China+Korea: Vocab

Question 1

What is a Celadon? What is an example?

Answer 1

A transparent glaze of pale bluish-green color developed in China and popularized in Korea, especially during the Goreyo Dynasty.
EX: Melon-Shaped Ewer with Bamboo Decoration (Beginning of 12th Dynasty) (Goreyo Dynasty)

Question 2

What is Confucianism? What is an example of Confucianism being used in art?

Answer 2

A philosophy and ethic associated with Chinese philosopher Confucius (c. 551-489 BCE) that stressed the good government, social order and harmony, and mortality.
EX: Raising of the Cauldron, Rubbing of a Relief from Wu Family Shrine (Han Dynasty) (c. 151 CE)
EX: The Courage of Lady Feng from Admonition of the Imperial Instructions to Court Ladies (The Admonitions on Scrolls) (Six Dynasty period) (c. 5th-8th century CE) (Gu Kaizhi)
EX: Melon-Shaped Ewer with Bamboo Decoration (Goreyo Dynasty) (Beginning of 12th Century)

Question 3

What is Daoism? What is an example of an art contains Doaist imagery?

Answer 3

A moral philosophy, associated with Laozi (6th century BCE), that sought to place human actions in accord with the flow of nature (the Dao way)
EX: Travelers Among Mountains and Streams (Fan Kuan) (Northern Song Dynasty) (Early 11th century)

Question 4

What is Gui? What is an example of Gui?

Answer 4

A ritual vessel
EX: Gui (Ritual Vessel) (Zhou Dynasty) (c. 1100-1000 BCE)

Question 5

What is the Mandate of Heaven? What is an example?

Answer 5

Belief, popularized during the Zhou Dynasty, that the Chinese emperor had a divine right to rule, and that he was morally obliged to use his power for the good of the people
EX: Raising of the Cauldron, Rubbing of a Relief from Wu Family Shrine (Han Dynasty) (c. 151 CE)

Question 6

What is the Middle Kingdom?

Answer 6

From the Chinese, “zhongguo” (“central state”), a term sometimes invoked to imply the superiority of the Chinese empire and its position at the center civilization.

Question 7

What is Neo-Confucianism? What is an example?

Answer 7

Revival of Confucianism beginning during the Tang and Song Dynasties that synthesized aspects of Confucian, Buddhist and Daoist thought.
EX: Travelers Among Mountains and Streams (Fan Kuan) (Northern Song Dynasty) (Early 11th century)

Question 8

What is a Sutra? What is an example?

Answer 8

A sacred text of Buddhism
EX: Shakyamuni and Prabuhutaratna (Northern Wei Dynasty) (c. 518 CE)