There are many factors such as set of beliefs, traditions and practices that contribute to the strong and unique culture that is formed over time, and there are hundreds of differeny cultures that have formed in the world. Because lands and territories are connected and reachable by different modes of transportation, it is inevitable for different cultures to interact. Just like the proverbial saying that No man is an island, there is not one culture that will likely to stay forever isolated and undisturbed. For many reasons such as greed, need, and the desire to conquer, cultures are likely to interact and in some cases, merge. Therefore, initial interactions that have begun as honest and mutually beneficial, may progress to greedy undertaking and conquering. There are cross cultural interactions that happen peacefully and produce positive results, however, the most controversial question would be why some interactions are peaceful and produce positive results while others do not.
It is common for two cultures to interact by way of travel because the traveller brings along his own culture to wherever he goes. Such was the case with Friar John of Monte Corvino, of the order of Minor Friars, in Italy. He came from Tauris, a city in Persia, when he began his travel to India in 1291, where he stayed for thirteen months, after which he proceeded to travel to Cathay and stayed there for more than a decade. His conviction was of such strength that he did all this alone for eleven years before he was joined by another Friar in his cause and without enough instruments and materials as he would have wanted (pg67). The reason beyond Friar Johns travels to the Mongol Empire, and even to India, was to spread and propagate belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, and more importantly to baptize pagans into the Catholic Faith. He built churches and taught the people of the ways of Christ by teaching them their practices and ways. As he devoted to teaching young boys, he may have believed that it was best to start teaching them young until they would do the new practices on their own without prodding (pg.65). In a period of many years, Friar John was able to baptize over 6,000 people and he believed that had he not been working alone, he would have baptized more people (pg.67). Friar John had worked gradually over the years to teach people, about religion, Greek and Latin languages, and manners. He did his best to assimilate in his new environment and learned their ways and language. In fact, he has become competent in the language and character known and used by the Tartars. He did all these in the most diplomatic and civilized manner when he presented a letter of invitation to the Grand Cham, the Emperor of the Tartars, to adopt the Catholic faith. His diplomatic ways did not seem to have offended the Emperor because even though he was not able to convert him to the faith, he was successful in gaining the Emperors trust to allow him to spread Catholicism in his empire.
The Tatar horsemen and Tartars have originated in the Gobi Desert of China, north Himalayas, and are of one and the same Mongol heritage. However, Ibn al-Athirs chronicle of the vicious Tatar horsemen occurred during the early 13th century (1220 1221), while Friar Johns travel to the Mongol Empire took place in the late 13th century (1291 1300). Friar Johns mission to spread the Catholic faith in Cathay (China), the land of the Mongol Tatars, was made possible by the good disposition of the Great Khan (Mongol Emperor) towards Christianity. In stark contrast to the cross cultural interaction between that of Friar John and the people of India and Cathay in the late 13th century, was the Tatars culture of invasion and immense violence during the earlier years. Their invasion and spread of cruelty was said to have begun in 1220, where they have gone to the cities of Turkestan, Transoxiana, Ray, Hamadan, the Highlands, and even to the limits of Iraq and India. Friar Johns intended people to influence were the non-believers or pagans, while the Tatars focus of attention was the Muslims in particular and belief in Islam. They were the ones afflicted with the most grievous catastrophe brought about by the coming of the Tatars. The interaction of the Tatars culture with that of the territories that they have come across was violent and catastrophic, as opposed to the peaceful interaction between Friar John and the people of Cathay. The Tatars have gone through foreign cities to wreak havoc to the people by plundering, taking and destroying possessions, and ruthlessly slaying people (pg.43). While the Franciscan priest took more than a decade teaching foreign people of different culture and influence, the Tatar horsemen went about their massacre of different cultures with considerable speed. It usually took them less than a year and would remain in one territory for only a short period of time, enough to massacre its people and leave their properties destroyed, then would move on to other preys. They did not believe in God but worshiped the sun, and in their culture there was no such thing as unlawful (pg. 44). The Tatars interaction with the lands they conquered was not built on diplomacy and respect but rather on coveting, disrespect and terror. As a result, it did not produce positive results as compared to the interaction brought about by Friar John. While the Franciscan priest brought with him valuable teachings, the Tatar horsemen brought only terror. And as Friar John assimilated with the new culture and learned the Tartars language, the violent Tatar horsemen took with them not learning but plundered properties and death.
It is not uncommon to see cultures influencing each other due to interaction. It is an occurrence that seems inevitable and only proves that cross cultural interaction can bring about both good and bad things depending on the intentions and methods employed. Cultures can interact or even merge, and it can produce amazingly good things, one culture can enrich another, and vice versa. There is great wealth of benefits and possibilities in cross culture interaction as they have differing products, ways or practices that they can share. Depending on the maturity of ones perspective, it can be said that one culture cannot be treated as better than another, they are just different. Cross cultural interactions prove dangerous and produce bad results when the intention is not to share and compromise, but to take, dominate and destroy. On the other hand, when diplomacy, peace and good intentions hold reign among the interacting cultures and peoples, the possibility for positive and gainful results might prove endless.
