“Developments in Asia”

1. “Developments in Asia” Chapters 17 and 18

2. INDIA

3. Indus Valley Civilization (Ancient India) c. 2700 – 1200 BCE

4. Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro • Approximately 35,000 people at each site • Advanced urban planning • Fired brick building material • Citadel, bath, and granary

8. The Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro

9. Mohenjo-Daro (Fig 565/17-12)“Priest-King”

10. Vedic Period (Ancient India) 1500 – 322 BCE

11. No art from this period discovered, but brought ideas that would affect Indian culture forever… • Vedas Where the period gets its name… Sacred ritual texts Written in sanskrit

12. Worldview • incorporated into later Buddhist and Hindu religious thought • Karma – action and consequence • Samsara – continuous rebirths • Nirvana/Moksha – no more rebirths

13. Buddhism

14. The Life of Buddha • Historical Buddha was a prince from Nepal (c. 563-483 BCE) • Names include: Siddhartha Gautama, Shakyamuni “wise man/sage of the Shakya clan”, Buddha “Enlightened One”

15. At the age of 29, Buddha left his family and pampered palace life. He set out on a hermit’s path to discover why people are doomed to lives of sickness, suffering, old age, and death. Buddha in the Palace

16. After 6 years of wandering and fasting, he sat beneath a tree (Bodhi) and meditated. He came to the realization/Enlightenment that people suffer because they are attached to the “things” of this world. Buddha’s First Sermon

17. Death of Buddha Preached his realization in the form of the “Four Noble Truths” and the “Eightfold Path” At the age of 80, he lay down and died a peaceful death, attaining freedom

18. “The Four Noble Truths” • Life is suffering. • The reason for suffering is desire. • Suffering must be caused to cease by overcoming desire. • Suffering will cease if one finds the path to deliverance (which is the Eightfold Path).

19. Buddhism • After Buddha’s death his disciples developed his teachings and established the religion of Buddhism • Theravada or Hinayana “Lesser Vehicle” – the early form Buddhism, which stresses self-cultivation for purposes of attaining nirvana/extinction of samsara for oneself

20. Within 500 years of Buddha’s death another form of Buddhism developed, known as Mahayana “Greater Vehicle” • Mahayana’s goal is enlightenment for every being throughout the universe…compassion is the foundation

21. Mahayana recognizes other buddhas from past, present and future • Mahayana believes in bodhisattvas, beings on the brink of achieving enlightenment but who vow to help others achieve enlightenment before they cross over themselves

22. Bodhisattva fig 284/11-5

23. The Great Stupa at Sanchi • Sanchi, India • 3rd century BCE to early 1st century CE • Figure 584/17-32 • circumambulation • Three Jewels of Buddhism (the Buddha, the Law, the monastic community)

25. Eastern Torana (Gateway) • From the Great Stupa at Sanchi • Number 3, Wheel of Law, elephants, mini stupas, lions, and yakshi…

27. Iconography of Buddha Fig 38/2-20 • Ushnisha(bump) • Urna(mark between eyebrows) • Elongated earlobes • Mudras(hand gestures)

28. Hinduism

29. Hinduism • Older than Buddhism, but Hindu art appeared after Buddhist art • Hinduism constructed on foundations of ancient Vedic thought/traditions… • Karma • Samsara • Moksha/Nirvana

30. To achieve moksha one must turn all of the senses inward (instead of the usual outward)…i.e. stop the activities of the senses and draw the mind inward • Ascetics attempt this by withdrawing from society, going to places where the world’s hold is lessened and practicing long hours of meditation

31. Being an ascetic isn’t for everyone…full-time devotion and renunciation of society • Most Hindus practice bhakti… passionate devotion to a god of form (gives focus to worship) • Four main deities, but several others to which a Hindu can devote oneself

32. Iconography of Shiva – The Destroyer • Third eye • Crescent moon in hair • avatars: Nataraja (Lord of the Dance) • attributes: trident • vehicle: Nandi (white bull) • consort: Parvati, son is Ganesha (god of good beginnings)

33. Shiva as Nataraja, King of the Dance • India • 11th century • Fig 606/18-22

34. Hindu Temples • Become quite complex and heavily ornamented, but most importantly… • garbhagriha“womb chamber” – inner chamber housing the god’s image (marked by a tower) • mandala – east to west axis (astronomical alignment), map of the cosmos

35. KandariyaMahadeva Temple(Fig 607/18-24) • Khajuraho, India • c. 1000 CE • Dedicated to Shiva • shikara – central tower • amalaka “sunburst” – crowns– on top of towers • mandapa assembly hall

37. Kandarya Mahadeva Temple

38. CHINA

39. China - “The Middle Kingdom” • called themselves (country in the center of the world) • characterized by long, uninterrupted development (some 8,000 years) • historical/cultural heart(s) along rivers (Yellow and Yangzi)

40. Shang (shahng) Dynasty (Ancient China) 1766 – 1122 BCE

41. Religion • Animistic deities • Shamanistic rituals • Cult of ancestor worship

42. Bronze Ritual Vessels • Piece-mold process (sectional clay, lashed) • 2 categories -wine -meat and grain • Sacrifices for the ancestors -hu (hoo) 1/2 of soul stayed on earth -hun (hoon) 1/2 of soul joined the ancestors

43. Yu (yoo)– used to mix wine

44. Ding • cast bronze • 2 upright handles, multiple legs • used to cook food over open fire for ancestors • surface divided into clear sections (symmetrical) • taotie – monster mask face, protecting • thunder pattern, spiral square

46. Ding (Fig 566) Guang(Fig 17-14)

47. Casting • Substitution or replacement process • Artist starts with modeling process, then modeled material is replaced with another material

48. Qin (chin) Dynasty 221 – 209 BCE

49. Emperor Qin • Qin was first emperor of China • Under his rule: unified currency unified weights and measure building of canal system building of road system responsible for portion of the Great Wall

50. Tomb of Qin • Qin oversaw construction of his tomb until his death • Burial mound and associated trenches • Inside tomb replica of China, including rivers (mercury) and sky (jeweled stars) • Within trenches…thousands of clay soldiers (more humane)