Ancient China-Ms. LeBourg

Huang River, also called Yellow River, also called Huang He

Northernmost great river, location of the earliest civilizations. Sometimes called "China's Sorrow" because of flooding.

Chang River, Yangtze River

• Longest river in Asia and third-longest in the world, after the Nile and the Amazon.

• Longest in the world to flow entirely in one country.

• Located in China

Xi River

Southern China's most important river system

Plateau of Tibet

a high plateau in western China

Taklimakan Desert

The second largest sand desert in the world.

Was early China isolated from the other early civilizations? very

Yes, China was, relatively speaking, isolated from the civilizations of India, Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Zhongguo

"Middle Kingdom"--China's own name for China

Xiongnu

Term used by the Chinese for the people usually called the "Huns", a confederation of nomadic people to the north, who often raided China

Xia Dynasty

China's earliest dynasty, about 2200-1750 BCE. It is known only from traditional legends, because it was before writing was invented in China.

Pangu

In Chinese legend, he was the first being created. He hatched from an egg.

Yu the Great

Legendary water engineer, who controlled the flooding in China and became the first Emperor of the Xia Dynasty.

Shang Dynasty

Earliest historical Chinese Dynasty, about 1750BC-1050BC

Anyang

Most important capital of the Shang Dynasty

Shangdi

The Lord on High of the Shang period.

Ancestor Veneration/Worship

The custom of honoring deceased ancestors who are considered still a part of the family and whose spirits are believed to have the power to intervene in the affairs of the living.

Silk in early China

Craft invented during the Shang Dynasty. Silk is made from the cocoons of Silk caterpillars. The caterpillars eat mulberry leaves and spin a cocoon

Jade in early China

Mineral from which ornaments were made that were often placed on the bodies of the dead. The mineral was also used for other ornamental purposes

Bronze in early China

Another early craft. The Chinese made beautiful vessels of bronze.

Pottery making in early China

Made from special clay called kaolin clay, the pottery was very high quality

Chinese writing system

This system of writing was created in China. Instead of standing for sounds, the symbols stand for an idea.

oracle bones

animal bones carved with written characters which were used for telling the future. This was the first known writing in China

Fu Hao

A Chinese king's wife who led troops to war. Her tomb contained records of her life and times.

Mandate of Heaven

the belief that the Chinese king's right to rule came from the gods, a theory used by the Zhou Dynasty to justify their overthrow of the Shang Dynasty

Dynastic Cycle

rise and fall of Chinese dynasties according to the Mandate of Heaven

Zhou Dynasty

1050BC-256BC: A decentralized Chinese dynasty in China because of the massive size. It's form of government was feudalism. It gradually disintegrated into 7 separate kingdoms, the "Warring States"

Accomplishments of the Zhou Dynasty

Use of iron, use of money, development of the great philosophies

Western Zhou Period

The first period of Zhou rule, during which the Zhou Ruler held undisputed power over China (about 1050-771 BCE).

Eastern Zhou Period

771-256 BC. The name of the period of Zhou Dynasty after the fragmentation that happened in 771BC

Warring States Period

time of warfare (last part of the Eastern Zhou Period) between regional lords following the disintegration of the Zhou dynasty. It ended when Shi Huandi took congro.

Qin Dynasty

(221-206 BCE) The first centralized dynasty of China. It was short but intense. It used Legalism as its base of belief.

Shi Huangdi

Founder of the short-lived Qin dynasty and creator of the Chinese Empire (ruled China. 221-210 B.C.E.). He was born Zheng, and inherited the rule of the state of Qin. He is remembered for: 1) ruthless conquests of rival states, 2)standardizing many practices in China, such as money, style of writing, etc. 3) repression of dissent by burning books and burying Confucian Scholars alive, the 4) philosophy of Legalism; 4)Great Wall, 4) his amazing Tomb. His actual name was Zheng.

Legalism (China)

a philosophy emphasizing strict obedience to the legal system.

Qin Great Wall

Wall created by Shi Huandi by connecting preexisting walls. He used forced labor. It's purpose was to keep out the nomadic invaders from the north.

Tomb of Shi Huangdi

Huge tomb. The actual tomb itself has not been opened, but ancient scholars said it had a huge map of China, with rivers of flowing mercury and bronze mountains.

Terra Cotta Army

army to protect Shi Huangdi in the afterlife; about 8,000 clay soldiers

Han Dynasty

imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 220AD and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy. It adopted Confucianism as its philosophy.

Chang' an (Xi'an)

Capital of China during the Han Dynasty. It grew to be a city of about a million people.

