China

Question 1

China thought they were the —– kingdom
Why?

Answer 1

They thought they were the Middle Kingdom because they thought the gods were above them and everyone else was below them

Question 2

China were by far the most isolated of any ancient civilization

True or False

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Geographic Barriers -

Answer 3

China was basically full boxed in by these features
West - Tian (Tien) Shan Mountains
South West - Himalaya Mountains
South East - Jungles
North - Gobi Desert
East - Pacific Ocean

Question 4

What was the most vulnerable natural border? Why? How did China try to combat this?

Answer 4

Being flat, the Gobi Desert was the most vulnerable part of China’s borders, and invaders would come through here - this is where the Great Wall of China was built

Question 5

Effects of Geography

Answer 5

China developed an ethnocentric view of the world

China became xenophobic as well

These views developed because they rarely saw outsiders

Even when China was invaded by nomadic tribes, the invaders were usually absorbed - cultural assimilation

Question 6

Major Rivers

Answer 6

Yangtze (Yangzi)
Huang He - “River of Sorrows” or “Yellow River” .

Question 7

Why is the Yellow River called that?

Answer 7

Loess - Fine windblown yellow soil that settled on the bottom of the river, causing it to flood → “River of Sorrows”

Question 8

The Shang -

Answer 8

a tribe who controlled an area around the Huang He

The King controlled a small area and princes ruled the other lands for him.

Feudalistic

DECENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT

Question 9

Social Hierarchy in the Shang dynasty-

Answer 9

priests are not here because religion was less important to the Chinese compared to other civilizations, e.g. India’s culture was all about religion

Royal Family

Noble Warriors

Artisans and Merchants - traded through the silk road

Peasant Farmers - very important; bulk of the population

Question 10

Why were the merchants less respected than the peasent farmers?

Answer 10

They dealt with outsiders and they were perceived as being too money-oriented without working hard for it—just bartering and blabbing—unlike the peasants.

This did not change the fact that they were still paid more than peasants

Confucianism’s emphasis on learning and politics led to some scorn for those whose lives were dedicated to money making even though the merchants were very important

Question 11

Religious Beliefs in the Shang Dynasty

Answer 11

China was secular - prioritizing worldly possessions over religion

They were polytheistic animists

Shang Di was the greatest god of the Shang dynasty

Veneration of ancestors

Yin and Yang

Question 12

Yin and Yang

Answer 12

Worldview developed by Shang and Zhou dynasties

The force of darkness, earth and “female forces” was Yin.

The force of light, heaven, and male forces, was Yang.

These forces were not at war. They needed to be balanced.

Stressed basic harmony for nature, hot/cold, male/female, etc

Philosophy said people should try to relate to this harmony

Provided Unity through some schools in China

Question 13

Veneration of ancestors

Answer 13

Gods would not listen to the living

Gods would only listen to the spirits of the greatest mortals’ ancestors

As a result, people began to pray to their ancestors for help

At first only the nobility did this. Later it spread to all social classes

Question 14

Why did only the nobility practice the veneration of ancestors at first?

Answer 14

This was only practiced by higher classes (at first) because a peasant farmer’s ancestors were insignificant themselves, so only important and influential ancestors of people in higher classes could carry out one’s prayers.

Question 15

They used ——— and ——– (expressed thoughts or ideas)

Answer 15

pictographs
ideographs

Question 16

To predict the future, priests would use-

Answer 16

Oracle Bones - the bones of small animals or shells
They would ask their ancestors a question

They heated the bones/shells until they cracked and would base the answer on the patterns

Question 17

Writing

Answer 17

Difficult to learn
Used pictographs and ideographs
10,000 characters
Only the wealthy could read at first
They developed calligraphy

Question 18

What did writing do for China?

Answer 18

The written word unified China, because they could always understand each other

China takes up a huge area, which leads to many different dialects forming. Spoken dialects were often unintelligible to speakers of different ones

Question 19

“Mandate of Heaven” -

Answer 19

The god-given right to rule
Used by the Zhou as an excuse to overthrow the Shang

Question 20

Dynastic Cycle - rise and fall of dynasties

Answer 20

As long as rulers were good, they were supported by heaven

If they became corrupt or weak, heaven would withdraw its support

This could be seen in floods, famines, etc.

