[Ancient China MIDTERM] Flashcards
1
Q
Pictographs
A
- Earliest recorded Chinese characters
- Large numbers of recognizable drawings
- Became inadequate- only good for familiar concrete objects
2
Q
Ideographs
A
- Simple: more abstract/complex symbolic thoughts
- Compound: characters with 2 or more components whose association determines the meaning of the entire character
3
Q
Qin Shi Huangdi
A
- First emperor of China, Legalism
- Unified China
- Standardized weights and measurements- easier for trade
- Made all states have the same Chinese characters
- Made money only copper coins- easier for trade
- Built the Great Wall of China for protection
- Ended period of warring states
4
Q
Dynastic Cycle
A
The pattern of rise, decline, and replacement of dynasties
5
Q
Loess
A
Yellowish silt (fertile soil) deposited from the Huang He, brought fertility to the soil
6
Q
Middle Kingdom
A
- The idea of “China-centralism”
- China believed they were in the middle of the world, surrounded by natural barriers on all sides
7
Q
Silk Roads
A
- Network of trade routes through wetlands with occasional oases running through areas of Asia
- Meant for trading silk and other goods
- Transmitted goods, culture and religion
- Ran from China to the Mediterranean Sea
- Sandstorms + mountains made travel difficult
8
Q
Period of Warring States
A
- By the end of the Zhou dynasty, China had descended into chaos
- China moved away from its ancient values of social, harmony, and respect for authority
- Chinese scholars developed a number pf solutions to restore these values
9
Q
Confucius
A
- China’s most influential scholar, lived in the Zhou decline
- Founded Confucianism
10
Q
Confucian Analects
A
- Collected sayings of Confucius (teachings + thoughts)
- Confucian values
11
Q
Filial piety
A
- Confucius believed children should have respect/honor for their parents and ancestors- devotion to parents during lifetime
- Honoring family after death through rituals
- Sons continue family line
12
Q
24 Filial Exemplars
A
-Text used to teach Confucian moral values- filial piety
13
Q
5 Fundamental Relationships
A
- Ruler to subject
- Husband to wife
- Older brother to younger brother
- Friend to friend
- Father to son
14
Q
Mandate of Heaven
A
- Divine approval to rule
- Justified rulers’ rights to rule
- Natural disasters- sign that the spirits were unhappy with the ruler
- Central to Chinese view of government
- Created by the Zhou
15
Q
Taoism
A
- Goal of life: to achieve tranquility and harmony with natural order
- There is a life force/energy that runs through everything (the Tao), let it guide you
- Humans and objects created unnatural things by creating desires
- People should free minds of questions + learned reactions
- Cannot be taught- only experienced
- Spontaneous behavior desires
- All effort counter-productive
- Nature = teacher