[Ancient China MIDTERM] Flashcards
(38 cards)
1
Q
Pictographs
A
- Earliest recorded Chinese characters
- Large numbers of recognizable drawings
- Became inadequate- only good for familiar concrete objects
2
Q
Ideographs
A
- Simple: more abstract/complex symbolic thoughts
- Compound: characters with 2 or more components whose association determines the meaning of the entire character
3
Q
Qin Shi Huangdi
A
- First emperor of China, Legalism
- Unified China
- Standardized weights and measurements- easier for trade
- Made all states have the same Chinese characters
- Made money only copper coins- easier for trade
- Built the Great Wall of China for protection
- Ended period of warring states
4
Q
Dynastic Cycle
A
The pattern of rise, decline, and replacement of dynasties
5
Q
Loess
A
Yellowish silt (fertile soil) deposited from the Huang He, brought fertility to the soil
6
Q
Middle Kingdom
A
- The idea of “China-centralism”
- China believed they were in the middle of the world, surrounded by natural barriers on all sides
7
Q
Silk Roads
A
- Network of trade routes through wetlands with occasional oases running through areas of Asia
- Meant for trading silk and other goods
- Transmitted goods, culture and religion
- Ran from China to the Mediterranean Sea
- Sandstorms + mountains made travel difficult
8
Q
Period of Warring States
A
- By the end of the Zhou dynasty, China had descended into chaos
- China moved away from its ancient values of social, harmony, and respect for authority
- Chinese scholars developed a number pf solutions to restore these values
9
Q
Confucius
A
- China’s most influential scholar, lived in the Zhou decline
- Founded Confucianism
10
Q
Confucian Analects
A
- Collected sayings of Confucius (teachings + thoughts)
- Confucian values
11
Q
Filial piety
A
- Confucius believed children should have respect/honor for their parents and ancestors- devotion to parents during lifetime
- Honoring family after death through rituals
- Sons continue family line
12
Q
24 Filial Exemplars
A
-Text used to teach Confucian moral values- filial piety
13
Q
5 Fundamental Relationships
A
- Ruler to subject
- Husband to wife
- Older brother to younger brother
- Friend to friend
- Father to son
14
Q
Mandate of Heaven
A
- Divine approval to rule
- Justified rulers’ rights to rule
- Natural disasters- sign that the spirits were unhappy with the ruler
- Central to Chinese view of government
- Created by the Zhou
15
Q
Taoism
A
- Goal of life: to achieve tranquility and harmony with natural order
- There is a life force/energy that runs through everything (the Tao), let it guide you
- Humans and objects created unnatural things by creating desires
- People should free minds of questions + learned reactions
- Cannot be taught- only experienced
- Spontaneous behavior desires
- All effort counter-productive
- Nature = teacher
16
Q
The “Dao” / the “way”
A
-
17
Q
Tao Te Ching
A
-Daoism book written by Laozi (Lao Tsu)
18
Q
Laozi
A
- Chinese thinker
- Believed in Daoism
- Wrote the book Tao Te Ching
19
Q
Yin/Yang
A
- Two powers that together represented the natural rhythms of life, compliment each other
- Yin- cold, dark soft, mysterious
- Yang- warm, bright, hard, clear
- Helped people understand how they fit into the world
20
Q
Great Wall of China
A
- Shi Huangdi had men build Great Wall (10 years)
- Protection from invasion
- Helped unify China
21
Q
Karma
A
- Buddhism
- Good/bad deeds determine persons fate after rebirth
22
Q
Buddhism
A
HARMONY WITH MIND
- Follow the Eightfold Path to reach nirvana
- The Four Noble Truths
- Enlightenment
- Live in harmony with your mind- peace/create your own happiness
23
Q
Reincarnation
A
Rebirth
24
Q
Siddhartha Gautama
A
-Founder of Buddhism, noble family
25
Enlightenment
Wisdom
26
Nirvana
The Buddha's word for release from selfishness and pain
27
Four Noble Truths
1) Life is filled with suffering and sorrow
2) The cause of all suffering is people's selfish desire for the temporary pleasures of this world
3) The way to end all suffering is to end all desires
4) The way to overcome such desires and attain enlightenment is to follow the Eightfold Path
28
Eightfold Path / Middle Way
- Middle Way between desires and self-denial
- A guide to behavior, mastered one step at a time
- Following it meant reaching nirvana
29
"China" comes from the Qin Dynasty. Why? Significance of dynasty?
-Shi Huangdi unified China
30
How has geography affected the culture of China?
- Many natural barriers- harder for enemies to attack
- Two major rivers (Yellow River, Yangtze)- water trade routes, transportation
- Isolated- weren't connected as much to other countries, allowing them to develop their own unique culture
- Silk Roads
31
Similarities between the 3 ethical systems
-
32
How did Confucianism apply to Chinese government?
Confucius believed that:
- the government should lead the nation in virtue by serving as the epitome of virtue
- there should be social class distinctions because harmony is based on the balance of different roles
- chaos would ensure people didn't behave according to their role (gender, class, age etc)
- ability would determine social role and standing (talented = advance in society)
33
How/why did Confucianism come about?
- Confucius born at time of crisis/violence in China
- Thought a return to old values would create peace and harmony in society
- Social order, harmony, and goof government could be restored from 5 basic relationships
34
Differences between the 3 ethical systems
-
35
Confucianism
RIGHT VS WRONG
- Social order, harmony, and good government should be based in family relationships
- Respect for parents and elders is important to a well-ordered society
- Education is important both to welfare and of the individual and to society
- Virtue
- Live life according to your role
36
Why did the Qin dynasty end?
-
37
How to become one with the Tao?
- Learn ways and processes of natural world
- Shape and learn actions to emulate nature
- Reject Confucian ideas of social rules
- Accept that a universal force guides all things
- Let nature be your ultimate teacher
- Do not try to describe the Tao- just experience
38
Describe China's natural barriers
- Mountain ranges and deserts- 2/3 of Chins’s landmass
- West China- Taklimakan Desert
- Icy 15,000 foot Plateau of Tibet
- Southwest- Himalayas
- North- Gigi Desert and Mongolian Plateau
