East Asia in the Post-Classical Period

Flashcards about East Asia in the Post-Classical Period

Who was Li Bo?

A poet of the Tang era who wrote about nature and life's enjoyments.

What was the Sui Dynasty?

The short-lived dynasty that reunified China through violence and repression after a long period of anarchy.

Who was Sui Yangdi?

Emperor of the Sui Dynasty who unified China but ruled with harsh methods.

What is the Grand Canal?

A vast waterway system connecting the Yangtze River valley to northern China, facilitating the transport of rice and crops.

What was the Tang Dynasty?

The longer, more influential dynasty that followed the Sui, marked by prosperity, stability, and territorial expansion.

What is the Tributary System?

A system where neighboring states paid money or provided goods to honor the Chinese emperor, solidifying China's economic and political power.

What is Kowtow?

The act of bowing one's head to the floor as a sign of respect to the Chinese emperor.

Name the accomplishments of Emperor Tang Taizong.

Expanded transportation, bureaucracy, and the civil service examination system.

Who was Xuanzang?

A Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India, studied Buddhism, and brought back texts to translate, significantly impacting Buddhist scholarship in China.

Who was An Lushan?

A military leader who orchestrated a rebellion that weakened the Tang Dynasty.

What was the Song Dynasty?

Dynasty that followed the Tang Dynasty in 960. Arts flourished.

What was the Jin Empire?

Empire established by nomadic pastoralists from Manchuria, capturing the northern part of China during the Song Dynasty.

What is Meritocracy in China?

System where the bureaucracy expanded and educational opportunities increased, allowing for more upward mobility.

What was the Southern Song Dynasty?

Dynasty that survived until 1279 when the Mongol Empire vanquished the government.

What are Land Reforms?

Reforms in agriculture which spurred economic growth.

What is the Equal-Field System?

System reintroduced by the Tang Empire that attempted to ensure all Chinese families had land to cultivate.

What is Fast-Ripening Rice, or Champa Rice?

Rice native to northern Vietnam that allowed peasants in southern China to grow two crops a year.

What is Proto-Industrialization?

A phase that precedes and enables full industrialization, characterized by increased production of nonagricultural goods for commercial use, as seen in Song China.

Who was Marco Polo?

A visitor from Venice who wrote extensively about the high levels of urbanization he saw in China.

What is Flying Cash?

System of credit developed in China that allowed merchants to deposit paper money in one location and withdraw it in another.

What is Iron and Steel production?

Increased greatly in China as people developed skills in smelting, leading to better plows, weapons, and bridges.

What is Gunpowder?

Discovered by Chinese researchers trying to find elements for longer life, leading to the development of fireworks and weapons.

What is a Chinese Junk?

A boat that had multiple sails and was as long as 400 feet and hulls divided into compartments.

What is a Bill of Exchange?

A written order without interest which binds one party to pay a fixed sum to another party at a predetermined date in the future

Who were the Scholar Gentry?

New social class created during the Song Dynasty, comprised of educated men who gained positions in the bureaucracy.

What is Foot Binding?

Practice that began during the Song Dynasty where girls from aristocratic families had their feet tightly wrapped.

What is Wood-Block Printing?

Created copies of art or written texts without laboriously copying each by hand.

What was the impact of paper and printing development?

Expanded the availability of books.

What were Li Bo's verses?

Light and airy; his subjects were love, friendship, and the pleasures of wine.

Who was Du Fu?

Known as the poet-historian who dealt with the hardships of daily life as the Tang Dynasty began to crumble.

What is Daoism?

A belief system whose ideals were respected by many Chinese and combined with Confucianism.

What is Chan (Zen) Buddhism?

Religious syncretism of Buddhist doctrines combined with elements of Daoist traditions; emphasizing direct experience and meditation.

What is Neo-Confucianism?

A social and ethical philosophy, not a religious belief, that combines rational thought with the metaphysics of Taoism and Buddhism.

Who was Shotoku Taishi?

Prince of the Yamato region who attempted to implement Chinese practices in Japan.

What were the Taika Reforms?

Reforms enacted in 646 with the goal of increasing efficiency and wresting control from the landed aristocracy.

Who were the Fujiwara Clan?

Clan who took control of the government in 710 and moved the capital city to Nara.

Who was Murasaki Shikibu?

Noblewoman who wrote The Tale of Genji, often cited as the world's first novel.

Who was the Minamoto Clan?

Clan that rose to power and installed a shogun, or military ruler, to reign supreme.

What is a Shogun?

Military ruler who reigned supreme from the end of the twelfth century until the late sixteenth century.

Who were the Samurai?

Professional warriors who received clothing, shelter, and food from their landlord in return for their sacrifice.

Who were the Daimyo?

Landowning aristocrats who battled for supreme power over the land.

What is Bushido?

Code which stressed frugality, loyalty, the martial arts, and honor unto death

What was the Silla Kingdom?

Korean kingdom that performed the ritual kowtow when meeting the Chinese emperor and became a tributary state of China.

What is Sinification?

Assimilation of Chinese traditions and practices, which was not welcomed wholeheartedly in Vietnam.

What is Polygyny?

Practice of having more than one spouse at the same time.

What is Guerilla Warfare?

A tactic used by the Vietnamese against the naval forces of the Chinese where sharpened logs were placed in the harbor.

Who were the Uighurs?

Uighurs are an ethnic group living in Central Asia on land controlled by China.

Who was Hsuan Tsung?

Hsuan Tsung was an emperor who ruled from 712-756. He was not devoted to administering the affairs of the government and became distracted by his favorite concubine, Yang Guifei.