Contemporary World Civilizations Dersi 2. Ünite Sorularla Öğrenelim

What major civilizations is the Asian Civilization composed of?

1. Chinese civilization (Buddhism-oriented) with some strong impact on the following ones:
   • Taiwanese sub-civilization (de facto Chinese civilization with Capitalism)
   • Hong Kong sub-civilization (de facto Chinese civilization with Capitalism)
   • Singaporean civilization (Chinese-Hindu civilization with Capitalism) 
   • Buddhist civilization
   • Korean civilization (with Chinese influence)
   • Vietnamese civilization (with some Chinese and French influence)
   • Cambodian civilization (with Chinese and some French influence)
   • Laotian civilization (with some Chinese and French influence)
   • Tibetan civilization (with some Hindu and Chinese influence)
   • Burman or Myanmar Civilization (with some Chinese and British influence)
   • Japanese civilization (Buddhismoriented, with some Chinese and some Western influence since the 19^th century)
2. Hindu civilization
3. Eastern civilization (Russian civilization).

What does today’s Sinic Sphere look like?

Today’s Sinic sphere is essentially a derivative form of the Chinese Civilization that influences nearby countries, including Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Cambodia. This sphere developed when Chinese Buddhism, mixed with Confucianism, spread over East Asia between the 2nd and 5^th centuries CE. These countries developed strong central governments modeled on the type that had been long institutionalized in China. Scholarly officials in Vietnam and Korea, and for a short time in Japan, were selected through a series of examinations on topics related to the teaching of Confucius which had been developed by the Chinese for their civil service examinations. “Shared familiarity with the Chinese classics and Confucian values provided a common framework for intellectuals and ruling elites across the whole region”

How did Chinese culture begin?

Chinese civilization is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. It has existed for 5,000 years, thus for 83 percent of recorded history, which arose with the civilization established about 6,000 years ago in Mesopotamia. We assume that Chinese culture began in Neolithic Times (5000 BCE) with the Yangshao Culture, which was established around the Yellow River valley and lasted until 3000 BCE.

Why is China experiencing its second turn in the history?

Chinese Civilization is experiencing its second turn as the world leader. At one point in the first half of the Second Millennium (CE), China was roughly at the same level with Europe in scientific knowledge and far ahead in the technologies of printing, naval navigation, and ammunition (dynamite). However, the worst political mistake in the history of world civilization was almost certainly a decision made by the fourth Emperor Hongi in the Ming Dynasty to destroy the Chinese fleet; the last long voyage overseas was ended in 1433. The exploration of new territories across the oceans was terminated along with the abolition of a capable fleet of ships that could make long trips. Documents of those trips were also destroyed to avoid any good memories about these successful adventures and political achievements. It was a suicidal move that put China in a disadvantageous position among the strongest countries of the world.

What might happen if China follows the path of western consumerism?

If China follows the path of western consumerism and modernization to satisfy her own needs, then China and the whole world will be at risk of committing civilizational suicide due to insufficient strategic resources to sustain such super-consumerism.

What were the primary influences of Japanese culture?

The primary influences on Japan’s early culture were Mongolian. From about 250 BCE to 300 CE, a culture migrating from Asia and known as Yayoi prevailed, introducing rice farming, iron and bronze technology, and weaving. Yayoi society was matriarchal, with women having significant spots as priestesses or shamans. Later in Japanese history, women were reduced to a more subservient role in society.

What is “Shinto”?

Shinto which is a uniquely Japanese religion evolved at this period. Shinto, which reflects the “Way of the Gods” and is still common in Japan, emphasized the role of the forces of nature, which affect Japan so profoundly (earthquakes, tsunamis, and so forth). Shinto mostly focuses on ritual purification to remove any impurity caused by contact with physical dirtiness, sex, childbirth, wounds, and death. The current Japanese insistence on baths and cleanliness probably derives from this aspect of Shinto. The most famous Shinto shrine at Ise is consecrated to the sun goddess, helping to reinforce the loyalty to the imperial family associated with that deity.

What is the most common religion in China?

