Unit 4: Early Civilizations in India and China (2500 B.C.-184 B.C.)

Unit 4: Early Civilizations in India and China (2500 B.C.-184 B.C.)

This unit emphasizes the history and the contributions of the civilizations of ancient India and China.

China and India are great civilizations and historically both were the centers of the related civilization circles in Asia. In Northeast Asia and some Southeast Asian countries, the historical influence of Chinese culture could be easily detected. Similarly, Indian culture could be traced in many South and Southeast Asian countries, even as far as in Indonesia. Such cultural influences reveal the great contribution made by China and India to the world.

In their long history, both China and India were frequently invaded by alien tribes, but despite repeated foreign cultural onslaught, the backbone of the two ancient cultures, namely Confucianism in China and Hinduism in India, vigorously sustained. The vitality and continuity of both Chinese and Indian civilizations are exceptional in the world.

In modern times, both countries lagged behind the West in economic and social development and suffered tremendously from the invasion of Western powers.

Coincidently, once again almost at the same time, China and India were reborn. In 1949, after the liberation war, new China was established, while in 1947, India won its independence. Afterwards, although different in political system, China and India took similar paths of planned economy and both failed to achieve their goals.

Today, the similarities between China and India have become even more striking. Both countries have been pursuing policies of reform and opening-up, and both are now the fastest growing economies in the world, drawing great universal attention. Indeed, development of China and India over the next decades will have great impact on the whole world.

Unit Focus

• characteristics and contributions of advanced civilizations in India and China
• geographic and political factors that helped bring about the rise and fall of ruling families in India and China
• religion and philosophy that influenced the development of both the Indian and Chinese culture