Compare and Contrast Classical China and India

Compare and Contrast Classical China and India
The foundations were set for these two Classical developing empires: China, separated from other developing empires and India, supported by them. While both Classical China and India had hierarchy’s based on agriculture and organized patriarchal societies, India developed multiple institutions, such as language, while China developed one united dialect. Agriculture helped set a hierarchy for these classical civilizations. For example, China categorized groups of people according to their ability, as opposed to India, by their status. China was divided into four main bands: scholars—included aristocratic people who studied to stay at a high rank and the bureaucratic scholarly elite—respected because of their knowledge. Next, the peasant farmers, who played a key role in the rise of Chinese civilization. They provided food to sustain society and were the most valuable, but only thought of as second. The artisans and craftsmen produced objects for everyday use and even created their own guilds, third in the social class. Lastly, merchants and traders, whom the Chinese didn’t have much respect for. Though they could only achieve a significant wealth, the fact that they didn’t produce anything themselves disgusted the Chinese. Even though farmers and peasants—the ones who produce the agriculture, are ranked second, they were the most important to society. They were the base of society, if they stopped, everyone stopped. India as well. Firstly ranked in their famous caste system were warriors of a governing and priestly class. Next, the farmers and traders: farmers to produce crops and traders to come up with new foreign curiosities. Third of all were the common labourers, who worked a common life, with blue collar jobs. Last and least were the Untouchables, who were made to do unwanted dirty work. When agriculture first came in to the picture, it created more than just two social classes (rich and poor). It