Buddhism was imported from India, but it has been a widely accepted religion in China for many centuries. Buddhism offers the prospect of salvation and grants an opportunity of entering the eternal joyful realm [Nirvana]. Buddhist monasteries can be found in almost all provinces in China and serve as the centers of Chinese spirituality.

Are Chinese Religions exclusive?

Chinese religions are not necessarily exclusive. Thus, as an educated man, a Chinese in his office is most likely a Confucian, as he respects his superiors and endeavors to fulfill his duties. When he returns home, he might be a Daoist, as he intends to relax to enjoy a natural way of life. Occasionally, he might visit a Buddhist temple to burn incense and pray for benefits. This syncretism (multi-faith system) works for most Chinese people, even though many religious professionals vigorously champion a single faith and advise people to keep away from other religions.

How has Chinese Religions evolved?

Chinese religions have evolved, at least from the perspective adopted in the past, from philosophy to religion. Even now as a belief system, religion still carries on its philosophical teachings. In many ways, it is fair to say that Chinese religion functions as a philosophicalreligious tradition, or a humanist belief, or a philosophical religion, or an ethical faith. Chinese religions tend to be stratified, with different applications or understandings enabling different social classes to keep ties with many religions-although people tend to retain a particular link with one religion. Perhaps most members of the upperclass tend to practice or adhere to the tenets of Confucianism. Some educated men, philosophers, might keep a strong tie with Daoism. Many uneducated people just follow all the religions.

Who blamed religions to be “supernatural”?

In the 1920s, when Mao Zedong initiated the peasant movement in Hunan, he started to target religions and blamed them as being “supernatural” and dominated by religious authorities; they were an oppressive force. Nonetheless, Mao did not advocate an immediate abolition of all religious beliefs even after he seized full power in China in 1949. In the following decades, Mao, like other communists, regarded religion as a spiritual opium, the opiate of the masses. However, at the same time, he tended to confine religious believers and limit, rather than eliminate, their propagation.

When did Islam become the dominant faith in West Africa?

As early as 800 CE, Islam became the dominant faith in West Africa, as well. Muslim traders and religious ambassadors of the faith charted the trade paths of West Africa, where the Ghanaian, the Mali, and the Songhai empires were mighty powers. They embraced Islam and became suppliers of African goods to North Africa and Europe. Ghana was the golden empire that mixed African traditional cultural and anthropological foundations with the strictures of Islam.

When did the most disastrous move against religions in modern Chinese history occur?

The most disastrous move against religions in modern Chinese history occurred during the Cultural Revolution (or Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution) that lasted from 1966 to 1976. Many religious monasteries, shrines, churches, statues, and other worshipping sites were severely damaged or even totally eradicated. Soon after the chaos of the post-Mao period subsided, and after Deng Xiaoping had taken the lead in China, reforms were initiated, and religions in China started to enjoy a remarkable revival, a speedy recovery, and an astonishing dissemination. Temples are renovated, shrines rebuilt, congregations held, seminaries reopened, rituals performed, festivals reorganized, and all kinds of religious activities “came bubbling to the surface” whenever and wherever conditions permitted.

How do Japanese people consider religion?

Many Japanese people respect the religious practices of Japan as a fragment of the country’s culture, within the national scope of individual trust or faith. Most Japanese people perceive rites of the Shinto as the natural religion and others practice Buddhism and some accept Christianity or other faiths. A person may revere a local commemoration at a Shinto shrine, a wedding ceremony at a Christian church, and a burial at a Buddhist temple.

What is Zen Buddhism like?

The Zen form of Buddhism highlights life experience and daily meditation rather than theoretical knowledge or learning from religious transcripts. The essential seated meditation recollects both the posture in which the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment and the mindfulness and concentration which are fragments of the Eightfold Path as the Buddha cultivated it.

What is Shinto like?

