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April 10 , 2004
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Professions - final list - Orient
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Posted at 19:00 EST
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Actor A man who acts in plays.
Actress A woman who performs in a plays with combined skills including acting, poetry, song, mime and dance.
Ambassador An envoy from his government to another country – his mission could be both passionate and dangerous.
Archer A person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow, a military art spanning all through the Orient.
Architect A person responsible for the creation of building schemes -small to magnificent, throughout the Orient.
Artisan A skilled worker who practices some handicraft, these include Blacksmiths, Coppersmiths, Carpenters, Cobblers, Embroiderers, Engravers, Jewelers, Mask-makers, Metalworkers, Potters, Seamstress, Tailors, Weavers…
Artist One who is skilled in some one of the fine arts, such as painting and sculpture, in some regions {like India} this can also mean musician.
Astrologer An astrologer would advise people about a range of subjects including weather, best time to harvest, matchmaking, and business using divination, time cycles and creation of calendars in the form of an almanac.
Bookseller Owner of a bookstore, a popularized occupation with the invention of paper in 1st century ad China. To trade books was often an opportunity of meeting learned scholars, interesting literati, local poets and artists.
Calligrapher An expert on the art of "beautiful handwriting", the art form through lettering.
Concubine A woman who cohabits with a man without being his legal wife, does not hold the same protection as that of wife, but may acquire high status such as Imperial concubines.
Counselor of State A member of council; one appointed to advise a sovereign.
Courtesan A woman who trades sexual favors; most courtesans are allowed to learn, to read, sing or dance.
Dancer One who becomes an expert in some form of dance, often closely related to theatre.
Elephant trainer Elephant trainers (Mahout) are found in India and South East Asia.
Emperor The ruler of an empire.
Empress Either the first wife of the Emperor or a regent queen (either of self-rule or dowager/mother to chosen emperor).
Eunuch A man who has been castrated; literally bed-keeper or chamberlain, and not necessarily in all cases one who was mutilated.
Fakir In India, a Fakir was a holy man, generally called a sadhu, who lived by begging and is supposedly capable of various magical and miraculous feats.
Farmer Agricultural laborer or small landowner, rice paddy farmers from China or wheat farmers in Pakistan.
Fisherman A common character of folk tales, one whose main occupation is catching fish.
Geisha A professional hostess who entertains guests through various performing arts, which may include Japanese ancient dance, singing, playing instruments, flower arrangement, wearing kimono, tea ceremony, calligraphy, conversation, and table serving manners.
General One of the chief military officers of a government or country; the commander of an army. (aka Shogun for Japan).
Government Official A functionary of the government, in China, a bureaucrat or even mandarin.
Governor Governors were invested with the supreme executive authority in a district or a province.
Herder Associated with Asian nomadic societies, one who drives a herd of livestock such as sheep, cattle, and goats, can also include camels, yaks, horses, and other beasts of burden.
Historian A chronicler; an annalist – an important functionary in many Asian societies for upkeep of the Imperial and military records.
Hunter Someone who lives by hunting, or hunts to provide meats to the community.
Immortal An Immortal (Xian or Hsien), in Daoism and Chinese Religion, is a human being who gained eternal life and god-like powers through ritual and alchemical practices.
Innkeeper Owner of a tavern or a inn, providing shelter, food, drink and also entertainment.
Judge Judicial public officer with powers limited by the law codes of the country.
Landlord A landowner, controls the lands and housing traditionally over farmsteads and city centers. (Japan - daimyo)
Literati A learned or literary man/woman.
Mathematician
An expert in mathematics; a science with deep roots in China and India.
Merchant Traders and shopkeepers bought and sold goods throughout all the East territory, including traders for the Silk Road or in jade, gold or jewels or handicrafts. (Hindu caste system -Vaishyas).
Messenger Couriers and postal riders carried messages and letters on many routes, linking each empire with the others.
Minister One who was entrusted with the management of affairs of state, or some department of such affairs.
Monk Member of a monastery or religious community, often living of alms. (Hindu monks - Sadhus) .
Nun A woman who takes monastic vows.
Musician One skilled in the art or science of music for ritual or entertainment.
Nobleman Member of the aristocratic class. Some will live in the Imperial court.
Noblewoman Member of the aristocratic class.
