...Han China and Classical Rome When comparing Han China and Classical Rome, many political, geographical, and religious similarities can be found, though many differences are also prevalent. Though Roman and Han political structures both emphasized bureaucracies, they came to them quite differently. Through copious amounts of expansion, both societies spread culture and earned money, though expansion was eventually their downfalls. Their religions differed immensely, with Rome emphasizing polytheism and Han China focusing on Confucianism. The differences and similarities between these two civilizations are to be discussed in this essay. Though both Rome and the Han dynasty were bureaucracies, both respective bureaucracies were quite different. For example, Han China had a centralized emperor (best know was Wu Ti) who set forth a certain curriculum that each bureaucrat would have to adhere to to become a leader. This curriculum was taught at specialized schools for the rich, though sometimes poor, and talented young men that one day wanted to become a bureaucrat. These bureaucrats carried out the laws of the emperor, so the people had very little say so. On the other hand, Classical Rome had a quite different system. Starting out as a local monarchy, Rome changed to a republic quite early in its expansion. they had a Senate of aristocrats that would make laws. From this Senate, two consuls were elected to be its leader. A dictator of Rome was only elected during times of emergency...
Words: 944 - Pages: 4
...The Confucianism Tradition Kim Jones REL/133 April 6, 2015 Dr. John Shear The Confucianism Tradition Confucianism is a philosophical tradition in China. The culture was created by the philosopher Confucius. Confucius was born around 551 B.C in China. In his teaching, Confucius believe the way to having a good life is by obtaining excellent ethics. “Meaning a human being becomes a full person through the contributions of other people and through fulfilling one’s obligations (Molloy, 2012 pg.17)”. In the Confucianism tradition, there are many values and beliefs; including the five great relationship; the ideal way a Confucian should act; and the role of Confucianism in the China culture in today society. In the Confucianism tradition, social roles and relationship are imperative in the culture. The Confucius’s perfect society live according to the ethics of the five relationship; which includes are father and son, Elder and younger brother, husband and wife, elder and younger, and ruler and subject. In the father and son relationship, the father has compassion for his children and is responsible for their education. The children must be submissive and loyal to their parents. In the elder and younger brother relationship, the oldest brother holds the responsibility for taking care of his younger siblings, and the younger brother must respect and obey his oldest brother. The husband and wife relationship consist of the husband being the protector of the family...
Words: 565 - Pages: 3
...Empire and the Han Dynasty were two very important empires that reigned in history. These empires, Imperial Rome from 31 B.C.E.-476 C.E. and Han China from 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E., had many similarities, but they also had many differences. The techniques of imperial administration in both Han China and Imperial Rome contained strong central governments. In contrast, after the downfall of these Empires, Han China was able to rebuild their imperial model by their set conduct of life, while Rome was never able to completely reunify because of weak political organization through their religion. The Roman Empire and Han China both had strong central governments. Rulers in both empires secured power by taking over former rulers and their...
Words: 703 - Pages: 3
...city walls, he saw poverty and depression. From that day on, he perfected the idea of Buddhism. Buddhism was based off of Hinduism. While they had their similarities, they were very different. Gautama said that people need to let go of the beliefs of Hinduism to fully accept Buddhism in their heart. In China, there was something called Confucianism. It was not necessarily a religion, but a philosophy. Confucianism created social order in China. There was also something in China called Daoism. Daoism was very different from Confucianism in the fact that it focused less on social order, but that it focused on being close to nature. Daoism also was different in the fact that it says logic cannot explain nature nor how it was created. Over time, Buddhism spread into china. This is present in document 7. The Daoist people understood its reasoning and where much more likely to adopt it. Confucius people were much less likely to adopt it and did not disagree with it at all. However, in the end Buddhism and Confucianism c-existed and the reactions of people were positive, negative, or blended. Positive people accepted and defended it policies, which is apparent in documents 1 and 2. Others blamed it for China’s social and political problems, which is depicted in documents 4and 6. Some people remained indifferent and blended Confucianism and Buddhism, and is displayed in documents 3 and 5. Document one is a quote from the first sermon preached by the Buddha, and is about the Four Noble...
Words: 1063 - Pages: 5
...As the dynastic cycle continued in China, Chinese responses to the spread of Buddhism changed drastically. After being founded in India, Buddhism spread to China during a time of decentralized government that followed the fall of the Han dynasty. During this period, before the Sui and Tang dynasties rise to power, people are generally accepting of Buddhism. However, the centralization of China and certain laws, such as Edict on Buddhism written by Tang Emperor Wu, lead to an ethnocentric society in which Buddhists were severely prosecuted. Another cause to the revival of ethnocentrism in China was the revival of Confucianism in China, specifically in the form of Neo-Confucianism. Although when Buddhism first arrived in China people tolerated...