Eventually a new ruler would take over

Question 21

Feudalism

Answer 21

Wherein fiefdoms employ hierarchies and stratification to maintain order.

Local lords owned their own lands but owed support to the king.

Feudalism is a decentralized system

Question 22

Silk making

Answer 22

By 1000 B.C. they had learned how to make silk from the cocoons of silkworms.

Women were responsible for the long process.

Only nobility could afford these

The silk became China’s most valuable export

The trade route between China and the Middle East was called “The Silk Road”

They tried to keep the process of silk making a secret

Ideas also traveled through the silk road

Question 23

Books

Answer 23

China had the first paper allowing them to create books

The Chinese made the 1st books under the Zhou

I Ching and the Book of Songs are very famous works

Question 24

Confucius and his teachings

Answer 24

Born Kong Fuzi

a wandering scholar who wanted to restore peace and order to China after the fall of the Zhou kingdom, he took a lifelong quest to do so
He believed he was a spokesman for Chinese tradition and emphasized personal virtue which he thought would lead to a solid life

Confucius is known as the first teacher in China who wanted to make education broadly available and who was instrumental in establishing the art of teaching as a vocation. He also established ethical, moral, and social standards that formed the basis of a way of life known as Confucianism

Believed in a divine order, but was very vague about it

Confucianism prioritized manners and politeness as well

Art, calligraphy, music were important

Question 25

The Analects

Answer 25

A collection of Confucius's thoughts/ideas written after his death by his students His main concern was not religion (secular). He cared more about social order and good government.

Question 26

Five relationships in Confucianism

Answer 26

Confucianism was based on Status, “do unto others as your status and theirs dictate” Husband to wife Father to son Ruler to subject Older brother to younger brother Older friend to younger friend

Question 27

Finish the Confucius quote, “Harmony comes when"-

Answer 27

people accept their place in society”

Question 28

Everyone has duties based upon their -------- according to Confucianism

Answer 28

position

Question 29

Filial piety in Confucianism -

Answer 29

respect for parents and elders (specifically elders in your family). This was his main idea. Confucianism was based on Status, “do unto others as your status and theirs dictate”

Question 30

Confucius Government

Answer 30

He believed that people were good by nature The best ruler would be a “good” (virtuous) man who led by example (Idealized strong rulers) Education was the most important factor that would make China strong Advocated by a highly educated, patriarchal society that was responsible for the well-being of the people in the state Rulers should emulate these positive characteristics: humble, kind, etc. System also emphasized restraint and carefulness when it comes to children socialization Urged a political system NOT based on birth

Question 31

Legalism

Answer 31

Founded by Han feizi (233 BC) People are bad by nature The ruler must be harsh & strict to keep order Han feizi grew up during the period of warring states Made to solve social problems Confucian façade + legalist strong arm tactics Disdained Confucianism, in favor of authoritarian ruling Very practical, did not favor things like education and courtesy and dismissed them as frivolous Not as popular as Confucianism

Question 32

Daoism/Taoism

Answer 32

WAS a religion as opposed to Legalism and Confucianism Founded by Laozi (540 BC) “Govt. was the cause of many problems” (NOT anarchists) The best Govt. governed least Symbol was the yin and yang Daoist harmony with nature is achieved best through frugal living (frugal=you don’t have a lot of stuff, similar to Ascetics beliefs) Very non secular, more focus on magic and mystery, Confucian priests disagreed with this Later on, Daoism adapted to include loyalty in its beliefs, increasing its compatibility with Confucianism first to upper class who wanted spirituality ***were disliked by Shi Huang Di

Question 33

Could not leave China because too smart. Had to write a book. Then buffaloed into the sunset-

Answer 33

Laozi

Question 34

The Way of Life book-

Answer 34

Tao Te Ching an important book written by Laozi

Question 35

Dao =

Answer 35

“The Way” of the universe If you know it, you never speak of it It stressed yielding or giving in - avoid conflict