Oracle medium An oracle is a spirit which enters those men and women who act as mediums between the natural and the spiritual realms, abilities include foretelling and healing. (Tibetan - kuten)
Painter An artist, using paints and other mediums, some specialize in religious depiction. (Chinese amateur court painters- Wen-jen)
Philosopher Indian and Chinese Philosophers dealt with the fundamental questions that concern all humanity from ancient times. Also known as Sage.
Physician A person skilled in the art of healing; the most known medical eastern systems are the Ayurvedic school (of India) and the traditional Chinese medicine.
Poet Someone who makes poetry, an ancient art with strong traditions in both written form (China), imperial sponsoring and in oral form (India) (Japanese poetry styles -tanka and haiku)
Potter A craftsman who makes pottery, heating common clay to create either utilitarian or ornamental objects.
Priest Member of the religious class, some priests can be abbots of a temple or a monastery. (Tibetan - lama, Japan - osho, India - brahmin/Brahman)
Priestess Woman priest, member of the religious class.
Prince The son of a king or member of a royal family.
Princess The daughter of a king or member of a royal family.
Printmaker One who creates printed text using wood and clay tablets.
Sailor One who mans the ships or other seafaring vessels, may be pirates, privateers, explorers or merchants.
Scroll maker artisan Art of scroll and hanging scroll making using many different steps, usually skilled at paper use, printing, painting and calligraphy.
Sculptor An artist who's primary medium is carving in stone, can include cave carvings and sculpture for religious depiction.
Sento owner Owner of a communal bath house, a practise with ancient origins throughout much of Asia and traceable to Buddhist temples in India. (Japanese bathhouse -Yuya and Oyuya)
Shaman A medium, a mouthpiece of the spirit. A shaman undergoes fasts, seclusion, and other ordeals leading to dreams and visions.
Snake Charmer Snake charmers are a classic street-act, found throughout India.
Silkworm farmer One who tends silkworms, for about 30 centuries the gathering and weaving of silk was process kept in secret by the Chinese.
Slave A person owned by another, for agricultural work, housework, or builders of the Great Wall and other grand monuments.
Soldier Employed by the State or mercenary, some held this profession post harvest only.
Spy A member of an empire's intelligence agency, one who secretly collects information.
Sumo wrestler A wrestling form of ancient Japan, and one of the oldest of the Japanese martial arts. Sumo wrestlers may achieve high status through technique, having massive proportions and practising the art of haragei.
Teacher Throughout Asia, one who instructs pupils in various disciplines either in universities or through private teaching employ.
Tea master Master of chado, the Way of Tea.
Teahouse keeper Owner of a tea house, a popular place to relax in China.
Traveller An explorer or one who traverses the countryside, taking accounts based on their journeys.
Yogi One who practices yoga and has achieved a high level of spiritual insight; follower of the yoga philosophy; an ascetic.
Yogini Woman who practices a yoga discipline and has achieved a high level of spiritual insight.
Warrior Member of the military class. (India warrior - Kshatriya -includes aristocratic or ruling class; Japan - samurai or bushi).
Unemployed Searching for an occupation.
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March 25 , 2004
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Professions - Orient
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Posted at 09:00 EST
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Actor A man who acts in plays. The first manifestations of acting were in worship and religious rituals. Although the dramas of specific eastern countries vary, in general they were unified works of art that blend literature, dance, music, and spectacle.
Actress A woman who performs in a play. Some varieties of plays could only be played by male actors but in some cases, as on the Yuan stage, the first golden age of Chinese drama, actresses were prominent. In many cultures, a performer would need to master many skills since a play was a fusion of poetry, song, mime and dance.
Ambassador An envoy from his government to another country – his mission could be both passionate and dangerous. In East Asia the status of diplomacy was similar to that of Imperial Rome. China regarded itself as the centre of the world, and other states existed only as actual or nominal tributaries.
Archer A person who is expert in the use of a bow and arrow. In China, archery dates back to the Shang dynasty (1766-1027 bc). Later on, nobles at court attended archery tournaments that were accompanied by music. In Japan, the art of the Arch is known as Kyudo. The most powerful and effective oriental archers were probably the Mongols, who trained from childhood and shot from horseback.
Architect Architects (and Engineers) were an essential piece of Asian magnificent legacy concerning outstanding works as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Taj Mahal, the pagodas of Mandalay Hill or the Zen gardens of Kyoto. In any case, from the simple stem home, to the most superb religious or administrative building, architects would work according to natural and cosmological laws leading to harmony between earth and heaven.
