Role of rivers in the eastern civilizations

The first civilizations formed on the banks of rivers. The most notable examples are the Ancient Egyptians, who
were based on the Nile, the Mesopotamians in the Fertile Crescent on the Tigris/Euphrates rivers, the Ancient
Chinese on the Yellow River, and the Ancient India on the Indus. These early civilizations began to form around the
time of the Neolithic Revolution (12000 BCE). Rivers were attractive locations for the first civilizations because they
provided a steady supply of drinking water and made the land fertile for growing crops. Moreover, goods and
people could be transported easily, and the people in these civilizations could fish and hunt the animals that came
to drink water. Additionally, those lost in the wilderness could return to civilization by traveling downstream, where
the major centers of human population tend to concentrate.

Ancient Egypt: role of the Nile, pyramids

Every aspect of life in Egypt depended on the river – the Nile provided food and resources, land for
agriculture, a means of travel, and was critical in the transportation of materials for building projects and
other large-scale endeavors. It was a critical lifeline that literally brought life to the desert.

The ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for their Pharaohs, or kings. A Pharaoh would begin
planning his tomb, or "house of eternity," as soon as he took the throne. This was because the Egyptian
pyramids held many items in preparation for the afterlife. It was believed that the Pharaohs would need
many of his belongings, as well as slaves, for the afterlife.

India: Caste system

The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories - Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Shudras. Many
believe that the groups originated from Brahma, the Hindu God of creation.

According to the social historical theory, the origin of caste system finds its origin in the arrival of Aryans in India.
The Aryans organized themselves in three groups. The first group was of the warriors, and they were called
Rajanya, later they changed its name to Kshatriyas. The second group was of the priests, and they were called
Brahmanas. These two groups struggled politically for the leadership among the Aryans. In this struggle the
Brahmanas emerged victorious. The third group was of the farmers and craftsmen, and they were called Vaisyas.
The Aryans who conquered and took control over parts of north India subdued the locals and made them their
servants.

Between the outcasts and the three Aryan Varnas there is the Sudra Varna who are the simple workers of the
society. The Sudras consisted of two communities. One was of the locals who were subdued by the Aryans and the
other was the descendant of Aryans with locals.

China: Confucianism, four great inventions, influence on Vietnam

Four Great Inventions of Ancient China

China held the world's leading position in many fields in the study of nature, from the 1st century before Christ to
the 15th century, with the four great inventions having the greatest global significance.

Papermaking, printing, gunpowder, and the compass - the four great inventions of ancient China-are significant
contributions of the Chinese nation to world civilization.

In the early days of the 2nd century, a court official named Cai Lun produced a new kind of paper from bark, rags,
wheat stalks and other materials. It was relatively cheap, light, thin, durable, and more suitable for brush writing.
In 1041-1048 of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), a man named Bi Sheng carved individual characters on identical
pieces of fine clay which he hardened by a slow baking process, resulting in pieces of movable type. When the
printing was finished, the pieces of type were put away for future use.

Ancient necromancers discovered in their practice of alchemy, that an explosion could be induced if certain kinds of
ores and fuel were mixed in the right proportions and heated, thus leading to the invention of gunpowder. In the
Collection of the Most Important Military Techniques, edited in 1044 by Zeng Gongliang, three formulas for making
gunpowder were recorded: an explosive mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. Dr. Needham identified these as
the earliest formulas of such a kind.

The compass, an indispensable navigational tool, was another significant gift from ancient China. While mining ores
and melting copper and iron, people chanced upon a natural magnetite that attracted iron and pointed fixedly
north. After constant improvement the round compass came into being.

Confucianism is a philosophy and belief system from ancient China, which laid the foundation for much of Chinese
culture. Confucius was a philosopher and teacher who lived from 551 to 479 B.C.E. His thoughts on ethics, good
behavior, and moral character were written down by his disciples in several books, the most important being the
Lunyu. Confucianism believes in ancestor worship and human-centered virtues for living a peaceful life. The golden
rule of Confucianism is “Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you.”

The main idea of Confucianism is the importance of having a good moral character, which can then affect the world
around that person through the idea of “cosmic harmony.”

While Confucius gave his name to Confucianism, he was not the first person to discuss many of the important
concepts in Confucianism. Rather, he can be understood as someone concerned with the preservation of traditional
Chinese knowledge from earlier thinkers. After Confucius’ death, several of his disciples compiled his wisdom and
carried on his work. The most famous of these disciples were Mencius and Xunzi, both of whom developed
Confucian thought further.

Islam: 5 pillars of Islam

Profession of Faith (shahada). The belief that "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God"
is central to Islam. One becomes a Muslim by reciting this phrase with conviction.

Prayer (salat). Muslims pray facing Mecca five times a day: at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and after dark.
Prayer includes a recitation of the opening chapter (sura) of the Qur’an and is sometimes performed on a small rug
or mat used expressly for this purpose. Muslims can pray individually at any location or together in a mosque,
where a leader in prayer (imam) guides the congregation.

Alms (zakat). In accordance with Islamic law, Muslims donate a fixed portion of their income to community
members in need.

Fasting (sawm). During the daylight hours of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, all healthy adult
Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink. Through this temporary deprivation, they renew their
awareness of and gratitude for everything God has provided in their lives—including the Qur'an, which was first
revealed during this month. During Ramadan they share the hunger and thirst of the needy as a reminder of the
religious duty to help those less fortunate.

Pilgrimage (hajj). Every Muslim whose health and finances permit it must make at least one visit to the holy city of
Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia.