Classical China

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Across
  1. 2. (551-479 BCE) Chinese sage (a revered moral philosopher) who emphasized moral behavior, respect for authority and elders (filial piety), proper social relationships, and the importance of education and ritual in creating an orderly society / believed that good governance depended on virtuous rulers who led by example rather than force / his ideas were later compiled by his followers in the Analects and became a central influence on Chinese political and cultural life for over 2,000 years
  2. 5. vast elevated plateau at the intersection of Central, South, and East Asia - the “Roof of the World” / this plateau and the Himalayas limited contact btw. China and India / majority of the population practices Buddhism
  3. 6. (206 BCE-220 CE) long-lasting Chinese dynasty that expanded into Central Asia, Korea, and Vietnam / created a more stable bureaucracy based on Confucian ideals and developed civil service practices based on learning and merit / innovations such as paper, iron tools, and improved agriculture helped increase productivity and population growth
  4. 7. the manufacture of silk / Chinese silk became a prized commodity in India, Persia, Mesopotamia, and even the distant Roman Empire
  5. 8. a system of government in which officials are selected to work for the state based on education and knowledge of Confucian ideas rather than hereditary rank / developed under the Han to improve the administration of empire
  6. 13. production of this metal surged during the Han dynasty / production was so important that it was brought under state control / production of this stronger metal transformed agriculture, which supported population growth
  7. 14. nomadic confederation from Central Asia that challenged the Han along its northern borders / with an army made up of highly skilled mounted archers, their mobility offered them a distinct advantage
  8. 15. (256-195 BCE) commander who seized power in 202 BCE after a revolt against the Qin Empire / brought back centralized rule after the fall of the Qin / founder of the Han dynasty / promoted Confucianism
  9. 16. process by which the first emperor Qin Shihuangdi used uniform coinage and legal standards to integrate China's various regions into a more tightly knit society / concentration of authority around the emperor - an idea first introduced by the Qin dynasty
  10. 18. (156-87 BCE) considered China’s greatest Han emperor - defeated the Xiongnu and extended Chinese control into Korea, Central Asia, and parts of Vietnam / expanded the Silk Roads and opened trade with Central Asia
  11. 19. (403-221 BCE) period that comprises the final centuries of the Zhou dynasty, which were characterized by warfare, bureaucratic and military reform, and political consolidation / concluded with the wars of conquest that saw the Qin annex each of the other contender states
  12. 21. large, cold desert and grassland region in northern China and southern Mongolia / sixth largest desert in the world / oasis towns and Bactrian camels made trade possible
  13. 22. (45 BCE-23 CE) referred to as the "socialist emperor" by historians / briefly interrupted the Han dynasty and founded the short-lived Xin or “New” Dynasty / limited the amount of land that a family could hold and ordered officials to break up large estates, redistribute them, and provide landless individuals with property to cultivate - these reforms ultimately failed
  14. 23. a work that has profoundly influenced Chinese political and cultural traditions / some of Confucius' pupils compiled his sayings and teachings into 20 separate “books” or chapters that read like a collection of philosophical quotes and conversational notes
  15. 24. disengagement from the competitive exertions and active involvement in affairs of the world - the chief moral virtue recognized by early Daoists / required that individuals refrain from advanced education and from personal striving / called for individuals to act selflessly and live simply - and in harmony with nature
  16. 25. series of defensive fortifications built first under the Qin and later strengthened by the Han / designed to protect China’s northern borders from nomadic groups such as the Xiongnu / constructed in sections over a period of more than 1,500 years - working conditions were extremely harsh, as many died from exhaustion, exposure, and accidents
  17. 26. represented an effort to understand the fundamental character of the world and nature / taught that people should live in harmony with nature in the cosmos - world is governed by the Dao OR the Way of Nature / its practitioners believe that everything in the universe is connected and that the forces of yin and yang work together toward a universal whole
Down
  1. 1. (45-117 CE) most famous female scholar in Chinese history / seen as a model woman who wrote "Lessons for Women" about female conduct - argued women should be subordinate to male authority and that woman’s primary duty was to maintain harmony in the household / also argued that women had moral and intellectual roles within the Confucian structure
  2. 3. (259-210 BCE) first emperor of China / ignored the nobility and ruled his empire through a centralized bureaucracy / divided China into administrative provinces and districts / entrusted communication and the implementation of his policies to officers of the central government (bureaucrats) / built a 4,000-mile network of roads (infrastructure) to facilitate communications and the movement of armies
  3. 4. Chinese philosophical tradition that promoted ethical behavior, emphasized the importance of family relationships and respecting elders (filial piety), cultivated personal virtues like benevolence and righteousness, and upheld the proper social hierarchy through rituals and etiquette
  4. 9. commerce in silk and other products led to the establishment of an intricate network of trade routes known collectively as the...
  5. 10. (184-205 CE) serious revolt that raged throughout China and tested the resilience of the Han state / caused by a number of factors, including corruption, which led to high taxes, poor management of natural disasters (plagues and floods), and poor agricultural yields / later Han emperors also failed to address the problem of land redistribution, which also contributed to this peasant revolt
  6. 11. network of trade routes connecting China with Central Asia, India, the Middle East, and Europe during the Han dynasty / carried luxury goods such as silk and spices, as well as ideas, technologies, and religions, particularly Buddhism
  7. 12. invented by Han craftsmen / fashioned from hemp, bark, and textile fibers
  8. 17. third school of thought that rejected Confucian activism and Daoist retreat during the Warring States Period / promoted a practical and ruthlessly efficient approach to statecraft with strict laws and harsh punishments / reasoned that the foundations of the state's strength were agriculture and the armed forces and, thus, discouraged people from pursuing careers as merchants, entrepreneurs, scholars, educators, philosophers, poets, or artists
  9. 20. (221-206 BCE) short-lived dynasty that established the first unified empire in China / established a centralized government and laid the foundation for future Chinese dynasties by unifying the warring states; standardizing writing, currency, and measurements; and initiating large-scale construction projects like the Great Wall / collapsed because of heavy taxes, forced labor, and unpopular Legalist policies