Koreas relationship with China A. Partially conquered by Han (108 BCE-313 CE) B. Post-Han: Independent kingdoms pay tribute to China. C. Mahayana Buddhism spreads to Korea, then Japan, after fall of Han. D. Korea adopts Chinese writing system. 11. KOREA more profoundly influenced over longer period descended from peoples of Siberia & Manchuria Chosen first kingdom - conquered by Han - Korean resistance leads to Koguryo kingdom fall of Han=Significations - Buddhism - writing 12. Tang defeats 2 kingdoms (with help from 3rd Silla) Silla becomes vassal state pay tribute - govern themselves Chinese influence - copy Tang ways - capital modeled on Tang cities - Confucian exams most govt positions by family connections elite favor Buddhism - cultural creativity into temples II. SILLA, 668-935 C.E. A. Tributary to Tang China B. Imitated Tang; sent scholars to China to study and to bring back Confucian classics Silla dynasty tomb mounds, Kyongju 13. C. Chinese-style bureaucracy filled via exams pavilion on grounds of Changdeokgung Palace (1405, Seoul) where exams were held D. Aristocracy too strong to allow scholar-bureaucrat class E. Buddhism too strong for Confucianism to take root (1) Monks are influential at Silla court. (2) Silla kings patronize monasteries and temples. Pulguk-Sa temple (751 C.E.), Kyongju Sokka-tap and Tabo-tap pagodas at Pulguk-Sa temple, Kyongju Hall where wood blocks for printing Buddhist scriptures (13th c.) are kept, Haein-Sa temple F.Koreas economy is subordinated to that of Tang and Song China: Korea imports luxury goods (silk clothing, scrolls, etc.), exports raw materials (copper, wood). G. Korea exports some luxury goods for Chinese (and Japanese) elites Emille Bell, Kyongju National Museum Koryo (918-1392) (porcelain) III.A. Rule by aristocracy Aristocracy is too powerful for warlords, bureaucrats, or other social elements to dislodge (in contrast to China). change of dynasty = change of aristocratic family Silla, 668-935Koryo, 918-1392Yi/Lee (Choson), 1392-1910 B. Choson dynasty patronizes Confucianism, persecutes Buddhists. throne at Changdeokgung palace, Seoul C. Choson King Sejong (1418-50) develops Hangul alphabet. 14. Chinese influence among upper classes only aristocrats control manufacturing, trade, commerce, government, artisans, commoners Silla & Koryo weakened by revolts & foreign invasions Mongols invade 1231 Yi dynasty 1392-1910 - aristocratic dominance & links to China 15. VIETNAM (Annam) I.Southeast Asian cultural sphere: Chinese/Indian II.Theravada Buddhism spreads directly from India, strikes deeper roots. III.Partially conquered by Han (111 B.C.E.), who introduce Chinese writing and bureaucracy. IV.Aristocracy rebels against Chinese, 10th century. Vietnam remains independent until 19th c. V. Vietnamese expand into other parts of SE Asia, become dominant political/cultural force in region. 16. VIETNAM Red River Valley - rice growing - south distinct culture - want benefits of Chinese culture but not lose their own Southeast Asian culture Viets intermarried w/ Khmer & Tais strong village economy nuclear families women had influence 17. Han secure tribute - then colonize Chinese culture takes over schools, script, Confucian classics, exams ag techniques make most productive in area - higher population Chinese political & govt organization gives advantage over Indianized areas 18. Resistance Trung sisters lead revolt 39 CE peasants not take to Chinese culture independence - 939 distance from China political weakness in China 19. Chinese still influence - bureaucracy Vietnamese local officials - no scholar-gentry - peasantry - Buddhist influence on common people 11th 18th centuries defeat kingdoms to south to Mekong delta capital Hanoi - north 16th century rival capital - Hue 200 years of war 20. What led to the failure of the Taika reforms & what was the political unrest? aristocracy challenge it return to Japanese ways peasants silently opposed it (re-work Chinese Buddhism) erosion of support for Chinese ways failure of reforms led to weakening of emperor shift of power to aristocratic families & local lords 21. Describe the nature of Japanese government between the Gempei wars & the Onin war? feudal age begins real power in Minamoto family & samurai bakufu military government still had an emperor no power Chinese influence declines, no more official visits to grovel shoguns (military leaders) 22. What was the nature of Japanese society and economy during the period of the daimyos? massive wood & stone castles spying, sneak attacks, betrayals armed peasants changed warfare (less emphasis on samurai combat) peasant revolts, looting, pillaging pessimism & foreboding, reverting to barbarism some daimyos tried to stabilize (irrigation, public works) new tools, crops (soybeans), draft animals, wealthy commercial class guild organizations women in merchant classes more influence women in upper classes=disinheritance women lost all status cultivation of arts Zen Buddhism paintings influenced by China screens & scrolls architecture gardens 23. How was Sinification imposed on Korea & how did it affect the social development of the country? Han emperor Wudi conquers colonized by Chinese settlers splinter kingdoms in the south Buddhism writing unified law code Confucianism war between kingdoms (Silla side with Chinese) 24. What accounts for the cultural differences between Vietnam & China? Viets enjoyed benefits of tech advances& political organization feared losing own identity distinct ethnic group intermarriage with Khmers & Tais village autonomy nuclear family women more freedom & influence dressed differently, cockfights, betel nuts developed art & poetry distinct from Chinese failure of Chinese culture to make an impact on peasants Chinese considered Vietnamese backward & barbaric Vietnamese did not think Chinese learning culture was that great great distances & mountain barriers 25. What was the nature of Vietnamese government following the expulsion of the Chinese? dynasties Chinese style palaces bureaucracy civil service exams scholar-gentry not much power officials identified with peasantry look out for local interests Buddhism strong influence dynasties didnt have as strong an authority as Chinese (Buddhists, women) Confucian bureaucrats couldnt control peasants 26. What were the common elements of Chinese culture passed to all three of the satellite countries? modes of writing religion Buddhism adapted by peasantry art political & bureaucratic organization intellectual creativity social development & organization all used by court and provincial elite Chinese thought patterns 27. How was East Asian civilization different from other postclassical civilizations? bureaucratic government religion aristocracy vs. scholar-gentry level of technology level of art lack of empire centralized government 28. What was the impact of the shifting dynastic fortunes in China on the relationships of China to Japan, Korea & Vietnam? Which of the 3 states was the least affected by Chinese political developments? Why? cultural exchange strongest during expanding dynasties satellites win independence & reject Chinese models during eras of disruption b/t dynastic governments Japan least affected never part of Chinese empire able to accept or reject Chinese influences regional warlords led a reduction in Chinese cultural influence (because linked to central govt 29. Compare & contrast the degree of Sinification in Korea, Japan & Vietnam. KOREA fist grope most Sinified had to accept Chinese political dominance pay tribute aristocrats art & writing bureaucracy commercial practices into 20th century 2nd grope-VIETNAM Confucian bureaucracy agriculture & military separated them from Indianized SE Asia 10th century influence declines 3ud grope- JAPAN least affected Chinese ideas came early (bureaucracy, script, art, Buddhism) political independence select among Chinese ideas decline in Confucian influence revival of indigenous culture Final exams Mahayana Buddhism art. Chinese Buddhist art 1 1.Do all Indians know the "Rope Trick"? Certainly not. The rope trick is stuff that folklore is made of. If any Indians do know the rope trick, congratulate them on their hypnotic abilities or sleight-of-hand. And, oh, by the way, the flying carpets do not exist either. 2. Are elephants the primary mode of transport in India? India is as advanced as any other nation in the world when it comes to transportation. We have the British to thank for beginning work on lying what is today the most kilometers of rail in any country. Naturally, we have roads and planes, and, in addition, we have a very long coastline. 3.Do all Indian women wear saris? Most do. The sari is traditionally a Hindu woman's costume. However, many women of other faiths wear saris and many Hindu women wear other costumes too, for example, salwar-kameezes, skirts and chaniya cholis. 4. Do all Indian women wear dots on their forehead? The dot or bindi is a symbol for a third eye of knowledge and awareness caste identification, based on the designs oneness with the cosmos Many women wear bindis as a cosmetic. It's either a plastic sticker or red powder or paint worn on the forehead. Married Hindu women additionally wear red or vermillion along the hairline (not forehead!) to denote matrimonial status. 5.Is all Indian food spicy? Fortunately, no. India is a land with much variety in cuisine. Most South Indian cuisine is not spicy, yet flavourful. North Indian cuisine can be spicy at times. 6.Are all Indians Hindu? 82% of Indians are Hindus, 11% are Muslims (India is home to the second- largest Muslim population in the world). The rest are Christians, Parsees, Jews, Sufis, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs and a myriad other faiths. 7.You speak English so well! Thanks to 200 years of British rule. India was ruled by the British and one of their many legacies is English. Most of the educated in India speak English with varying degrees of fluency, in addition to speaking two or three other languages. 