It is the natural religion of Japan and was once its national religion. It includes the worship of kami or spirits. Some kami are local, and the spirit is of a particular place – like Amaterasu, the Sun goddess, or Mount Fuji. This religion has no established dogma or unique book, no holiest place, no person or kami viewed as the most sacred, and no well-defined customary prayers. As an alternative, Shinto offers worshippers an assortment of rituals and methods intended to control the relations between living people and the spirits. The key leitmotif in the Shinto religion is love and reverence for ordinary artifacts and processes. So, a waterfall or a rock might arise to be observed as a spirit (kami) of that place, and abstract things represent development and fertility. Sacred objects, such as rocks or trees, can be documented by the individual ropes and white paper strips dedicated to them. People enter shrines by passing through a distinguishing gate (torii). These gates are symbolic fences separating the living people from their spiritual-driven worlds. There are often two guardian animals on each side of the gate, defending the entrance.

What are people in Chinese society in 21^st century like?

China, with about 1.4 billion people (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) as of May 2011, is the most populous nation in the world. According to the census of 2010, the ratio of men to women is about 51.27% to 48.73% female. The surplus of men is troublesome since there are not enough candidates as potential husbands for potential wives. About 50% of the population lives in the urban cities and towns whereas the rest of the population is in rural areas.

What is family in Chinese society in 21^st century like?

There is a complex system in China, one characterized by kinship and clan. In the Chinese kinship system, maternal and paternal lineages are distinguished. For example, a mother’s brother and father’s brother are called by different terms. A Chinese clan is a patrilineal and patrilocal group of linked Chinese individuals. A married woman is part of her husband’s clan. When China went into isolation from the world after 1433 CE, vast social changes occurred. For example, many of the Chinese people, except for a few narrow and elite groups, fell into poverty. In order to survive, they maintained and still maintain healthy relations among family members, more powerful ones than with the state, which was seen as the oppressor. For the Chinese, a healthy family is the setting for the best art of living, enabling individuals to survive harsh conditions of life and sustain a modus operandi for future.

What does government of China look like today?

The Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has several organs. These include the following:
• The legislative branch, the National People’s Congress.
• The executive branch, the State Council and President of China.
• The judicial branch, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate.
• The military branch, People’s Liberation Army (PLA) via the Central Military Commission.
• The Communist Party has legal power in the country. This is defined by the PRC constitution and is the highest political authority in the PRC through its leadership of state, military, and media. 

What are the facts about Chinese military forces in 21^st century?

• China’s ground forces: 1.9 million personnel, 14,000 tanks, 14,500 artillery units, 453 helicopters.
• China’s air force: 470,000 personnel, 2,556 jet fighters, 400 ground attack planes.
• China’s navy: 250,000 personnel, 66 submarines, 27 destroyers, 52 frigates and 1 aircraft carrier.
• China’s missile arsenal: 100,000 personnel, 140 nuclear missiles, 1,000 conventional theater missiles.
• New weapons: The Dong Feng 21D is a land-based missile capable of striking an aircraft carrier as far as 2,000 miles offshore.
• Pentagon officials believe that China has secretly built a base capable of housing up to 20 nuclear submarines on Hainan Island.
• China has now advanced and tested its first stealth fighter jet, the J-20. The U.S. is the only other country in the world to have a stealth fighter

What does Chinese economy look like in 21^st century?

China’s “socialist” market economy is the world’s second-largest economy by nominal GDP after the United States. However, according to the IMF, it is the world’s biggest economy in terms of PPP, purchasing power parity (basket of goods for daily local living). Until 2015 China was the world’s fastest-growing economy, with annual growth rates close to 10% in the last thirty years. China is a global manufacturing hub (due to Western civilization’s outsourcing for cheap labor), and therefore it is the prime manufacturing economy in the world and the chief exporter of goods in the world. China is simultaneously the world’s fastest rising domestic consumer market and it is second in the world as an importer of goods for its huge population. Regarding service products, China is a net importer.

What are the facts about the quality of life in China today?

