Chris+S


 * Religion in Han China and Imperial Rome**

Misty Fy is motivational speaker keenly interested in the religious practices in Han Dynasty China and Imperial Rome. An avid reader of self-help books, including "10 Days to Defeat Dystopia" and "Happiness CAN Be Bought", Ms. Fy believes that internal motivation comes from external sources. To help her decide which dynasty to visit, you will need to research answers to the following key questions:

= **Key Questions:** =
 * 1) What type of religion existed in the Roman Empire and Han Dynasty?
 * 2) How much of an influence did religion have in both places? Describe the impact, whether negative or positive, religion had on China and Rome?
 * 3) Describe the religious practice and form of worship that existed in the Han Dynasty and Roman Empire?
 * 4) Why and how did the Roman Empire move from a polytheistic religion to a set of beliefs focused on Christianity and monotheism?
 * 5) How did Confucianism influence the Han Dynasty?
 * 6) Which empire should Ms. Fy, a motivational speaker, visit? Why?

=Resources= Your research will be confined to the following web resources and library databases. If you wish to use a resource not on this list you must seek approval from your teacher.

**Rome**
 * []
 * []
 * []
 * __http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/oldworld/europe/ancient_roman_culture.html__
 * __http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webunits/greecerome/__


 * China **
 * []
 * __http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/early_imperial_china/han.html__
 * __http://gallery.sjsu.edu/silkroad/civilization.htm__
 * __http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/hand/hd_hand.htm__
 * __http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/CHEMPIRE/FORMHAN.HTM__
 * __http://www.international.ucla.edu/asia-archive/lessons/zarou/WSHan.htm__


 * Library Databases **
 * @http://www.micdslibrary.com/databases.html

Scroll down to the History/Social Studies menu; the ABCCLIO Ancient World History database is particularly helpful.

=Research and Citations= Use the space below to record your research for each question. Remember that you will need to cite your sources using the format found on the MICDS Library resource page.

What type of religion existed in the Roman Empire and Han Dynasty?
Han China: There was a numerous amount of religions in Han china: Chinese Folk Religion, Buddhism, Taoism, consisting of both State and house religion. __**Buddhism**__- Hans adapted their own form of Buddism called "Chinese Buddism". This religion was devoloped in the later years of The Han China civilization. __**Taoism**__-//Taoism// was the state religion of the early Han Dynasty, Taoism was a widely practiced religion.
 * __Confucianism-__** is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher confucius . From 551 to 448 B.C Confucianism was the main religion of Han China. It was very popular in the early years of The Han dynasty. Confucianism was very important to the Hans.
 * __Chinese Folk Religion-__ Chinese Folk Religion was a religion that involved Chinese Folk Heros and was a very basic religion, it was widely practiced and consisted of Chinese Folk Animals such as the dragon that they believed had different charistics and powers. **

Imperial Rome: They had household and state religion, they were first monotheistic and polytheistic celebrating jewish and christian as well as budhism.
 * __Christian__-** Christian was a religion that was devoloped in the later years of the Roman Empire, they believed in numerous gods ( Polytheistic) and they moved to monotheistic and the word of christianity.
 * __Jewish__-** Jewish was a religion that was set appart from the other religions, the practice of Jewish was a religion that was widely practiced. It was devoloped close to the later years of the Han empire.
 * __Roman Christianity__** - Monotheistic; a belief of one god. The people of Imperial Rome changed to the religion of christianity in the later years of there religion practice. Although he was executed by Rome at an early age, Jesus would have a **massive impact** on the Roman Empire. Christianity had an influence on the expansion of Rome. In the later years of Imperial Rome christianity was practiced **__widely.__ After Jesus's death by Rome christianity would take a big impact in Imperial Rome.[[image:colosseum.jpg]] **

How much of an influence did religion have in both places? Describe the impact, whether negative or positive, religion had on China and Rome?
Han China: In Han China religion was a daily activity, they thought that there was specific animals and objects that represented respect and honor. Everyone in Han China believed in different religions but practiced them as a state and household activity. The people of Han china made living sacrifices to there god(s) and were monotheistic and polytheistic. Religion was taken in different perspective. Some people thought it was not good to have a house for only nuns or priest to practice there religion.

