Unit 5: Ancient China

Vocabulary

Loess-a yellowish-brown dirt or dust that's made up of silt, sand, and clay (which is what makes the "Yellow River" yellow in color)

Acupuncture - An ancient Chinese treatment for healing that uses needles placed in various areas of the skin. 

Calligraphy - A style of writing that was considered an art form using brushes to paint the characters. 

Civil service - The group of people who worked for the government. People had to pass a difficult examination to earn a job in the civil service. 

Oracle Bones-pieces of bone or turtle shell used to communicate with spirits and gods. 

Dynasty-A set of rulers from the same family.

Mandate of Heaven-belief that leaders authority came directly from heaven and when they died they would go to heaven and serve on the "divine court" there. This mandate was established during the Zhou Dynasty and the rulers during this time were expected to maintain "the support of heaven" by being a good and fair ruler. If they were not a good ruler or they lost a conflict then it meant they had lost the support of heaven and the mandate was taken. 

Mongols - The nomadic peoples of the north who often raided China. 

Qin Shi Huang - The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang united China under one rule and began the Qin dynasty. 

Terracotta - A type of baked clay ceramic. It was used in building the 8,000 life size terracotta soldiers that were buried with Emperor Qin.