Question 36

To avoid conflict, Daoists would often-

Answer 36

become hermits, surrounded by nature and isolated from the rest of the human world. As a result of this, Daoism became an animistic religion. “They were not cowards, but they were strong like water”

Question 37

Daoist priests -

Answer 37

experimented with alchemy, trying to transform ordinary metals to gold💀 They were respected / scientists / priests

Question 38

Ordinary life became a blend of

Answer 38

Confucianism and Daoism

Question 39

Buddhism in China

Answer 39

It was rejected at first (xenophobia) People liked the idea of salvation and an end to suffering Eventually it was accepted and spread throughout China in a modified form - Mahayana (the easy form).

Question 40

First Emperor -

Answer 40

Shi Huangdi (Qin Dynasty)

Question 41

China is named after the

Answer 41

Qin (pronounced chin) dynasty

Question 42

Changes under Qin Dynasty-

Answer 42

(221-210 BC)- remember this or ur cooked this is a turning point in China’s history being the first time it became centralized. Abolished Feudal states & divided China into military districts Forced nobles to live in the capital Peasants continued to pay high taxes Shi Huangdi had vanquished all his rivals and promised to restore China, but was a tyrant (Undid power of regional leaders) Worked to undo the alliance-based political system of China as he realized it was the fatal flaw keeping dynasties from continuing Rejected some formal culture Extended territory south towards Vietnam and Hong Kong

Question 43

Why were nobles forced to live in the capital?

Answer 43

This was done to keep a constant watch on nobles, who he distrusted.

Question 44

Why did peasants continue to pay high taxes?

Answer 44

Nobles were more powerful and could pose a risk to a king’s power if displeased, so peasants, who had no power, paid high taxes

Question 45

How did Shi Huangdi help the economy -

Answer 45

roads, canals, coinage, weights & measures Made sure everyone's wagon wheels were the same distance apart had a national census to determine the empire’s resources and made many other advancements Uniform written language Irrigation projects Promoted manufacturing – silk

Question 46

How did Shi Huangdi crackdown on dissent-

Answer 46

people who oppose to orders He imprisoned or killed anyone who was a critic of his plans Most critics were nobles/thinkers Books were burned and banned with the exception of books on: Agriculture Medicine brutal but effective

Question 47

Great wall

Answer 47

also called the wall of (10,000 Li - 1 Li is about ⅓ of a mile for reference Shi Huangdi did not finish the wall - many other rulers continued the project All the walls of villages were joined together It was 25ft high, paved with a road on top, ~3000 miles long Mongols could absolutely overcome defenses and get over the wall, but their most important asset in their invasions were their horses, which could not get over the wall Did not always keep invaders out, but it did show how strong the emperor Kept China divided from nomads in the north

Question 48

Collapse of Qin Dynasty

Answer 48

After Shi Huangdi died, his son was immediately revolted against successfully, giving rise to the Han dynasty People were tired of harsh policies, high taxes, and conscripted (forced) labor. Liu Bang became the leader of the Han Dynasty - took the title Gaozu (revolts broke out and one peasant leader came out on top, making the Han dynasty)

Question 49

Answer 49

Terracotta warriors, made to protect Shi Huang di in after life Qin extends very far down. Furthest of most dynasties.

Question 50

How did Shi Huangdi divide China into military districts?

Answer 50

appointed his own rulers to rule large provinces, he was very careful in these selections as to make sure these regional rulers would not rise up against him (selected from non aristocratic groups – allegiance) armies crushed any rebellion or resistance

Question 51

The Confucian Social System:

Answer 51

China consisted of three main social groups: The land owning aristocracy, educated bureaucrats or mandarins Peasants, urban artists, labor jobs Beneath the peasants were a group called the “mean” people The Mean people→identified as people without meaningful skills; included artists, performed rough transport, and other unskilled jobs and suffered from the lowest possible status Mean people were punished more harshly than than other groups for crimes These people were required to wear green scarves

