The classical era lasted from about 500 BCE until approximately 1000 CE, and both India and China developed major civilizations during this time, each with its own distinct qualities. Each of these were influenced by their religions, Hinduism and Confucianism, respectively. Followers of Hinduism believed that each person came from a part of a greater being, known as Purusha. Members of the highest class came from the head, the second class citizens came from the arms, third class citizens came from the thighs, and members of the lowest class came from the feet. Confucianism was founded by Confucius, or Kong Fuzi, and the idea of the Mandate of Heaven, a key element of Confucianism, was established by Wu Ti, the first emperor of the Han dynasty.
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Each person in India was born into one of four castes: Brahmins, members of the highest caste, were priests; in the second caste were Kshatriyas, and they were warriors; members of the third caste were known as Vaisyas, and they were herders, farmers, merchants, and craftspeople; and the lowest caste contained Sudras, or untouchables, and these were servants, slaves, and laborers. Karma was the sum of a person's actions in all of their lives, and it was what determined the caste that people were reincarnated into. In order to get good Karma, one had to follow their Dharma as closely as possible. Dharma was defined by a person’s caste, and dharma for each individual differs. For example, if you were a born into a herding family of Vaisyas, your Dharma would be to herd sheep, and respect the classes above you. If you followed your Dharma, you could get promoted to be a Kshatriya, or even a Brahmin, but if you did not, you could get demoted to be a …show more content…
Primarily, Confucianism was a system of ethics that established roles for people based on their status. The goal of Confucianism was to provide political order to China. Confucius, the founder of this religion, felt that compassion had no place in society. Confucius believed in a secular focus, a focus on this life, in this world, not in lives or worlds beyond this. He was not concerned with gods, but rather set up a system that would maintain political and social order for millennia. A key focus of Confucianism was the 5 basic relationships. These were: the ruler was superior to his subjects; a father was superior to his son; a husband was superior to his wife; older brothers were superior to their younger brothers; and lastly, a mutualistic relationship existed between friends. According to Confucian philosophy, if each of these relationships were followed with the appropriate respect and compassion, there would be peace and harmony. These relationships, along with filial piety (respect for elders and ancestors), were core beliefs of Confucianism. These relationships were clearly secular, as having them built up to a successful and happy life, in this time and place. They show a lot about what Confucianism stood for, and clearly provide us with a lot of insight to the core values of
Each person in India was born into one of four castes: Brahmins, members of the highest caste, were priests; in the second caste were Kshatriyas, and they were warriors; members of the third caste were known as Vaisyas, and they were herders, farmers, merchants, and craftspeople; and the lowest caste contained Sudras, or untouchables, and these were servants, slaves, and laborers. Karma was the sum of a person's actions in all of their lives, and it was what determined the caste that people were reincarnated into. In order to get good Karma, one had to follow their Dharma as closely as possible. Dharma was defined by a person’s caste, and dharma for each individual differs. For example, if you were a born into a herding family of Vaisyas, your Dharma would be to herd sheep, and respect the classes above you. If you followed your Dharma, you could get promoted to be a Kshatriya, or even a Brahmin, but if you did not, you could get demoted to be a …show more content…
Primarily, Confucianism was a system of ethics that established roles for people based on their status. The goal of Confucianism was to provide political order to China. Confucius, the founder of this religion, felt that compassion had no place in society. Confucius believed in a secular focus, a focus on this life, in this world, not in lives or worlds beyond this. He was not concerned with gods, but rather set up a system that would maintain political and social order for millennia. A key focus of Confucianism was the 5 basic relationships. These were: the ruler was superior to his subjects; a father was superior to his son; a husband was superior to his wife; older brothers were superior to their younger brothers; and lastly, a mutualistic relationship existed between friends. According to Confucian philosophy, if each of these relationships were followed with the appropriate respect and compassion, there would be peace and harmony. These relationships, along with filial piety (respect for elders and ancestors), were core beliefs of Confucianism. These relationships were clearly secular, as having them built up to a successful and happy life, in this time and place. They show a lot about what Confucianism stood for, and clearly provide us with a lot of insight to the core values of