Transcript Themes of the Post Classical Era, 600 -1450

Themes of the Post Classical
Era, 600 -1450
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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?
The Horse -Tea route
Tea bricks
Diffusion of Buddhism to Tibet circa 8th
century
How did the arrival of Buddhism change
Tibet?
State-building in Tibet, 629 836
Courtesy Dr. Charles
Ramble
•The Three Great Kings
--Songtsen Gampo (629-49)
united Tibetan kingdoms
adopted Sanskrit text
also married a Chinese & Indian princesses who
promoted Buddhism
State-building in Tibet, 629836
• The Three Great Kings
--Trisong Detsen (755-97)
invited Indian scholars who linked Tibetan
kings & history to mythological Indic
deities
founded 1st monastery
sacked Chang-An, demanded tribute
Expelled Chinese Chan scholars
--Ralpachen (815-36)
signed treaty with China
sponsored 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
Tibetan tanka
• Compare & Contrast to
religious tensions in other
states during period
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 Culture
w/ Lhasa as center
Mongols
Persia
China
Tibet
Compare/Contrast
Tibet to Timbuktu