place and space, on religious belief.. Another aspect of the relationship between religion and geography is religious geography, in which geographical ideas are influenced by religion, such as early map-making, and the biblical geography that developed in the 16th century to identify places from the Bible. As a native of the Levant, Haddad uniquely was positioned to have been aware, as well, of the common practices surrounding these figures between local communities of Muslims, Christians, Jews, and others. It is the largest of all Asian countries and has the largest population of any . Geography does not only affect where particular religions or belief systems, such as the world's major faiths, are located but it can affect how specific beliefs are practiced and behaviors that it encourages. talong45 talong45 17.10.2020 Geography Primary School answered Geography, Space and the Sacred. In The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion, 2nd ed., 476491. How does geography affect culture? Quiz. Naturally, these factors also affect the development of religious notions: gods and narratives take on particular characteristics or serve particular purposes relevant to and reflective of certain geographical areas (and not reflective of other areas); motifs and metaphors are more meaningful in certain geographical areas than in others; and historical religious structures and the locations in which they are built are largely shaped by the landscapes out of which they are born. This makes it very difficult to leave one's church. In everyday life how can you conserve water write some points? They also had interaction with Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Srilanka, and Singapore. Geography of Religion as A Theory: Geography Shapes Religion. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In his article, Haddad was the first to make the provocative but unsubstantiated claim that the cults of these georgic saints is a continuation, with variations, of the cults of the Baals of ancient Syria (Haddad 1969, 22), referring to the millennia-long regionally dominant figure of the Syro-Canaanite storm-god, Baal-Hadad, as well as to Baals regional syncretic manifestations. The Romans before him waged extermination campaigns against Christians who would not bow to the emperor. Like other early civilizations, Ancient China developed along rivers: the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. Updates? Religion is a way of life that unites a community. 2007. China has many natural barriers that affected the country's development and created four distinct regions. Why do dominant languages continue to spread around the world? It explores the ways in which religion, its symbols, rites, beliefs and hopes have shaped the world in which we live. There followed a century of decline and decrepitude, as China found itself relatively helpless in the face of a foreign onslaught. PDF RELIGION AND GEOGRAPHY - Lancaster University Hence, religions like Buddhism and Sikhism spread within these civilizations. Geography does not only affect where particular religions or belief systems, such as the world's major faiths, are located but it can affect how specific beliefs are practiced and behaviors that it encourages. Wright --University of Arizona, Center for Judaic Studies This would constitute apostasy, a crime which is punishable by death. History also plays a major role in shaping the geography of religion. The holy spirit., what did the apostle of Jesus do which brought joy to many?, what do we need to do to understand and apply the teachings of jesus in our life., Why do we need to determine the cultural relativism in attaining the cultural understanding?. The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion, 2nd ed. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Influence of geography on language development can be of many types: 1. Create your account. Instead, the three main rivers in the Levant the Orontes, the Litani, and the Jordan as well as smaller regional rivers and hundreds of far smaller, seasonal tributaries, together with a few surface lakes and the regional aquifers, have provided the water resources necessary for life in the Levant. China is unique among nations in its longevity and resilience as a discrete politico-cultural unit. Throughout the second half of the second millennium BCE and the first millennium BCE, Baal-Hadad often was named the patron deity of particular cities, inspiring local epithets of Baal-Hadad that linked him with those cities (e.g., Baal of Tyre, Baal of Aleppo). South and East Asian countries are home to religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism. Rachel Payne Gill is a World Cultures teacher, and has her Master's in Education from Lamar university. Probably the single most identifiable characteristic of China to the people of the rest of the world is the size of its population. Haddad, Hassan S. 1969. Advertisement Expert-Verified Answer 273 people found it helpful Sildonia Answer INDIA The lush plains of the east and west became populated areas of India. Southern China has a very subtropical climate and remains mildly warm to hot throughout the year. She is certified to teacher Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts for levels EC-8th grade. The history of China was also interrupted for over 4,000 years, making China the oldest civilization. According to Alberto R.W. The Gobi Desert spans roughly 1,000 miles across central Asia and can be divided into five sub-regions: the Eastern Gobi Desert steppe, the Alashan plateau, the Gobi Lakes Valley desert steppe, Dzungarian Basin semi-desert, and the Tian Shan range. Expert Answers. How did geography affect religious events and development in the country? These two seas are also connected to each other by the Strait of Taiwan that runs along the small section of coastline between China and Taiwan. Indeed, the region primarily can be characterized by an agricultural economic base through the mid-twentieth century CE. What are the effects of geography on language development? Answered: How did geography affect religious | bartleby What are the major ethnic groups in China? How did geography affect religious events and development in West Asia, in the - 4932644. answered 2. It was a period of bloody wars and also of far-reaching changes in politics, society, and intellectual outlook. Indeed, increasing secularism in the West has been accompanied by rising social tensions. Trade contributed to the spread of Islamic culture and led to a growing feeling of internationalism. For example, in Yemen, it is illegal to convert from Islam to another religion. The great majority of the population is Chinese (Han), and thus China is often characterized as an ethnically homogeneous country, but