Artisan A skilled worker who practices some handicraft. Artisans formed guilds and cooperatives in the urban areas and guild leaders became important figures in society. Guilds also provided technical education. The occupations vary: Blacksmiths, Coppersmiths, Carpenters, Cobblers, Embroiderers, Engravers, Jewelers, Mask-makers, Metalworkers, Potters, Seamstress, Tailors, Weavers…
Artist One who is skilled in some one of the fine arts, such as painting and sculpture. In ancient India, the arts were all related to one another. An artist was expected to be a painter, a sculptor, a musician and even a dancer. In China and Japan, the brush is the preferred means of artistic expression, and painting and calligraphy are practiced by amateur and professional alike. In Tibet, the artist is not a creator, as in western terms, and most of Tibetan religious art have not a signature. In the Southeast countries, both music and art were well supported in the king's court, allowing classical traditions to flourish.
Astrologer In most eastern societies, the astrologer was concerned not only divination, but also with the study of time cycles, and the compilation of the calendar in the form of an almanac. An almanac was of most importance in a daily life basis, to ensure that their activities were in tune with the cosmos - certain days were considered auspicious for specific activities. An astrologer would advise people about nearly everything: weather, best time to harvest, matchmaking, and important business deals. At the birth of a child, a chart was required to see if any special rituals were to be performed to ward off negative planetary influences. Eastern astrology is also linked with medicine studies – and often, an astrologer would also be a physician (or vice-versa!)
Bookseller Owner of a bookstore. To trade books was often an opportunity of meeting learned scholars, interesting literati, local poets and artists. Bookselling became common after the invention of paper, around the 1st century AD in China. By this time, bookshops had already sprung up in the national capital, Luoyang, and by 800 AD its use has spread as far as Baghdad. The needs of China's imperial bureaucracy stimulated large-scale paper production and distribution; the book trade followed the growth of this industry. Early Chinese books were usually in scroll form. Later, bound volumes replaced scrolls.
Calligrapher An expert on the art of "beautiful handwriting". Although calligraphy is generally considered a form of lettering, in most Asian societies it was also an art form by itself. Chinese calligraphers generally imitated the style of an earlier artist, interpreting that style through subtle variations in each of their brushstrokes.
Concubine A woman who cohabits with a man without being his legal wife. Concubinage was a socially acceptable practice in many ancient cultures; concubines, however, were generally denied the protection to which a legal wife was entitled and her status was lower than that of the first wife. Some concubines acquired an important status, most especially Imperial concubines.
Counselor of State A member of council; one appointed to advise a sovereign. This was one of the most praised positions in a state. The most powerful clans vied for this position, for from that seat they could control the emperor and the entire government itself.
Courtesan A woman who trades sexual favors. In India, courtesans would dance in the temples and at public ceremonies, and were almost the only women allowed to learn, to read, sing or dance. In traditional China, a young girl would be "apprenticed" to a brothel, where she would grow up learning the arts of hospitality while developing talents in singing, musical instruments, dance, poetry, and painting. Afterwards she was relatively free to select her patron-lovers, provided she was in enough demand to have a choice.
Dancer One who becomes an expert in some form of dance. Dancing has been used as a vehicle of worship and expression of emotions. In South-East Asia, as elsewhere in Asia, it is often not possible to draw a clear line between dance and theatre. Most theatrical forms were performed by dance movements or with dance-like gestures to the accompaniment of music.
Elephant trainer Elephant trainers (Mahout) are found in India and South East Asia
Emperor The ruler of an empire. Most eastern mythological stories bestow a divine origin to their people or emperor. Despite the fact that in some cases the effective power of the emperors was limited or purely symbolic, all actual rulers respected the emperor and were keen in having the imperial legitimization for their position as rulers. Both in China and in Japan, the Emperor was the Son of Heaven (Heaven in the Chinese context is a divine/natural force) and had the Mandate of Heaven to rule.
Empress Either as the first wife of the Emperor or as a regent queen, an empress could become quite powerful in the government of a nation. Actually, in Japan, the ancient custom of rule by women continues intermittently until late in the 8th century.
Eunuch A man who has been castrated; literally bed-keeper or chamberlain, and not necessarily in all cases one who was mutilated. From ancient times, in the Far and Middle East eunuchs were used to take charge of the women in harems or to serve as chamberlains. In Iran, India, and China, they were active and effective in public affairs — certain eunuchs gained immense power that may supersede that of the prime ministers.
