The silk road started from China through Central China then to Mesopotamia and Europe.The silk road took up to 5,000 miles of territory. The silk road was also called the trans-eurasian road.The silk road has always been a key factor to China’s economy and trade because the silk road allowed the Chinese to trade with the Western civilisation. The silk road, was called the silk road because the Chinese would carry silk to the Western traders. Silk was a luxury to China and other countries, that is why silk is traded so much. A lot of traders make a great fortune because of trading and selling silk. However China didn’t just make Silk they also traded Paper, Jade and pottery. In return they would get sesame seeds, oils, metal and precious- stones. …show more content…
These ways of thinking are called philosophies, or ‘a logical study of basic truths about knowledge,values and the world’ One of the philosophies is Legalism. Legalism is basically the belief that a powerful and efficient government, with a script legal system, are keys to a good social order. One of the things legalists are most afraid of are disorder within the society. The legalists believed that a strong government with script laws, would solve all of China’s problems. Legalists believed that the human nature is evil, so they thought that people only do good if they are forced to. They said that they had to use harsh punishments, to make people be afraid of doing the wrong thing. Legalists had a great impact on the government. They taught leaders to burn books , that was about different philosophy other than …show more content…
The philosophy begun with Laozi. The name laozi means Old Master. Just like Confucius all of his principals were put in a book called Daodejing (The Book of the Way of Virtue) His philosophy has a big difference to Legalism and Confucianism. The main idea of Taoism is that there is a force called the Dao or the Way. Laozi believed that Dao guides all things. He also thought that all creatures except for humans liven in harmony with the Way. The main idea of Taoism, is that people should learn to live in harmony. Laozi and his followers were concerned about natural order than social order. The Taoists’ main goal was to try and understand nature, and live in harmony. The symbol of Taoism, is the Yin and Yang Symbol. The yin represents cold, and dark. The yang represents the warm and light. Understanding the Yin and Yang meant understanding how she or he fit in this
During the period of time between 200 B.C.E and 1250 C.E, the Silk Road underwent many subtle changes while at the same time having continuities from 200 B.C.E. The trade of spices and goods to and from Asia and Europe remained constant, while the materials exchanged slowly changed. The Silk Road still had many continuities from the year 200 B.C.E. One of those continuities was that the original purpose of the silk road remained intact. One of those purposes was to get Asian agricultural products and trade them with European merchants along the Silk Road,and vice versa. This is a continuity because the sole purpose of the Silk Road remained.
5. “Why was silk such a desired commodity across Eurasia?” • Silk was a symbol of high status in Asia and was greatly demanded by the elites who would pay a lot to get it. It showed prestige if you wore it at social gatherings.
Silk was considered a highly desired commodity across Eurasia. One reason behind this was the fact that silk was used as currency and as a means of accumulating wealth in Central Asia. It then became a symbol of high status in other parts such as China. It also became associated with the sacred expanding world religions of Buddhism and Christianity. There were various major economic, social, and cultural consequences of Silk Road commerce.
The Silk Road began in the 2nd century BCE with the diplomatic missions of Zhang Qian sent by the Han Emperor. The Silk Road was largely fragmented, commodities carried by merchants of many countries on the Silk Road from present day China to present day Turkey. The interaction of these different cultures created a cultural diffusion that can be seen in the resulting names, tools, jewelry, luxuries and house wares that these different societies adopted. Silk was one of the most important items traded along the Silk Road. Once the Silk Road was open techniques of weaving the silken thread did not begin to spread because this material was similar to that used by cloth weavers.
