Focus Questions 1
What river is often referred to as the "cradle of Chinese civilization"?
Answer: The Yellow River.
What is the Mandate of Heaven?
Answer: The divine right used to justify the rule of Chinese emperors.
How does Legalism view human nature?
Answer: Legalism sees human nature as selfish and needing control through strict laws.
What political system did Qin Shi Huangdi dismantle to centralize power?
Answer: The feudal system.
What is the core belief of Buddhism regarding suffering?
Answer: Suffering is caused by desires and attachments, which can be overcome through enlightenment.
How did geographic isolation influence early Chinese development?
Answer: It helped protect China from invasions, allowing unique cultural development.
What is filial piety in Confucianism?
Answer: Respect and care for one's parents and ancestors.
What is Daoism’s core principle for how one should live?
Answer: Living in harmony with the Dao through simplicity and non-action (wu wei).
How did the Han Dynasty incorporate Confucianism into its governance?
Answer: They used Confucianism to promote moral governance and implemented the Civil Service Exam.
How does Confucianism view human nature?
Answer: Confucianism believes human nature is inherently good and needs cultivation through education.
What social reform did Qin Shi Huangdi implement to unify Chinese society?
Answer: He abolished the feudal system completely and extended the administration system of prefectures and counties
What was the Civil Service Exam system?
Answer: A merit-based system for selecting government officials, based on Confucian teachings.
How did Qin Shi Huangdi unify Chinese society socially?
Answer: By standardizing the writing system, weights, measures, and axle lengths.
How did women in elite families exert influence in ancient China?
Answer: They influenced family affairs and advised men in positions of power, especially as mothers or wives.
What is Legalism’s primary approach to governance?
Answer: Legalism emphasizes strict laws and harsh punishments to maintain social order.
What were two major infrastructure projects initiated by Qin Shi Huangdi?
Answer: The Great Wall and a vast road network.
What is the Well-Field System?
Answer: A land distribution system that divided land into communal and private sections.
What is the significance of the "Five Relationships" in Confucianism?
Answer: They define hierarchical relationships and duties in society to maintain harmony.
What were women’s expected roles according to Confucian ideals?
Answer: Women were expected to follow the "Three Obediences"—to father, husband, and son.
How does Daoism differ from Confucianism in terms of governance?
Answer: Daoism advocates for minimal government interference and encourages harmony with nature.
What key crops supported the economic life of early China?
Answer: Millet and rice.
What is the Bao-jia system?
Answer: A system grouping households to maintain local order and loyalty to the state.
What was the primary function of the Great Wall during the Qin Dynasty?
Answer: To protect China from northern invaders and facilitate defense.
How did the Zhou Dynasty justify their overthrow of the Shang?
Answer: By claiming the Shang had lost the Mandate of Heaven.
What does Confucianism emphasize in its ethical teachings?
Answer: Confucianism emphasizes moral integrity, proper relationships, and social harmony.