Today, the Chinese have a relatively good standard of living in the cities (where about 800 million people live), with meaningfully enhanced facilities for housing and education. The healthy Chinese economic growth is impressive; it has risen on average 8% per year in the 21st century. In some less populous regions, the improvement of the standard of living is faster. In addition, there has been a real enhancement in the status of women; the rights of senior citizens and children get steadily more protection and care. Chinese society has become more open, accommodating to technology challenges and ending up being self-sustained in these new times of the globalization and the quest for the sustainability of the world civilization. Clearly, the Chinese people want to modernize their way of living, but they do not necessarily wish to Westernize. Although the latter policy is liked by the young generation today, power still resides with an older, more traditional, “Communist Party” elite.

What are Japanese people like in 21st century?

The Japanese people are homogeneous and comprise 98.5% of the whole population of Japan. Worldwide, roughly 129 million people are of Japanese ancestry; of these, around 125 million are inhabitants of Japan. The Japanese language has a three-component writing system applying Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Inland Japanese people use mostly Japanese for daily communication. The adult literacy rate in Japan surpasses 99%. Nonetheless, Japan accepts a steady flow of 15,000 new Japanese citizens by naturalization per year. Japan is a country of “one race, one civilization, one language and one culture.” Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Taro Aso has called Japan a “one race” nation.

What is Japanese military like?

The Japan Self-Defense Forces -- or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF, JDF, or SDF – are the unified military forces of Japan. They were organized in 1954 and are managed by the Ministry of Defense. In recent years they have been involved in international peacekeeping operations of UN. Tensions with North Korea have triggered the discussion over the standing of the JSDF about Japanese society, and it is not clear at the present time whether or not Japan will abandon its official pacifism, its non-use of the military for aggressive, warlike purposes.

How does Japanese economy look like?

States and China. Japan has little land suitable for agriculture, but it delivers high yield nonetheless, and local markets consume most of its products. Rice is the main agricultural crop and it is highly subsidized. Those desiring to import rice must pay high tariffs. Regarding food, Japan imports meat and wheat from the United States and China. Raw materials are Japan’s largest import for manufacturing. Since World War II, Japan has become very successful in producing and exporting a variety of the following goods:
• Consumer electronics (Televisions, Mp3 players, DVD players)
• Cars
• Semiconductors
• Optical equipment
• Optoelectronics
• Optical fibers
• Visual media
• Copy machines, and
• Robots

What is Japanese quality of life like?

Japan accomplishes excellence in some of the metrics used to build the Better Life Index. Moreover, Japan ranks at the top in personal security. Overall, Japan has grown so dramatically since World War II that it scores above average in the rankings of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (35 countries) for income and wealth, education and skills, jobs and earnings, personal security, and social connections. However, it falls below the average in the available scope of housing, civic engagement, subjective well-being, work-life balance and health status.

What are the main trends in the far east civilizations?

1. The rapid development of science, technology, and education is impressive in the 21st century, as the Far East civilization is catching up with the Western civilization.
2. The Far East civilization is developing the mass production of consumer and industrial goods for the world market successfully.
3. Chinese civilization is modernizing while refusing to Westernize, but there is one large exception: the younger generation.
4. The Japanese civilization is now almost fully modernized. It has Westernized but suffers from the growing number of older adults who need support.
5. The Chinese civilization supports the development of the Globalization Wave, since it wants to be the World’s Factory, the country which is ready to make goods for all the world.
6. The Japanese civilization is saturated with people and goods, and therefore is in the search for its right goal. It looks for a strategy on how to develop and sustain its civilization in the future

What is the timeline of Chinese civilization?

• 5000 BCE – the beginning of the recorded history of Chinese civilization.
• 1700 BCE – the first towns and cities in China
• 300+ BCE – Buddhism enters China
• 220 CE – Mongol invasions of China commence
• 1358 CE – the Great Wall rises to protect China against invasions
• 1433 – the Chinese government opts to destroy the Chinese fleet and China deepens its isolation from the rest of the world
• 1644 – 1911 – China ruled by Mongols and British
• 1911-1949 – Civil War and Republic of China
• 1949 - the People’s Republic of China ruled by Mao Zedong
• 1966-1976 – Cultural Revolution
• 1978 – Deng Xiaoping, the new leader of PRC, promotes “socialism” with the market
• 2015 – China – the second largest economy of the world, regarding GDP, after the U.S

What is Japanese timeline?

