Questions - Ancient China Flashcards
(29 cards)
Why is the Huang He River, despite being an important water source for the ancient Chinese, sometimes called China’s Sorrow?
The river was known for terribly destructive floods that killed many people throughout history
How did the geography of China affect civilization?
Travel and communication were difficult between the regions of China and natural barriers isolated it from other civilizations
Why were dragons important in Chinese culture and legends?
Dragons were throught of as powerful and kind creatures that brought life-giving rain to China
Why were oracle bones popular among early rulers in ancient China?
People believed they could communicate with their ancestors and the supreme god Shangdi through the use of oracle bones. They also used them to help make policy decisions, such as whether or not to fight a war.
Why did many thinkers become concerned about the well-being of China and create new philosophies to share with others?
The Chinese states were fighting several civil wars, so the thinkers proposed ideas to improve the attitudes of the people and the effectiveness of the government
What thinker believed that building strong relationships in the family and observing filial piety were necessary for an ethical and orderly society?
Confucius
According to Laozi and followers of Daoism, what type of person is the most likely to find happiness?
The person who is flexible and willing to go with the flow
What world religion was introduced to China from India through trade routes during ancient history?
Buddhism
Why did Qin Shi Huangdi order his people to build the Great Wall of China?
The Great Wall would defend China against invasion from the Xiongnu
What material did the Shang Dynasty most commonly use to record their questions and answers from communications with their ancestors?
Bones
How did the Zhou Dynasty explain the transfer of the Mandate of Heaven between dynasties?
A dynasty would lose the Mandate of Heaven after it became corrupt with power and mistreated the people in favor of its own personal gain
How did feudalism work during the Zhou Dynasty in ancient China?
Kings divided up their land among several wealthy individuals called lords, who were given the power to create their own states in exchange for loyalty, taxes, and supplying soldiers to the Zhou Dynasty. The lords would then give small amouts of land to many less wealthy farmers, who in exchange would grow crops on lords’ lands.
Why is Qin Shi Huangdi considered an important figure in world history?
He made standard currency, laws, roads, and writing to promote unity
Why did Legalists such as Shang Yang, Han Feizi, and Qin Shi Huangdi believe that it was fair to govern with harsh punishments?
Legalists believed that people were selfish and would do wrong if it helped themselves
Why did the Qin Dynasty have a significantly shorter reign than the other dynasties in ancient China?
Qin Shi Huangdi burned books, limited freedom of speech, and inflicted cruel punishments on his people
How was Liu Bang, who started the Han Dynasty, different from the founders of other dynasties in ancient China?
He was an ordinary person who did not grow up in a royal family
What belief system became the political philosophy of China during the reign of Wu of Han and remains important to Chinese society today?
Confucianism
What were some of the major goods produced in ancient China?
Silk, rice, and iron
How did China create a monopoly and gain complete control over the production of silk without competition from other civilizations?
China created a monopoly on silk in global trade by keeping the production process secret and making it illegal to export silkworms or their eggs
What good did Zhang Qian learn about during his journey in Central Asia that motivated Wu of Han to begin trade relations between China and cultures to the west?
Horses
Why was the closure of the Silk Road a major turning point in world history?
Several European countries sent explorers to find alternate trade routes to Asia by sea
According to Confucianism, what relationship was the most important to maintaining social harmony in China?
Parent and child
List the reigns of the Chinese dynasties in chronological order. Zhou, Han, Xia, Qin, Shang
Xia, Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han
What is the meaning of the yin and yang symbol?
It symbolizes the harmony and balance between opposite forces
