Chapter 8: The Unification Of Chine Flashcards
What were the Analects?
A compile of Confucius’s sayings and teachings that profoundly influenced Chinese political and cultural teachings
What were Confucian beliefs on government?
Junzi (superior individuals) should take view of public affairs as not allow personal interests to influence their judment.
What were Confucian values?
Students should cultivate high ethical standards and to hone their faculties if analysis and judgment.
What were the 3 core qualities of Confucianism?
Ren: kindness/sense of humanity
Li: propriety/respect for others
Xiao: family is of the highest significance
Who was Kong Fuzi?
The first Chinese thinker who addressed the problem of political and social order. Also known as Confucius.
Who were Confucius’s disciples and what core qualities did they focus on?
Mencius focused on ren. He believed government should avoid war, levy light taxes, and support education.
Xunzi emphasized Li. He supported harsh social discipline.
What is Daoism?
Instead of wasting time and energy on insolvable problems, daoists devoted their energy to reflection and introspection in order to understand the natural principles that govern the world.
What was the doctrine of wuwei?
The doctrine called for disengagement from competitive exertion and involvement in the world. People should I’ve simply, unpretentiously, and in harmony with nature
What is legalism?
A belief that encourages military service and discourages lines of work that do not directly advance the state. Imposed strict code and harsh punishment for violators and expected collective responsibility.
How was the Qin government run?
Centralized bureaucracy. Wealth was devoted toward the military that grew powerfully. He ruled by fear: no one would talk against his rule. Many were executed and books were burned
Who was Shi Huangdi?
“The first emperor” of the Qin dynasty. He built a central bureaucracy that was divided into administrative provinces, destroyed potential points of rebellion, and built an elaborate road system.
What was the Great Wall?
A project started by Shi Huangdi that linked existing defensive walls to form a massive defensive barrier.
How did the Chinese unify China?
Standardized laws, currencies, weights and measures which integrated society. And created a system of standardized script that facilitated communication
How did the Qin dynasty fall?
After Shi Huangdi’s death, internal rebellion began and rebels destroyed the Qin government
How did the Han dynasty come into power?
A man named Liu Band restored order throughout China and called the new dynast the Han.
Who was Han Wudi?
“The martial emperor” of China who pursued two policies: administrative centralization and imperial expansion
What was the Han governmental system like?
Heavy taxation, imperial monopolies (iron, salt, liquor), relied on Confucian educational systems, legalistic running of govt, and strong imperial expansion.
What was the biggest threat to the Han dynasty?
Xiongnu were nomadic peoples who were fierce warriors. The Chinese were in constant fear of their attack and often provided them with food in hopes of peace. Eventually the Chinese decided to attack and won.
Describe Han society
Han society was patriarchal, most people worked in agriculture, and social distinctions between rich and poor caused many rebellions
What important goods did Han China produce?
Iron goods, silk, paper
What role did silk play in the development of the economy?
Silk was so carefully made that it was a prized commodity in other countries. This causes the development of an intricate network of trade routes known as the sold roads
What were economic issues during the Han Dynasty?
Expeditions against the xiongnu and establishment of agricultural colonies cost a lot. Taxes were raised and property was taken from some in order to finance these. This discourages investment in manufacturing and trading enterprises
What issues did land distribution hole?
Only a few individuals had accumulated land which was causing landless individuals to rebel. Wang Mang redistributed land and limited the amount a family could have. However this wasn’t executed properly and resulted in confusion.
How did Han China collapse?
After the yellow turban uprisings weakened the Han state. Han emperors were unable to stop the development of factions which split up China into several kingdoms