Fakir In India, a Fakir was a holy man, generally called a sadhu, who lived by begging and is supposedly capable of various magical and miraculous feats.
Farmer Agricultural laborer or small landowner, rice paddy farmers from China or wheat farmers in Pakistan… they all contributed to the raise of their societies since the economy of traditional cultures was based on agriculture.
Fisherman Someone whose main occupation is catching fish. Fishing was an essential task for the surviving of littoral economies. Fishermen were also a common character of folk tales.
Geisha "Gei" means arts or performance in Japanese "Sha" means people. A Geisha is a professional hostess who entertains guests through various performing arts. A Geisha must be trained in many traditional skills such as: Japanese ancient dance, singing, playing instruments, flower arrangement, wearing kimono, tea ceremony, calligraphy, conversation, and table serving manners.
General One of the chief military officers of a government or country; the commander of an army. In some places and times, the general/warlord was the guarantor of the order in the empire. In Japan, the authority of the Shogun would shape a all society.
Government Official A functionary. In China, a bureaucrat or even mandarin. Being such a big country, China development of bureaucracy was of outmost importance. By the Tang dynasty one had to pass the government exams to be assigned a job in high office. It was a route to riches and fame.
Governor Governors were invested with with the supreme executive authority in a district or a province. In China, anyone entering the administration had to pass the government exams, and only the most gifted could access an official charge. A notable feature of the later dynasties was the dominance of the scholar-official class, made up of educated men who were recruited to serve as government officials based on their skills rather than their family background.
Herder Someone who drives a herd. Herding was one of the most important activities in traditional nomadic societies, such as Mongolia and Tibet. In addition to sheep, cattle, and goats, the herds include camels, yaks, horses, and other beasts of burden.
Historian A chronicler; an annalist – in ancient traditional societies, time was not seen as having a linear but a cyclic nature: in “Records of the Grand Historian” by the Chinese historian Sima Qian, each chapter covered a different topic: one chapter was a political record of the kings and emperors; the next would cover literature; the third, philosophy, and so on. Every dynastic record that followed copied Sima's original.
Hunter Someone who lives by hunting. Hunting was a vital task in most traditional societies, especially the nomadic ones who hunted for sustenance and followed their game’s seasonal movements.
Immortal An Immortal (Xian or Hsien), in Daoism and Chinese Religion, is a human being who gained eternal life and god-like powers through ritual and alchemical practices. There are three grades of immortals: tianshen (heavenly immortals), who can fly; dishen (earthly immortals), who live in the mountains and forests; and shijieshen (corpseless immortals), who simply give up their bodies after death.
Innkeeper Owner of a tavern or a inn. From the most remote caravanserai to the smallest Japanese sake tavern, inns were not only there for shelter and food (or drink!), but also for entertainment: dancers or storytellers would gather there and perform for travelers and local people.
Judge Judicial public officer with powers limited by the law codes of the country. A Magistrate assumed different roles according to the places and times.
Landlord Most of a country wealth was in the hands of the landlords, and their authority could not be neglected. In Japan, a daimyo could dominate a region or the all country and political or military struggles for power were almost constant between clan chieftains.
Literati A learned or literary man/woman. Literary activity in ancient times is dominated by men. However, we will find here and there a well-developed literate community of women surrounding the court of the emperor or the lesser courts of regional governors. Most particularly in Japan, during the Heian period (794-1192), the great literature was written by women: poetry, tales, and literary diaries.
Mathematician
An expert in mathematics. Mathematics obtained a high level of abstraction in India and China. In India, mathematics has its roots in Vedic literature and Indian mathematicians set forth for the first time the concept of zero, the techniques of algebra and algorithm, square root and cube root. The rudiments of Geometry, called Rekha-Ganita in ancient India, were formulated and applied in the drafting of Mandalas for architectural purposes.
Merchant Traders and shopkeepers bought and sold goods throughout all the East territory, with the Silk Road as the backbone of all commercial activity between East and West. In the Hindu caste system, they are called Vaishyas. However, though they were economically strong, merchants often were denied a high social status. Later, however, many influential Vaishyas were honored with titles like 'Nagar Seth' (chief merchant of the town) and 'Tazimi Seth' (privileged to wear an anklet in the king's presence and in royal durbars).