• 900 BCE – 300 CE -- Ancient Japan
• 250 BCE – 300 CE -- Culture of the Yayoi arrives from Asia
• 600 CE – Centralized state formed
• 1100 – 1800 CE – Conflicts between samurais and shoguns (rulers)
• 1852-1854 - Perry visits Japan and establishes the first trade with the West
• 1867 – the Meiji Restoration (Westernization)
• 1889 – Japan adopts Western-style constitution
• 1894-1995 – War against imperial China
• 1904-1905 – Victorious War against Russia
• 1920 – Annexation of Korea by Japan
• 1931 – Invasion of China by Japan
• 1941 – World War II on the side of Germany and Italy
• 1941 – December 7, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
• 1941 – December 8, the United States declares war on Japan
• 1945 – August 6 and 9, atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Japan surrendered on August 14.
• 1945-52 – The U.S. occupies Japan, introduces democratic political system and restores Japan’s independence.
• 1980s– Pax Niponnica (growth and prosperity) in the world economy
• 2015 – the third largest economy of the world

When did the Chinese culture begin?

We assume that Chinese culture began in Neolithic Times (5000 BCE) with the Yangshao Culture, which was established around the Yellow River valley and lasted until 3000 BCE.

What made Chinese civilization fall behind European civilization around 15th century?

At one point in the first half of the Second Millennium (CE), China was roughly at the same level with Europe in scientific knowledge and far ahead in the technologies of printing, naval navigation, and ammunition (dynamite). However, the worst political mistake in the history of world civilization was almost certainly a decision made by the fourth Emperor Hongi in the Ming Dynasty to destroy the Chinese fleet; the last long voyage overseas was ended in 1433. The exploration of new territories across the oceans was terminated along with the abolition of a capable fleet of ships that could make long trips.

When did the Cnises awakening begin?

Since the famous Long March in the 1930s, the Chinese have been awakening. They have begun to think again about themselves as the original settlers of China and have tried to throw off their submission to foreigners which dominated their foreign and domestic affairs over the last several centuries.

Why is China playing a critical role in the 21st century global economy?

First, China in recent decades has risen to become the World Factory, and second, it is the primary debt collector of Western Civilization. The Chinese have the largest population in the world, including people living in China and its diaspora. Today, Chinese people live in almost every country in the world. They are considered active not only in business but also in tourism.

Who had the biggest influence on early Japanese culture?

The primary influences on Japan’s early culture were Mongolian. From about 250 BCE to 300 CE, a culture migrating from Asia and known as Yayoi prevailed, introducing rice farming, iron and bronze technology, and weaving

What could be the reason for the current Japanese insistence on baths and cleanliness?

Shintoa is a uniquely Japanese religion that was evolving at 4th century  CE.  Reflecting the “Way of the Gods” and being still common in Japan, it emphasized the role of the forces of nature which affect Japan so profoundly (earthquakes, tsunamis, and so forth). Shinto mostly focuses on ritual purification to remove any impurity caused by contact with physical dirtiness, sex, childbirth, wounds, and death. The current Japanese insistence on baths and cleanliness probably derives from this aspect of Shinto. T

What were the most significant influences from China on Japanese culture?

The most significant influence coming from China were ideas of Buddhism and Confucianism. 

What did Confucianism bring to Japanese civilization?

Confucianism brought two important elements to Japanese civilization.  It stressed a strict hierarchy of relationships. It also reinforced the already cooperative nature of Japanese society as well as assured the role of the strict social and political order that would emerge.  Also, Confucianism’s emphasis on merit and education as the tools of advancing in government were absorbed by the Japanese. This idea of advancement by merit, however, met with firm resistance from the hereditary Japanese nobility

When and why did the city of Tokyo became the imperial capital of Japan?

In 1867, the long-lasting Tokugawa Shogunate malformed and gave way to the Meiji Restoration movement. The city of Tokyo became the imperial capital of Japan after the Kyoto, as the capital, stopped functioning.

What contributed to the emergence of augmented militarism in Japan during the late 1920’s and 1930’s?