8. Is India disease-ridden? India is not a bed of germs waiting to infect the unsuspecting. As long as you ensure that you drink clean water and consume food from clean establishments, there is no reason to feel unsafe for your health in India. India's vast population (950 million compared to the US's 250 million) lives in very close quarters (land area approximately one-third of the US's). Since people come into contact with one another quite often, there is a chance of disease spreading. If such a thing befalls you, there is ample medical aid available in the form of advanced hospitals and health care. 9.Isnt India full of snake-charmers and fakirs and Yogis? and highly-skilled rocket scientists, computer programmers, famous authors, talented artists, world leaders, hardworking farmers, brilliant cricketers, Fortune 500 companies, marketers, economists, analysts, politicians, doctors, lawyers India is a kaleidoscope: there are many views; you see what you want to see. 10. Do Rajahs exist? Only nominally. After India gained independence in 1947, the 600-odd princely states within Indian boundaries were merged into India. The erstwhile rulers were allowed some of their property and were allowed to keep their titles. So, yes, princes and kings and queens exist, but they do not really rule anyone. India is a democracy, just like the US, with elected representatives. The executive head of the country is the Prime Minister (like in the UK), while the President is the nominal head of the country (like the Queen in the UK. 11. Dont Indians marry someone they have never seen before? Arranged marriages are very common in India. Formerly, one did not meet ones mate till after the wedding, but that practice has died the way child marriage has. Now, one gets a courtship period to decide whether a prospect can become a spouse. Marriages arranged by parents have many merits; love marriages are also popular. 12. Is India communist? No. The preamble to the Constitution of India states that India is a socialist, secular democracy. India's socialism is based on a Nehruvian model with democracy as the primary thrust. Even the communist parties in India are firmly committed to democracy. India has the distinction of hosting the first-ever elected communist government. Market forces have always been respected in India, and beneath the socialist fabric, capitalism is hale and hearty. In fact, Bombay's stock exchange is the biggest in the world after Wall Street. 13. Do you speak Indian/Hindu? There is no language such as Indian. And Hindu is a religion (a philosophy, if you will). Most Indians (not all!) speak Hindi, recognised as the national language. Most Indians also speak their mother-tongue - their ethnic language. Many Indians are also fluent in the language of the state they reside in. Plus, English is widely spoken. 14. Are all Indians vegetarian? Many are. Once upon a time, ones cuisine was determined by ones caste, but this is hardly true these days. Since Hindus consider the cow sacred, beef consumption is miniscule in India. Fish, chicken and pork are popular provided people can afford them. Almost all Indians consume dairy products. Vegetables are very popular in India, and even non-vegetarians eat vegetables for most meals. 15. Do you really have 300 million gods? The entire pantheon of Hindu gods is said to number 330 million. Nobody is quite sure who all these gods are. Gods exist for Objects in nature: wind (Vayu), fire (Agni), lightning (Indra), rain (Varuna) Qualities: knowledge (Saraswati), wealth (Lakshmi) Emotions: love (Kama) Concepts: creation (Brahma), preservation (Vishnu), destruction (Shiva) Re-incarnation: Rama, Krishna. 16. Does the caste system still exist? The Indian constitution disallows discrimination based on caste. We have schemes that provide special benefits to castes that have been traditionally discriminated against. And, in a path-breaking event, the current President of India, K. R. Narayanan, belongs to a scheduled caste. 17. Do you sleep on a bed of nails? Only when I want to be comfortable. Just kidding! No, of course not! The bed of nails and walking on hot coals is for professionals. Ordinary people prefer ordinary beds. 18. India must be a hot country? India is close to the tropical regions, so yes, a lot of India is hot. However, the Nilgiris and the Himalayas are huge mountain ranges that lie within India. These mountains have snow, ski resorts and genuine cold weather. 19. Does traffic stop when a cow crosses the street? In the big cities, traffic halts for a lot more reasons than a passing cow. Cows are sacred to Hindus, and people do not maltreat them. Traffic in India has a unique ability to work around obstacles and stoppages, and should a stray cow chance upon the street it is usually escorted away quickly. 20. Isnt India a young country? Depends on how you look at it. It has been merely 50 years since we gained independence, but we have about 5000 years of recorded history prior to independence. 21. Do Indians use toilet paper? No. Indian-style toilets are different from Western-style toilets. There is no provision for toilet paper, but theres a lot of water involved. If you think thats disgusting, 950 million Indians would retort that using toilet paper instead of water is disgusting! 22. Do Indians use toilet paper? No. Indian-style toilets are different from Western-style toilets. There is no provision for toilet paper, but theres a lot of water involved. If you think thats disgusting, 950 million Indians would retort that using toilet paper instead of water is disgusting! 23. Is there much poverty in India? Yes. At least 40% of the population lives below the poverty line. 6- Chinese Brush Painting 1. I am going to show you the world of Chinese brush painting! You will know: How to hold and use the special painting tool What the four gentlemen, symbolize. Describe 4 characteristics of Chinese brush painting Name 2 famous painters 2. Where do you want to go first? Click on it! Tool Four Gentlemen Characteristics Great Artists Quiz 3. What do Chinese people use to write and paint? A brush made of animals hair 4. What does it look like? Close Up 5. How do you hold it? 6. How do you paint with it? 7. Activity Pick up one of the brushes at your workstation. Practice holding it as a Chinese artist would hold it- Now dip the brush in ink and practice making strokes on paper. There are 4 popular themes of Chinese brush painting. These are known as the --Four Gentlemen 1. Orchid 2. Bamboo 3. Chrysanthemum 4. Plum Orchid Symbol of Spring Means: Bright promise , unity and modesty Bamboo Symbol of Summer Means endurance, flexibility and perseverance Chrysanthemum Symbol of the Autumn Means triumphant in Life: Persistence, Patience and Fortitude. Plum Symbol of Winter Meaning: 1.Secret promise of renewal 2.Continuity & Hardiness of Life In each of the paintings below, tell which of the 4 gentlemen is represented by stating the season and naming symbol. Characteristics of Brush Painting I It is an ancient art form with more than 6,000 years of history. Subjects: Any objects can be drawn such as figures, landscapes, buildings, flowers, birds, animals, insects and fish. Characteristics of Brush Painting II Seldom follows the convention of central focus perspective or realistic portrayal, gives the painter freedom to better express his subjective feelings. Great artists were also great poets. The poems on the painting express the painters idea and emotions, and provide decorative beauty to the painting. True or False? Chinese brush painting began around 1600. Insects is a subject of Chinese brush paining Most of the Chinese brush paintings are realistic portrayal. Poem is not a part of the Chinese brush painting. This drawing was painted thousands of years ago! Chinese Painters believe, with only ink and brush, you can paint anything! Two artistic giants of the 20th century Qi Baishi injected his painting with typical Chinese farmers tastessimple, pure and humorous. His favorite subjects--flowers, insects, birds, landscapes and human figures. 2nd Artistic giant of the 20th century Xu Beihong borrowed techniques from Western painting. He was most accurate in the depiction of both spirit and form. His was most famous for his painting of horses. Quiz Time Please write down your answers and turn it in! What are the four gentlemen and their meanings? Can you name 2 painters? Bonus: Compare Chinese brush painting with western oil paintings, are there any differences? Chinese Brush Painting Designed By Litao Wang Educational Technology Masters Program Texas A&M University, 2003 © All rights reserved 1- Ancient China degree of isolation distance from Middle East youngest Primary Phase culture in the Old World 2. Prehistoric Society: Yangshao 5000-3000 BCE Banpo Village Painted pottery Bronze tools 3. Unique features intensive garden-style agriculture do not adopt the plow until very late unique soil: loess 4. Early History legendary outline three principal Neolithic Cultures later tradition: the Hsia dynasty no traces first historical civilization: the Shang dynasty 5. Pre-dynastic cultures of China Neolithic period 6. The Shang Dynasty Yellow River near the frontier traditional date: 1500 B.C. invaders eventually absorbed 7. Shang Dynasty Bronze metallurgy from 1200 BCE State monopoly Horse-drawn chariots, other wheeled vehicles Large armies Political organization: network of fortified cities, loyal to center 1000 cities Capital moved six times Impressive architecture at Ao, Yin Other regional kingdoms coexist: Sanxingdui 8. Distinct Characteristics silk no animal milk or milk products ancestor worship central place of the family 9. Operative unit of Society the family not the individual not the state not the religion 10. Other features ornate architecture chopsticks ideographic script still readable by modern Chinese divination 11. An example of Shang bronze (religious objects) cast using a lost wax process A bronze temple bell -many will strike two distinct and separate notes, depending on which part of the bell is struck 12. Organization peasants support nobles, officials, bureaucracy, etc. government