Ancient China Study Guide – Flashcards
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CHINA
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Himalayas
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- The Himalaya Mountains in the southwest of China helps isolate from other countries. - This isolation allowed China to develop its own culture without influence from other civilizations.
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Huang He River
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- Major river in the North of China - The Huang He river is called the Yellow River because of the yellow tint it gets from the fertile yellow soil called loess. - Chinese Civilization began around the Huang He River valley - Helped isolate China from other civilizations
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Chang River
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- Major river in the South of China - The Chang River is as called the Yangtze River. - Helped isolate China from other civilizations
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Loess
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- Loess is a loamy deposit formed by wind, usually yellowish and calcareous - The Huang He River is called the yellow river because of the loess in it.
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Great Wall Of China
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- The Great wall of China is numerous walls that were connected - Ordered to be built by Emperor Qin Shi Huang di - When finished it was about 1,500 miles long. - To protect themselves from the Nomads in the North, the Chinese built the Great Wall of China - Forced labor was used to build the Great Wall.
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Mongols
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- Mongols is the nomads in the north part of China - The Great Wall of China was built to protect the Chinese from mongols.
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Mandate of Heaven
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- Belief that the god in heaven determined who should rule china - This is where the Emperors got their power to rule. - Chinese rulers were considered to be divine - Emperors were autocrats. They had absolute (total) power.
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Dynasty
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- Chinese rulers were hereditary. - The Mandate of Heaven was passed along in the same family for generations.
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Emperor
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- Emperor is a sovereign ruler of great power and ranks one ruling an empire. - Most Chinese emperor ruled over a Dynasty.
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Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi
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- The Great Wall Of China ordered to be by built Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi - Qin Shi Huangdi ruled by terror and spent massive amount of money to build extravagant palaces and his tomb. - a famous leader in the Qin Dynasty
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Xia Dynasty
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- Begin from 2200 B.C.E. to 1500 B.C.E - Famous Leader : Yu - Xia Dynasty, improved the agriculture - Xia Dynasty, developed 1st writing system (China's 1st writing system) - Major event.. Myth: - Flood waters are drained away to allow people to live in China - Decline is the Xia Dynasty because the Shang invade and convince the Xia people to turn on their leader.
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Shang Dynasty
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- Begin from 1500 B.C.E to 1100 B.C.E. - Famous Leaders: Tang & Di-Xin (last ruler) - Other Famous Leaders : Shangdi (God that control human destiny) - Shang Dynasty, created a bureaucracy - Shang Dynasty, developed Kaolin ( Pottery) - Shang Dynasty, Figured out the number of day in a year - Major event.... Arrival in China and overthrow of the Xia Dynasty around 1700 - 1500 B.C.E - Decline is the Shang Dynasty because it was over thrown by the Zhou Dynasty & smaller tribes
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Zhou Dynasty
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- Begin from 1100 B.C.E. to 256 B.C.E. - Famous Leader : King Yu (Bad Ruler) - Other Famous Leaders : Pao-Szu ( King Yu's mistress) - Zhou Dynasty, begin the concept of the mandate of heaven - Zhou Dynasty was longest lasting - Major Event... 771 B.C.E the capital city is destroyed by local leaders - Decline in Zhou Dynasty becaise weak kings beginning in the 700's lead to loss of control and by 400's warring states gain power
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Qin Dynasty
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- Begin from 221 B.C.E to 206 B.C.E. - Famous Leader : Cheng Shih Huang Ti (Qin Shi Huangdi) - Other Famous Leader: Liu Bang (Usurper) - Qin Dynasty, establishes an autocracy (Emperor has total power) - Qin Dynasty, had the great wall connected (built) - Major Event... Rebels form an army and revolt against Emperor Qin in 206 B.C.E Decline in Qin Dyansty because the use of forced labor angered many and caused a rebellion
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Han Dynasty
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- Begin 206 B.C.E To 220 C.E - Famous Leaders : Liu Bang ( King Han), Liu-Ch'e & Wu Ti - Han Dynasty, creates a civil service system and used exams used to find qualified employer - Han Dynasty, started leveling helped control the prite of food - Han Dynasty, created paper - Major Event... Longest Reign of on Emperor !04 B.C.E. to 87 B.C.E. that of WuTi ( a Women - Decline in Han Dynasty because nomadic invaders came to china and drove the dynasty out.
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Civil Service System
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- System that runs the day to day business of the g government - Had to take an exam to get a job as a civil servant.
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Civil Service Exams
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- Used for the civil service system - exams used to find qualified employer - A form of legacy of Confucianism
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Confucius
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- Confucianism was founded by K'ung-fu-tzu or as Westerners know him "Confucius" - He lived from 551- 479 BCE - Confucius was a philosopher and teacher - Taught that harmony would result when people accepted their place in society - Confucius believed that everyone had a duties and responsibilities depending on their position in different relationships.
