East Asia Midterm

Question 1

Xia (2205-1766 BCE)

Answer 1

The first of the so-called Three Dynasties that form the classical age of Chinese antiquity. Recorded long after it happened.

Question 2

Yü (Ruled 2205-2198 BCE)

Answer 2

Founded Xia Dynasty after taming a catastrophic flood. A sage king. Ruled with wisdom, clarity, virtue. Refused to name their sons as heirs, but people refused to accept this from Yu and his son succeeded him.

Question 3

Shang dynasty (1766-1045 BCE)

Answer 3

The second of the Three Dynasties. Early example of a relatively large territorial state. Probably did not employ an extensively centralized bureaucratic government but rather delegated authority to largely autonomous local leaders. Exclusive prerogative of Shang kings to sponsor oracle bone divination. Conquered by foreign Zhou in 1045.

Question 4

Zhou dynasty (1045-256 BCE)

Answer 4

Western Zhou (1045-771) Eastern Zhou (771-256) Spring & Autumn Period (771-441) Warring States Period (446-221). Became an ideal, not really a rule. Absorbed large portions of Shang ideas. Illustrates how Chinese civilization was a hybrid mixture of local cultural traditions.

Question 5

Duke of Zhou (1043 BCE)

Answer 5

Regent on behalf of new boy king. Duke’’s brothers rebelled against him but he put down the rebellion. After the dynasty was put on a stable path, he voluntarily relinquished his authority as regent. Stories about him became foundational to Chinese political tradition and established overriding Confucian principle of ruling by virtue. Intimately associated with Mandate of Heaven.

Question 6

Yijing (Book of Changes) (1100 BCE)

Answer 6

Written by last ruler of Shang Dynasty. Poems aimed at forecasting the future. Trigrams. Handbook for divination, based on a set of sixty-four hexagrams. One of the five core Confucian Classics.

Question 7

The Five Classics (Attained canonical status in late 2nd century BCE)

Answer 7

The Book of Documents (Speeches, announcements, etc attributed to great figures of antiquity), The Book of Odes (Three hundred early Zhou songs and poems), The Book Of Changes (See Above), The Rites (Collective name for three ritual texts), and The Spring and Autumn Annals (History of Confucius’s home state of Lu covering years 722-481. Traditional believe that Confucius had compiled the history). Important because of their antiquity.

Question 8

Warring States (446-221 BCE)

Answer 8

Power of Zhou kings overshadowed by the rise of regional territorial states which became fully independent countries with their own sovereign kings during this period. Qin, Zhao, Yan, Wei, Han, Song, Qi, Chu, Lu, Zhou.

Question 9

Confucius (551-479 BCE)

Answer 9

Born Kong Qiu in state of Lu. Jesuits devised latinized form Confucius (Kong Fuzi: Master Kong) in 18th Century. Most of what we know about him is from the Analects.

Question 10

Confucianism

Answer 10

Leadership by moral example. Can’t govern through regulations and punishments. Have to lead through proper ritual and moral force, and people will correct themselves. Good society means self-cultivation of moral principles by a gentlemen who hopes to influence those around him. Humaneness, Loyalty, Filial Piety, Knowledge. Five Relationships. The Dao: The way or how one should live according to proper values and principles. “Golden Rule” - Never impose on others what you wouldn’t want on yourself.

Question 11

Mencius (372-289 BCE)

Answer 11

“Second Sage.” Student of Confucian teachings. Spread and popularized Confucian teachings. Innate goodness of human nature. Importance of education to cultivate virtue. Importance of common people to a state, and the right of people to overthrow rulers ruling unjustly.

Question 12

Mozi (470-379 BCE)

Answer 12

Developed Mohism. Opposed excessive ritual. Impartial caring & consequential ethics. Family is bad, random connection of bloodlines is a bad way to start a society. Should respect parents but should respect all members of society. Universal love. Confucius puts too much emphasis on ritual and filial piety.

Question 13

Daoism

Answer 13

Yin and Yang. Dao, same as Confucianism, the way or how one should live. Virtue or Power. Active non-action or Active passivity. The Dao is unescapable. The way that can be spoken of is not constant way. Maoist Dao is beyond petty artificial human considerations, unlike Confucian Dao which was moral and human centered. Laissez-faire.

Question 14

dao

Answer 14

Part of both Confucian and Daoist ideologies. “The Way” or how one should live life according to proper values and principles.

Question 15

Daodejing

Answer 15

Supposedly written by Laozi, a supposed contemporary of Confucius. Likely a mythical figure.

Question 16

Laozi (Contemporary of Confucius)

Answer 16

Old Master, allegedly instructed Confucius. Supposed but likely mythical author of one of the only original texts on Daoism

Question 17

Zhuangzi (369-286 BCE)

Answer 17

Master Zhuang. Thought to be a real historical figure. Wrote multiple parables. Story of the cook who does not cut or hack and does not have to change his knife because of it. Rather he learned to follow natural patterns of joints, tendons, etc. Such a cook truly understood the Way.

Question 18

yin-yang

Answer 18

Dualism of life, often called Daoist though it is also a separate independent strand of traditional Chinese thought. The contrast of male/female, cold/heat, dark/light, active/passive, etc. Need both, both work together.

Question 19

Legalism (Developed 390-338 BCE)

Answer 19

Developed by Shang Yang. People are motivated by fear and greed, and can be controlled by the “Two Handles.” First adopted by state of Qin in 350 BCE. Rewards and Punishment are needed, to appeal to greed and to fear. Keep society ordered through consistent application of rules not rites or moral examples. Ruler has “mystery of authority.” Offers realism unlike Confucianism and Daoism.