It is common for two cultures to interact by way of travel because the traveller brings along his own culture to wherever he goes. Such was the case with Friar John of Monte Corvino, of the order of Minor Friars, in Italy. He came from Tauris, a city in Persia, when he began his travel to India in 1291, where he stayed for thirteen months, after which he proceeded to travel to Cathay and stayed there for more than a decade. His conviction was of such strength that he did all this alone for eleven years before he was joined by another Friar in his cause and without enough instruments and materials as he would have wanted (pg67). The reason beyond Friar Johns travels to the Mongol Empire, and even to India, was to spread and propagate belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, and more importantly to baptize pagans into the Catholic Faith. He built churches and taught the people of the ways of Christ by teaching them their practices and ways. As he devoted to teaching young boys, he may have believed that it was best to start teaching them young until they would do the new practices on their own without prodding (pg.65). In a period of many years, Friar John was able to baptize over 6,000 people and he believed that had he not been working alone, he would have baptized more people (pg.67). Friar John had worked gradually over the years to teach people, about religion, Greek and Latin languages, and manners. He did his best to assimilate in his new environment and learned their ways and language. In fact, he has become competent in the language and character known and used by the Tartars. He did all these in the most diplomatic and civilized manner when he presented a letter of invitation to the Grand Cham, the Emperor of the Tartars, to adopt the Catholic faith. His diplomatic ways did not seem to have offended the Emperor because even though he was not able to convert him to the faith, he was successful in gaining the Emperors trust to allow him to spread Catholicism in his empire.
The Tatar horsemen and Tartars have originated in the Gobi Desert of China, north Himalayas, and are of one and the same Mongol heritage. However, Ibn al-Athirs chronicle of the vicious Tatar horsemen occurred during the early 13th century (1220 1221), while Friar Johns travel to the Mongol Empire took place in the late 13th century (1291 1300). Friar Johns mission to spread the Catholic faith in Cathay (China), the land of the Mongol Tatars, was made possible by the good disposition of the Great Khan (Mongol Emperor) towards Christianity. In stark contrast to the cross cultural interaction between that of Friar John and the people of India and Cathay in the late 13th century, was the Tatars culture of invasion and immense violence during the earlier years. Their invasion and spread of cruelty was said to have begun in 1220, where they have gone to the cities of Turkestan, Transoxiana, Ray, Hamadan, the Highlands, and even to the limits of Iraq and India. Friar Johns intended people to influence were the non-believers or pagans, while the Tatars focus of attention was the Muslims in particular and belief in Islam. They were the ones afflicted with the most grievous catastrophe brought about by the coming of the Tatars. The interaction of the Tatars culture with that of the territories that they have come across was violent and catastrophic, as opposed to the peaceful interaction between Friar John and the people of Cathay. The Tatars have gone through foreign cities to wreak havoc to the people by plundering, taking and destroying possessions, and ruthlessly slaying people (pg.43). While the Franciscan priest took more than a decade teaching foreign people of different culture and influence, the Tatar horsemen went about their massacre of different cultures with considerable speed. It usually took them less than a year and would remain in one territory for only a short period of time, enough to massacre its people and leave their properties destroyed, then would move on to other preys. They did not believe in God but worshiped the sun, and in their culture there was no such thing as unlawful (pg. 44). The Tatars interaction with the lands they conquered was not built on diplomacy and respect but rather on coveting, disrespect and terror. As a result, it did not produce positive results as compared to the interaction brought about by Friar John. While the Franciscan priest brought with him valuable teachings, the Tatar horsemen brought only terror. And as Friar John assimilated with the new culture and learned the Tartars language, the violent Tatar horsemen took with them not learning but plundered properties and death.
It is not uncommon to see cultures influencing each other due to interaction. It is an occurrence that seems inevitable and only proves that cross cultural interaction can bring about both good and bad things depending on the intentions and methods employed. Cultures can interact or even merge, and it can produce amazingly good things, one culture can enrich another, and vice versa. There is great wealth of benefits and possibilities in cross culture interaction as they have differing products, ways or practices that they can share. Depending on the maturity of ones perspective, it can be said that one culture cannot be treated as better than another, they are just different. Cross cultural interactions prove dangerous and produce bad results when the intention is not to share and compromise, but to take, dominate and destroy. On the other hand, when diplomacy, peace and good intentions hold reign among the interacting cultures and peoples, the possibility for positive and gainful results might prove endless.
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