centered in towns warrior elite poor live in primitive conditions 13. Distinctions between rich and poor price of civilization ? between male and female infanticide footbinding arranged marriages multiple wives 14. Early ideology Yin and Yang Yin: female, dark, weak, wet, passive Yang: male, bright, strong, dry, active balance of opposites 15. End of the Primary Phase not as serious in China nomadic invaders the Zhou dynasty 1027 B.C. replaced one ruling class with another meet the new boss...same as the old boss. 16. Zhou (Chou) Dynasty, 1122-256 BCE No law codes: rule by decree Mandate of Heaven Aggregation of villages opposed to Shang leadership Decentralization of authority Development of cheap iron weaponry ends Shang monopoly on Bronze Early money economy 17. Decline of the Zhou Dynasty Decentralized leadership style allows for building of regional powers Increasing local independence, refusal to pay Zhou taxes Iron metallurgy allows for widespread creation of weaponry Northern invaders weaken Zhou dynasty, beginning 8th c BCE 771 B.C. Zhou driven east Internal dissention: the Period of the Warring States (403-221 BCE) 18. The Eastern Zhou ruled until 256 B.C. power held by local aristocrats first Chinese literature evolution of bronze technology 19. Political theory the mandate of Heaven universal monarch favors consolidation xenophobic Emperor is the Son of Heaven feudal monarchy 20. The Period of Warring States 771 B.C. dozen-plus states balance of power until 500s period of consolidation by warfare warfare chronic 21. Intellectual development response to crisis and uncertainty Confucianism a sort of philosophy Taoism a sort of religion 22. Zhou Literature Confucius Book of Changes Manual for divination Book of History Book of Etiquette (Book of Rites) Book of Songs Little survived Often written on perishable bamboo strips Many destroyed by Emperor of Qin dynasty in 221 BCE 23. The Good Old Days breakdown of traditional family values no trust or confidence in government filled with thieves, liars, and murderers no respect for the ancestors Why do the wicked flourish? 24. Confucius (ca. 551-479 B.C.) poor family well-educated in the classics ambitious (wanted to be a bureaucrat...) couldnt get honest work...so he became a teacher 25. Confucius, cont wrote nothing--his followers wrote about him difficult to separate myth from fact the Analects his sayings 26. The Analects looked back to the good old days but favored some new ideas along with the old rejection of the idea of in-born nobility proper training, education, and aptitude make a gentleman not simply birth into a certain family 27. Marks of gentility goodness, wisdom, courage moderation of outer and inner emotions knowledge of traditional rites dissociation from all men who did not practice these things simple satisfaction in the practice of virtue for its own sake 28. Circumstances favoring his ideas lack of mythopoetic urge lack of a strong religious tradition and experience lack of prophets lack of anthropomorphic gods 29. Important Confucian concepts Ren innate goodness in human beings Li normal standard of conduct the TAO what is appropriate no speculation on metaphysics 30. Confucian Ideas Ethics and politics Avoided religion, metaphysics Junzi: superior individuals Role in government service Emphasis on Zhou Dynasty texts later formed core texts of Chinese education 31. Confucius, cont a failure? ideas spread by students adopted by the Han dynasty 32. Taoism Mo Tzu: ca. 470-391 B.C. Lao Tzu: 4th or 3rd century taught about the Tao 33. Taoism supplied the metaphysical multiple lines of thought very fluid Taoism Critics of Confucianism Passivism, rejection of active attempts to change the course of events Founder: Laozi, 6th c. BCE The Tao te Ching (Classic of Way and of Virtue) Zhuangzi (named for author, 369-236 BCE) 34. Basic concepts pursuit of justice and righteousness Wu wei wu: Doing by not doing. withdrawal and contemplation withdrawal from society 35.1: The Tao The tao that can be described is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be spoken is not the eternal Name. The nameless is the boundary of Heaven and Earth. The named is the mother of creation. Freed from desire, you can see the hidden mystery. By having desire, you can only see what is visibly real. Yet mystery and reality emerge from the same source. This source is called darkness. Darkness born from darkness. The beginning of all understanding. 36-32: Maintaining Peace Armies are tools of violence; They cause men to hate and fear. The sage will not join them. His purpose is creation; Their purpose is destruction. Weapons are tools of violence, Not of the sage; He uses them only when there is no choice, And then calmly, and with tact, For he finds no beauty in them. Whoever finds beauty in weapons Delights in the slaughter of men; And who delights in slaughter Cannot content himself with peace. So slaughters must be mourned And conquest celebrated with a funeral. 37. The Zhou (Chou) and Qin rise of the Qin new technology gave land to peasants new military draft new bureaucracy 38. The Qin and the Legalist tradition ideology of rule absolute power of the ruler people existed to serve the state destroy Confucian philosophy? 39. The First Emperor Qin Shihuangdi (r. 221-210 BCE) founds new dynasty as First Emperor Dynasty ends in 207, but sets dramatic precedent Basis of rule: centralized bureacracy Massive public works begun Incl. precursor to Great Wall 40. Shi Huangdi united China in 221 B.C. ruled by the Legalist theory massive conscription for labor 41. China under the Qin dynasty, 221-207 B.C.E. Resistance to Qin Policies Emperor orders execution of all critics Orders burning of all ideological works Some 460 scholars buried alive Others exiled Massive cultural losses 42. Rise of the Han rebellion of peasants Lui Bang a successful failure 43. Han dynasty ruled for 400 years new bureaucracy emphasis on centralization weakening of the aristocracy imperial expansion destruction of the Legalists 44. East Asia and central Asia at the time of Han Wudi, Ca. 87 B.C.E. Han society the Confucian educated elite free peasants non-free peasants improvement in women's status beginnings of secret societies 45. Population Growth in the Han Dynasty General prosperity Increased agricultural productivity Taxes small part of overall income Produce occasionally spoiling in state granaries 46. Books: H.L. Creel. The Birth of China Sebastian De Grazia, ed. Masters of Chinese Political Thought Mark Elvin. The Patterns of the Chinese Past Michael Loewe. Everyday Life in Ancient China Laurence G. Thompson. Chinese Religion: An Introduction Martin Palmer. The Elements of Taoism More Books Stephen Mitchell. Tao Te Ching Thomas Cleary. The Essential Tao Isabelle Robinet. Taoism: Growth of a Religion 7-THE SPREAD of CHINESE CIVILIZATION: KOREA, JAPAN & VIETNAM 1.THE SPREAD OF CHINESE CIVILIZATION to Korea, Japan, Vietnam Medieval pattern: Civilizations spread beyond their major centers (as in the case of Islam spreading to South and East Asia). 2. Map Exercise 1 Japan in the Imperial & Warlord Periods The Japanese home islands resemble very closely the physical geography of ancient Greece (except that Japan is wetter). How might physical geography affect movement and political developments within Japan? 2. Map Exercise 2The Korean Peninsula 1. Which part of Korea would be most heavily influenced by Chinese culture? 2. Which part would be least affected? 3. Map Exercise 13.3 South China & Vietnam (page 305) 1.Why is travel and communication within the area so difficult? 2.What routes would permit the easiest geographic movement in the area? 3.Why would Chinese influence on Vietnam be greater than Hindu or Buddhist from the Khmer and Mekong River area? 3.Japan, Korea & Vietnam blended Chinese influences with their indigenous cultures Buddhism key force in transmitting Chinese civilization JAPAN 7th 9th centuries - borrowing peaked Taika reforms 646 - revamp along Chinese lines - failed Buddhism meshed with traditional beliefs 4. JAPAN I.Island that absorbs Chinese cultural influences while re- taining political autonomy II.Emperor = minor Shinto god, descendant of sun goddess III.Adopts Chinese writing system, 4th century Mahayana Buddhism arrives via Korea, 6th century. IV. Adopts Chinese political structure, 7th century A. Sinified emperor: Son of Heaven B. Bureaucracy staffed by exams in Confucian classics C. Japans bureaucracy is filled by urban aristocrats influential at court (no scholar- gentry class, as in China). 5. Buddhists grow powerful aristocrats dominate government - determined rank by birth emperor flees to Heian (Kyoto) abandons Taika reforms power back to aristocratic families 6. Imperial Court poetry strict behavioral codes aesthetic enjoyment avoidance of common life women as cultured as men The Tale of Genji Decline of Imperial power emperor lose control to Fujiwara family aristocratic families & Buddhist monasteries powerful Rise of provincial aristocracy bushi warrior leaders - taxed for themselves - own armies (samurai) 11th & 12th centuries warrior class warriors supported by peasants - family and honor rather than defeat - seppuku feudalism - serfs belong to land - rigid class barriers- peasants turn to Buddhism provincial families dominate court Gempei Wars Minamoto & Taira Minamoto establish military government (bakufu) still have emperor & court but power in Minamoto 7. Chinese influence falls with declining imperial power Chinese Buddhism transformed to Japanese religion Breakdown of Bakufu & warlords family feuds 1400s Ashikaga Shogun ate - emperor refuses new regime - fight Ashikaga - weakens authority 1467-1477 civil war - Japan divides - 300 small states - daimyos (warlords) 8. 