• Golden Age– A kingdom is strong and wealthy– Has a powerful army– Achievements in areas such as the arts and

sciences

• Gupta DynastyGupta Dynasty : India’s Golden Age or Classical Age of India

• Made possible by the might of the empire & riches gathered by rulers

• This Golden Age of India reached its height during the rule of Chandragupta II

• Gupta DynastyGupta Dynasty : Many poets and writers produced literary works in SanskritSanskrit LANGUAGE OF THE UPPER CLASSES

• KalidasaKalidasa : Well-known poet & Dramatist; “Shakespeare of India”

• KalidasaKalidasa said to have lived at Chandragupta’s court; wrote poems and plays for the king

• KalidasaKalidasa : Most famous play – ShakuntalaShakuntala – a story about a young woman who married a king, was separated from him by a curse but was reunited with him several years later

• Indian writers also famous for their fairy tales and fables• PanchatantraPanchatantra : a collection of animal stories• ShakuntalaShakuntala and PanchatantraPanchatantra reached Europe and

translated into many languages• They are still read with much interest today

• Temples were built and decorated with excellent sculpture and paintings

• Buddhists sculptors also cut temples into rock walls• Best-known cave temples :

• At Ajanta in the state state of Maharashtra in south-central India

• Beautiful paintings and sculpture in bright colours showing scenes from the life of Buddha

• Gupta craftsmen also used metal such as copper, bronze and iron to create sculpture

• Eg the seven-metre high iron pillar in Delhi built over 1,500 years ago. Till today, it has not yet rusted.

• “The Indians also made great contributions to the world in the area of mathematics. One area of contribution was in the development of number symbols. We would not know the symbol zero if not for the Indians.”

• Right?

• WRONG!WRONG!

The Straits Times, 13 Jun 2002

… the universal system using the numbers one to nine – known as the Hindu-Arabic

system – had its roots in the rod bundles used in China from as early as 475 BC

• This goes to show that history is never dead…stagnant• What was thought to be quite true is not because new

evidence has surfaced• Dr Lam Lay YongDr Lam Lay Yong, a Singapore mathematician, had

proven historians wrong• Dr Lam wrote the book Fleeting Footsteps on how the

Hindu-Arabic numeral system had its origins in the Chinese rod system

• Our textbook also mentions that Gupta mathematicians were also the first to invent the decimal system. We are unable to dispute this at this point in time. So we will take this as true.

• The system was adopted by the Arabs who, in turn, took it to Europe.

• ASTRONOMYASTRONOMY : Greater understanding in astronomy, esp the solar system

• Aryabhata, the Indian astronomer, came up with the theory that the earth was a sphere and that it revolved around the sun and rotated on its own axis

• He predicted correctly the cause of the lunar eclipse• Able to calculate correctly the length of a solar year as

365.3586 days• MEDICINEMEDICINE : Indian physicians knew how to clean

wounds, perform surgery and treat certain diseases

• Many ideas spread from India to other countries during its Golden Age and after

• Buddhism spread from India to China where it gained popularity during the Tang Dynasty

• Indian influence in SE Asia eg Java and Cambodia• Indian art made a strong impact on a Buddhist dynasty,

the Sailendras in central Java• The kings of Sailendra built the world’s largest Buddhist

shrine at Borobudur in the 8th or 9th centuries

• The people of Cambodia (now Kampuchea) constructed an impressive Hindu religious building, the temple of Angkor Wat in the 12th century

• Shang Dynasty : Chinese already knew how to weave silk threads, a well-kept secret

• Silk became an important export item in China’s trade because foreigners like it

• Han Dynasty : Seen by many as an age of great wealth and expansion; also many inventions

• Among the greatest of inventions is the seismograph

• Zhang Heng, an inventor, was a scientist in the royal court

• He invented the seismograph, an instrument which can predict earthquakes

• In China, earthquakes resulted in floods and famines, leading to civil disprder and riots

• Thus important for the Emperor to be able to predict earthquakes, especially since the people saw earthquakes as a sign that the Emperor was not favoured by Heaven and needed to be overthrown

• PaperPaper : Han Dynasty - Chinese made paper from plant fibres

• It was first used to wrap things and as blankets• Only later did the Chinese use it for writing rather than

on bamboo or silk• The use of paper spread to all parts of the world

• PrintingPrinting : Before printing was invented, each book had to be handwritten

• Invention of block printing in the Tang Dynasty, ore books became readily accessible

• Can you remember what was the earliest printed books?

• The Diamond SutraThe Diamond Sutra – a book of Buddhist prayers; printed using the woodblock printing method

• Printing probably originated because of the need to spread Buddhism

• This, in turn, resulted in the development of education and literature

• Song Dynasty :Song Dynasty : Instead of fixed block, a ‘movable type’ block was used• Before printing, printer arranges the correct ‘type’ or individual Chinese character carved on clay on an iron plate• These types could be rearranged and used again

• Compass :Compass : Invented more than 2000 years ago• First used in town planning to ensure new houses were built in

the correct direction• During Song period, used for navigation at sea

• Gunpowder :Gunpowder : invented in the Tang period• Used to make fire works and fire arrows• In the Song period, bombs were made which created a loud

explosive noise and were used to frighten enemies horses• Fire arrows were the earliest weapons used• See pg 73• Only in the Song Dynasty was an arsenal set up to make

gunpowder

• Acupuncture :Acupuncture : Involved needles being placed at special points in the body to cure illnesses

• The aim was to affect the balance between systems of energy in the body

• Sima QianSima Qian : A court historian during the reign of Han Wudi

• Wrote the ShijiShiji, a historical account of Chinese history from the earliest times