After World War I, Japan’s economy began to decline and hit a low point in 1926 when the Great Depression touched the world. The recession, combined with domestic political turmoil (assassination attempts on the Emperor, coup d’etat attempts, terrorist violence), eventually contributed to the augmented militarism in Japan during the late 1920’s and 1930’s.

What was the most disastrous move against religions in modern Chinese history?

The most disastrous move against religions in modern Chinese history occurred during the Cultural Revolution (or Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution) that lasted from 1966 to 1976. Many religious monasteries, shrines, churches, statues, and other worshipping sites were severely damaged or even totally eradicated. Soon after the chaos of the post-Mao period subsided, and after Deng Xiaoping had taken the lead in China, reforms were initiated, and religions in China started to enjoy a remarkable revival, a speedy recovery, and an astonishing dissemination.

What are the basic tenets of Shinto?

Shinto is the natural religion of Japan and was once its national religion. It includes the worship of kami or spirits. Some kami arelocal, and the spirit is of a particular place – like Amaterasu, the Sun goddess, or Mount Fuji. This religion has no established dogma or unique book, no holiest place, no person or kami viewed as the most sacred, and no well-defined customary prayers. As an alternative, Shinto offers worshippers an assortment of rituals and methods intended to control the relations between living people and the spirits. The key leitmotif in the Shinto religion is love and reverence for ordinary artifacts and processes.

How is literacy defined in Chinese education context?

Literacy is defined as knowledge of 1,500 Chinese characters in rural locations and 2,000 characters in urban areas.

How could the quality of life in China be summarised?

Today, the Chinese have a relatively good standard of living in the cities (where about 800 million people live), with meaningfully enhanced facilities for housing and education. The healthy Chinese economic growth is impressive; it has risen on average 8% per year in the 21st century. In some less populous regions, the improvement of the standard of living is faster. In addition, there has been a real enhancement in the status of women; the rights of senior citizens and children get steadily more protection and care. Chinese society has become more open, accommodating to technology challenges and ending up being self-sustained in these new times of the globalization and the quest for the sustainability of the world civilization. Clearly, the Chinese people want to modernize their way of living, but they do not necessarily wish to Westernize. Although the latter policy is liked by the young generation today, power still resides with an older, more traditional, “Communist Party” elite.

What is the main agricultural crop in Japan?

Rice is the main agricultural crop in Japan and it is highly subsidized. Those desiring to import rice must pay high tariffs. Regarding food, Japan imports meat and wheat from the United States and China.

How does Weibo, a social networking service in China, play a leading role in Chinese e-democracy today?

At present, Weibo, a primary social networking service in China, plays a leading role in Chinese e-democracy. Many government departments have Weibo accounts, through which they can announce official news and communicate with the public at any time. A typical example is that the trial of Bo Xilai’s case (about a corrupted top politician) was broadcasted synchronously by Weibo.

What type Western-style fast food restaurant is popular in China?

Western-style  fast food in China  is a fresh wonder, again deeply reshaping Chinese culture and daily life. As of October 1987, Kentucky Fried Chicken became the most widespread fast food chain in China, when the first such restaurant was opened in  Beijing. Why? Because chicken meat is very popular in China.

When did the anime movies start appearing in Japanese culture?

The distinctive anime art style appeared in the 1960s with the contributions of OsamuTezuka. Dueto his creative artistry, it spread internationally in the late 20th century, creating a large domestic and international audience.

Why is the countryside in Japan full of single men?

The countryside is full of single men since few women want to marry farmers or bear the work of rural life. “Wives here are wanted primarily for their labor,” one rural Japanese woman told the Los Angeles Times. “That is why the Japanese women do not want to do it.” One said that in his town, only five out of 30 girls in his school class stayed to marry men in his hometown.

Where did the worst traffic jam in history occur?

The worst traffic jam in history was a 100-km queue on the Beijing-Tibet highway in August 2010, where drivers were held up for over 20 days. The cause of the chaos was hundreds of heavy trucks transporting coal from Inner Mongolia to power stations in the capital Beijing.