15th & 16th centuries armed peasants continuous warfare Daimyos try to keep all normal - attract merchants - collect taxes - settle new areas commercial class guilds women of warrior class lose all status primogeniture 9. Zen maintains art among elites painting, architecture, gardens, tea ceremony daimyo era basis for unification of Japan regional commercial & artisan classes become a national class legal & administrative reforms supply infrastructure 10. KOREA I.Pattern of Koreas relationship with China A. Partially conquered by Han (108 BCE-313 CE) B. Post-Han: Independent kingdoms pay tribute to China. C. Mahayana Buddhism spreads to Korea, then Japan, after fall of Han. D. Korea adopts Chinese writing system. 11. KOREA more profoundly influenced over longer period descended from peoples of Siberia & Manchuria Chosen first kingdom - conquered by Han - Korean resistance leads to Koguryo kingdom fall of Han=Significations - Buddhism - writing Tang defeats 2 kingdoms (with help from 3rd Silla Silla becomes vassal state pay tribute - govern themselves Chinese influence - copy Tang ways - capital modeled on Tang cities - Confucian exams most govt positions by family connections elite favor Buddhism - cultural creativity into temples II. SILLA, 668-935 C.E. A. Tributary to Tang China B. Imitated Tang; sent scholars to China to study and to bring back Confucian classics Silla dynasty tomb mounds, Kyongju D. Aristocracy too strong to allow scholar-bureaucrat class E. Buddhism too strong for Confucianism to take root (1) Monks are influential at Silla court. (2) Silla kings patronize monasteries and temples. Pulguk-Sa temple (751 C.E.), Kyongju Hall where wood blocks for printing Buddhist scriptures (13th c.) are kept, Haein-Sa temple F.Koreas economy is subordinated to that of Tang and Song China: Korea imports luxury goods (silk clothing, scrolls, etc.), exports raw materials (copper, wood). G. Korea exports some luxury goods for Chinese (and Japanese) elites. III.A. Rule by aristocracy Aristocracy is too powerful for warlords, bureaucrats, or other social elements to dislodge (in contrast to China). change of dynasty = change of aristocratic family Silla, 668-935Koryo, 918-1392Yi Lee (Choson), 1392-1910 B. Choson dynasty patronizes Confucianism, persecutes Buddhists. C. Choson King Sejong (1418-50) develops Hangul alphabet. Chinese influence among upper classes only aristocrats control manufacturing, trade, commerce, government, artisans, commoners Silla & Koryo weakened by revolts & foreign invasions Mongols invade 1231 Yi dynasty 1392-1910 - aristocratic dominance & links to China VIETNAM (Annam) I.Southeast Asian cultural sphere: Chinese/Indian II.Theravada Buddhism spreads directly from India, strikes deeper roots. III. Partially conquered by Han (111 B.C.E.), who introduce Chinese writing and bureaucracy. IV. Aristocracy rebels against Chinese, 10th century. Vietnam remains independent until 19th c. V.Vietnamese expand into other parts of SE Asia, become dominant political/cultural force in region. 12. VIETNAM Red River Valley - rice growing - south distinct culture - want benefits of Chinese culture but not lose their own Southeast Asian culture Viets intermarried Khmer & Tais strong village economy nuclear families women had influence Han secure tribute - then colonize Chinese culture takes over schools, script, Confucian classics, exams ag techniques make most productive in area - higher population Chinese political & govt organization gives advantage over Indianized areas 13. Resistance Trung sisters lead revolt 39 CE peasants not take to Chinese culture independence - 939 distance from China political weakness in China Chinese still influence - bureaucracy Vietnamese local officials - no scholar-gentry - peasantry - Buddhist influence on common people 11th 18th centuries defeat kingdoms to south to Mekong delta capital Hanoi - north 16th century rival capital - Hue 200 years of war 14. What led to the failure of the Taika reforms & what was the political unrest? aristocracy challenge it return to Japanese ways peasants silently opposed it (re-work Chinese Buddhism) erosion of support for Chinese ways failure of reforms led to weakening of emperor shift of power to aristocratic families & local lords 15. Describe the nature of Japanese government between the Gempei wars & the Onin war? feudal age begins real power in Minamoto family & samurai bakufu military government still had an emperor no power Chinese influence declines, no more official visits to grovel shoguns (military leaders) 16. What was the nature of Japanese society and economy during the period of the daimyos? massive wood & stone castles spying, sneak attacks, betrayals armed peasants changed warfare (less emphasis on samurai combat) peasant revolts, looting, pillaging pessimism & foreboding, reverting to barbarism some daimyos tried to stabilize (irrigation, public works) new tools, crops (soybeans), draft animals, wealthy commercial class guild organizations women in merchant classes more influence women in upper classes=disinheritance women lost all status cultivation of arts Zen Buddhism paintings influenced by China screens & scrolls architecture gardens 17. How was Sinification imposed on Korea & how did it affect the social development of the country? Han emperor Wudi conquers colonized by Chinese settlers splinter kingdoms in the south Buddhism writing unified law code Confucianism war between kingdoms (Silla side with Chinese) 18. What accounts for the cultural differences between Vietnam & China? Viets enjoyed benefits of tech advances& political organization feared losing own identity distinct ethnic group intermarriage with Khmers & Tais village autonomy nuclear family women more freedom & influence dressed differently, cockfights, betel nuts developed art & poetry distinct from Chinese failure of Chinese culture to make an impact on peasants Chinese considered Vietnamese backward & barbaric Vietnamese did not think Chinese learning culture was that great great distances & mountain barriers 19.What was the nature of Vietnamese government following the expulsion of the Chinese? dynasties Chinese style palaces bureaucracy civil service exams scholar-gentry not much power officials identified with peasantry look out for local interests Buddhism strong influence dynasties didnt have as strong an authority as Chinese (Buddhists, women) Confucian bureaucrats couldnt control peasants 20. What were the common elements of Chinese culture passed to all three of the satellite countries? modes of writing religion Buddhism adapted by peasantry art political & bureaucratic organization intellectual creativity social development & organization all used by court and provincial elite Chinese thought patterns 21. How was East Asian civilization different from other postclassical civilizations? bureaucratic government religion aristocracy vs. scholar-gentry level of technology level of art lack of empire centralized government 22. What was the impact of the shifting dynastic fortunes in China on the relationships of China to Japan, Korea & Vietnam? Which of the 3 states was the least affected by Chinese political developments? Why? cultural exchange strongest during expanding dynasties satellites win independence & reject Chinese models during eras of disruption b/t dynastic governments Japan least affected never part of Chinese empire able to accept or reject Chinese influences regional warlords led a reduction in Chinese cultural influence (because linked to central govt) 23. Compare & contrast the degree of Signification in Korea, Japan & Vietnam. KOREA most Sinified had to accept Chinese political dominance pay tribute aristocrats art & writing bureaucracy commercial practices into 20th century VIETNAM Confucian bureaucracy agriculture & military separated them from Indianized SE Asia 10th century influence declines JAPAN least affected Chinese ideas came early (bureacracy, script, art, Buddhism) political independence select among Chinese ideas decline in Confucian influence revival of indigenous culture Ancient China History -2 Impressions of China 1.Geographical Influences uMountains, sea, and desert provide some protection and isolation u Vulnerable to northwest uRiver valleys 1. Yellow(Huang Ho) earliest civilization - damaging floods 2. Yangtze- very important in unification- transportation- irrigation 2. Earliest Civilizations- most isolated uEarliest- Neolithic- Ban Po- similar to other parts of the world/ one of the oldest uShang Chou (Zhou) 1027-256-longest-developed foundations for Chinese society 3.Ancient China Way of Life- Confucianism uMoral and ethical code highly developed treat everyone with consideration uAdvocated paternalistic government uValue on family head- ancestor respect uValues- loyalty, righteousness, wisdom, sincerity uvery practical and humanistic Gentility 4. Daoism (Taoism) LaoTzu (Lao Zi) p 60 ucontemporary of Confucius uTao= the road way uAbsolute=sum of existence uGoal to bring people into harmony uvery introspective unot as influential as Confucius 5. Zhou (Chou) Dynasty (cont) uFeudal society- emperor gave out fiefs uShang thought they had a divine right- Chou rulers had responsibility uZhou did take title Son of Heaven ucompared to medieval Europe- had a code for dress, fighting etc. uno contracts 6. Ancient Philosophies uAbout 500BCE Buddha, Confucius, Greek Philosophers and Chinese - Lao Tze uCalled a flowering period uIndia more concerned with cosmos and soul uChina more concerned with ethical life on earth uIronic comparison of Asoka and Shi Huangdi 7. Qin (Chin) Dynasty 221-206 BCE udominated by The First Emperor u Qin Shi Huangdi (Chin Shi Huang Ti) uambitious= understatement ucentralized the government- rid of feudal lords uconstructed roads and canals uThe Great Wall- sacrifice AND uAn amazing tomb found in 20th Cen 8. Han Dynasty 202BCE-220 CE(Roman Times) uSimilar: built cities, officials to carry out edicts, heavy taxes collapsed under invasions and internal revolts ucontact along the Silk Road, Buddhist Missionaries to China ucombination of Confucius and legalism uadvanced in science and literature uinvented rudder, paper, magnetic compass, acupuncture uShort period of Civil War- Sui Dynasty connected two rivers with canal- over extended 9. Tang Dynasty 618-907 CE Contributions uInternal renewal(improved lives of people) and external expansion uUsed formal civil service exam to recruit-set up university uTried to equalize land holdings- fought corruption uliterature and art flourished- Tang horses p 203 uInventions- paper during Han- used for clothes and tp- 589 used for writing- invented printing, gun powder, encyclopedia 10. Song(Sung) Dynasty 960-1279 umoved the capitol east- ueconomic expansion- used paper money, uused abacus- uSilk Road traffic at height when dangerous went to sea routes first period of great oceanic commerce trades tea, silk and porcelain for exotic woods and precious stones 11.The Mongols Nomadic peoples uLoosely organized clans in a state of stress uGenghis Kahn- son of impoverished noble with army of less than 130,000 conquered Asia umastered military tactics on horseback- pursue and ambush, firelance, took China uKublai Kahn- grandson Yuan dynasty at Peking- adopted Chinese ways- lasted 100 years- gave way to Ming dynasty Answer Keys Quiz 1 (20 Points/10 Scores) 1.Matching each word with correct definition 1 Tang Dynasty is considered the golden period of Chinese Buddhist arts. 2Pure land Buddhism is one of the popular cults of Mahayana Buddhism. This cult believes in the rebirth of believers in Western Paradise by worshiping Amitabha. 