Confucianism

a system of philosophical and ethical teachings founded by Confucius and developed by Mencius.

Gaozu

The throne name of Liu Bang, one of the rebel leaders who brought down the Qin and founded the Han dynasty in 202 B.C.E. He was originally of peasant background, and played up his image as a man of the people.

Wudi

Chinese emperor (151-86BC) who brought the Han dynasty to its greatest strength, through policies and accomplishments such as Leveling, Government Monopolies, Expanding the boundaries of China, Silk Road.

Leveling

policy in which government uses price controls to balance the economic effects of farm surpluses or shortages

Government Monopolies

a monopoly created by the government. The Chinese government created a policy of government monopoly on iron, salt and alcoholic beverages, as a source of revenue (income) for the government.

Silk Road

An ancient trade route (actually a collection of trade routes) between China and the Mediterranean Sea extending some 6,440 km (4,000 mi) and linking China with the Roman Empire

Zhang Qian

"Father of the Silk Road". Chinese official under Emperor Wudi; he was sent on a journey from China to countries of western Asia, to form an alliance against the Xiongu tribe to the west. His travels led to a vast increase in trade and the establishment of the Silk Road

Chinese Civil Service Exam

test taken to get a government job in Han China. The test involved knowledge of Confucian philosophy and literature. It allowed men to be chosen by merit. A university was set up by Wudi to prepare young men for the test.

Some Chinese inventions of the Han dynasty

Paper, Magnetic compass, seismograph

Yin and Yang

two forces in the universe, according to Chinese Theory: Yin is the passive force, and Yang the active force. there should be a balance between them

Confucianism

a system of philosophical and ethical teachings founded by Confucius (Kong Fuzi) and developed by Mencius. It emphasizes ethics (right behavior)

Kong Fuzi

"Master Philosopher Kong" or Confucius; Came from aristocratic family in Lu in China. He emphasized Ren (kindness), Li (propriety), and Jsiao (filial piety)

Analects of Confucius

Collections of ideas and sayings attributed to the Chinese philosopher.

Mencius

major follower of Confucius; stressed that humans were essentially good and that governments required the consent of their subjects.

Ren (Confucianism)

Kindness, Humanity, benevolence-the central Confucian virtue

Confucianism 5 relationships

1. ruler and subject

2. father and son

3. husband and wife

4. older brother and younger brother

5. friend and friend

Duty of the superior in Confucianism

The duty of the superior was to take care of the inferior, and set a good example

Duty of the inferior in Confucianism

The Duty of the inferior was to respect and obey the superior.

Filial Piety

In Confucian thought, one of the virtues to be cultivated, an extreme love and respect for one's parents and ancestors.

Ancestor worship/veneration

praying to, piously remembering, or religiously honoring one's deceased family members. Considered important in Confucianism.

Legalism (China)

A political philosophy started by philosophers Hanfeizi and Li Si, that emphasized the unruliness of human nature and justified state coercion and control. Rigorous laws. Legalism was invoked by the Qin ruling class to validate the authoritarian nature of their regime

Daoism/Taoism

A Chinese philosophy where people practice humility, lead a simple life and have harmony with nature

Laozi (Lao Tzu)

Chinese Daoist philosopher; taught that governments were of secondary importance and recommended retreat from society into nature.

Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching)

a famous Chinese philosophical text; highly influential in the religion of Daoism

Daoist paintings

Art that emphasizes nature, the mystery of the Dao. It often features flowing water, bamboo, misty mountains

Buddhism in China

Spread by the Silk Roads, took form of Mahayana Buddhism.

The Vinegar Tasters

Representations of the "three teachers" of china tasting a bowl of vinegar. The vinegar represents the essence of life. Confucius has a frown, because the vinegar is sour, Buddha has a sad look, because the vinegar is bitter , but Lao-tse is smiling because he realizes that the vinegar tastes the way nature meant for it to taste.

Ban Zhao: Lessons for Women

a guide book in which she advised women to be obedient to fathers, brothers, husbands and husband's parents, and put others before herself. Ban Zhao lived 32AD-92AD.

Chinese family

center of society; far more important than individual; first responsibility was always to family; Family was each person's source of well-being. A man usually continued to live with or near his parents throughout his life, and his wife became a member of his family.

Father in Chinese Family

The father, or grandfather if he was still alive, the oldest male, was the head of the family, and made important decisions for all members of the family.

Patriarchal, Patrilineal Society

society in which men rule their families, and people trace their origins through male ancestors

The Art of War

Written by Sun Tzu, this book presents military strategy and is still used today.

Sun Tzu

Author of The Art of War, an ancient Chinese book on military strategy.