Daoism

• Second major philosophical school of the Zhou period
• Philosophical system developed by of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu advocating a simple honest life and noninterference with the course of natural events

Confucius

• One of the most influential men in all history
• Chinese philosopher who’s Analects contains a collection of his sayings and dialogues compiled by disciples after his death.

 

Laozi

• “Old Sage”
• Founder of Daoism

Mandate of heaven

• a political theory of ancient China in which those in power were given the right to rule from a divine source

Great Wall of China

• A fortification 1,500 miles long built across northern China in the 3rd century BC; is 1,500 miles long and averages 6 meters in width
• Constructed during the ming dynasty
• Made by the First Emperor

Oracle bones

• Made from the shoulder bones of cattle or the shells of turtles
• When cracked in ways that were interpreted by diviners as answers to questions previous posed to the spirits

The Silk Road

• An ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean Sea extending some 6,440 km (4,000 mi) and linking China with the Roman Empire. Marco Polo followed the route on his journey to Cathay

Ban Zhao

• Author who wrote a work entitled admonitions for women during the Han, in which she nevertheless upheld the Confucian model of a hierarchical family

The exam system

• A test which came to be help decide the ruling elite
• System fostered the cultural and political integration of the empire by standardizing the curriculum studied by students even in the farthest and most remote corners of the country

Zheng ho

• Muslim commander, who lead some of the great voyages of exploration in human history, under the Ming dynasty

Kublai Khan

• Mongol emperor (1260-1294) and founder of the Mongol dynasty in China. A grandson of Genghis Khan, he conquered the Song dynasty (1279) and established a great capital, now Beijing , where he received Marco Polo (1275-1292).

Filial Piety

• Confucian thought, one of the virtues to be cultivated, a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors
• Correct behavior for the son was absolute obedience to the father, even if the child is grown

Han Dynasty

• Imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy
• The first known book of Chinese medicine is during this time

Beijing (Peking)

The capital of China, in the northeast part of the country. Founded c. 700 B.C., it served as Kublai Khan's capital (13th century) and the capital of China

Yangtze

• The longest river of Asia; flows eastward from Tibet into the East China Sea near Shanghai

The huang ho

• River of northern China rising in the Kunlun Mountains and flowing about 4,827 km (3,000 mi) generally eastward to the Bo Hai. It is named for the vast quantities of yellow silt it carries to its delta.

The Mongols

• Notoriously cruel conquerors, leaving ruined cities and mutilate corpses as monuments to the folly of those who resisted them
• Instead of killing everyone in china, they decided to tax them.