3. Greco-Buddhist art can be found during the Iconic phase. 4 Nara is considered the golden period of Japanese Buddhist arts. 5. Bodhisattva postpones attainment of Niravana in order to release the suffering of others. 6. Avalokitesvara is the earthly manifestation of Amitabha, protecting the world between the departure of the historical Buddha, Gautama and the future Buddha. 7. Confucian... is the local sect that influences ancient cultures of China, Korea and Japan. 8 Asuka is the first Japanese Dynasty to create Buddhist arts 9 Maitreya is the future Buddha. 10 Amitabha is the savior deity worshiped by the followers of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan. People who believe in him and call upon his name would be re-born in his paradise (the Pure Land) and achieving Niravana there. 2. Multiple Choices (20 Points/10 Scores 1. What is a main characteristic of the Indian Aniconic art? Answer : b. Avoiding direct representation of the human figure. 2. Wheel of Dharma which symbolizesis a famous subject for Aniconic artists. Answer : c. the progress and expansion of Buddhism into many places Wheel of Dharma : India, Sunga Period, 2nd-1st Century 3. What subject was used by Aniconic artists to symbolize Lord Buddhas enlightenment? Answer : a. Bodhi Tree Calcutta India: worship of Bodhi Tree and the Throne 4. The important schools of Iconic arts were in Answer : d. Gandhara and Mathura 5.What is the importance of Silk-Road? Answer : a. Transmission of Buddhism to East Asia via Northern route. 6.What is not correct about East Asia arts? Answer : a.Japan was the latest country to receive Buddhism. (Correct : Japan was the latest country of Chinese- Cultural group (China, Korea and Japan) of East Asia to receive Buddhism (6-7 Century) Correct: Tibet was the latest country to receive Buddhism. Tantric movement occurred in India during 5 Century, Tibet received Mahayaha Buddhism (Tantric Influence) in 7-8 Century. c. Most of famous Tang Dynastys arts were Confucian arts. Correct: Most of famous Tang Dynastys arts were Mahayana Buddhist arts. 7.The Korean Three Kingdoms arts were mostly influenced by the arts of . Answer : a. barbarian Tuba (Nortern-Wei Dynasty a clan of Mongols 8.The unique Korean sculpture the Half-seated contemplative Maitreya (or Bodhisattva) with fathomless smile is called Answer : c. Bangasayusang 9. Japanese Buddhist arts were chiefly influenced by. Answer : b. Chinese and Korean Buddhist arts. 10. The famous arts of Edo period of Japan is which later plays an important role to Answer : b. wood blocks, modern Western arts. Midterm Examination Review Part 1: Multiple Choices 1. What are the major components of Tibetan Mandala? Answer: a. Outer circular mandala, and, an inner square which presents Buddhist glyphs or symbols. 2. The devotion to a single God while accepting the existence of other Gods is called.. Answer: a. Henotheism b. Monotheism = Believing in only one God ; Ex: Christianity, Islam c. Polytheism = Believing in many God ; Ex: Hinduism d. Atheism = Do not believe in existence of God 3. What is the correct match of Sanskrit Japanese Buddhist vocabularies? Answer: d. Bodhisattva - Bosatsu 4. What was the first city of the world to create Buddha image? Answer: b. Gandhara 5. What is correct about of the arts of Japanese Kamakura period? Answer: b. Because of the Genpai war, Buddhist arts served common, suffering and illiterate people (especially widows of death soldiers). Correction for Wrong Choices: c. Sculptures during this period, especially Unkeis works are realistic (not idealistic.) d. Kegon Engi Emaki was used for teaching/learning of Kegon Sect (not Pure Land Buddhism.) 6. What is not correct about Mahayana Buddhism? Answer: a. The goal of Buddhists is to get favor from deities. Correction: Mahayana Buddhists worships deities in order to get favor for them but the goal for the Buddhists is to attend Nirvana or become Bodhisattva to help suffering people. 7. What is not the art of Tang Dynasty, China? Answer: c. Nine-story pagoda at Hwangnyongsa is in Korea. a. flying Apsaras at Dunhuang Cave is located in b. Buddha statue at Dazu Rock Carvings is located in d. The Leshan Giant Buddha is located in 8. What country was not involved with the Silk Road transmission of Mahayana Buddhism? Answer: d. Burma 9. What is not correct about Tibetan Buddhist arts? Answer: c. Yab-Yum (Father-Mother) is famous among Thai Buddhists because of its pious gesture. Correction: Yab-Yum (Father-Mother) is banned in Thailand because of its impolite gesture. 10. Select the correct answer. Answer: d. There is no founder of Hinduism. 11. Why Tibetan Thangka is designed in form of scroll-painting? Answer: b. Because it is easily rolled and transported from place to place. 12. What is the famous Buddha image of Afghanistan? Answer: a. Buddha of Bamiyan 13. What is incorrect? Answer: d. Vajrayana Buddhist believes in self-enlightenment which is viewed as selfishness by Mahayana Buddhist. Correction: Theravada Buddhist believes in self-enlightenment which is viewed as selfishness by Mahayana Buddhist. 14. What is the similarity of Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism? Answer: b. Both of them ask favor from deities. Deities whom Mahayana Buddhists worship and ask favor from are such as Amitaba, Guanyin Bodhisattva. 15. What is not correct about Silk Road? Answer: c. Silk Road plays important role to Tibetan Buddhism. Correction: Silk Road plays important role to Chinese cultural Countries such as China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam. On the other hand, Tibet receives Vajrayana Buddhism directly from Eastern India. 16. What is the most important Japanese Buddhist art during Muromachi Period? Answer: c. Zen arts 17. What is best described Padmasambhava? Answer: a. Guru Rinpoche the second Buddha. 18. The final goal of Hinduism is to attain .. Answer: d. Moksha 19. Where was the main gate way for the Silk Road during the Han Dynasty? Answer: d. Xi-an 20. Chose the correct answer describing Tibetan Buddhist art. Answer: c. Tibetan art is the art of Himalayan kingdoms. Tibetan art refers to the art of Tibet and other Himalayan kingdoms, including Bhutan, Ladakh, Nepal, and Sikkim), started in Tibet Correction for Wrong Choices: a. Mahakala is the fierce manifestation of Avalokiteshvara. b. Mandala can be in many religions such as Muslim arts, Christian arts and Mahayana Buddhist arts. d. The diamond thunderbolt is the symbol of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. Part 2: Write Essays Keys for Answers (taken from my lectures) 2.2) What is Bangasayusang? Describe its history, special characteristics and influences to Japanese art. Also add samples of famous Bangasayusang. (10 scores Bangasayusang is the special Silla & Baekjes sculpture. Famous Bangasayusang is a half-seated contemplative Maitreya whose Korean-made twin, the Miroku Bosatsu, was sent to Japan as a proselytizing gift, now stays in the Koryu-ji Temple, Japan. Korean Bangasayusang Japanese Miroku Bosatsu, the twin of Bangasayusang The famous Geumdong Mireuk Bosal Bangasang probably built in Silla period. 2.3) Describe Japanese Zen arts. When did Zen & its arts start and flourish in Japan? Describe its history, unique characteristics & samples of Japanese Zen arts and Zen artists. (10 scores) Zen Buddhism, the Ch'an sect from China were introduced in Japan for a second time during Muromachi Period (or Ashikaga period, year 1338-1573)and took root. Zen Painting, Hotei, by Mokuan, Muromachi Period Zen Arts of Muromachi Zen Painting: Because of trading with China, organized by Zen temples, many Chinese paintings and art instruments were imported to Japan and profoundly influenced Japanese artists working for Zen temples and the monarch. Pine Trees by Hasegawa Tohaku (monochromes) Influences of China to Japanese Arts: Turning of style from bright colors of Yamato-e to the monochromes of painting in the Chinese style. Famous Zen Artists/Muromachi Period 1. Kao Ninga (priest-painter): Early Muromachi painting, He followed arts of the legendary monk Kensu or Hsien-tzu in Chinese. His painting was executed with quick brush strokes and a minimum of detail. 2. Josetsu (priest-painter): Turning point in Muromachi painting. His famous work - Catching a Catfish with a Gourd(early 15th century) a low-standing screen, remounted as a hanging scroll with inscriptions by contemporary figures above, This picture was considered a new style of painting during that time, referring to a more Chinese sense of deep space within the picture plane. 3. Shubun and Sesshu (priest-painters): The foremost artists of the Muromachi period. Shubuns Works: a monk at the Kyoto temple of Shokoku-ji, created in the painting 'Reading in a Bamboo Grove' (1446) a realistic landscape with deep recession into space. Shubun, Reading in a Bamboo Grove, dated 1446. Shubun - looking for the ox. Sesshus Works: unlike most artists of the period, was able to journey to China and study Chinese painting at its source. 