Question 20

Qin Shi Huangdi (260-210 BCE r. 220-210)

Answer 20

First Emperor of China, King of Qin (247-220). Standardized writing systems, legal codes, coins, weights and measures. Wanted to promote a single unified imperial culture. Erected what is thought to be first version of Great Wall. Justified conquests in name of providing peace and uniform justice to people. Idea that it may be necessary for people to submit to the authority of a powerful state for own self preservation.

Question 21

Great Wall (Began in 220-210 BCE)

Answer 21

First started by Qin Shi Huangdi across Northern border. May have been constructed as a projection of Chinese imperial power onto the nomads more than to keep nomads out.

Question 22

Terracotta Warriors (220-210 BCE)

Answer 22

Constructed by Qin Shi Huangdi to be placed in his tomb. An entire terra-cotta army consisting of thousands of life-sized clay soldiers. 20 mile in circumference tomb. Shows idea that he thought himself a god like figure.

Question 23

Han dynasty (220 BCE - 220 CE)

Answer 23

Liu Bang captured the Qin capital and put an end to the dynasty. After a few years of conflict between different regions he became founding emperor of the Han dynasty. The dynasty brought in many provinces as part of a Western extension.

Question 24

Han Wudi (r. 141-87 BCE)

Answer 24

Sixth Han emperor. Economic interventionism and aggressive military expansionism. The emperor who first established Confucianism as imperial Orthodoxy.

Question 25

Zhang Qian (138-126 BCE)

Answer 25

Envoy to Central Asia

Question 26

Buddhism (Originated 5th Century BCE, reaches China around 0)

Answer 26

Originates in India/Nepal. Missionary religion. Although the realm of material existence continues endlessly (birth, death, rebirth), nothing within it is permanent. Life has no meaning. Idea of the four noble truths. Spread to China along trade routes. Didn’t have much appeal at first. Took root after the collapse of imperial government in North China in fourth century.

Question 27

Gautama Buddha (563-483 BCE)

Answer 27

Prince whose father didn’t want him to see any suffering. Took a trip and saw old age, death, disease. Became disillusioned with his princely life so he lived as an Ascetic for six years. Enlightened at age 35 with four noble truths.

Question 28

Four Noble Truths

Answer 28

All existence is suffering, origin of suffering is desire, end suffering by ending desire, end desire by 8-fold path. 8-fold path is Moral (speech, action, livelihood), Mental (effort, mindfulness, concentration), Wisdom (views, intentions). Through this you can reach Nirvana.

Question 29

Sakyamuni

Answer 29

Another name for Siddhartha Gautama, “Sage of the Sakya tribe”

Question 30

nirvana

Answer 30

Achieve this when you become enlightened. Self is extinguished, realization that you don’t exist as a self.

Question 31

Sui dynasty (589-619 CE)

Answer 31

Gained Gansu corridor along the silk road. Used Buddhism as a major tool for unifying the Dynasty. Created Grand Canal to link Yangzi River and Yellow River. Attempts at expansion and excessive conscription led to defeat by the Tang.

Question 32

Sui Yangdi (606-618 CE)

Answer 32

Gained throne under cloud of suspicion of having murdered his own father. Wanted to continue Sui imperial expansion. Put together massive mobilization of resources and conscription to make monstrous invasions possible. Put a severe strain on the common people which led to rebellions and eventually the rise of the Tang dynasty.

Question 33

Grand Canal (611)

Answer 33

Under the Sui. Manmade waterway linking the Yangzi River in the south to the Yellow River in the north. Can be said to have capped the Sui Dynasty’s economic and cultural unification of the entire Chinese world.

Question 34

An Lushan (703-757)

Answer 34

Most powerful Tang general, rebelled against the Tang dynasty. As many as 36 million deaths though that number is controversial. Would be 2/3 population of China, 1/6 world population. Accelerated population shift to south and east. Created enormous government debt and provincial autonomy. A weakening of central government.

Question 35

Tang Dynasty (618-907)

Answer 35

Acquired area of Xinjiang in west. One of the largest and most powerful of China’s dynasties. Cosmopolitan. High point in status of women. Had the only female emperor. Begun by Li Yuan who claimed that his ancestor was Daoist Sage Laozi.

Question 36

Wu Zetian (624-705, r. 690-705)

Answer 36

Only woman to rule in own name as Empress. A concubine who was with the Emperor Tang Taizong. His son succeeded him in 649, and was attracted to her as well which was inappropriate. She soon became the real power behind the throne after emperor’s death. In 690 she proclaimed herself as emperor of a new Zhou Dynasty.

Question 37

Yang Guifei (700s)

Answer 37

A beautiful woman in the favor of the Tang Emperor Xuanzong. Extended patronage to her favorites at court, including An Lushan. Thanks to her support, An Lushan came to control the major Tang frontier armies.

Question 38

Song of Enduring Sorrow

Answer 38

Poem written by Li Bo

Question 39

Li Bo (705-762)

Answer 39

Chinese poet who took traditional poetic forms to new heights. He and Du Fu were the two most prominent figures in poetry in Tang dynasty.

Question 40

Du Fu (712-770)

Answer 40

Prominent Chinese poet. Life and country were devastated by the An Lushan rebellion. Historical poems.

Question 41

Dunhuang

Answer 41

An important place along the silk road. Location of the Mogao Caves, noted for their Buddhist art. Frontier town constantly fought over.