Ancient China Vocabulary List

Question and answer practice flashcards covering vocabulary terms from Ancient China.

What is the Gobi Desert?

A harsh desert covering much of Northern China.

What is the Huang He River, and what is its other name?

A Chinese river that often floods; it is also known as the Yellow River.

What is the Chang Jiang River, and what is its alternative name?

The longest Chinese river that runs through central China; it is also known as the Yangtze River.

What is loess?

A dusty material that forms soil and makes the Huang He River yellow.

What is silk?

China's main export along the silk road and made from silkworms.

What is jade?

A gemstone often used to make jewelry and art.

What are Oracle Bones?

China's earliest written records that often told predictions for the future.

How is a dynasty defined?

A group of rulers from the same family.

What is feudalism?

A social system in which lords governed land farmed by peasants.

What is the Mandate of Heaven?

The right to rule.

What is filial piety?

Respect for one's parents and elders.

What is philosophy?

A set of beliefs about how to live.

Who was Confucius?

An important philosopher and teacher in Chinese history.

What is Confucianism?

The ideas and teachings of Confucius.

Who was Laozi?

The founder of Daoism.

What is Daoism?

A philosophy that emphasizes living in harmony with the Dao.

What is Legalism?

The belief that people must be controlled with a strong leader and legal system.

Who was Shi Huangdi?

The first emperor and leader who unified China.

What is the Great Wall?

A wall built along the northern border to help defend China.

What is acupuncture?

A method of inserting needles into the skin to stop pain and cure disease.

What is a seismograph?

A tool that measures and detects earthquakes.

What was the Silk Road?

A group of trade routes that connected China to other parts of Asia and the west.