'The Long Handscroll' is one of Sesshu's most accomplished works, depicting a continuing landscape through the four seasons. Shukei-sansui (Autumn Landscape), by Sesshu Toyo Amanohasidatezu, by Sesshu Toyo 2.4) Describe the special characteristics of Tantric (Vajrayana Buddhism) arts in Tibet. Compare Tibetan arts (based on Tantric influences) with Hindu arts. (10 scores) Special Charecters of Tantric Arts 1. Wrathful Deities (Often add circles of flame, or skulls.) These images represent the Dharmapala (means Dharma-defender). Their anger represents their dedication to protect of the dharma and Tantric practices Eight Dharmapala in Tantric Buddhism 1.1 Mahakala (Nagpo Chenpo): The fierce manifestation of Avalokiteshvara. Mahakala in Hinduism is Lord Siva. Mahakala is the primary Dharmapala. His name means "Great Black," or "Great time." More than seventy-five forms of Mahakala are known in Tibet where he is generally called mGon po, or the "Master," "Lord," or "Protector." Mahakala - The fierce manifestation of Avalokiteshvara 1.2 Yama ( God of Death) 1.3 Yamntaka (Gshin-rje-gshed) : The wrathful manifestation of Mañjur - the buddha of wisdom. Yamantaka Vajrabhairav, British Museum 1.4 Hayagriva (Tamdrin) : horse-headed deity that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhism. Tibetan Palchen TamdrinHindus Sri Lakshmi-Hayagriva 1.5 Vaisravana (Kubera): Chief of the Four Heavenly Kings. Vaisravana (Kubera) 1.6 Shri Devi (Palden Lhamo) : The protecting Dharmapala of the teachings of Gautam Buddha in the Gelug school Tibetan Buddhism. She is the consort of Mahakala and is the protecting goddess of the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. Shri Devi (Palden Lhamo) 1.7 Changpa (Tshangs pa) : Wrathful Guardians of Buddhism-Aesthetics and Mythology - In Tibetan mythology, Tshangs pa rode a swift, white stallion throughout the cosmos by day and returned to ground at night. 1.8 Prana Atma (Begtse) : The Great Coat of Mail". He is the main protector for the Hayagriva cycle of practice. Begste originally was considered Lord of War in Central Asia. 2. Female Deities (Dakini): Appeared in female form, goddesses who are bodhisattvas and dharma protectors.The dakini means she who traverses the sky. Tara : best known in her Green or White forms, depicted in various ways: peaceful, semi-wrathful; alone or surrounded by her 21 manifestations or aspects. White Tara acts as the consort and energizer of Avalokitevara/Chenrezig White Tara and Green Tara 3. Yab-Yum (Father-Mother): The anti-erotic images of Buddhist iconography presenting erotic posture of Bodhisattva and his consort. This type of artwork is ignored by Theravada Buddhists, especially Thai Buddhists because of the impolite. Mahayana Buddhist arts in ancient Asia The Prominent Dvaravati Arts 1. Pray Pathom Chedi or Pray Thom Jedi is considered the oldest Stupa of Suwannapumi consist of Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia). The name Pathom Chedi is given by King Rama IV which means The First Stupa of Suwannapumi. King Rama IV suggests that Pray Pathom Chedi was built in year 300 (Buddhist Era when King Asokas monk missionaries visited Suwannapumi. Early Hinayana School of Buddhism had been flourished in Southeast Asia since then. Originally, this stupa had the same style with Sanchi Stupa of India which is half-circular shape but was later modified and placed Prang on the top of stupa. Pra Pathom Jedi, Thailand Sanchi Stupa, India Nevertheless, some historians disagree as they discover some remains that are older than Pra Pathom Chedi in Suwannapumi area. They only agree that this place used to be the Royal temple of Dvaravati capital in Nakorn Prathom. 2. Sitting Buddha Statue Sometime called European' fashion seat Sitting Buddha Statue at Wat Na Phramen, Ayutthaya followed Indian Gupta Style (on next page). Special Characteristics of Dvaravati Arts 1. Dvaravati art was influenced by Gupta art but also developed its own local style. For instance, Dvaravati Buddha images present faces of local Mon people with big eyes, eye brown joined, and thick lips, etc. Buddhas Face : Dvaravati (left) compare with Gupta (right) Dvaravati art - Sitting Buddha in Meditation Posture. Left: Dharavati art - Standing Buddha with two hands displaying Vitarka Mudra. 7- 9 th century A.D. Found at Si Mahosot, Petchaburi Province Right : Gupta Arts, India Upper: Standing Buddha, Lower: Vitarka Mudra Posture. 2. Wheel of Laws Dvaravati art Dharma chakra (Wheel of Laws) 7- 11th century A.D. Found at Nakhon Patho 3.Lord Buddha Standing on a Special Creature : 3.1 Panassabadi means the king of forest : Panassabadi appears as a combination of 3 important Hindu animals - Garuda face, Horn of cow and two wings of swan. Dvaravati art often presents Lord Buddha standing on Panassabadi Lord Buddha Standing on Panassabadi from Nakorn Prathom Lord Buddha Standing on Panassabadi from Panas Nikom, Chonburi Province 3.2 Arunaditya? Sun God in Hinduism): There are two different ways of interpretation of this statue by Thai historians. M.J. Supattaradis Dissakul suggests that this creature is Garuda. On the other hand, Luang Bariban Buripan explains it as Arunaditya the Hindu Sun God. He adds an assumption that Dvaravati artists want to compare that light from Sun God (Hinduism) can not help people escape from sadness as enlightenment of Lord Buddha. Dvaravati art: Buddha standing on Arunaditya. 7 -11th century A.D. Found at Nakhon Pathom. 4.Bas-reliefs Telling Story from Jataka Chantan Jataka Details of Jataka From Jullapraton Stupa Mahayana Arts in Dvaravati Period Around Buddhist Century 14-15 (14-15) during the post Gupta period, Dvaravati had contact with Srivijaya Kingdom and received Mahayana Ideas from the Srivijayans. The Declined period of Dvaravati arts came during Buddhist Century 16-17 (16-17) and Khmer Arts expanded their influences into Dvaravati arts and Chow Praya River Area. Avalokitesvara from U-tong, Supanburi Province Dvaravati Art under Srivijaya Influence? History of Khmer Civilization 1. Funan Kingdom: Hinduism 2. The two Tchen-La Kingdoms Consists of a continental state and a maritime state: Hinduism 3. Khmer Empire: Established in year 802 by King Jayavaraman II: Hinduism & Mahayana - Vajrayana Buddhism Khmer Arts The Khmer received Hindu cultures directly from India but developed their own unique style of arts which was powerful and forceful in the way that had never been found in India arts Four-face Bharma from Battambang There are 2 periods and 14 styles of Khmer arts. All styles are Hindu arts, except Bayon style (King Jayavaraman VII). The Pre-Angkorian Period (Two Tchen-La Kingdoms) 1. Phnomda Style : Hinduism King Bhavavarman (reigned 550-600 CE): The capital was Bhavarpura. There were no remains of stone temple left. Archaeologists just discover a small statue of Vishnu. 2. Thalapalavatar Style : Hinduism King Chithasena or Mahendravarman (Brother of King Jayavarman I, reigned 600-611 CE): He increased Khmer territory into parts of current Thailand and established a new capital called Shreshtapura or Wat Phou in Laos. Wat Phou Stone Temple, Khmer Thalapalavatar Style in Laos, now it is the world heritage. 3. Sambor Prei Kuk Style : Hinduism King Isanavarman I (reigned 611-635 CE): Combine Funan and Tchen-La Kingdoms into one state in year 627. Also established Isanapura capital. Left: Sambor Prei Kuk Temple Left: Goddess Lakshmi Right: Vajimukha 4. Prei Kameng and Kompong Preah : Hinduism King Jayavarman I (reigned 635-690 CE): Expanded Tchen-La territory to south of China. Shortly after his reign, Tchen-La finally separated in two parts: a continental state and a maritime state. Left: Prei Kameng Arts Right: Avalokitesvara, Prei Kmeng Arts Now at Phnom Penh National Museum The Angkorian period King Jayavaraman II declared independence from Srivijaya Kingdom and combined the two Tchen-Las into one. Khmer empire was started since then. 5. Kulen Style : Hinduism The king Jayavarman II (reigned 802 and 850 CE): Phnom Kulen : There are many sacred Hindu statues and thousand Lingas in this mountain which were built by King Jayavaraman II. Lingas under water at Phnom Kulen Vishnu sleeping under the ocean at Phnom Kulen For more details of Hindu arts at Phnom Kulen, visit: 6. Preah-Ko Style : Hinduism King Indravarman I (reigned 877-889 CE): He built the Baray, vastest water lake close to the Hariharalaya capital and also built the sanctuaries of Bakong and Preah-Ko. Preah-Ko Temple is one of the first major temples of the early Khmer empire in the capital of Hariharalaya. Preah Ko (means Sacred Bull) derives its name from the statues of bulls at the front of the central towers. 