Tao Te Ching

The Power of Goodness, the Wisdom Beyond Words

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Sumerian (Mesopotamia) Civilization (4400 – 3100 BCE)

Earliest verified civilization credited with birthing inventions like the wheel, paper and ink, the alphabet and writing, the horse and wagon, coinage, the calendar, the clock, checkers, dice, and beer; the Sumerian Civilization also developed mathematics and geometry, agriculture and irrigation, the planting of cereal crops, astronomy, law and government, medicine, commerce, income tax, books, libraries, and schools. Lodged on a Mesopotamian, Neolithic Revolution site between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that went back to 10,000 BCE, this Sumerian effort brought civilization from it’s ancient possibilities to its modern foundation. Along with all the progress, however, came the “sins of civilization”: slavery, the exploitation of the weak by the powerful, imperialistic war, priesthoods, and despots. Another example of how human nature stays basically the same as history’s external trappings wave in the wind.

Nüwa 女媧
c. 3500 BCE
Symbol for all the wise and influential women of ancient times

The first Chinese heroine and credited with saving mankind during a time of great catastrophe, Nüwa’s story goes back to the era when China was a matriarchal society. Though probably not an historical figure, we include her here as a representative of the feminine wisdom lineage. Because “history is written by the victors” and men have written most of history, it’s hard to find ancient female wisdom holders. Nüwa symbolizes all the wise and influential women of olden times.

Quotes (1 Quotes)

“Despite much research, we cannot tell of what race the Sumerians were, nor by what route they entered Sumeria... a synthesis of rough beginnings and occasional but brilliant mastery... Here within the limits of our present understanding [we find] the first states and empires, the first irrigation, the first use of gold and silver, the first business contracts, the first credit system, the first code of law, the first extensive development of writing, the first libraries and schools, the first literature and poetry, the first cosmetics and jewelry, the first sculpture, the first palaces and temples... the first large scale sins of civilization: slavery, despotism, ecclesiasticism, and imperialistic war.”

— Will Durant 1885 – 1981 CE
Philosophy apostle and popularizer of history's lessons
from Our Oriental Heritage

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