Chinese history Flashcards
Mandate of Heaven
Definition: Political philosophy that existed through much of China’s history (Zhou through Qing Dynasties) that claimed that leaders gain authority to rule through approval of the gods.
Significance: A different type of political legitimacy; also gave the people power because if the people thought leaders lost the mandate they felt justified in rebelling a overthrowing the emperor; also an amazing example of continuity in Chinese culture as this system lasted for thousands of years.
Shi Huangdi
Definition: The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty who ended internal turmoil in China.
Significance:
- Used the legalism philosophy to unify china.
-doubled china’s territory.
-ended feudalism, and crushed dissent by murdering Confucian scholars.
Established an autocracy: A government that has unlimited power
Autocracy
Definition: A government that has unlimited power.
Significance:
-was implemented during the Qin Dynasty by Shi Huangdi, led to many advancement but came at the cost of personal freedoms.
-endorsed by legalism.
-Leads to brutal denial of free speech and other human rights.
Great Wall of China
definition: The Great Wall of CHina was a construction project led by Shi Huhnagdi in the Qin Dynasty that defended northern china from invaders, and kept hte people of China inside.
Signifcance:
_one of the most notable architectural accomplishment of ancient China and the Qin dynasty.
-Led to the deaths of millions of peasants who were forced to work on the great wall for no pay, which eventually led to rebellion and the fall of the Qin Dynasty.
-only partially prevented against invaders.
Han Dynasty
Definition: Overthrew the Qin Dynasty, and established a centralized government bureaucracy: a central authority that controls the running of a state.
Significance:
-loosened legalism to win the support of the public.
-colonized nearly to the bounds of modern china.
-had a complex bureaucracy and highly structured society.
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Gentry
Definition:New larger upper class, made up of scholar officials and their family.
Significance:
-changed the course of Chinese history because education and civil service became more valued than inheritance and ownership.
Filial Piety
Definition: The virtue of exhibiting the proper love and respect for one’s parents, elders, and ancestors.
Significance:
-Was a key part of Chinese religious beliefs and societal structure because they believed that their ancestors had the power to impact their life
-had lavish ceremonies to honor the dead ancestors
-Made Chinese society centered around the family, and was a core belief in confucianism.
Legalism
Definition: The belief that the only way to preserve harmony in ancient CHina was through a powerful government, using the law to end civil disorder.
Signifcance:
-They believed in controlling ideas and harshly punishing dissent, but also rewards for loyalty.
-Was applied during the Qin Dynasty by Shi Huangdi, and led to many advancement agriculturally, industrially, and architecturally, but also led to censorship, forced labor, and the murder of thousands of Confucian scholars.
-Part of the appeal of Legalism was stability and strength, highly militarized society.
Daoism
Definition: A philosophy that believed a universal force guided all things, and that in order to preserve harmony in China people must be one with nature.
Signifcance:
-Was the least political of all of Ancient China’s philosophies.
-Daoists pursued knowledge of scientific studies, which led to many advancement; the people had more power than the government.
Confucianism
Definition: The belief that harmony could be restored in china through 5 key relationships, with ruler and subject at the top, family in the middle ,and friends at the bottom.
Significance:
-believed education could transcend social class, led to the establishment of gentry and bureaucracy in later dynasties.
-became the foundation for the Han dynasty and spread to other civilizations.
-promoted filial piety
Bureaucracy
Definition: A trained group running the government.
Signif.:
-Was the basis of the Han government and many governments today, and promoted that education and talent could transcend social class, because of the civil service exams.
-Was a part of Confucianism government philosophy.
Huang He River
Definition: One of two key rivers in china.
Signifcance:
-Water was scarce in China, so much of early cinese cities were on the banks of the Huang He.
-Had disastrous floods, which led to advancements in flood protection systems created by Yu the Great, which enabled Yu to gain the respect of the people and strengthen the Xia Dynasty.
Shang Dynasty
Definition: The Shang Dynasty was the second dynasty, and was established by invaders.
Significance:
-Created an advanced society with many inventions, and had constant wars.
-surround their cities with walls for protection, and made advancements in weaponry including the chariot
Yellow/Yangtze River
Definition: Was one of the two key water sources in China.
Signifcance:
-THE yellow River and the Huang He enclosed China’s heartland, the best land for agriculture, which caused the majority of Chinese society to be centered in this area.
Oracle Bones
Definition: Bones that ancient Chinese priests used to communicate with their ancestors and gods
Significance:
-a key example of Chinese religious beliefs, and how they were in touch with both their ancestors and the gods.
Tang and Song dynasties
signifcance:
Tang dynasty: expanded China’s borders almost to modern borders.
-imporved infrastructure, trade, and agriculture.
-create a strong governing class (bureaucracy), made education and talent more important than wealth.
Song dynasty: led China’s population to nearly double
both led to many advancements in manufacturing, mathematics, agriculture, and sciences.
was the golden age of pottery and art
advanced sea trade and foreign contacts, which led to the spread of Buddhism from and and Islam and Christianity’s spread to China.
Dynastic cycle
Definition: A term used to describe the rise and fall of dynasties in China.
SIgnificance:
-occured due to frequent invasions from surround countries such as Mongolia and due to the Mandate of Heaven.
- Changed the course of Chinese history and values.