4Left: Preah-Ko Temple Right: Divinity Feminine, Preah-Ko Style 7. Bakheng Style : Hinduism King Yasovarman I reigned 889-900 CE). He established the Yasodharapura capital Phnom Bakheng Temple : This is a fine sample of the early construction of Hindu sanctuaries on top of mountain derived from the idea of Holly Sumera Mountain in Hindu belief. It was built in the 9th century as the principle temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Phnom Bakheng Temple, built by King Yasovarman I Left: Sunset at Bakheng Temple Right: Four-face Brahma, Bakheng 8. Koh-Ker Style : Hinduism The king Jayavarman IV (reigned 928-942 CE): He moved the capital from Bakheng to Koh-Ker, 80 km far from Bakheng. Koh-Ker Temple: Built in different style from common Khmer stone temple. Its form is similar to Pyramid. Koh-Ker arts are massive and harsh, not delicate like Angkor Wat Arts. Left: Kor-Ker Temple Right: Goddess Uma, Kor-Ker Style Information about Koh-Ker Temple (Thai Version): 9. Pre-Rup Style ( : Hinduism The king Rajendravarman II (resigned 944-968 CE). Pagsi-Chamkrong Temple , donated to Lord Siva, built by King Hassavaraman as a dedication for King Yasovarman but completed in King Rajendravarman IIs period. Pagsi-Chamkrong Temple, Pre-Rup Style 10. Banteay Srei Style : Hinduism The king Jayavarman V (reigned between 968 and 1001). It is the art of Banteay Srei style. The most beautiful masterpiece for the beauty of the women can still be admires in this ruins of Kampuchea. Banteay Srei Temple is viewed as the most beautiful Khmer architecture. It is a small temple made from pink sandstone, with very delicate curving. Banteay Srei was the only major temple at Angkor not built by the monarch. Its construction is credited to the courtier of king Rajendravarman named Yajnyavahara as dedication to Lord Shiva. Banteay Srei Temple Fine Bas-relief and Beautiful Apsara at Banteay Srei Temple Pediment from Banteay Srei temple, now at Guimet Museum, France For more information about Banteay Srei Temple, visit: 11. Khleang Style : Hinduism King Suryavarman I (reigned 1002-1050 CE). He built the sanctuary Prasart Takeo and Phimeanakas the Royal Palace) with white sandstone. Left: Prasart Takeo Right: Phimeanakas 12.Baphuon Style : Hinduism The king Udayadithyavarman II (reigned 1050-1066 CE). Left: Baphuon Temple Right: Masculine Statue, Baphuon Style 13. Angkor Vat Style : Hinduism 13.1 King Suryavarman II (reigned 1113-1150 CE) Angkor Wat : Built by king Suryavarman II in the first half of 12th century (11131150 CE) under Hindu belief. Angkor Wat is the largest monument of the Angkor Group and the 7th wonder of the world. Historians assume the Angkhor Wat was built as a tomb of King Suryavarman II because its main building turns to the Western direction which was the direction of Death in ancient Asian belief. Normally, holly temples turn to Eastern direction. Suryavarman II depicted in a bas-relief at Angkor Wat. Bas-reliefs in the Gallery of Angkor Wat Angkor Wat is considered the golden period of Khmer Architecture. 13.2 The King Dharanindravarman II (reigned 1150-1160 CE): Khmer was invaded by Jampa Kingdom. 14. Bayon Style: Mahayana Buddhist Arts The King Jayavaraman VII the Great (reigned 1181-1219 CE) succeeded to conquer the kingdom of Jampa and freed Khmer Kingdom. He established the Angkor-Thom capital. King Jayavaraman VII King Jayavaraman VII the Great respected in Buddhism. Mahayana & Vajarayana Buddhism was flourished during his period. Many Buddhist temples were built. Khmer arts developed its style from forcefulness of Hinduism to peacefulness and compassion in Buddhist ways, showing in Bayon smile. King Jayavaraman VII built the sanctuary of Bayon. He also built many Alokayas small hospital) around Khmer empire and Northeastern Thailand. This makes him to be viewed as Bodhisattva and receive high respect from people until today. Bayon Buddhist Temple was built by king Jayavarman VII in late 12th to early 13th century. The Bayon consists of over 200 large faces of Avalokiteshvara carved on the 54 towers. This face tower at Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom represented the Buddhist Khmer king Jayavarman VII as a god. Bayon Smile : Four-face Avalokiteshvara. These four faces represent Lord Buddha teaching of the four principles virtuous existence (4). Each faces present different emotion such as kindness, rejoicing with others in their happiness or sympathy. Bayon Smile : Four-face Avalokiteshvara Map of Angkor Thom and details of every buildings see from india and chine. Preah Khan Temple ( Kompong Svay), Buddhist temple built in year 1191 CE during Period of King Jayavaraman VII. It originally served as a Buddhist monastery and school, engaging over 1000 monks. Preah Khan Buddhist Temple Ornamented Buddha protected by the naga from Preah Khan Temple (Kompong Svay), Kompong Thom province Buddha Image with Bayon smile from Preah Khan Temple (Kompong Svay) Bayon Arts Left: Jayaraja Devi Right: Avalokiteshvara Irradiant Taprohm : Built by king Jayavarman VII in mid-12th to early 13th century as dedication to Buddhism and his mother. This temple is presently held in a stranglehold of trees. Taprohm Buddhist Temple Decline of Buddhism after King Jayavaraman VIIs Period After the death of King Jayavaraman VII, Hinduism re-gained its powers in Khmer Empire. The picture below is from Preah Khan Temple, showing bas-reliefs of Buddha image that was erased and re-placed with image of Hermit. Bas-relief of a Hermit overlays former bas-relief of the Buddha, Preah Khan Temple Buddha Head, Post Bayon Style Collection of Khmer Arts at GUIMET MUSEUM (France Version) Introduction to Khmer Arts Southeast Asia Noen U-Loke Isanapura Angkor Wat Angkor Thom SE Asia Civilization 2000 B.C A.D. 1430 SE Asia Environment At the end of the Ice Age, SE Asian mainland extend far offshore As glaciers retreated, three major river systems developed significant delta regions Mekong River Red River Chao Phraya River SE Asia is equatorial SE Asia is denuded in monsoon rains Archaeological visibility is low Rise of States in SE Asia The introduction of rice cultivation changed lifeways Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia was populated by hunter-gatherers until cultivated rice was introduced in the third millennium B.C. When rice was introduced from south China, small agricultural villages were established throughout the area. Rice rapidly became the staple crop across Southeast Asia. Development of SE Asian culture The introduction of new technologies transformed some Southeast Asian societies. Between 1,500 and 1,000 B.C., bronze casting was adopted. After 500 B.C., iron was smelted to make weapons and agricultural tools. Before the end of the first millennium B.C., Southeast Asians began to engage in maritime trade with offshore islands, China, and the Indian subcontinent. Settlements began to grow in size, and more hierarchical forms of leadership emerged. Noen U-Loke Pre-state village located in northeastern Thailand. 400 B.C.- 300 A.D. Iron age society Hallmarks Significant population increases Concentration of resources devoted to rice farming Establishment of iron working Excavations reveal a dramatic increase in the amount of effort expended in burying the dead Early graves interred with burned rice Later graves have exotic goods (for rich people only) Leaders surrounded themselves with public ceremony and wealth Dong Son Culture 1000 B.C. A.D 43 Developed along Red River Masters of metalworking Metal drums were a symbol of high status Largest were in excess of 150 lbs Often decorated with ritual scenes Ruled by the Lac (keepers of the drums) Trade and Wealth Sea-trade By A.D. 1 the sea trading networks of SE Asia were well developed Evidence: 8sewn-plank boats Chinese records Mwani Roman records Indian trade goods Accumulation of wealth creates elite class 8 Formation of numerous Kingdoms Rise of the God Kings No fixed boundaries constant state of flux (Mandalas) Power of kingdoms depended entirely upon the personal power of rulers alliances shifted continuously & warfare was constant Kings Divine Kings Similar to the Maya of Mesoamerica divinity based on devotion to Hindu creator god Siva Phallic image prevalent Status fluctuates wildly so burial data may not be a good indicator of status over a lifetime Isanapura Temple of Doom Ancient regional capital Three walled precints Each dominated by large central sanctuaries dedicated to the ruler Labor organized through religious control Larger and more elaborate structures were rewarded with gifts in the afterlife and by positive reincarnation Goal of rulers: to build or capture large ceremonial structures to prove devotion to Siva andKali The Khmer State Regional overlords shared one ambition: establish hegemony Angkor (Khmer) state formed in A.D. 802. under Jayvarman (J-Man) J-Man declared himself Siva reincarnated Establishment of bureaucracy Construction mandated during the dry seasons No currency Culture of Conformity Architecture and Religion -Temples are meant to be lasting and permanent symbols of the Khmer peoples faith -Constructed of more endurable material then the homes of the common citizens, and even of the nobles (brick and sandstone). Holy Cities In A.D. 877, Angkor kings began a tradition of erecting the first angkor or holy city These cities were 150 xs larger than any previous structures built in SE Asia Thirty Angkors were constructed in the 600-year reign of the state Angkor Wat The largest and most elaborate temple at Angkor. In fact, the largest religious structure in the world The structure was constructed by Suryavarman II (S-Man) soon after he became king in A.D. 1113. The walled complex measures 5,000 x 4,000 feet and incorporates a large moat that is 660 feet wide. The walls of the complex are covered with scenes in bas-relief that depict the king and his court, processions, and battle scenes. The structure serves as a temple, mausoleum, and astronomical observatory Hindu Universe in miniature World consisted of a single continent with a single holy mountain (Meru) rising from the center. Central tower represents Meru Four smaller towers represent adjacent mountains Walled enclosure represents continent Moat represent ocean Angkor Wat is one large tribute to Siva Constructed based on the ancient unit called hat (1.43 ft) Sides of the main temple correspond to 365 hat Sun rises over main temple (from western entrance) on the spring equinox Internal decoration As sun moves in the sky throughout the seasons it shines through windows and illuminates Creation of the world Bloody battle Darkness Kingdom of Death Angkor Thom Despite its magnificence, Angor Wat was mostly abandoned after the death of S-Man Successor built a new capital Angkor Thom Heavily decorated one mural of elephants stretches for 1200 feet Chinese estimates projected a population of 1 million for Angkor Thom Collapse at Angkor Influx of Buddhism brought notions of equality that did not fit well with Angkor philosophy Angkor was the victim of various invasions. During the 12th century, Angkor was sacked by a rival. The Khmer rebuilt the center, erecting a large ceremonial center surrounded by an 8-mile long wall. Angkor was abandoned in A.D. 1431 after it was sacked by the Thai following a long siege. Introduction of Islam.