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Confucianism
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-Confucianism was founded by K'ung-fu-tzu or as "Confucius" - Confucianism is not concerned with issues of faith or life after death - Instead it is focused on social order and good government such as filial piety, 5 basic relationships, and Analects
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Characteristic of Confucianism
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- Confucianism placed a great deal of emphasis on education - Confucianism urges leaders to take the advice of educated, wise men... education would become the road to advancement in Chinese society - Never became a religion, but it has influenced Chinese government for centuries - Confucianism spread in the centuries after Confucius' death
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Analects
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- Analects is the teachings of Confucius written by his followers about 300 years after his death - Which helped spread Confucianism to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
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5 Basic Relationships
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The 5 Basic Relationships or Principles are ruler to subject, father to son, husband to wife,older brother to younger brother and friend to friend (only relationship with equality) - Confucius believed that everyone had a duties and responsibilities depending on their position in different relationships. - Superiors should care for and set a good example for their inferiors, while inferiors should owed loyalty and obedience to their superiors.
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Mencius
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- 372 - 289 B.C.E. - Disciple (follower) of Confucius. - Starts off with the assumption that "people are basically good." - In the proper environment, the best characteristics of the individual will strengthen and will benefit others - If someone does something bad, education, not punishment, is the answer.
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Filial Piety
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- Filial Piety is when people have respect for their parents. It was applied to society because Confucius saw society as a large-scale family.
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Silk Road
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- Trade route that Stretched from China's eastern coast all the way to Rome! - So called because, Silk was a major export of China over time (it was made no where else in the world until the Middle Ages) - Facilitated trade and communication, this interaction of different people through trade causes Cultural Diffusion
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Acupuncture
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- A Chinese Achievement - Acupuncture is the practice of placing needles into pressure points to improve circulation. Heals injuries and illness.
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Paper
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- A Chinese Achievement - The Chinese were the first people to make paper from wood pulp.
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Porcelain
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- A Chinese Achievement - Porcelain is A fragile, white, type of pottery. Usually decorated with elaborate scenes of daily life or mythology.
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Taoism
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- Founded by Lao Tzu - Focus is on oneness with nature. - Many people that follow Taoism turn away from the "unnatural ways" of society. (They become hermits) - Sacred text --> Dao De Jing "Book of Virtues"
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Characteristic of Taoism
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- Taoists believe that best government is the one that governs the least - According to Taoists the universe is full of opposing forces that balance one another ( Ying and Yang ) - Over time the teachings of Lao Tzu changed and Taoism came to include the worship of gods and goddesses. - Peasants began to turn to mystical Taoist priests ,that practiced magic, to protect them from unseen forces. - Taoist priests practiced alchemy
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Lao Tzu
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- Founded Taoism - Mystical figure that we know little about, but is supposed to have lived about the same time as Confucius. - There was a natural balance to nature that humans upset because they fail to follow the Tao.
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Legalism
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- Founded By Han Fei - Based on the idea that people are by nature evil, and goodness is acquired (opposite view of Confucianism) - Called legalism because of its emphasis on law.
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Characteristic of Legalism
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- Legalism was the official policy of the Qin dynasty - Legalism supported the oppression of scholars - Discouraged analysis of the government by subjects"The prince was to govern, and the people to obey" - However, Emperor Qin's ruler were so cruel that later generations came to despise legalist principles.
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Han Fei
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- Founded Legalism - Han Fei felt that strength, not goodness, was a ruler's greatest virtue. - He disagreed with the Confucist idea that people would follow the good example of a leader. - Believed that only strict laws and harsh punishment would ensure order in society - Contrary to Taoism, Legalism states that a strong government is needed. Especially one with an absolute ruler (King as all the power)
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Cultural Diffusion
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- Facilitated trade and communication, this interaction of different people through trade causes Cultural Diffusion
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Bureaucracy
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- A bureaucracy is a government organized into different levels and tasks - This helped leaders maintain control of large empires
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PERSIA
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Darius the Great
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- (526 - 485 BCE) - Built Persepolis - Extended the Persian Empire to the Indus River (2 million square miles!!!!) - Built a canal in Egypt (helped with trade) - Darius the Great accomplishment were a tax-collection system - He Spilt Empire into districts called Satrapies, Also Accomplished a royal road, complex postal system and Network of spies( " King's eyes and ears")
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Cyrus The Great
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- ( 580 - 529 BCE) - Tolerant ruler - Allowed different cultures he conquered to keep there own institutions (such as religions) - Called "law-giver" by the Greeks. "The Anointed of the Lord" by the Jews - He allowed 40,000 to return to Palestine
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Satrapy
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- Districts or provinces - Each had a regional governor or military leader - Division allowed Emperors to keep control over their vast empire. - Without this Empire may have fallen apart quickly.
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Characteristic of Persian Rule
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- The Persian Empire was certainly an authoritarian state with the "great king" ruling the vast empire through regional governors, the satraps. - the Persian Empire is credited with the first postal service in the world
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Royal Road
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- Built to facilitate rapid communication throughout the very large empire. - The pirradazis, messengers, could travel 1,677 miles (2,699 km) in seven days.
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Zoroastrianism
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- Founded by Zoroaster BELIEFS - Dualism: Battle of Good and Evil - Ahura Mazda vs. Angra Mainyu - Humans bear responsibility for all situations they are in, and in the way they act to one another. - Reward, punishment, happiness and grief all depend on how individuals live their life. - Holy book called the Avesta - Prophet (Zoroaster) - Resurrection of the body (life after death) - The Sacred Fire
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Zoroaster
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- Founded Zoroastrianism - Lived during the 6th Century BCE (500's) -Had a religious vision around age 30
