The Silk Roads: Ideas and Religion: Zoroastrianism

The video discusses the Dunhuang manuscripts, particularly those found in Cave 17, which served as a repository for various documents, mostly Buddhist, but also including Zoroastrian and Christian texts. The significance of these documents in understanding historical beliefs is highlighted. Additionally, the video covers the missionary travels from the West to the East during the 13th century, focusing on attempts to form alliances with the Mongols against Islam. Notable figures such as John of Plano Carpini and John of Monte Corvino are mentioned, along with the unsuccessful outcomes of these missions.

What was the primary purpose of Cave 17 in Dunhuang?

• A library for public reading

• A place for religious ceremonies

• A storage for ancient artifacts

• A repository for documents

How were damaged documents treated in traditional China?

• They were sold to collectors

• They were thrown away

• They were stored reverently or used as medicine

• They were recycled into new paper

What was the main goal of the Christian missionaries traveling to the East in the 13th century?

• To form alliances against Islam

• To convert the Mongols to Christianity

• To explore new lands

• To establish trade routes

Which of the following figures is known to have built a church in Peking in 1291?

• John of Plano Carpini

• William of Rubruck

• John of Monte Corvino

• Odoric of Pordenone

What was the outcome of the Christian missionary efforts to ally with the Mongols?

• The Mongols invaded the Holy Land

• The efforts were largely unsuccessful

• The Mongols converted to Christianity

• They successfully formed an alliance