2.5: Cultural Consequences of Connectivity

Influence of Buddhism on East Asian Culture

China

• Chan Buddhism (aka Zen Buddhism), syncretic religion that combined Daoist and Buddhist beliefs is created (see 1.1)

• Development of printing led to wide availability of Buddhist teachings to the Chinese, including to the traditionally Confucianist scholar-gentry class

• Buddhism also influenced Chinese literature

Japan, Vietnam, and Korea

• As they were in the orbit of China, they too adopted Buddhism alongside Confucianism and native religions

• In Korea, the elite studied Confucianism while peasants were attracted to Buddhism

• Neo-Confucianism, which combined Buddhist, Confuciast, and Daoist ideals, became widely popular in Japan, Vietnam, and even became Korea’s official state ideology
• More about Neo-Confucianism can be found in 1.1

Spread of Hinduism and Buddhism in Southeast Asia

• Hinduism and Buddhism also spread to Southeast Asia

• Examples:
• Srivijaya Empire on Sumatra = Hindu kingdom
• Majapahit Kingdom on Java = Buddhist kingdom
• Sinhala dynasties of Sri Lanka were also Buddhist
• Buddhist influence was so strong in Sri Lanka that Buddhist priests often advised monarchs on matters of government
• Khmer Empire in Cambodia, also known as Angkor Thom
• Initially Hindu then switched to Buddhism
• Temples, art, and sculptures reflect influences of both Hinduism and Buddhism

Spread of Islam

Scientific and Technological Innovations

Contributions by Islamic Scholars

• Translated Greek works such as those of Aristotle to Arabic
• Saved these works from being lost to time

• Also built upon Indian mathematics and Chinese paper-making techniques

• Made advances in medicine and surgery by studying medicine from ancient Greeks, Mesopotamians, and Egyptians

Chinese Contributions

• Chinese papermaking gave rise to the printing press in Europe

• Gunpowder and guns spread originally from China throughout Afro-Eurasia, changing warfare forever

Other but Important Contributions

• Champa rice spread from Vietnam to China and boosted surplus of food

• Seafaring technology such as lanteen sails, the stern rudder, astrolabe, and the Chinese magnetic compass helped improve efficiency and safety of traveling by sea

Prominent Trading Cities

• Africa on the West Coast had Timbuktu; on the East Coast they had Swahili city-states like Kilwa and Zanzibar

• Russia had Novgorod

• India had Calicut

• China had Hangzhou
• Was a thriving center of trade and culture in Southern China; also had a thriving community of Arabs

• Samarkand and Kashgar prospered as they were located along trade routes
• Were both centers of Islamic scholarship and had plentiful food and water for merchants traveling along the Silk Road

Declining Cities

• Key factors leading to decline of cities:
• Political instability and invasions
• Disease (such as the Black Death)
• Decline in agricultural productivity

• Kashgar declined due to conquests by nomadic invaders and eventually fell to Tamerlane

• Constantinople was first invaded by Christian crusaders during the fourth crusade, then half of its population was killed by the Black Death, and finally fell to the Ottomans in 1453

Effects of the Crusades

• Western Europe was exposed to new ideas from Byzantines and Muslims

• Increased Western Europe’s thirst for knowledge and goods outside Western Europe, particularly Asia
• Spices for example became popular
• Would later contribute to the Renaissance and rise in idea of secularism

• Black Death spread to Europe as they opened themselves open to global markets
• Shortage of people would be a big detriment to Europe’s feudal system