Question

what might an observant Chinese traveler from the Han dynasty era find surprising or offensive in India or the Greco-Roman world? What similarities might he or she notice?

Answer 1

Similarities

• China during the Han dynasty had very structured social hierarchies, with twenty different classes. This somewhat resembled the caste system of India.
• Arranged marriages were the norm, as was the case in India. Also, divorces were allowed just like in the Greco-Roman world.
• Social and economic activities were highly gendered in all three countries.
• Philosophy, arts and literature were very developed in all three cultures.

Differences

• Buddhist ideas were adopted during this period, which were very different from the religious traditions of the other regions.
• The Chinese government was highly centralized, while the Greek city-states were closer to a democratic, federal institution.
• Culinary traditions were very different among the regions because of their different weather.