Messenger
Couriers and postal riders carried messages and letters on many routes. Mongols were responsible for a system of mounted couriers, somewhat like a pony-express network, established through the grasslands and deserts of Central Asia, linking the capital of the great khan in China with the far-flung outposts of the empire.
Minister
One who was intrusted with the management of affairs of state, or some department of such affairs.
Monk Member of a monastery or religious community, often living of alms. In Hinduism, monastic tradition varies somewhat from sect to sect. Historically this path has been open to males only, but Buddhism began accepting women. Hindu monks are called Sadhus and in most traditions are easily recognized by their saffron robes.
Nun A woman who takes monastic vows.
Musician One skilled in the art or science of music. The word commonly found in Sanskrit for music is sangit, denoting the primacy of vocal music. Instrumental music will largely derive from it. Often, music was part of shamanic rituals, as in the Korean province of Cholla, where their music, sinawi, was performed for the deities during a female shaman ritual dance. The role of a musician in the Chinese society was very much influenced by the Confucian thought who conceived music as a means of calming the passions and securing public harmony, rather than as a form of amusement. Some of the instruments played include woodwinds, plucked-string, and percussion instruments.
Nobleman Member of the aristocratic class. Some will live in the Imperial court.
Noblewoman Member of the aristocratic class.
Oracle medium In the Tibetan tradition, an oracle is a spirit which enters those men and women who act as mediums between the natural and the spiritual realms. The mediums are known as kuten, meaning, "the physical basis." Like in many ancient traditions, oracles, besides foretelling, are called upon as protectors and sometimes used as healers. The most known Tibetan oracle, is Nechung, the principal protector of the Tibetan government and the Dalai Lama.
Painter An artist. During Tang dynasty in China, painters produced a refined art that would expand in the dynasties that followed. Wen-jen—amateur painters working outside the court — made landscape painting an important expression of both art and philosophy. At the court, painters would use the favorite subjects in Chinese Art, birds and flowers, animals and children to produce art works in vast numbers for the royal collections. Japanese artists assimilated those elements of foreign culture (mostly Chinese and Korean) that complemented their aesthetic preferences. Painters in Tibet created a notable artistic tradition around the culture of Tibetan Buddhism, using esoteric images, mandalas, and blockprints.
Philosopher Indian and Chinese Philosophers dealt with the fundamental questions that concern all humanity from ancient times. The Vedas ask questions such as “what is the one Being (ekam sat) that is called by different names?” or “what was there before the origin of all things: was there Being (sat) or was there Non-Being (asat)?”. But in India we also find materialists, empiricists and hedonists philosophers. Chinese thought has tended towards humanism, rationalism and syncretism. The Chinese ideal was the Sage, living in harmony with the Earth and the Universe.
Physician A person skilled in the art of healing. Both China and India had a very advanced and sophisticated medical system. The Indian traditional medicine is called “Ayurveda” (Sanskrit ayus,”life”; veda,”knowledge”). Among the earlier Chinese practitioners, we have Pien Ch'ueh (5th Century B.C.) who discovered the art of diagnosis by using the pulse, Chang Chung-ching (early 5th Century, B.C.?) who wrote books concern with acupuncture, moxibustion, respiratory therapy and massage, and Hua T'o who first used anesthesia in operations (well, it was probably opium) and performed incredible operations, including organ transplants.
Poet Someone who makes poetry. Poetry is one of the most ancient and widespread of the arts. In China, the most important poetic from the classical period was the Shijing (Book of Poetry), an anthology of ancient poems that mark the beginning of the vernacular tradition in Chinese poetry. Japanese poets favor the extreme synthesis of their poetry. Two of their favorite forms are the tanka and the haiku. Many Japanese poets are also calligraphers and painters. Poets in India also have a strong, but mainly oral tradition, and many remained anonymous.
Potter A craftsman who makes pottery, heating common clay to create either utilitarian or ornamental objects. The production of pottery is one of the truly ancient arts known to man. The Jomon period (10 500-400BC) in Japan produced some of the oldest findings of pottery in history. Even the earliest of these ceramic pieces shows already a unique technique.
Priest
Member of the religious class, some priests can be abbots of a temple or a monastery. In Tibet, they are named “lama”, in Japan, there is the word "osho". In India, the brahmin/Brahman literally means one who has realised/is attempting to realise Brahman - the divinity. A Brahmin teaches the Veda, sacrifices for others, and receives alms.
Priestess Woman priest, member of the religious class.
Prince The son of a king or member of a royal family.