few countries have as wide a variety of indigenous peoples as does China. An error occurred trying to load this video. And these motifs extend even further back in time. Think about the region you live in, and the characteristics of religion and its influences in your region, and write an essay of at least two pages that describes this. well because at the time that was the only religion that was flourishing and if not the biggest, one of the biggest religions in the world. As churches fade from importance, people turn to politics to find meaning. China stretches for about 3,250 miles (5,250 km) from east to west and 3,400 miles (5,500 km) from north to south. In his article, Haddad was the first to make the provocative but unsubstantiated claim that the cults of these georgic saints is a continuation, with variations, of the cults of the Baals of ancient Syria (Haddad 1969, 22), referring to the millennia-long regionally dominant figure of the Syro-Canaanite storm-god, Baal-Hadad, as well as to Baals regional syncretic manifestations. In some religions, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, believers are forbidden to contact apostates. 20 chapters | Geography 101: Human & Cultural Geography, The Geography of Languages, Religions, and Material Culture, Material Culture in Sociology: Definition, Studies & Examples, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Adam De Gree, Christine Serva, Lesley Chapel, How Geography and Culture Affect Religion, Introduction to Human & Cultural Geography, Language & Language Regions: Definitions & Dialects, The World's Major Languages: Development & Diffusion, The World's Major Written Languages: Letters & Symbols, What are Emoticons? Instead, the region is covered by many basins with smooth, rocky floors, and its high elevation results in a very arid, cold climate. Along with the mainland, there are a few islands, mainly Hainan Island, that are also part of this territory. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Due to the natural barriers surrounding Ancient China, they did not have knowledge or access to other cultures for centuries. 55. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. First, its geological structures: the Mediterranean basin, which is composed of a bedrock of limestone, weathers quickly, leaving behind an abundance of rocks, thin, rocky soils, and thousands of caves and grottoes. Religion also helps people comprehend death. China | Culture, History, Maps, & People | Britannica Each had its own contribution to the region. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Throughout history, rivers such as the Yangtze and Huang He rivers made China thrive for thousands of years. In the sixteenth-seventeenth century Geographers studied the spread of Christianity on a worldwide scale, Why? An error occurred trying to load this video. Another way in which we can see the effects of geography on religious narratives, figures, motifs, metaphors, and structures in this example, in the area of the Levant is through the notion of agrarian religion, first identified and coined by James Grehan in his 2014 book, Twilight of the Saints: Everyday Religion in Ottoman Syria and Palestine (Grehan 2014). Green, Alberto R. W. 2003. This shaping influence extends naturally to the religious traditions that develop in certain places, affecting the figures, metaphors, motifs, and physical structures that are relevant in certain areas of the world. As the agrarian orientation of our societies gradually has diminished since the mid-20th century CE, the original influence of geography has persisted within our religious traditions its just that, usually, we cant see it any longer. Pretend that you are a geographer studying religion. This allowed China to develop independently without any outside influences. Being located exactly at the convergence of three continental plates the African, Arabian, and Eurasian has created the topography of the region and has resulted in three topographical zones: coastal plains in the west, a central band of mountain ranges, and plains and plateaus in the east. Other major geographical features located in China are the Himalayan Mountain Range and the Tibetan Plateau. They might also be able to show how geography can shape the borders of certain religions. Geographic Influences on Migration in the Caribbean, Central & South America, Political & Cultural Issues in Confucius' Time. 5 March 2016. 2008. That is, according to a Geography of Religion theoretical perspective, religions inherently are geographically contextualized: prevailing political, social, religious, and physical-geographical conditions evident within a particular locality are understood to influence the development and manifestation of that localitys religious traditions at any given point in time. Learn about the geography of religion. For instance, differences in characteristics and powers between what were the ancient Near Eastern storm-gods largely are attributable to the geographical and climatological traits of the region in which those gods manifested. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 Investigating this particular example offers a good case study for the usefulness of geography of religion as both a theory (geography shapes religions) and as a method (geographical contextualization allows us to see that religious traditions always are a product of both place and time). Similar phenomena and characteristics neither appear in the mythological or cosmogonic stories of warmer-weather locations, like the Levant, nor would they have resonated with the same effect among people there. Discover what geographic features isolated ancient China from other civilizations and learn geography facts about China. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The East Sea is north of Taiwan and on the very east coast of China. Those conditions and influences are likely to extend beyond the disciplinary realms of Hinduism and of Hindu theology. Within Chinas boundaries exists a highly diverse and complex country. What experience do you need to become a teacher? succeed. She is an instructional designer, educator, and writer. Some argue that this can be best explained by the fact that religion no longer unites communities. Ancient Civilization: China - National Geographic Society Asad, Talal. The interaction of culture and geography is called human geography, which is the study of peoples language, religion, medicine, economics and entertainment and how these practices have been influenced by their location. Thus, the study of religion is a fruitful and important areas of inquiry. Central to Chinas long-enduring identity as a unitary country is the province, or sheng (secretariat). China has mountains, plateaus, deserts, and tropical rainforests.