Because the Chinese during the Tang dynasty liked to create statues, they created a statue of Buddha, which represents the blend of cultures with the religion because of the Chinese’s devotion to the religion. Zong Mi, a leading Buddhist scholar, described that “Confucius, Laozi and the Buddha were perfect sages.” and states that their teachings were similar and that “...they must be observed with respect.” (Doc 6). Confucianism, founded by Confucius, and Daoism (Taoism) founded by Laozi are philosophies that were all founded in China and was very popular to Chinese people. With the spread of Buddhism in China, Zong Mi wanted to compare the three philosophies together to where they blend with one another, so that Buddhism would be a religion that can be accepted into the Chinese
He describes how Tao is the Way, which can be understood but not defined, and illustrates key elements of Tao such as P'u, the uncarved block, and Wu wei, going with the flow. In case you should think that this book is altogether too simplistic, I should add that Hoff touches on the writings of Lao-Tzu (author of the Tao Te Ching), Chuang-tse, the poet Li Po, and other Taoist philosophers, giving his own interpretations of the passages. Hoff shows how Pooh best explains the Uncarved Block. The principle of the Uncarved Block is that things that are simple contain their own natural power, power that can be spoiled and lost when overcomplicated. Using the characters he shows how our lives can be sabotaged by errors in thinking and how it can be
Silk at the time was primarily produced in China and was the countries primary source of revenue during that particular time in history (Frankopan, 2016). The Mongols was a pastoral-nomad tribe that originated out of Central China
As time continued, eventually a standard trading route was formed for people to use to cross between the two continents in order to buy, sell, and trade. The Silk Route quickly became the most easily accessible route between the two civilizations. It truly revolutionized the interactions between China and western European civilizations because it was the first major route to connect the two areas of the world.
Confucius and his disciple Mencius had an influence on Chinese thought and social practice. Chinese traditions of worshiping deceased ancestors and exceptional leaders inspired the growth of Confucianism as a philosophic custom and religion. Confucianism was established as the state’s official doctrine by Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty. However, both philosophies of Confucianism and Daoism believed that anyone can develop wisdom or skill, regardless of social status or birth.
The Chinese government is trying to integrate some of the Confucian principles into the lives of the Chinese by creating TV shows based on “good Confucian emperors” (Benjamin 7). The Confucian ideology as a whole was considered the main ideology of China for over a millennium, and it was accepted by the majority of Chinese until the 20th century (Benjamin 7). Confucianism has had a powerful influence on Chinese culture, and will likely continue to as long as the Chinese people adopt the values into their everyday lives. Although there pure Confucians may not exist in abundance, many others still practice certain aspects of this ideology. As long as humans desire to become better, more respectful people, the centuries old Confucian ideology will continue to have an influence on modern
Similar to Confucius, Laozi also sought out a solution to create harmony in a world full of chaos and fragmentation. But Laozi found the solution through Daosim. The three ideas, the Dao, wuwei and yin and yang, are three key concepts in Daoism that leads to the harmony that Laozi strived for. These ideas, although created hundreds of years ago, still deeply influence Chinese thinking and culture
Those goods were Asian and European staples. Along with goods, there were also many new and inventive ideas that were passed along the route such as ideas for religion. There were also diseases that passed through the routes of the Silk Road. During the time period of 200 BC to 1450 AD changes were brought about to the Silk Road and this was largely due to the introduction of the Black Plague as well as the spread of Islam and Buddhism along the routes. Even though these
The Silk Roads played an important role in connecting Afro-Eurasia, both culturally and economically. The term “Silk Roads” was first used by Baron Ferdinand von Richtofen, a German geographer from the 19th century. He created the phrase to describe the routes between India, China, and the Mediterranean, which were used to transport items such as silk, livestock, glass, and precious metals. Historians have speculated that the roads might have been used as early as 2000 B.C.E. In the last century B.C.E., the Silk Roads experienced a golden age.
The Tao is not a thing and it is not seen like a God because it is not worshipped, it is more of a system of guidance. It is best described as “developing oneself so as to live in complete conformity with the teaching of the Tao.” Daoism is a religion of opposites and unity. It is where yin and yang started and the principal of it is it sees the world as filled with complementary forces. Daoism practices include meditation, which is concentration or mindfulness or visualization.
Confucian says “if I can hear the Dao in the morning I will die contented that evening!” For the reason being that in his time men of virtue and uprightness must take it upon themselves to protect and preserve this ideal or civilization would be doomed only when men of power are unwilling or incapable to uphold their order. Daoist from the beginning hold Dao as their primary source of the cosmos. Daoist are self-consciously they express a decidedly alternative understanding of the Dao and ideal human action. Dao is not only the deep transcendent entity that gives rise to all things but also the immanent core that exist in all things making all things equal.