Princess The daughter of a king or member of a royal family.
PrintmakerThe Chinese and Japanese used wood and clay blocks to print text and captions on textiles and paper as early as the fifth century. The ancient Chinese produced the first printed book with a credible date of publication (an edition of the Buddhist text The Diamond Sutra was uncovered with a printing date of 868, nearly six full centuries before the first Gutenberg Bible's date of publication ).
Sailor A seafaring man. One of the most well known tribe for its sailing skills was the Makassans, who inhabit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. But before this, the Chinese Zheng He is probably one of the most celebrated sea explorers. Some sailors would turn into adventurers and even pirates or privateers. In the later Ming dynasty period, when Chinese rule was weak, the South China Sea was extremely dangerous for shipping because of piracy.
Scroll maker artisanThe art of scroll and hanging scroll making is unique in Asian countries. Particularly in China, Korea and Japan, a hanging scroll will be the labor of an intensive process, engaging different steps and skills.
Sculptor India has a tradition of highly skilled sculptors. Buddhist missionaries from India brought to China the practice of cutting temples from cliff walls. The earliest such cave temples in China were built in the 4th century in Dun-huang. They are decorated with relief carvings, paintings, and stone or stucco images of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. In Japan, Sculpture was felt to be a much less sympathetic medium for artistic expression as the brush and most Japanese sculpture is associated with religion.
Sento owner Owner of a communal bath house. The origins of the Japanese bathing culture can be traced to the Buddhist temples in India, from where it spread to China, and finally to Japan during the 8th century. Initially baths in Japan were usually found in a temple. These baths were called Yuya (Hot Water Shop) or later when they increased in size Oyuya (Big Hot Water Shop). Initially these baths were only used by priests, but sick people were allowed access to the bathhouse and soon wealthy people also included baths in their residences. The first mentioning of a commercial bathhouse comes from the 13th century.
Shaman
The shaman is a medium, a mouthpiece of the spirit. During its initiation he frequently undergoes prolonged fasts, seclusion, and other ordeals leading to dreams and visions. Shaman is derived from a word in the Tungus language of Siberia, one of the areas in which the classical form of shamanism is found. Women also served as religious shamans and regularly participated in ceremonials.
Snake Charmer Snake charmers are a classic street-act, found throughout India. They pretend that they are using music to charm the snake out of its basket. However, cobras have very limited hearing and cannot hear music. They would rise up and spread their hoods with or without the music because they are on their guard.
Silkworm farmer Silk is one of the oldest known textile fibres and, according to Chinese tradition, was used as long ago as the 27th century bc. For about 30 centuries the gathering and weaving of silk was process kept in secret by the Chinese.
Slave Slavery was an accepted and essential feature of all ancient civilizations. The ancient Mesopotamian, Indian, and Chinese civilizations employed slaves, either domestically in homes and shops or in gangs for large-scale construction or agriculture -the major portion of the Great Wall of China was made by slave and conscript labor.
SoldierFoot soldiers were usually peasants or merchants, forced to leave their fields or business.
Spy Someone who secretly collects information. Intelligence was early recognized as a vital tool of the diplomacy or war. The Chinese military theorist Sunzi stressed the importance of intelligence already in his book “The Art of War” (c. 500 bc) and gave detailed instructions for organizing an espionage system that would include double agents and defectors.
Sumo wrestler Sumo wrestling is a form of Japanese wrestling of a highly specialized kind and one of the oldest of the Japanese martial arts. Sumotori (sumo wrestlers) seldom weigh less than 130 kg (285 lb) and often they may be 200 kg (440 lb) and more. They achieve these proportions by eating prodigious quantities of food (including a high-protein stew called chanko nabe), but also by practising the art of haragei, a form of abdominal development called by the Japanese “soul in the stomach”. Early evidence of sumo is contained in the Nihon-Shoki, an 8th-century chronicle which refers to a contest in 23 bc. The purpose was to force an opponent to surrender unconditionally, or even to kill him. Sometimes battles were decided by having two sumo experts fight to resolve the issue. At an early stage religion was involved and fights were staged to propitiate the gods. Many of the early sumotori became famous and were granted privileges.
Teacher Ancient India was a society of considerable educational development. Its universities were some of the first ones in the world, notably Nalanda, which attracted many students from elsewhere in Asia, especially Chinese. India also sent its university graduates to other parts of Asia to teach. Everywhere, many aristocratic families had a private teacher to educate their children. Confucius himself was an itinerant scholar-teacher and adviser to the rulers of various states.
