China midterm Flashcards
Why was opium banned?
addiction, worsened economy because people didn’t want to work
What were Lord Macartney’s objectives?
negotiating trade agreements, establish a British embassy in Beijing, improving relations
What was the outcome of Macartney’s meeting with the Qing state?
Qing court did not agree to Macartney’s requests, trade restriction remained in place, still ended in positive feelings between them
How long did Emperor Kangxi reign for?
50 years
What were Kangxi’s values as a leader?
confucian values, belief that the emperor is a moral guide for the empire, criticizes corruption among officials
what were Kangxi’s challenges and concerns?
concerned about the loyalty of provincial leaders, there is potential for instability, he must pick a worthy successor
What was the story of Fan Jin?
a poor scholar who wanted to pass the imperial exams
What was the significance of the Fan Jin story?
highlights the cultural significance of social status
What are the civil service exams?
main path to gain government office and social advancement
what were strengths of the Qing period?
centralized bureaucracy, efficient tax systems, long-term stability + growth
what were challenges of Qing power?
internal weaknesses, external pressures, population growth, corruption and bureaucratic weakness, regional tensions
what were the opium wars?
China forced to open its markets to Western trade, forced to give away territory (hong kong - britain), unequal treaties
what was the Taiping Rebellion?
civil war, led by Hong Xiuquan, religious + political movement, sought to overthrow Qing, wanted Christian regime
What were some reforms by Empress Dowager Cixi?
establishment of a modern school system, military reforms, abolition of the civil service exam
Who were two key figures in the anti-Qing movement?
Sun Yat-sen, Shifu
What is Tianxia (and what is it in English?)
- All under heaven
- idea that views the world as a unified, moral order
- virtuous ruler, like the emperor, should lead with the Mandate of Heaven
what is confucianism?
- moral values
- respect for family
- social harmony
- good governance
What is xiao (filial piety)?
Confucian idea of showing respect, love, and care for one’s parents and elders
what is Tianming and what is it in English?
- mandate of heaven
- Heaven chooses a good ruler to lead
- if the ruler is bad , Heaven takes away their right to rule and gives it to someone else
What was the Warring States Period?
- time before Qing dynasty
- areas were fighting each other to control the land
- Qing won and started the dynasty
what did the First Emperor of Qin do?
- 221 to 210
- created centralized government
- standardized weights and measures
- built parts of the great wall
- terracotta army
what is concubinage?
- second wife
- less rights as the first one
What was the Qing dynasty?
- last dynasty of china
- famous for expansion, connection with western countries
- 1644 - 1912
What was the Gonghan (Cohon/canton) system?
- labor system during Qing Dynasty
- workers join together in groups based on their jobs
- helped them find work, set rules
Who was the Qianlong Emperor?
- 6th emperor of Qin dynasty
- expanding China’s territory
- promoted arts and culture
- prosperous time
Treaty of Nanjing
- peace agreement that ended the First Opium War between Britain and China
- forced China to pay reparations, open several ports to British trade
- forced to give Hong Kong to Britain + grant British citizens certain rights
The Taiping heavenly kingdom
- movement in China during the Taiping Rebellion
- leader Hong Xiuquan, who believed he was Jesus’s brother
- wanted to create society w no social class
- led to civil wars
Who was Hong Xiuquan?
- leader of the heavenly kingdom
- thought he was brother of jesus
- wanted a classless society
Who was Zeng Guofan?
- military leader during Qing dynasty
- helped defeat Taiping rebellion
Japan China war
- Sino-Japanese war
- fought over control of korea
what was Kanxi’s Valedictory Edict?
- about Emperor Kangxi’s reflections on his reign
- confucian values
- emperor is moral guide for the empire
- concerned abt the loyalty of provincial leaders
- concerned for the future of the empire
- must choose worthy successor
China and western tech reading
- talks about initial chinese reactions to western tech
- mixed attitudes
- some officials + scholars were curious and wanted to learn
- some saw them as a threat to traditional chinese methods
A Proclamation against the bandits of Guangdong and Guangxi, reading
- addressing the chaos caused by bandits during Taiping Rebellion
- condemns the rebels for destroying communities
- calls for peace and unity