Question 52

Economics of the Zhou Dynasty

Answer 52

Iron Metallurgy - 500 B.C. This leads to an increase in production and commerce The Zhou introduced a system of money They built roads and canals to help trade and connect people Economic growth → population growth and expansion

Question 53

Zhou Dynasty Agriculture

Answer 53

People grew wheat in the north and rice in the south Successful in agricultural communities

Question 54

Zhou Dynasty Government

Answer 54

Zhou kingdom dominated China for centuries (800 years) Expanded territory of China Did not establish a powerful government, ruling through alliances with regional royals as a replacement Rulers lacked the means to directly control their territories because of the arrangement of their alliances Princes received land for troops/tax The family members and supporters were each given a piece of land to rule, this system was unreliable because it depended on the loyalty of these supporters which can shift and change Eventually local leaders ignored central gov’t This very issue was the final step in the decline of the Zhou dynasty Contributed to higher focus on central government by connecting their rulers to the heavens, this remained a key aspect in future Chinese politics Promoted linguistic unity Transportation/communication difficult – hard to govern Extended territory to “Middle Kingdom”

Question 55

Fall of Zhou Dynasty

Answer 55

Decline cause by nomadic invasions and political infrastructure declining When the kingdom fell, opportunity arose for many rival city-states, they competed to be the next ruling kingdom for some time, it was a period of social and political turmoil This left China vulnerable to outsiders and nomads raided their farms, many of whom assimilated into Chinese culture After the Zhou fell, Chinese traditions were restated and solidified, as they were being challenged, this led to a successful and continuous culture

Question 56

Overall Pattern of Rule in China

Answer 56

Dynasty, family of kings – create strong politics, economy Dynasty grew weak, taxes declined Social divisions increased Invasion or internal rebellion Another dynasty emerged – general, invader, peasant rebel

Question 57

China emerged with an unusually well-integrated system in which government, philosophy, economic incentives, the family, and the individual were intended to blend into a harmonious whole.

Answer 57

Because that was good information.

Question 58

Compare Qin to Han Govt

Answer 58

Qin stressed unquestioned central authority Han – expanded bureaucracy

Question 59

Political framework in China

Answer 59

Strong local units remained, but power diminished: a. Relied on patriarchal families b. Ancestor worship linked families c. Village leaders helped coordinate farming/harvesting Single law code Universal tax system Central authority appointments – not based on local government nominations

Question 60

Huge bureaucracy in Han Dynasty –

Answer 60

130,000 bureaucrats Civil Service tests Scholar bureaucrat Not exclusively upper class rule - occasionally lower class recruited Rulers often could be controlled by bureaucrats

Question 61

Who were the most tightly governed people in Han?

Answer 61

Rulers were administered by trained scholars Father unquestioned power – passed down from ancestors Harsh punishments to put down rebellion

Question 62

Government traditions in China

Answer 62

Not heavily militaristic – not a huge need Promoted intellectual life – not the Qin Active in economy a. Organized production of iron/salt b. Han tried storing grain for bad harvests c. Sponsored public works – canals/irrigation

Question 63

Technology made China difficult to control, so they decided-

Answer 63

Torture and execution used to keep obedience Taxed Annual labor

Question 64

Invaders –

Answer 64

Huns couldn’t create better system for governing – kept bureaucrats

Question 65

Religion relation to politics in China

Answer 65

earthly life/obedience more important than speculating about God harmonious earthly life – prevent excess traditions a. Ancestor ceremonies b. Special meals c. Politeness at meals – tea ceremonies/chopsticks ** ceremony helps unite people

Question 66

Polytheistic beliefs –

Answer 66

Appealed to peasants Spirits of nature Ancestors

Question 67

Chopsticks began to be used at the end of the-

Answer 67

Zhou dynasty, it showed politeness, soon after, drinking tea was introduced

Question 68

Intellectual culture in Han

Answer 68

Five Classics Art forms

Question 69

Five Classics –

Answer 69

speeches, songs, poems, etiquette, political materials (Poetry was the mark of an educated person)