Tea master master of chado, the Way of Tea. Sen Rikyu, the greatest sixteenth century tea master, identified the spirit of the Way of Tea with four basic principles of harmony (WA), respect (KEI), purity (SEI), and tranquility (JYAKU).
Teahouse keeper Owner of a tea house. As a part of tea culture, tea houses have been very popular since the end of Ming Dynasty in China. They serve chinese snacks and souvenirs. Drama and Small Play could also be observed in tea houses since hundreds years ago. People relax, chat and sing in the tea house while the waiters serve tea. The reputation of a teahouse could derive from the beauty of their waitress.
Traveller Perhaps the most well known travelers on the Silk road were Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta, but many other travelers left accounts based on their extraordinary journeys and those accounts are considered to provide valuable historical and cultural information.
Yogi One who practices yoga and has achieved a high level of spiritual insight; follower of the yoga philosophy; an ascetic.
Yogini Woman who practices a yoga discipline and has achieved a high level of spiritual insight.
Warrior In India, the term 'warrior' (Kshatriya) covers the aristocratic or landowning ruling classes, including kings. In Japan, the members of the military class are the samurai (or bushi). They owe their loyalty to local aristocracy and warlords. The ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior") is a late invention when samurai had nothing to do because of the Tokugawa enforced peace. Mongols are mostly known as fierce warriors and both male and female youths were trained for the military.
Unemployed Searching for an occupation?
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March 23 , 2004
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Silk Road stuff
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Posted at 07:00 EST
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March 18 , 2004
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professions
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Posted at 12:00 EST
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Actor
Architect/ Engineer
Artist
Astrologer
Archer
Baker
Barber
Blacksmith
Bookseller
Calligrapher -http://www.kougei.or.jp/english/stationary.html
Camel herder
Coppersmith
Carpenter
Cobbler
Concubine
Courtesan
Craftsman
Dancer
Fakir - In India, a type of holy man, generally called a sadhu, who lives by begging and is supposedly capable of various magical and miraculous feats.
Farmer
Geisha "Gei" means arts or performance in Japanese. "Sha" means people. Geisha are professional hostesses who entertain guests through various performing arts. A Geisha must be trained in many traditional skills such as:
Japanese ancient dance, singing, playing instruments, flower arrangement, wearing kimono, tea ceremony, calligraphy, conversation, and table serving manners!
General/Shogun
Governor of a district or province
Engraver/printmaker
Explorer
Eunuch
Fisherman
Função Pública (How they say this?)
Herdsman
Historian
Immortal
Innkeeper /Tavern Owner
Jeweler /Metalworker
Judge (Magistrate)
Lawyer
Literati
Magician
Mathematician
Merchant/trader (in the Hindu caste system,Vaishya refers to the group of people who are traditionally tradesmen)
Messenger
Minister
Monk/Nun
Musician
Nobleman/Noblewoman
Oracle
Painter
Philosopher
Physician
Poet
Politician
Potter
Priest/priestess Abbess/abbot / Lama Member of the religious class, some priets can be abbots of a temple or a monastery; in Tibet, they are "called" lama, in Japan, there is the word "osho"
brahmin - brahman a member of the Hindu priestly caste. The word Brahmin literally means One who has realised/is attempting to realise Brahman - the divinity. A Brahmin teaches the Veda...A Brahmin sacrifices for others, and receives alms...Duties common to all castes are...reverence towards gods and Brahmins."
Prince
Princess
Sailor
Scribe
Sculptor
Secretary
Silk work keeper
Slave
Soldier
Spy
Sword Master
Teacher
Tea master
Tea House keeper
Yakitori Shopowner/ Sento (communal spa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sento )
Yogi/yogini Most specially in India and Tibet, one who practices yoga and has achieved a high level of spiritual insight; follower of the yoga philosophy; an ascetic
Warlord
Warrior/samurai/ Kshatriyas
The term Kshatriya, or Kashtriya refers to the warrior caste in the traditional Indian caste system. The term 'warrior' in this context covers the aristocratic or landowning ruling classes, including kings. The samurai (or bushi) were the members of the military class, the Japanese warriors. Samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns; but their most famous weapon and their symbol was the sword.
Samurai were supposed to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior"). Strongly Confucian in nature, Bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2127.html
Weaver
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