Themes of the Post Classical Era, 600 -1450

• Rise and fragmentation of new states • Classical ideas spread to peripheral areas• Creation of syncretic religions and cultures• Regional and afro-eurasian economic

integration• “southerinization”

• What internal and external factors linked Tibet to the world?

The Tibetan Salt trade

• Why is salt important to Tibetans and their trade partners?

• Where else did salt link regions to spread culture?

Tea bricks

The Horse -Tea route

How did the arrival of Buddhism change Tibet?

Diffusion of Buddhism to Tibet circa 8th century

State-building in Tibet, 629 -836

•The Three Great Kings--Songtsen Gampo (629-49)

united Tibetan kingdomsadopted Sanskrit textalso married a Chinese & Indian princesses who

promoted Buddhism

Courtesy Dr. Charles Ramble

State-building in Tibet, 629-836

• The Three Great Kings

--Trisong Detsen (755-97)invited Indian scholars who linked Tibetankings & history to mythological Indic deitiesfounded 1st monasterysacked Chang-An, demanded tributeExpelled Chinese Chan scholars

--Ralpachen (815-36)signed treaty with Chinasponsored translation rules

Om mani peme hum

Tibet & contemporaneous states

State fragmentation--why?

• Anti-Buddhist reaction• Ralpachen’s brother

reinstated traditional beliefs & is assassinated by a Buddhist monk

• Tibet fragmented until 1200s -monasteries dominate life -Buddhist revival in 1300s

-different “schools”emerge dominated by specific families

• Compare & Contrast to religious tensions in other states during period

Tibetan tanka

Tibetan Buddhism: a study in syncretism

All photos courtesy of Dr. Charles Ramble

Tibet and the Mongols• 1207 Genghis Khan sends

envoys seeking tribute from Tibet.

• When Tibetans stop paying tribute, Mongols invade

• 1247 “priest-patron” relationship established with Sakya lamas (red hats)

• Kublai Khan promotes Buddhism and uses lamas to administer Tibet.

• 1358 Tibetan revolt ends Mongol rule/ precursor to China’s Red Turban revolt

• Civil war / monastic rivalries

Trans-Asian Lamaist Culturew/ Lhasa as center

China

Tibet

Persia

Mongols

Compare/Contrast Tibet to Timbuktu