Question 70

Art forms in China

Answer 70

Calligraphy Chinese artists, pottery, carved jade ***very detailed and intricate work; No monumental buildings – except palaces/Great Wall Chinese artists painted, worked in bronze and pottery, carved jade and ivory, and wove silk screens

Question 71

Science-

Answer 71

Calculated motion of planets 1500 years before Copernicus Medicine – anatomical research – proper hygiene for longer life Astronomy- this helped them create a calendar - 365 ¼, they got the quarter Calculated movements of Saturn and Jupiter and observed sunspots The point of Chinese astronomy was to make celestial events predictable as part of the larger picture of Chinese beliefs of unison between heaven and earth Invented a seismograph to measure earthquakes Studied mathematics in music, leading to advancements in acoustics

Question 72

Why were there no monumental buildings – except palaces/Great Wall?

Answer 72

No singular religion Confucianism against temples soaring to heaven Science – practical work – not imaginative theorizing

Question 73

Mandarins –

Answer 73

educated bureaucrats + landowning aristocracy

Question 74

Literacy in China

Answer 74

The difficulty of becoming literate symbolized these gaps as upper class Chinese enjoyed a culture that the lower classes could not Chinese peasants depended on cooperation especially in the southern rice region

Question 75

Gaps developed between -

Answer 75

China’s upper class and farmer peasants

Question 76

In the southern rice region, property was typically owned by -

Answer 76

the village or extended family as opposed to a single person

Question 77

Social status was -

Answer 77

passed down from generation to generation, but sometimes there was a skilled and talented enough lower class person to be given access to education and rise in the class system

Question 78

Land owners --, peasantry the rest

Answer 78

2%

Question 79

“mean” people –

Answer 79

lowest status – like India’s untouchables

Question 80

Trade became important during the-

Answer 80

Zhou and particularly Han dynasties

Question 81

Much trade focused on -

Answer 81

luxury items for the upper class: silks, jewelry, leather goods, and furniture.

Question 82

Who produced the silk in China?

Answer 82

These goods were produced by silk artisans in cities

Question 83

What was a key factor in facilitating trade?

Answer 83

Copper coins began to enter the trading scene which facilitated trade

Question 84

Which two regions heavily traded with one another?

Answer 84

Food exchange between wheat and rice growing regions

Question 85

The Chinese made considerable agricultural developments:

Answer 85

Ox-drawn plow/collar for animals Iron mining – pulleys and winding gear Production methods advanced – water powered mills Paper invented – needed for bureaucracy

Question 86

Technological Advance – (key takeaway bullet point from sterns)

Answer 86

Technological Advance – practical usage – remained agricultural****China’s technology was the key to its economic success

Question 87

Which Dynasty invented water-powered mills and paper?

Answer 87

Under the Han dynasty the first water-powered mills were introduced, and paper was invented

Question 88

Han Dynasty Govt

Answer 88

Legalistic at first but had many confucian advisors (They had to start off as Legalists to avoid a public perception of being weak, leading to them being overthrown) Emphasized Confucian philosophy Kept centralized power of Qin, but reduced repression The Most famous Han ruler was Han Wudi Han rulers founded the largest, most effective, longest bureaucracy He helped the economy by building roads and canals

Question 89

The Han dynasty, and every dynasty that came after it, was a -

Answer 89

confucian dynasty.

Question 90

Han Wudi built large storage bins for grain-

Answer 90

This was a “cheat code” for the mandate of heaven - if there was a natural disaster, famine, etc. He ideally would not be overthrown because the stored grain would prevent mass starvation.

Question 91

Han Wudi created a Govt. Monopoly on ---- and ----. Why?

Answer 91

salt/iron Salt was essential to preserving meat and other foods Iron was essential to farmers and warriors This gave them an income other than taxes

Question 92

Han Dynasty Expansion-

Answer 92

Wudi was AKA “the warrior emperor” He expanded the empire greatly He made alliances with nomads around China Extended borders – opened trade to India, Mediterranean

Question 93

How did Han Wudi make so many nomad buddies?

