Download Ancient China Review

Ancient China Review
Book pgs. 160-187
Know the following vocabulary words:
jade
diffusion
oracle
ethics
Confucianism
Legalism
sundial
seismograph
Mandate of Heaven
Silk Road
peasant
Daoism
Great Wall
Explain the legend of Yu the Great. Why do experts argue over the existence of the Xia dynasty?
Yu was ordered to control the flood, so he channeled away the waters to the sea. The king was
impressed and passed the throne to Yu.
Some say that Yu may have been the first king of the Xia dynasty. They argue over the existence of the
Xia dynasty because no artifacts have been found.
What are some of their beliefs? For what did the Shang people use oracle bones?
The Shang believed in a social hierarchy: kings, nobles, warriors, artisans, and farmers.
Oracle bones were used to make predictions about the future.
What are the three classes of Zhou society? What was life like for each class?
1) King – led the government and gave land to the lords
2) Lords and Warriors – paid taxes to the king and provided warriors to protect his lands
3) Peasants – farmed the nobles’ land.
Life was good if you were the king or a lord. If you were a warrior you were sent to war. Lords owned
property and had peasants working their fields. Peasants had to do the hard work of farming the
nobles’ land. Sometimes they were given a small plot of land for themselves, but they often could not
afford to keep it.
Who was Confucius? What were his beliefs and teachings? How are Confucius’s teachings
remembered today?
Confucius was great thinker who lived during the late Zhou period. His nickname was Kongfuzi, or
“Master Kong.” He advocated a return to ethics, believing that the Chinese had lost their way, and
were overrun by rude and dishonest people. His beliefs can be summarized by the term filial piety,
which means honoring one’s family. He believed that fathers should display high morals to inspire
their families, and that children should respect and obey their parents. He carried this idea into
government as well, believing that a king should rule his people as a father might, displaying high
morals at all times (he believed people would follow a leader with morals rather than a set of laws.)
People should obey their ruler like they would obey a father.
Confucius’ teachings are remembered in a book called The Analects. In Chinese, the book is called Lun
Yu. His sayings and teachings were collected by a group of his followers, and his ideas persisted during
later Chinese dynasties, and are still important today.
Shi Huangdi was the leader of the Qin dynasty. Why was he hated by many different groups,
including the common people, nobles and scholars? Why was he considered an unjust and unfair
leader?
Shi Huangdi was hated for his ruling philosophy of Legalism, which was characterized by many strict
laws and harsh punishments. Scholars opposed him because he burned all books that did not agree
with Legalism, and because he buried 460 scholars alive. Nobles hated him because he took their land
and forced them to move to the capital, where he could watch them. He claimed all power for himself.
Common people hated him because he forced them to do hard labor projects, like the Great Wall,
which often resulted in injury and death.
He was considered unjust and unfair because his laws were strict and his penalties were harsh. He
placed heavy taxes on the people, and appointed his own favored officials to govern each of the regions
he created.
What important changes did Shi Huangdi bring to China?
Shi Huangdi built roads and canals throughout China, and expanded the Great Wall. He unified China
under one rule, and standardized laws, writing systems, money, and weights. He build irrigation
systems to improve farming.
Why was the Great Wall of China built? When was it started and how long did it take to build?
Know a few interesting facts about the Great Wall from the magazine we read.
The Great Wall of China was built to protect China’s northern border from invaders. It began during
Shi Huangdi’s rule, and later Qin rulers connected earlier pieces of the wall into one long unbroken
structure. It took hundreds of years to complete, and many people died during its construction. Some
say that workers were even buried right in the wall.
What advances were made in government, education and technology during the Han dynasty?
The first seismograph was invented to measure the strength of earthquakes.
Paper
Acupuncture
Sundial
The Han Dynasty saw a return to Confucianism and emphasis on the family.
*Not in the book, but true nonetheless – Education grew during the Han Dynasty, and universities
were established to train people for civil service jobs (working in the government.) Scholars and
wealthier families could apply for civil service jobs, with the jobs often going to the most qualified
applicants (instead of the family of the ruler.)
Explain how the geography surrounding China influenced early settlements.
The Chinese people first settled around rivers, including the Huang He (Yellow) River, and the Chang
Jiang (Yangzi) River. Mountains in the southwest and northeast, along with deserts, isolated China
from other cultures. Farming developed along the rivers, and they were also used as a transportation
route.