Ancient ChinaChapter 7 Terms by G

Dao

The proper way Chinese kings were expected to rule under the Mandate of Heaven

Anyang

The first capital of China under the Shang dynasty

Dynasty

Line of rulers from the same family

Social Class

Group of people who share a similar position in society

Silk Road

Trade route that stretched from western China to southwest Asia

Huang He

A river in China also known as the Yellow River; flows from Mongolia to the Pacific Ocean

Bureaucracy

A group of annointed officials who are responsible for different areas of government

Rudder

Allowed the Chinese to better navigate their ships; allowed ships to sail into the wind for the first time

Ideograph

A character that joins two or more pictographs to represent an idea

Chang Jiang

A long river in China also known as the Yangtze River

Legalism

Chinese philosophy developed by Hanfeizi; taught that humans are naturally evil and therefore need to be ruled by harsh laws

Daoism

Chinese philosophy based on the teachings of Laozi; taught that people should turn to nature and give up their wordly desires

Confucianism

System of beliefs introduced by a Chinese thinker; taught that people needed to have a sense of duty to their family and community in order to bring peace to society

Filial Piety

Children’s respect for their parents and older relatives, an important part of Confucian beliefs

Aristocrat

Noble whose wealth came from land owndership

Pictograph

A character that stands for an object

Great Wall

Chinese farmers built this with stone, sand, and pilled rubble in order to keep out invaders

Mandate of Heaven

Based on this the king was chosen by heavenly order because of his talent and virtue; he would rule the people with goodness and wisdom

Zhou Dynasty

Defeated the Chang dynasty; ruled longer than any other dynasty in the history of China

acupuncture

Chinese practice of easing pain by sticking thin needles into patients’ skin