Answer 93

He would marry off high-ranking women to barbarians to make strategic alliances - barbarians would be assimilated, which expanded the empire

Question 94

The chinese would later refer to themselves as, -

Answer 94

“sons of Han”

Question 95

Scholar Officials in Han Dynasty

Answer 95

Confucianism was the official belief system Scholars ran the bureaucracy

Question 96

Exams

Answer 96

People should get jobs on merit, not status - avoided nepotism Any man could take the tests (in theory, but most peasants could not read) These tests made sure Confucianism scholars were in important positions

Question 97

Han Achievements (Golden Age) FIND

Answer 97

Technology (The Han dynasty made a lot of money from their superior technology) China was the most advanced in the world at the time Medicine Arts

Question 98

Why were China so great in their achievements?

Answer 98

This was due to their isolation/great natural protection, which allowed them to focus on progress and invention.

Question 99

What lead to the decline of the Han Dynasty?

Answer 99

Invaders from the north came into China - Huns Govt. became weak, corrupt (after being great at first) China became divided 220 – 589 CE China in chaos

Question 100

Women in the Han Dynasty

Answer 100

Women did not take any tests for Govt. jobs Despite this, rich women were tutored and often well-versed in many fields. They were taught to respect others. Subordinate to men – to be less than someone

Question 101

Women in Patriarchal Societies

Answer 101

Had a downgraded status Societies based upon an assumption that men ran everything As society increased in complexity, women’s status lowered further Marriages were also patriarchal, the wife served her husband Patriarchy became popular as a result of decrease in need for women’s labor from hunter-gatherer societies Women had behind the scenes influence with emotional power over the family in some cases Women also formed networks within the family

Question 102

Family life in China–

Answer 102

father unquestioned leader "There are no wrongdoing parents” Strict control of emotions Home training ground for personality Women gained power through sons/mother-in-laws to women brought in Power to oldest son, boys over girls In practice parents could punish disobedient children freely Law would not punish a parent who injured or even killed their child, but a child who attacked their parents would be severely punished

Question 103

How Chinese Civilization Fits Together –

Answer 103

Chinese wholeness – not a divided society “China’s politics and culture meshed readily, especially around the emergence of a Confucian bureaucracy.” Chinese technology, religion, philosophy, and political structure evolved with very little outside influence Though China had trade routes to India and the Middle east, most Chinese people saw the world in terms of a large island surrounded by barbarian peoples Chinese were very proud of their culture and had no desire to learn from others One of the only times China used ideas from other cultures was when buddhism spread to China Theme of isolation – surrounded by barbarians – can’t learn anything from outsiders

Question 104

Confucius saw the government as basically an extension of -

Answer 104

family relationships

Question 105

Although Daoism and Confucianism blended, how did they conflict?

Answer 105

They had conflicting rudimentary beliefs. This conflict included both groups disdaining each other, sometimes Daoist divine will disturbed politics.

Question 106

China investigators-

Answer 106

Believed in torturing many criminals and a “good-cop, bad-cop” routine was used effectively

Question 107

The overall wholeness of China accounts for some of its -

Answer 107

advancements despite its isolation

Question 108

After the spread of China's inventions, they contributed to the development of-

Answer 108

Japan, Rome, the Middle East, and England

Question 109

Best trading product out of China

Answer 109

Their high quality silk

Question 110

Trading silk and other luxury products caused a trade network to sprout up in Asia called the -

Answer 110

Silk Road

Question 111

Trade was lively, creating -

Answer 111

sea routes in the Indian Ocean

Question 112

What are some aspects of Chinese society that can tell us how they worked?

Answer 112

The physical layout of ancient chinese cities and empires can tell us a lot about how they worked

Question 113

It was a strong belief to ------- those in power

Answer 113

respect

Question 114

For the ending philosophical and overviews of China from the textbook, ultimately just remember to ----

Answer 114

glaze

Question 115

There's extra textbook practice questions.

Answer 115

Good Luck!

Question 116

Han Art

Answer 116

Records tell us how great they were in art Many paintings of landscapes

Question 117

Han Medicine

Answer 117

Medicine Diagnostic skills Acupuncture