Ancient China Vocabulary

Question 1

artifact

Answer 1

• made by humans

- used as historical evidence

Question 2

ransom

Answer 2

a sum of money or other payment demanded or paid for the release of a prisoner.

Question 3

mandate of heaven

Answer 3

• a political theory of ancient China

- which those in power were given the right to rule from a divine source.

Question 4

Apothecaries

Answer 4

-A pharmacist or druggist

Question 5

Philosopher

Answer 5

-One who searches for knowledge and wisdom.

Question 6

Chang Jiang

Answer 6

• One of the longest rivers in China,
• in later years, it was a main center of Chinese civilization
• it was very easy to navigate for boats.

Question 7

Hieroglyphs

Answer 7

• Pictures or symbols

- used in place of alphabet letters.

Question 8

Alchemists

Answer 8

• An early chemist; alchemists

- heavily influenced by magic

Question 9

Huang He

Answer 9

• One of the longest rivers on earth

- this is in China.

Question 10

Dynasties

Answer 10

-A succession of from the same family; the period of time during which they reigned.

Question 11

Elixir

Answer 11

-a medicine

Question 12

Shang

Answer 12

• The earliest Chinese Dynasty

- lasted from 1650-1027 B.C.E

Question 13

Loess

Answer 13

• very fine wind-blown silt
• In North China, loess is yellow in color.
• Loess was deposited by glaciers during the last ice age.

Question 14

Confucianism

Answer 14

• The system of ethics, education, statesmanship

- more taught by confucius and his disciples.

Question 15

Tang

Answer 15

• The empire ruled during China’s Golden Age.

- Ran from 618-907 by Li Huan or Gaozong.

Question 16

Artisan

Answer 16

-Someone who makes things.

Question 17

Taoism

Answer 17

• was based on the teachings of laozi

- the basic goal was to live in harmony with nature

Question 18

Song Dynasty

Answer 18

• from 907 - 1276 CE;
• a period of great growth in China
• when many inventions were created.

Question 19

silk

Answer 19

• Cloth spun from fibers
• made by silkworms.
• People have eagerly purchased this delicate fabric for thousands of years.

Question 20

Legalism

Answer 20

• Another philosophy developed around the same time as Confucianism.
• Conuciansim, based on idea that society operates better under a structure of law and government rather than moral laws.

Question 21

Ming

Answer 21

• The Ming dynasty from 1368 to 1644 CE.
• The Ming had fallen to a shortage of commercial access and constant attacks from Japanese pirates. Ming translates to “brilliant” in Chinese.

Question 22

Bureaucrats

Answer 22

-Workers in various departments of government.

Question 23

Karst

Answer 23

• landscape that is underlined by limestone or other carbonate rock,
• usually subject to erosion, sinkholes or other distinguishable land forms

Question 24

Mongols

Answer 24

• A cultural group who were the rulers of Yuan Dynasty.

- They primarily lived in Mongolia.

Question 25

continuity

Answer 25

• The state of being continuous,

- having no breaks.

Question 26

Nomadic

Answer 26

• Characteristic of a group

- that moves from place to place with the seasons.

Question 27

Yuan Dynasty

Answer 27

-The empire established by Kublai Khan

Question 28

alliances

Answer 28

-A close association for a common purpose

Question 29

tribute

Answer 29

-money paid by one nation to another for peace or protection

Question 30

Dowry

Answer 30

-the property that a woman brings to her marriage

Question 31

kowtow

Answer 31

• A formal bow

- This involves touching the forehead to the ground to show respect.

Question 32

Hierarchy

Answer 32

-having a clear order based on rank and importance

Question 33

Benevolence

Answer 33

-wisdom paired with kindness