ancient china Flashcards
(34 cards)
define - “Yuan”
dynasty that came under rule of the mongols
define - “Civil Service Exam”
Based on confucian beliefs, examinations dependent only on one’s ability rather than one’s social position
define - “philosophy”
study of general and fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, and values.
define - “filial piety”
virtue of respect, and obedience for one’s parents, elders, and ancestors.
define “ancestor worship”
a religious practice based on the belief that deceased family members have a continued existence, that the spirits of deceased ancestors will look after the family, take an interest in the affairs of the world, and possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living.
define “Mandate of heaven”
doctrine that heaven chose its ruler, and replaced the unfit ones
define “meritocracy”
government selected by their ability
define - Warlord
military commander who seized power
Forbidden city
imperial palace built during Ming Dynasty
Prefect
The prefecture system developed in both Jin and Chu was one innovation. In Jin there were several dozen prefects across the state, each having limited authority and tenure. The Jin prefect was no more than a functionary, in contrast to the feudal practice.
Silk Road
an ancient network of trade routes that connected the East and West. It was central to cultural interaction between the regions for many centuries
Feudalism
land was exchanged for work. In a feudal system, a peasant or worker known as a vassal received a piece of land in return for serving a lord or king, especially during times of war.
Confucianism
- founded by Confucius “Kong Fuzi.”
- Confucianism focused on education as a means of attaining worth and status and was adopted as an official philosophical school under the Han Emperor Wu Ti in the second century BC.
- Filial piety
- Rectification of names: designating names appropriately and matching these names to responsibilities or actions such that a particular name has a set of responsibilities attached to ensure there is no confusion between the names or the responsibilities allocated to each.
- Courtesy: observe rules of etiquette and behave with propriety, less need for laws and punishments
Legalism
- emphasizes the need for order above all other human concerns.
- founder is Han Fei: chinese philosopher of the Legalist school during the Warring States period, and a prince of the state of Han
- notion of strict law and order and harsh, collective punishments
Taiji
Supreme Ultimate” state of undifferentiated absolute and infinite potential, the oneness before duality, from which Yin and Yang originate
Yin and yang
yin (dark) and yang (bright) is a concept of dualism in ancient Chinese philosophy, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world
Daoism
- founder was laozi
- accepting and yielding, the joyful and carefree sides of the Chinese character, an attitude that offsets and complements the moral and duty-conscious, austere and purposeful character ascribed to Confucianism.
- true nature of the world, it is the essential, unnameable process of the universe.
- through an understanding of natural laws, an individual can be one with the Tao by living in accordance with nature (cosmos/ Universe) and all its transformations and changes, adopting and assimilating to these, and hence can gain eternal life.
Chinese empire existed for what periods
1500 BCE - 1911 CE
In what geographic location did the first Ancient Chinese civilizations appear?
Yellow River region in north, and Yangtze River in south
Which staple food was cultivated within the Yangzte River system?
rice
Timeline: appearance of Chinese philosophers; rule; dynasties
1500 BCE - oracle bones, asking spirit world for predictions
500 BCE - confucius - five relationships- an ethical guide, civil service exams
Han dynasty
221 BCE - unification of china
600 - T’ang dynasty
1200’s Mongol invasion
Period of disunion
- Nomads took control of all country north of the Yangtze River
- ancestor of mongols controlled for 300 years
- southern china was weak short Chinese dynasties
Period of disunion
- Nomads took control of all country north of the Yangtze River
- ancestor of mongols controlled for 300 years
- southern china was weak short Chinese dynasties
neo-confucianism
the works of confucius were blended with concepts of Taoism and Buddhism by Song scholars
- emperor was a perfect father, fair, entitled to obedience
- government, staffed virtuous men, goodness was education and success
- all individuals have the duty to transform themselves and be the best they can be
