Early Chinese History Flashcards

A collection of 20 vocabulary flashcards covering the early history of China from the Stone Age through the Qin Dynasty, highlighting geographical, archaeological, and cultural developments.

Middle Kingdom

The English translation of "Zhongguo," the Chinese name for China that reflects its historical sense of centrality.

Physical size of China

Occupying approximately $9,700,000\,\text{sq km}$, it is the $4^{th}$ largest country in the world.

Minzu

The term used to refer to the $56$ distinct ethnic groups that comprise the diversity of China.

Da Qing guo

Meaning "the Great Qing state," it was a name for China used before the modern concept of "China" as a nation-state was invented in the $19^{th}$ century.

Nuclear Area Thesis

A theory formulated by K.C. Chang in the $1960s$ arguing that Chinese culture originated in a single area of millet farmers in North China.

Interactive Spheres Theory

The argument that Chinese civilization emerged as various Neolithic cultures converged between $2000$ and $3000$ BCE.

Peking Man

A Paleolithic Homo Erectus specimen from China estimated to be between $250,000$ and $400,000$ years old.

Neolithic Period

The "New Stone Age" in China beginning around $10,000$ years ago, characterized by polished stone tools, agriculture, pottery, and fixed settlements.

Yangshao

A Neolithic culture in North-Central China known for colorful red pottery and millet farming.

Bronze

An alloy typically consisting of copper with zinc and tin, used to create durable weapons, armor, and tools.

Erlitou

The site identified by many archeologists as the first Shang site, showing large complexes and significant social differentiation.

Bone Oracles

The oldest known form of Chinese writing, found at Anyang and used for divination and ancestral communication during the Shang Dynasty.

Taotie

A complex animal-like motif often featuring a forehead, snout, and horns, used to decorate Shang bronze vessels.

Lady Hao's tomb

A burial site discovered with $468$ bronzes, $755$ jades, and $6880$ cowry shells, despite the occupant being relatively low ranking.

Sanxingdui

A civilization in South China contemporary with the Shang that produced distinctive human figures and showed no Shang influence.

Tian ming

The "Will of Heaven" or Mandate of Heaven, a concept the Zhou used to justify their moral authority to overthrow the Shang.

Spring and Autumn Period

An era from $770-481$ BCE characterized by many small kingdoms, constant war, and the activities of Confucius.

Book 4 of the Analects

The portion of the Analects considered the best source on the life of Confucius because it dates closest to his actual time.

Five Classics

A set of works including the Book of Changes and Book of Rites taught in the Imperial Academy to train elite officials.

Qin Dynasty

A centralized empire from $221-207$ BCE that unified China and standardized legal codes, writing, and coinage.