Ancient China

Analects

the collected sayings and teachings of Confucius

Bronze Age

(3300-1200 B.C.) time when people made weapons and tools from bronze

calligraphy

artistic form of ancient Chinese writing

Confucius

influential ancient Chinese teacher and philosopher

dynasty

a ruling family

Great Walll

military fortification built to stop other people from invading China

Huang River Valley

area surrounding the Huang River in China

jade

hard, green-colored stone used in carving

landscape

a painting of a natural scene

loess

yellowish soil from the Gobi Desert

oracle bones

animal bones used for predicting the future

pictograph

a picture that stands for a word

Shang Dynasty

first dynasty in China

Taoism

ancient Chinese philosophy

Terracotta army

collection of seven thousand life-sized sculptures made from pottery in the tomb of Shi Huangdi

wattle and daub

building technique using wood and soil utilized by the ancient Chinese

Zhou Dynasty

(1046-256 B.C.) China’s longest dynasty