Imperial Rome: In Imperial Rome they believed that religion was very important. They had human and animal sacrifices that they believed made the gods ' happy', when there was a storm the people of Rome thought that the gods were' mad'. The people in Rome took religion very seriously, they did everything they could to ' please the gods'. It had a very positive influence to the Romans making there mythological beliefs.

Describe the religious practice and form of worship that existed in the Han Dynasty and Roman Empire?
Han China: Well in the Han dynasty they practiced there religion daily, they gave links to chinese mythology which showed there practice by worshipping there gods. In Han China they made animal sacrifices to there gods to make them ' happy'. They had elements that they belived were the main 5 elements of the world( Fire, Wind, Water, Earth, Wood). They practiced religions at //**alters**// showing their respect to there god(s). They believed in Taoism, Buddhism, and Confuciaisim and their own Chinese Folk Religion.

Imperial Rome: In Imperial Rome it was a question if they went to church but we do know they practiced religion daily in there household and as a state. They gave there gods sacrifices and practiced daily. They worshiped the same gods as others but they had different names and charistics. They had state practice and daily worship, they belived if the gods were mad it would storm and they would see unusual symptoms of things, if everything was normal the gods were happy.

Why and how did the Roman Empire move from a polytheistic religion to a set of beliefs focused on Christianity and monotheism
Imperial Rome: Rome turned to christianity because the message of Jesus excited the people and drew more people to him, the mysterious rites of purification and assurance of peace and happines in the afterlife. Another important point was the conversion of the emperor Constantine. The religion of Christianity shocked and suprised people and drew them towards it, they wanted to believe in afterlife and the word of Jesus.

How did Confucianism influence the Han Dynasty?
Han China:

"The Religion of Confucius" is an East Asian ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the early Chinese sage Confucius. Some have considered it to have been the "state religion" of imperial China.However, there are recent signs of the comeback of Confucianism in mainland China.The cultures most strongly influenced by Confucianism include **//Chinese//**, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. This includes various territories, including mainland China .**//Neo-Confucianism//** combined Taoist and Buddhist ideas with existing Confucian ideas to create a more complete idea than there had ever existed before. Many forms of Confucianism have, however, made their opposition to the Buddhist and Taoist belief systems, despite their importance and popularity in Chinese tradition. Development of early Confucianism.

Confucius was a famous sage of China whose teachings deeply influenced East Asia. The relationship between Confucianism and Confucius himself, however, is shy. Confucius' ideas were not accepted during his lifetime and he frequently couldn't believe the fact that he remained unemployed. (551- 479 BCE)

Similarities and Differences
Before deciding which dynasty your client should visit, you may wish to create a simple Venn Diagram to compare/contrast the two empires. You may use [|this template] or create one online at Read-Write-Think.

=== Which empire should Ms. Fy, a motivational speaker, visit? Why? I think she should visit Han China because in the notes I read it said that the Han's believed that happiness can be bought and it contained things that said ' Ten Days to Defeat Dystopia". The people of Han China were very civilized and I think it is everything she if looking for and she will really be interested in their beliefs because they are related to hers. The people of Han China will motivate her and I just think that Rome would not satisfy her and all of the beliefs she has because they weren't as enthuasiastic in religious beliefs as the people of Han China. ===

= **Travel Poster Components:** =

You will create a travel poster for each of the two empires. Each poster should be attractive, persuasive, and highlight the major features related to your topic. You will create the posters using Glogster.edu (instructions will be provided in class) and they should contain the following components:

__**Travel Poster Components**__
 * 1) One Glogster.edu poster for each dynasty
 * 2) At least three "must see" tourist features with detailed text and relevant images for each dynasty
 * 3) At least one audio recording on each poster

The **[|Poster Rubric]** will be used to evaluate your work; you should refer to it before handing in your final product. When you have completed the poster, embed it below the "Travel Poster" heading below:

Travel Posters
//embed your posters here by copying the embed code from Glogster and adding an HTML widget//

= **Oral Presentation Guidelines** = The oral presentation is your opportunity to share your posters, explain whether your client should visit Han China or the Roman Empire, and should follow these guidelines:
 * 1) Less than three minutes in length
 * 2) Should address/explain the "must see" features of each dynasty
 * 3) Should explain which destination the client should visit and why

This presentation is about speaking skills and the use of your posters. You will be permitted to use notecards but are NOT to simply read your notes to the audience. The **[|Presentation Rubric]** will be used to evaluate your work; you should refer to it before giving your final presentation.