Words: 1624 - Pages: 7
...#33 Rasul, Nashwina A. February 24, 2014 2ASN2 Confucian Philosophy of Man More than a million years ago, primitive human beings lived on a land known as China. China is recognized as one of the four greatest ancient civilizations of the world, together with ancient Egypt, Babylon, and India. It is known for its rich history based on the written records that were found nearly 5,000 years ago. From 475 BC to the end of the 19th century, China went through a long feudal period. It experienced two seemingly contradictory and paradoxical phenomena. Knowing that it was the most violent and chaotic period in ancient Chinese history due to the conflict between the collapse of the traditional Chinese culture and the establishment of a universal empire, it was also considered to be the most creative and innovative one since it was indeed an age wherein philosophers tried to give their personal opinions regarding the world and attempted to contribute something in the history of Chinese philosophy. All the competing Chinese philosophical traditions – Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism and Mohism, among others – trace their origins back to this period which is closely identified with the wellspring of Chinese philosophical, political, and social thought. The battle of ideas among the fabled numerous masters and hundred schools of thought that lasted for more than three centuries, was fought, but at the same...
Words: 2190 - Pages: 9
...changes in religious belief systems from 600 B.C.E. and 600 C.E. in one of the following regions. a. Middle East b. South Asia c. East Asia 2. Analyze similarities and differences of the core beliefs of two religious traditions that emerged before 600 C.E. I. Opening Vignette (pg 189) A. In 2004, China celebrated the 2,555th birthday of Confucius, despite Communism. 1. Buddhism and Christianity also growing rapidly in China 2. part of enduring legacy of the classical world Class Notes: B. Rise of Religions/Philosophies In the period around 500 B.C.E., there was a great emergence of durable cultural traditions that have shaped the world ever since. 1. China : Kong Fuzi (Confucius) and Laozi 2. India :...
Words: 921 - Pages: 4
...bones…” (Shang 1). These kings would apply a heated poker to the bones which would produce cracks that they would analyze based on the direction and deepness of the crack. Recently these bones and the records of the king’s analyzation were uncovered. An estimated 150,000 oracle bones were found, and have references to the god of the Shang, Di (Shang pg. 1). This type of analysis by the kings is an early form of a religion, and the building blocks for later philosophy and schools of thought in China’s history. Much progression can be seen between the oracles bones in the Shang dynasty and the emergence of Confucius (551-479 BC) (Ebrey Text pg. 42). The oracle bones played the basis for the development of the schools of thought and religion in China. Confucius’ goal was the convince people that his moral vision was correct, that “intentions and acts towards other men are at least as important...
Words: 1428 - Pages: 6
...existed, the Han dynasty in Asia and Imperial Rome in Europe. Although these countries were very far in distance and only came in contact through trade, both empires were strong and well organized due to this Rome and Han China both had great success. The Han dynasty lasted for roughly 426 years, while Imperial Rome lasted 507 years, and through their long reigns, they were able to achieve great advancements in technology and economy. Han China and Imperial Rome, both had a powerful central government with well-organized bureaucracies, the fall of these dynasties was because of over expansion and taxation of land. However, the overall political structure of these regimes were different because Han China’s bureaucratic system and Rome’s bureaucratic system were controlled by...
Words: 635 - Pages: 3
...Business Professor Asefaw Indrias June 21, 2015 The macro environment in the Communist country of China is represented by a socialist system with Capitalistic characteristics unique to China. Despite having many similarities to an authentic Capitalistic system, China is placated upon a macro environment wherein the Communist party and its policies deeply impact all aspects of the economy and economic development. Different industries are present within the country including the Shareholder System Enterprise, the State Owned and Control Enterprise, and Foreign investment enterprise, which is what our company would attempt to enter into (Hedley, 2015). China has experienced substantial growth as well as rapid economic development over the last two decades, which has witnessed both the GDP and consumer demand grow fast within the country. Despite this substantial growth, the macro environment is unevenly distributed as varying degrees of living standards are present throughout the country with those in major metropolitan cities and those in the countryside experiencing vastly different levels of upward mobility as well as differences existing between eastern coastal areas and central and western areas. Our company’s strategy is to produce the highest amount of productivity with the least amount of expenditures and labor required. This is the strategy in any country, and China is no different. Being socially responsible would entail ensuring that policies are in place to prevent...
Words: 1857 - Pages: 8
...culture, but reached its peak roughly between 300 and 800 C.E. Its popularity truly began after the collapse of the Han dynasty around 200 C.E. Due to the chaos and violence in China; it discredited Confucianism and led the Chinese to see Buddhism as hope. However, not all Chinese agreed with the idea of Buddhism and were strongly against its practice and presence in China. Documents 2 and 3 were supportive of the religion, while documents 4 and 6 opposed it. Although documents 1 and 5 described Buddhism, it remained neutral in the controversy while it gave a reliable view on the religion. Even though these documents were helpful on understanding the different viewpoints on Buddhism around that time, it would be also beneficial to use a document from a female’s perspective. Documents 2 and 3 both viewed the increasing popularity of Buddhism in China to be positive. Document 2 briefly explained the many benefits of joining Buddhism, but its author, Zhi Dun, is an unreliable source. Zhi Dun was a Chinese scholar, indicating that he lived in an upper class life and may not have understood the struggles of the lower classes in China. In addition, Zhi...
Words: 680 - Pages: 3
...Han China emerged as an empire in 206 BCE, and many years later a new central power known as the Roman Empire arose in western Europe in 207 BCE. The imperial Han and the Roman empires are one of the most influential empires to ever exist, so influential that they are often thought of as the building blocks of many governments today. Both empires had both similar and different traits and characteristics that contributed to their success and failure. As the empires faced more threats they began to start wars, which eventually lead to their expansion. Also, both Han China and Rome were both well organized bureaucracies, but only Han China was founded on a major school of thought or central idea. There was no Roman equivalent of Confucianism,...
Words: 298 - Pages: 2
...Nadine Couto LIT-211 03/03/2014 The book Tao Te Ching was originally called Laozi, the author’s name. When people mentioned Laozi, they were referring to the book as well as the man. The Tao Te Ching is translated as The Classic of the Way and Its Virtue, or simply The Way of Life. Laozi was a quiet and secluded person, and no one would have known him had he not written the Tao Te Ching. No details are known with certainty about his life. The introduction has the purpose to describe the concept and structure of Tao. Lao Tzu was trying to explain something that was inexpressible with language. According to the text Laozi (Lao Tzu) “One of the difficulties of the poems in the Dao De Jing is that they do not provide explanations or definitions, The Dao De Jing begins with what seems to be a series of conclusions about the dao, a word and concept for which we have no English equivalent. “ (Crawford et al. 1603) With that being said, Tao is something that is beyond whatever we could possible describe. The first two lines on the introduction “ The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao/ The name that can be named is not the eternal name.” can be described as the Tao that can be completely explained or expressed in words is not the constant, eternally unchanging and true Tao. The main idea here is that the Tao is a concept beyond reason and logic. If the name of this Tao can be defined with words, then it is not the constant, eternally unchanging name of the...
Words: 661 - Pages: 3
...Compare and contrast Daoism (Taoism), Legalism, and Confucianism. Daoism, Legalism, and Confucianism share similarities as they worked together to form schools of thought that worked to exercised a deep influence in Chinese political and cultural traditions. They also worked to bring political and social stability to China during the years of the Zhou dynasty and the period of the warring states (Bently, Ziegler & Streets, p.100). The differences among the three is Confucian’s involved themselves in society by holding government positions and made concrete efforts to solve political and social problems while promoting harmony in public life. The Daoism’s believed that it would be pointless to focus on social activism. Instead they focused their time trying to understand the principles of living in harmony as they believed that someday there would be harmony to society as a whole (Bently et. al. p.103). The Legalists were unlike the other two. They did not concern themselves with ethics, morality or property nor did they care about the place of human beings in nature, instead, they placed their focus to the state, which they sought to strengthen and expand at all costs (Bently et. al. p.104). What did each system stress as most important? Daoists thought that they should withdraw from the world of politics and administration so that humans could not live in harmony (Bently et. al. p.103). Legalists’ sought to channel as many individuals as possible into...
Words: 452 - Pages: 2
...included Confucianism, Shinto, Buddhism and Christianity. These religious beliefs had several characteristics which were similar in nature. First, the four religions believed that there was a supreme being who responsible for helping out human beings at the time of their need. Confucians believed that the Lord on High or Shangdi, was responsible for the prosperity of human beings. The Christians held the belief that God was the Supreme Being. The Shinto and the Buddhist Supreme Being were Ameterasu and Amida respectively. Another close similarity between the religions was the existence of a golden past which believers looked back on. For Christianity, the Garden of Eden represented its genesis. The Buddhist believed that the days of the Amida were the start of the religion while the Shinto thought that the period that Ameterasu ruled Japan was the days the religion was born. Lastly, the Confucian believed that the era the sage kings were in control was the beginning of their religion. Despite the two similarities, it is evident that the four religions could not exist together. In this paper I argue that the failure or success of the religion did not depend on whether they were foreign or not but on the political involvement during the era. Evidently, the survival of religious beliefs in the region did not depend on whether they were foreign or not but on how they interfered with the political arrangements in the era. Confucianism is a religion that made its way from China to Japan...
Words: 1260 - Pages: 6