• Based on oral and written evidence• The ShijiShiji is actually the first real work on Chinese history• It was designed to cover the whole of history in the eyes

of the Chinese• This was a new approach to writing history• Used as a model by later historians

• Tang Period : Tang Period : Well-known for poetry and calligraphy; these were subjects included in the Imperial Examinations

• Famous Tang poets : Li Bai and Du Fu• Even today, their poetry is still appreciated

Source : http://www.usglobe.com/Asia/China/lipocom.html

• Buddhism an important theme in the sculptures of the period

• As we know, Wu Zetian supported the spread of Buddhism

• She built many Buddhist sculptures and monuments in China and along the Silk Road

• Tang Dynasty : Tang artist paid great attention to detail

• Meant to achieve a lifelike finish to their paintings and sculptures

• Song Dynasty : Painters painted landscape paintings with mountains, waterfalls, rivers and forests

• Human figures were kept small and insignificant

• The aim was to unite heaven and earth in a landscape

• Paintings were done on silk or paper in the form of hanging scrolls, handscrolls or fans

Statue of Qin Shu Bao

Statue of Qin Shu Bao

T'ang Yin (1470-1524)

Statue of Qin Shu Bao

Statue of Qin Shu Bao

http://www.chinapage.com/painting/wangximeng.html

Statue of Qin Shu Bao

Statue of Qin Shu Bao

Night-Shining WhiteTang dynasty (618–907)

Attributed to Han Gan (Chinese, active 742–756)Handscroll; ink on paper; 12 1/8 x 13 3/8 in. (30.8 x 34 cm)

http://bc.barnard.columbia.edu/~ndillone/museum/pages/painting.html

• Tang pottery is still famous today• Painted in 3 colours : cream, chestnut-brown and green• Porcelain was of high quality and in very great demand

by foreign traders• Very few intact pieces have survived from Tang times

Source : http://www.chinavista.com/experience/tang/main.html

Source : http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/specex/tang/tang.htm

• Song Dynasty : More pottery was produced and they were very beautiful

• All over China, there were kilns where pottery was produced

• Thousands of people were employed

Ewer with Phoenix Head c. 900 A.D. Qingbai stoneware, translucent glaze 14.5 ' high Source : http://www.artincontext.org/image/chinese/ewer_with_phoenix_head_c_9.html

• Shang Dynasty : Chinese practised human sacrifice – burying attendants and animals in the same tomb as an emperor or noble

• Tang Dynasty : Grave figures were used instead

• Tang potters made jars, vases and other vessels and used glaze to give these figures shine

• Song porcelain was extremely fine and elegant, in soft colours like blue, green and cream Who is this? Where can you

find him? Hint : He’s in Singapore!

• This is Qin Shu Bao• Qin Shu Bao, together with Wei

Chi Jing De were generals during the Tang Dynasty in 618 BC

• Possessed with special powers, they were called upon to protect the Emperor Tang Taizong from the Dragon King who swore vengence on the Emperor during a conflict

• In popular Chinese beliefs, they are the guardians of doorways. These two statues were built in 1975 and weigh 3 tons each.

• Both statues are found outside the Hilton Hotel along Orchard Road

Statue of Qin Shu Bao

Statue of Qin Shu Bao

General Wei Chi Jing De

• SEA performing arts – borrowed ideas from India

• The story of RamaRama and episodes from the MahabharataMahabharata are still being told in dance, recitation and drama all over SEA

• Performed in villages and courts of the kings• RamayanaRamayana adapted to suit many SEA cultures• Eg Indonesians still watch wayang kulitwayang kulit or

shadow puppet plays about the exploits of Rama

• Scenes from the Mahabharata are also portrayed in the wayang orangwayang orang, another form of theatre in Java

• In SEA, the Golden Age of Java was achieved during the MajapahitMajapahit empire – the empire that arose in the late 13thC after the decline of Srivijaya

• Works of literature thrived during the time of Gagah Gagah MadaMada, a famous PM of King Hayam WurukKing Hayam Wuruk of Majapahit

• NagarakertagamaNagarakertagama – a poem by a Buddhist monk that is one of the most famous works of the time

• Language : PaliPali, a language used in Buddhist writings and SanskritSanskrit, an ancient Indo-European language form the basis of many words today

• Malay, Thai, Khmer (language of Kampuchea) also borrowed from these languages

• JawiJawi : a modified Arab script is used to write Malay in SEA

• Many Malay words are borrowed from Arabic– “qasi” the Arabic word for “judge” of “kadhi”

• Bronze and stone statues in SEA inspired by Buddhist and Hindu ideas

• Originally copied from those in India• Later, statues were adapted and carved differently• Eg Hindu gods Vishnu and Shiva and that of Buddha

• In SEA, architecture also influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism

• Most well-known works in SEA : BorobudurBorobudur and Angkor WatAngkor Wat

• Although inspired by Hinduism and Buddhism, they show the creativity of SEA

• Islamic influences can also be seen in the designs of mosques

Source : http://www.leidenuniv.nl/pun/ubhtm/mjk/mjk072.jpg

Source : http://www.bergerfoundation.ch/Home/high_borobudur.html

• Porcelain was made from a special white clay that had been mixed with powdered rock, made moist and worked into a paste

• A potter’s wheel or mould was used to shape the pots

• Glazes were also used to give porcelain a soft, rich colour and a shine

• Chinese porcelain was so prized by Europeans in the West that they called it “china”, meaning quality porcelain.

PORCELAINPORCELAIN