Vocabulary


 * (Try to add in alphabetical order) **

__**Chan Buddhism**__: stressed meditation and appreciation of natural and artistic beauty; popular with members of elite Chinese society.The goal of it was to know the ultimate wisdom and break the continuing cycle of rebirth.

__**Changan**__: capital of Tang Dynasty; population of 2 million, larger than any other city in the world at the time.

__**Civil Service Exams**__: Difficult tests that all could compete in, used to choose bureaucratic officials out of the brightest test-takers. People often began training for these exams as children, as they were extremely competitive. This exam tested people on their knowledge not only Confucian topics, but also on topics relating to their professions. People who previously obtained government occupations based their entrance on personal relations. Such a position not everyone could excel in because those who were able to study for such an exam were usually those who had large amounts of money, therefore those who were rich would have offspring who would easily be able to become rich, containing the wealth within the wealthy.

__**Concubines-**__ (in polygamous societies) A woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives. A secondary wife in the inferior ranks at the old times.

**__Flying money__**- Chinese credit instrument that provided credit vouchers to merchants to be redeemed at the end of the voyage; reduced danger of robbery Merchants presented it as reimbursement at the appropriate office in the city of destination. This was a form of currency and the first ever form of banknote (bills)

__**Footbinding**__: Developed during the later Song era. Upper-class men developed a preference for small feet for women, so women began to bind their feet with silk. A tradition where a woman would have her foot bound at a young age so that when she was ready for marriage, her foot would be in the shape of a lotus, apparently desirable by bachelors. This was a obvious way of showing subordination to men as this caused these woman to not be able to walk long distances, confining them to their home. Footbinding has been used in China up to the early 20th century.


 * __Grand Canal__**: a canal built by Yangdi during the Sui Dynasty, designed to link the original centers of Chinese civilization on the north china plain with the Yangtze river basin. A series of waterways in eastern China that extend south 1,060 miles (1,700 km) from Beijing to Hangzhou; built between 486 BCE and 1327 CE.


 * __Hangzhou-__** Capital of later Song dynasty; located near East China Sea; permitted overseas trading; population exceeded 1 million. It was located between a large lake and river in the Yangtze delta. It was crisscrossed with canals and bridges. Was the biggest city in the planet at the time of its peak.

__**Jinshi**__: a title given to those who passed the Chinese literature exams. They became dignitaries overnight and were treated with great respect within the empire. They were excluded from corporal punishments and gain access to material comfort and refined pleasures. Also, eligible for high office.

__**Junks**__ - Chinese ships that were considered the best in the world at this time, equipped with watertight bulkheads, sternpost rudders, oars, sails, compasses, bamboo fenders and rockets for self defense.

__**Jurchens**__- tribes of Tungus origin that from ancient times inhabited the eastern part of Northeast China (Manchuria) and the Primor’e. A group of nomads that overthrew the Liao dynasty of the Khitans and created the Jin kingdom to the north of the Song Dynasty.

__**Khitan**__**-** nomadic people from Manchuria, founded the Liao Dynasty; ethically Mongolic. They are nomadic peoples of Manchuria; militarily superior to Song dynasty China but influenced by Chinese culture; forced humiliating treaties on Song China in 11th century.

__**Liao** **dynasty**__- founded in 907 by nomadic Khitan peoples from Manchuria; maintained independence from Song dynasty in China.


 * __Li Bo__** : the most famous poet of the Tang era, whose poems blended images of the everyday world with philosophical musings.

__**Ministry of Rites**__: Administered examinations to students from Chinese government schools or those recommended by distinguished scholars.

__**Neo**__- Coming from the Greek word neos meaning new and recent, added on to a word to signify a new version of something such as neo-confucianism.

__**Neo-Confucians**__: After Buddhism became very popular, these people helped revive the ancient Confucian teachings. They believed that cultivating personal morality was the highest goal for humans and that virtue could be attained through knowledge through books, observation, and contact with men of wisdom and high morality. The good nature of humans could be cultivated. They also had a great impact on Chinese thinking. They revived ancient Confucius teachings in the Song era in China; had great impact on the dynasties that followed; their emphasis on tradition and hostility to foreign systems made Chinese rulers and bureaucrats less receptive to outside ideas and influences.


 * __Patriarchy__:** (From the Greek word // patriarkhēs //meaning "the rule of the father" ) A social system (family, community, or society) where the men has most if not all of the power.

__**Pure land Buddhism**__: emphasized salvationist aspects of Chinese Buddhism; popular among masses of Chinese society because it kept people's mind away from an age of war and turmoil.


 * __Sinified__**: to make Chinese in character or bring under Chinese influence.


 * __Southern Song dynasty__**- TheSouthern Song (Chinese 南宋, 1127–1279) refers to the period after the Song lost control of Northern China to the Jurchens (who overthrew the Liao Dynasty of the Khitans and established the Jin Dynasty). During this time, the Song court retreated south of the Yangtze River and established their capital at Lin'an (now Hangzhou).

__**Tangut**__: (originally from Tibet) rulers of Xi Xia kingdom of northwest China; one of the regional kingdoms during the period of southern Song.


 * __ Wang __**__** Anshi **__ - chief minister of the Song Shenzong emperor, who tried to ward off the impending collapse of the dynasty by introducing sweeping reforms, by leaning towards Legalism. He was opposed by the conservative ministers who had control of most of the administration. He attempted to correct the defects in the imperial order, introduced cheap loans and gov’t-assisted irrigation projects (agricultural expansion). He taxed landlords and the scholarly classes, who had exempt themselves from this practice before. He established trained mercenary forces and tried to reorganize university education.


 * __Wuzong__:** Tang emperor who ruled from 841-847. He made restrictions of Buddhist which led persecutions of Buddhism.


 * __Xi Xia__**- The Western Xia Dynasty (to the southwest of the Khitan kingdom of Liao). Established by the Tangut tribes, originally from Tibet, by the mid 11th century

__**Yang Gufei-**__ Royal concubine during the reign of Xuanzhong; used these ties to the Emperor Xuanzhong to incorporate her family members into the royal administration (this eventually led to a revolt).

__**Zen**__: what Chan Buddhism is known as in Japan and the West.

__**Zhu** **X****i**-__ Most prominent of neo-Confucian scholars during the Song dynasty in China; stressed importance of applying philosophical principles to everyday life and action.

__**Zhao Kuangyin:**__ known as Emperor Taizu and was the founder of the Song Dynasty; he reunited China under one dynasty.