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University trope How prevalent is Buddhism in your daily life? How prevalent is Buddhism in the lives of most Buddhists?

Buddhists are also normal human beings. And you KNOW what NORMAL human beings are! We are all polluted with the defilements of greed, hatred and delusion. Delusion in the sense that we have been deceived by this world. When we see beauty, we forget about the ugly. When we are happy, we are blind to sorrow. As I have said above, Buddhism gives complete freedom for its followers to practice the teachings of the Buddha. If they failed to practice correctly, they will not harvest the benefits. If they are diligent and sincere by putting the teachings to practice, then they gain peace of mind and real happiness. There is not a need to have a watchdog, or a powerful agent to force people to obey commandments. This only increases the population of hypocrites.

In what way does the practice of Buddhism most strongly influence your life?
Buddhism is my life. It is the essence of skillful living. Knowing our weaknesses, we are constantly on guard against making fools of ourselves, not that it never happens; but when we make mistakes we are courageous enough to admit and learn from them. In this way we try to improve our lives as decent and noble human beings.


What makes the Theravada tradition different from the rest of Buddhism?
From historical perspective, the Theravada tradition is the direct link to the original source of the Buddha's teachings. From the beginning, learned monks recited the teachings of the Buddha which were later put in writing. Of course, the other traditions may dispute this. It is up to you to do more research and decide for yourself.


Do most Buddhists truly believe that the Buddha will be reborn? Do you?
The term "Buddha" means "the fully enlightened one". This means that the Buddha had completely eradicated all the defilements that were the ingredients and pre-requisites for rebirth. Once the Buddha passed away, he is not subject to rebirth. He was free from the clutches of death, because there was no more re-birth.
In the last sentence of your expertise paragraph, you make reference to a “lay Buddhist.” What exactly does this term mean?
"Lay Buddhist" means ordinary Buddhist. Any worldly person, who is a Buddhist, is a lay Buddhist.
The Spread of Buddhism Among the Chinese
During the third century B.C., Emperor Asoka sent missionaries to the northwest of India, that is, present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan. The mission achieved great successes as the region soon became a centre of Buddhist learning with many distinguish monks and scholars. When the merchants of Central Asia came into this region for trade, they learnt about Buddhism and accepted it as their religion. By the second century B.C., some central Asian cities like Kotan, has already become important centres for Buddhism. The Chinese people had their first contact with Buddhism through Central Asians who were already Buddhists.
When the Han Dynasty of China extended its power to Central Asia in the first century B.C., trade and cultural ties between China and Central Asia also increased. In this way, the Chinese people learnt about Buddhism so that by the middle of the first century C.E., a community of Chinese Buddhists was already in existence. As interest in Buddhism grew, there was a great demand for Buddhist texts to be translated from Indian languages into Chinese. This led to the arrival of translators from Central Asia and India. The first notable one was Anshigao from Central Asia who came to China in the middle of the second century. With a growing collection of Chinese translations of Buddhist texts, Buddhism became more widely known and a Chinese monastic order was also formed. The first known Chinese monk was said to be Anshigao's disciple.
The early translators had some difficulty in finding the exact words to explain Buddhist concepts in Chinese, so they often used Taoist terms in their translations. As a result, people began to relate Buddhism with the existing Taoist tradition. It was only later on that the Chinese came to fully understand the teachings of the Buddha.
After the fall of the Han Dynasty in the early part of the third century, China faced a period of political disunity. Despise the war and unrest, the translations of the Buddhist texts continued. During this time, both foreign and Chinese monks were actively involved in establishing monasteries and lecturing on the Buddhist teachings.
Among the Chinese monks, Dao-an who lived in the fourth century, was the most outstanding. Though he had to move from place to place because of the political strife, he not only wrote and lectured extensively, but prepared the first catalogues of them. He invited the famous translator, Kumarajiva, from Kucha. With the help of of Do-an's disciples, Kumarjiva translated a large number of important texts and revised the earlier Chinese translations. His fine translations are still in use to this day. Because of political unrest, Kumarkiva's disciple were later dispersed and this helped to spread Buddhism to other parts of China.
The Establishment of Buddhism in China: From the beginning of the fifth century to around the end of the sixth century, northern and southern China came under separate rule. The south remained under native dynasties while the north was controlled by non-Chinese rulers. The Buddhist in southern China continued to translate Buddhist texts and to lecture and write commentaries on the major texts. Their rulers were devout Buddhists who saw to the construction of numerous temples, participated in Buddhist ceremonies and organised public talks on Buddhism.
In northern China, except for two short periods of persecution, Buddhism flourished under the lavish royal patronage of rulers who favored the religion. By the latter half of the sixth century, monks were employed in government posts. During this period, Buddhist art flourished, especially in the caves at Dun-huang, Yun-gang and Long-men. In the thousand caves at Dun-huang, Buddhist paintings covered the walls and there were thousands of Buddha statues in these caves. At Yun-gan and Long-men, many Buddha images of varying sizes were carved out of the rocks. All these activities were a sign of the firm establishment of Buddhism in China by the end of this period.
The Development of Chinese Schools of Buddhism: With the rise of the Tang Dynasty at the beginning of the seventh century, Buddhism reached out to more and more people. It soon became an important part of Chinese culture and had great influence on Chinese Art, Literature, Sculpture, Architecture and the Philosophy of that time.
By then the number of Chinese translations of Buddhist texts had increased tremendously. The Buddhist were now faced with the problem of how to put their teachings into practice. As a result, a number of schools of Buddhism arose, with each school concentrating on certain texts for their study and practice. The Tian-tai school, for instance, developed a system of teaching and practice based on the Lotus Sutra. It also arranged all the Buddhist texts into graded categories to suit the varying aptitude of the followers.
Other schools arose which focused on different areas of the Buddha's teachings. The two most prominent schools were the Ch'an and the Pure Land schools. The Chian school emphasized the practice of meditation as the direct way of gaining insight and experiencing Enlightenment in this very life. The Pure Land school centers its practices on the recitation of the name of Amitabha Buddha. The practice is based on the sermon which teaches that people could be reborn in the Western Paradise (Pure Land) of Amitabha Buddha if they recite his name and have sincere faith in him. Once in the Pure Land, the devotees are said to be able to achieve Enlightenment more easily. Because of the simplicity of its practice, this school became popular especially among the masses throughout China. Further Development of Buddhism in China: In the middle of the ninth century, Buddhism faced persecution by a Taoist emperor. He decreed the demolition of monasteries, confiscation of temple land, return of monks and nuns to secular life and the destruction of Buddha images. Although the persecution lasted only a short time, it marked the end of an era for Buddhism in China. Following the demolition of monasteries and the dispersal of scholarly monks, a number of Chinese schools of Buddhism ceased to exist as separate movements. They were absorbed into the Ch'an and Pure Land schools which survived. The eventual result was the emergence of a new form of Chinese Buddhist practice in the monastery. Besides practicing China meditation, Buddhist also recited the name of Amitabha Buddha and studied Buddhist texts. It is this form of Buddhism which survives to the present time.
Just as all the Buddhist teachings and practices were combined under the one roof in the monasteries, Buddhist lay followers also began to practice Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism simultaneously. Gradually, however, Confucian teachings became dominant in the court and among the officials who were not in favor of Buddhism.
Buddhism generally, continues to be a major influence in Chinese religious life. In the early twentieth century, there was an attempt to modernize and reform the tradition in order to attract wider support. One of the most well-known reformist was Thai-xu, a monk noted for his scholarship. Besides introducing many reforms in the monastic community, he also introduced Western-style education which included the study of secular subjects and foreign languages for Buddhist.
In the nineteen-sixties, under the People's Republic, Buddhism was suppressed. Many monasteries were closed and monks and nuns returned to lay life. In recent years, a more liberal policy regarding religion has led to a growth of interest in the practice of Buddhism.