Ancestor worship
Definition: The ancient Chinese religious tradition of paying due respect to the dead, believing that disrespecting your elders can negatively impact your future.
Significance:
-many lavish pieces of pottery were created for these lavish occasions.
-a key belief in confucianism/ filial piety, because you must honor your elders even after death.
-an example as to how honor and pride in one’s family was a key feature of Chinese society.
Qian-Long
Definition: The emperor during the Qing Dynasty.
Significance:
-Created the strict trade regulations in China including the kowtow, and refused trade cooperation with the British whilst giving it to the Dutch because they refused to kowtow.
-Was a believer in Confucianism and fully developed the tradition of the civil service exam
Taiping Rebellion
Definition: a Movement in which followers during the Qing dynasty wished to overthrow the dynasty and share China’s wealth among all the people.
Significance:
-It was successful in overthrowing the dynasty, but internal turmoil and british and french assults brought this unstable government down.
-millions died during this attempt
Zhou Dynasty
Definition: A dynasty that overthrew the Shang dynasty and implemented feudalism: a political system where nobles/ lords are granted the use of the emperor’s land in exchange for loyalty and military service to the king and protection of the people living on the estates.
Significance:
-The Zhou were able to expand ther power across vast lands due to feudalism.
-promoted the development of traditional Chinese values.
-As lords gained power, they fought amongst themselves and neighboring peoples, which led the Zhou to be vulnerable and eventually overthrown, beginning the Warring States period.
-Had many advancements including roads, coined money, and blast furnaces.
Shi Jing (book of odes)
Definition: The earliest anthology of Chinese poetry dating back to the Zhou dynasty.
Significance:
-The foundation for Chinese classical poems and have been reversed throughout history.
-Was a key part of Confucianism and appeared on the civil service exams.
Civil Service Exams
Definition: The Civil Service Exams was a complex examiniation system in which all men were permitted to take it to gain a position in the government.
Significance:
-promoted Confucianism and merit over inheritance.
-led to the establishment of gentry (larger upper class of civil service people and scholar-officials)
- Was flawed because peasants could not afford the education that it required to pass the exam.
-led to a more stable, efficient, educated government without political conflict, but also a very one-sided government.
-made foreign relations harder ,less individualism.
Li Bai and Du Fu
Definition: Two of the most influential poets in Chinese history, from the Tang Dynasty
Significance:
-Li Bai was Daoist and Du Fu was Confucian, but both were still highly regarded, showing the diversity of philosophies during the Tang Dynasty.
-They both revered each other and were close friends.
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Zheng He
Defintion: A Muslim explorer during the ming Dynasty.
Significance:
-Wanted to travel in order to show off the wealthy of China, receive tribute, explore new places.
-The Chinese were centuries ahead of European voyages, used advanced technology.
-Showed the cultural diversity of China during this dynasty.
-Exploration stopped after his death because it became too expensive, shows how the Chinese prioritized stability and prosperity domestically over foreign relations, which goes with the Confucian isolationist philosophy.
Boxer Rebeliion
Definition: The campaign of peasants against the Dowager Empress Cixi’s rule during the Qing dynasty and also against foreign privelege in China.
Significance:
-The Rebellion failed, but a strong sense of nationalism and empowerment emerged in China.
-This led the empress to attempt to implement a constitutional monarchy similar to Japan.
-Occured as a result of growing foreign influence in China and failed reforms after the Opium war.
Qing Dynasty (Manchus)
Definition: The final dynasty in China following the Ming Dynasty. The people of Manchuria over threw the Ming Dynasty
Singificance:
-gained power by upholding Confucian beliefs, restoring security and prosperity.
-Restricted foreign trade due to Isolationist Confucian beliefs and had special rules.
-approved trade with the Dutch but refused to trade with british.
-New crops from the Colombian exchange led to a population boom, but soon the population exceeded food production; leading to hunger and increased opioid addiction.
-The Opium war between CHina and Britain led to a growing sphere of influence within China. This led to xenophobia and many rebellions.
Opium Wars
Definition: The wars between Britain and China over their trade of Opium in China (China lost)
Significance:
-Led to a growing sphere of influence within China as the British gained land within China and were exempt from Chinese trade laws.
- led to xenophobia and many rebellions as nationalism grew and the people pressed for reforms.
-led to widespread opioid addiction and famine.
Mongols
Defintion: THe people of the nation of Mongolia who conquered much of the Mongol Empire and established the Yuan Dynasty in CHina.
Significance:
-were a highly disciplined and courageous nomadic culture.
-tolerant while in peace and adopted the local culture of China, which allowed them to stay in power, but the CHinese were not allowed in high government positions.
-Increased foreign trade because the mongolians owned many trade routes and had foreign merchants in CHina.
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Ming Dynasty
Definition: THe dynasty that overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty.
Significance:
-restored agriculture, Confucianism, and civil service exams.
-Used isolationism as its primary foreign policy style, only the government was allowed to conduct trade.
-Due to trade, there was a lot of cultural diversity within China, including Christian missionaries & communities, Buddhists, and Muslims.
Landscape Paintings
Definition: A Daoist art form that represented nature.
Significance:
-these paintings often demonstrated Chinese ethics and philosophies.
-Was an example of Daoist art used throughout Chinese history
