Ancient China Flashcards
pre-imperial china
6500 years ago, they made villages on fertile farming lands around Hung and Yangtze rivers
different ethnic groups formed different kindoms/societies
Definition of dynasties.
Families whose members controlled government over several generations
what were the dynasties of ancient china?
Xia
Shang
Zhou
Shang dynasty
written records on oracle bones?
lots of bronze
feudalism
ended over revolution
Zhou dynasty
“mandate of heave” right to rule from god
strengthened fuedelism
Wanning states
war between nobles
Qin became emperor of imperial china
Qin dynasty
Terracotta warriers
Central government
high taxes=rebellion
Liu pang defeats qin
Wanning states
war between nobles
Qin became empereor
Qin dynasty
central government
high taxes led to rebellion
Liu Pang defeats Qin
Han dynasty (Gaozu)
first leader
disbanded armies
reduced taxes and easier laws
Han dynasty (Han Wudi)
7th emperor
people rebelled because of taxes
Han dynasty (Wang Mang)
blamed for the famine
group called Red eyebrows made an army to rebel against him
Han dynasty (Eunuchs and Yellow Turbans)
Eunuchs performed tasks that the Han people didn’t
Government weakens
rebellion by a group called Yellow Turbans
When did the Han dynasty fall?
220 CE
what are the two main areas of ancient china
East- 1/3 of Ancient china- made for farming and history
Remaining 2/3- unsuitable for farming because of the climate and lanforms
What rivers were there in ancient China and what would they use for?
Huang, Yangtze and Xi
transport routes
water supplies
floods=rich farming land
What was the natural boundaries of ancient China?
The mountain ranges (himilayes) to the west.
The Great Wall of China to the North
Pacific Ocean to the east.
what was the social structure in Ancient China?
- The Shi
- The Nong
- The Gong
- The Shang
The shi
ruling groups of nobles, scholars and officals
the nong
farmers and their families
the gong
artisans and crafts people
the shang
merchants and traders
looked down upon
emperor def.
the ruling leader of China
90% of the 60 million people in Imperial China were the group of (class):
the nong
What Ancient Chinese religions were there
Daoism and Buddism
What did Daoism teach
to live simply, in harmony with nature and avoid ambition
If people followed the Daoism ‘way’ what did they belive would happen
they would live forever: become immortal
what became the official belief system for Ancient China
Confucianism
what did Confucianism teach
a worthy person would be honest, loyal and self sacrificing and that evil was the result of a poor upbringing
what did Confucianism teach in houses
Family members should be loyal and respect one another
Eldest man was in charge
what were the ‘four noble truths’ according to Buddhism
- All existence suffering.
- Suffering=desire
- Nirvana=beyond individual needs, desires or suffering.
- Achieve Nirvana=eightfold path, which reflects ethical behaviour, wisdom and mental discipline.
what did Buddhism teach
people were incarnated until they reached Nirvana
what did a peasants life look like (seasons)
summer-care for crops
autumn-harvest
winter-repair tools/down time
spring-plough
what did Qin Shi Huangdi do for China
unified china
established central government
what building structures were made under Qin Shi Huangdi
Great wall-prevent invasion from the North
Terracotta Warriors Tomb
standardism:
strengthened governments authority
laws and punishments same throughout china
Qin Shi Huangdi did this through government:
divided china in 36 areas
rejected feudalism
only 1 offical contoled the army
what legalism limits opposition was made under Qin Shi Huangdi
didn’t tolerate opposition to his rule
what was the “Burning of the Books” under Qin Shi Huangdi
got rid of the “old ways” by burning books on them
how did peasants work the land
(with what tools)
hand tools
only few could afford iorn ploughs or oxen
used pulled carts
rich people had horses
during the Han dynasty there were __ periods of ________, ________, ________
20
droughts, famine, food
what was the irrigation of Ancient China
leeve=prevent flooding and split river into 2 channels
what was the effect of irrigation on Ancient China after 8 yrs
20m wide channels through the mountins
solved flood problem
additional farmland
what does confucianism, ancient philosophy,
stand for:
justice
repect for elders
morally correct
education
what was the clothing and status in ancient china?
robes were worn:
fiabrics (silk)=weathly only
fibers (hemp)=lower classes
colour/patterns=status
yellow=emperor/dragons/stars
what were the funeral customs in ancient china?
washed and dressed
jade on top of the eyes/nose
coffin made from a tree
music to free the spirit
public wailing
what was the mausoleum of Quin Shi Huangdi
246 BCE
Grand Tomb-Terracotta warriors
builders were buried alive
what is Daoism/Taosim
religion/philosophy
meditation/compassion
started in the warning periods
no action (minimal inetrferance)
20% of population
still alive today
how were the wealthy buried
wonderful tombs, decorations, sculptures and artworks
what did emperors sometimes have buried with them? Why?
servants buried alive
clay models of servants and animals
showed their status
Under Han Wudi what happened (land)
took control of land in central Asia:
Manchuria and Korea in the North
Vietnam in the south
what were the tombs of the Han dynasty like
underground with a large walled complex: buildings, gateways, observation towers and avenues
What was the Qinming festival
people visited their ancestors graves
originated 7th century BCE
Confucius put great emphasis on it
The Qin and Han emperors improved military reforms of the Warring States period
(what did they do)
permanent armies with professionally trained soilders, led by generals, who were promoted according to their abilities
Han relied on __________ soilders so their permanent armies were much _______ than during the Qin dynasty
volunteers
smaller
what were some of the key principals of Sunzi’s tactics
caculate chance of victory
avoid direct conflict
unity is essential in strength of the army
work out what the enemy is thinking
environment as a weapon
use spies
armies mainly consisted of __________ and ___________ three man __________
with a driver, archer and solider wielding a _______
infantry (foot soldiers)
cavalry (soldiers on horseback)
chariot
halberd (bronze dagger mounted on a pole)
Han Wudi imported _____________ to replace _______ ponies which gave them greater __________ and horses that could bear more ________ of the heavy ________ and __________
large horses
mongolian
speed
weight
armour
weaponry
silk:
made by chinese but kept a secret
high value-curenncy
silk road
major trading paths
han dynasty
provided travel through difficult and hot terranins
buddism spread because of it
chinese merchants got great ________ from trading on the road and that _______ their status in society
wealth
improved
what were the four great inventions that Ancient china made
printing
gunpowder
paper
compass
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine are both legacies for ancient china
just btw
What did Han do about the importance of learning
re-established it after the burning of the books
Chinese made ______-______ a method of __________ self defence which combined phyical exercise and training of the mind
tai-chi
unarmed
