Ancient China Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes on Ancient China, including geography, the Shang, Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties, philosophies, and achievements.

Loess

Fine, dustlike material that can form soil.

Dike

Walls built to hold back water.

Oracle bones

Animal bones or turtle shells carved with written characters that Shang kings used to try to tell the future.

Pictograph

Pictures that represent words or ideas.

Dynasty

A ruling family that holds power for many years.

Mandate of Heaven

The Zhou idea that a dynasty had heaven's support, which gave them the right to rule.

Warlord

Military rulers of small states.

Chaos

Total disorder that ensued as minor battles between regional leaders escalated into full-scale warfare.

Warring States period

A period from 475 B.C. to 221 B.C. marked by brutal and destructive conflict among Chinese states.

Philosophy

A set of beliefs about the world and how to live.

Ancestor worship

Practices of honoring the spirits of the dead.

Confucianism

The teachings of the thinker Confucius, focused on creating a stable, orderly society through proper roles and relationships.

Filial piety

The devotion of children to their parents, referred to as the source of all virtues.

Daoism

An ancient Chinese way of life and philosophy that emphasizes a simple and natural existence following the natural way of the universe.

Yin

The female natural force that is cool, quiet, and dark.

Yang

The male natural force that is bright, warm, and active.

Great Wall

A long wall running east and west along the northern border of Qin China to defend the empire from nomads.

Standardize

To set rules that make things more similar.

Legalism

A government philosophy stating that a strong leader and a strong legal system are needed to create social order.

Censor

To ban ideas found to be dangerous or offensive.

Official

A person assigned to a position in the government.

Civil service

A system of government employees who are mainly selected for their skills and knowledge rather than family background.

Silk Road

A network of trade routes that crossed Asia, connecting China to Central and Southwest Asia.

Cuisine

The style of cooking.

Monopoly

A situation where a single group or government controls the production of a good or service.

Calligraphy

The art of beautiful writing.

Lacquer

A protective coating made from the sap of a special tree.

Acupuncture

A medical therapy that uses needles to cure sickness and stop pain.

Seismometer

A tool used to detect earthquakes.