Zhongguo
"Middle Kingdom" or center of the world
loess
yellow soil
China Proper
the heart of China
autocracy
total power for emperor
oracle bones
used by Shang priests to make predictions
bureaucracy
government organized into different levels and tasks
animism
belief that spirits inhabit everything
Analects
the collected teachings of Confucius
Laozi
founder of Daoism
Silk Road
famous trade route
Huang, Chang, and Xi
the three major rivers of China
The Xia
rulers over the Neolithic people in China
The Chinese built dikes along the Huang river to
protect against flooding
By introducing and controlling irrigation and flooding
the Shang were able to cement their power over the people
Rebels were able to justify their action of overthrowing a dynasty by
stating that the old dynasty had lost the Mandate of Heaven
This policy steadied food prices and supplies
leveling
Discontent among people in this dynasty was partly due to forced labor
Qin
These were among the teachings of Confucius
importance of family, respect for elders, and reverence for ancestors
During the fall of the Han dynasty,
Buddhism has risen in China
Laozi's teachings different from Confucius by that it
did not address politics
Dikes built on the Huang river
did more harm than good when the silt built up in the river channel
This was the first people of ancient China
Xia
Commercial waterways were offered to the Chinese people
on the Huang, Chang, and Xi rivers
The Qin dynasty
restricted free speech
The Chinese written language
can be read by many dialects
The Han civil service system was open to those
who had training and tested to get a government position
The Qin's public works projects were built
by peasants
Confucius stated that a
strong leader would be a virtuous leader
Loess is the reason for this other name of the Huang River (fill in the blank)
Yellow
Women gained respect in society
when they become members
Acupuncture
is an advancement in Chinese medicine
Shang priests used these to make predictions and answer questions (fill in the blank)
oracle bones
The Han invented this and it has had a lasting effect on civilizations around the world
paper
The concepts of yin and yang reflected an overall Chinese belief of (fill in the blank)
balance
His teachings attempted to correct political disorder (fill in the blank)
Confucius's
The Shang government can be described as a bureaucracy and it (short answer)
the bureaucracy helped keep China organized and therefore China was able to expand
Confucius taught that strong leaders were virtuous leaders (short answer)
and Mencius expanded on the idea by stating that the people had the right to overthrow an unjust leader.
The Mandate of Heaven (short answer)
was the right to rule given by God and New dynasties were able to justify their takeover by claiming that the old dynasty had lost the Mandate of Heaven.
Discuss how beliefs such as animism, Daoism, and the teachings of Confucius are reflected in Chinese traditions and innovations. (Essay)
Animism and Daoism are based on the idea that there is a life force that is part of all living things. Keeping the life force running smoothly is the theory behind the Chinese practice of acupuncture. The belief in the life-force also seems to be echoed in the traditional reverence for ancestors, that is central to the Shang religion that incorporated animism and later the teachings of Confucius. The traditional importance of family is also a central part of Confucianism.
Did any dynasty achieve dualism? Explain. (Essay)
The Han came closest to achieving dualism, or the balance that is the basis for much of Chinese philosophy. Their rule followed that of the Qin, a dynasty that was too closely based on the harsh principles of Legalism. The Han were able to adopt the strong foundation provided by Legalism, but moderated it with Confucianism. As Confucius taught, the Han attempted to provide leadership that would better the people and their lives. Their success is evident in their ability to keep peace for a while, and measures such as leveling, which showed an interest in helping the lower classes. The balance between the two philosophies allowed the Han to stay in power longer than a dynasty that relied too heavily on one school of thought.