East Asian Empires Study Guide

Japan comes from the Chinese word Ri-ban which means

"land of the rising sun" or "origin of the sun"

What other ways might have women of the Heian court spent their time?

-Women were either reading monogatari or prose fiction -writing poetry -hobbies like playing the piano

Why do you think women spent so much time in personal grooming in the Heian court?

-Women were expected to look attractive -maintain a good appearance to show their value

What was the effect of the civil service examination reform during the Tang dynasty?

-civil service examination formed social mobility -allowed the rise of a middle class Used the civil service examination system to restore China's bureaucracy and bring jobs then people would take exams to received jobs, helped to change and give growth to the middle class in China, which gave many people social mobility

What is the key to political power in SE Asia? Why?

-control of trade routes and harbors because Southeast Asia lies in the most direct sea route between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea -Two important waterways connect the two seas: the Strait of Malacca and the SUnda Strait.

Why was rice cultivation important to the Khmer Empire?

-helped the empire become prosperous -The Khmer built elaborate irrigation systems and waterways -These advances made it possible to grow 3 or 4 crops of rice a year in an area that had previously produced only one.

Why did the civil service system not work in Korea like it did in China?

-it did not provide social mobility for Koreans -lead to growth in the middle class -not enough wealth to share; wealthy people didn't want to share their wealth with others

How did Buddhism arrive in Japan?

During the mid-700s, the Japanese imperial court officially accepted Buddhism in Japan. By the 8th or 9th century, Buddhist ideas and worship had spread through Japanese society, however they didn't give up their Shinto beliefs. Some Buddhist rituals became Shinto rituals, and some Shinto gods and goddesses were worshipped in Buddhist temples. - Korean travelers

Dynasties of China in order:

Sui, Tang, Song, Southern Song, and Yuan

What technological advancement allowed China to dominate sea trade in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific region?

The magnetic compass helped china to dominate sea trade in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific region

movable type

a printer that could arrange blocks of individual characters in a a frame to makeup a page for printing. before the development, printers had carved wither words of a whole page into one large block.

Tale of Genji

an account of the life of a prince in the imperial court. it was a long prose narrative that is considered the world's first novel. It provides insights into the life of women at the Heian court. Written by lady murasaki

Empress Wu

an empress in the Tang Dynasty who ruled during the campaign in Korea. for years, she held the real power while weak emperors sat on the throne. In 690, she assumed the title of the emperor herself. She is the only woman to ever be a empress.

How does China get a new emperor in 1279 AD? Who was it? What was the name of this new dynasty in China?

After conquering China, Kublai Khan tried to extend his rule to Japan. Kublai Khan established the Yuan dynasty.

What is Pax Mongolica?

Also known as Mongol Peace was a period of time where peace, stability, economic growth, cultural fusion and cultural development were happening around the Mongol's occupied territories

Describe court life in the Heian Period in Japan

- Women were involved with cosmetics. Used coal as eyeliner and white lead powder to powder their faces died of lead poisoning -Gentlemen and ladies of the court filled their days with elaborate ritual and artistic pursuits. Rules dictated every aspect of court life— the length of swords, the color of official robes, forms of address, even the number of skirts woman wore. Etiquette was very important. - everyone at court was expected to write poetry and to paint.

What events set up feudalism in Japan?

-Wealthy landowners set up private armies -Countryside became dangerous -Soldiers that were armed kept their eyes on farmers and travelers -Pirates controlled parts of the sea Small landowners traded parts of their land to strong warlords in exchange for protection -Lords ended up gaining more power

What did the Japanese borrow from China?

-A strong centralized bureaucracy; borrows ideas/plans for the government -borrowed ideas of Buddhism and Confucianism -borrowed the idea of a written language; followed the styles of the simple arts of everyday living like cooking, drinking tea, hairdressing, and gardening

How does the rise of the Kamakura Shogunate split the center of power in Japan?

-The rise in power the kamakura shogunate set two of Japan's most powerful clans against each other for power. -The rise of the Kamakura Shogunate split the center of the power in Japan because although the emperor reigned Kyoto, the true central power was in Kamakura with the Shoguns -The emperor was weak militarily and strong politically while the shoguns were strong in power.

When did the Yamato clan establish themselves as emperors of Japan?

AD 400s.

What were similarities between European knights and Japanese samurai?

-European knights followed a code of law called chivalry which emphasized honor and braver -Japanese samurai followed an unwritten code that emphasized honor, bravery, and loyalty -used armor during battles

What factors contributed to the decline and fall of the Yuan dynasty?

-Humiliating military defeats -heavy spending on fruitless wars -public works -Yuan court luxuries -overtaxing contributed to the fall of the Yuan Dynasty

Describe three success of Kublai Khan's reign

-Pax mongolica -His reign opened up China to greater foreign contacts and trade -united China for the first time in 300 years

Name three examples of the influence of India and China in SE Asia.

-The regions modern day religion, art, and languages were affected -Hindu and Buddhist missionaries were beginning to spread their faith -Indian political ideas helped other kingdoms be modeled and created

Shinto

A religion meaning the way of the gods. Japan's earliest religion. Japan was not a united country, so instead hundreds of clans controlled their own territories. Each clan worshipped their own nature gods or local gods. Their varied customs and beliefs combined to form Shinto.

What are the geographic advantages and disadvantages for Japan?

A. Southern Japan enjoys a mild climate with plenty of rainfall. The country is so mountainous, however, that only about 12% of the land is suitable for farming. B. Natural resources such as coal, oil, and iron are in short supply. C. During the late summer and early fall, strong tropical storms called typhoons occur. Earthquakes and tidal waves are also threats. D. Japan had trade routes which was an advantage for them

Describe the four levels of society in Tang and Song Dynasties :

Emperors, Gentry, Urban Middle class, Laborers, soldiers, and peasants

Bushido

Similar to the code of chivalry in europe. the way of the warrior. Samurai lived according to this demanding code. A samurai was expected to show reckless courage, reverence for the gods, fairness, and generosity toward those weaker than himself. Dying an honorable life death was judged more important than living a long life.

On what island did Japan's major cities develop?

Honshu / Kyushu

Why was the construction of the Grand Canal important to China's expansion?

It connected the Huang He and the Chang Jiang and provided a route for trade between northern cities and southern regions of the Chang delta

Why did Song emperors move the capital of their dynasty to Hangzhou?

Jurchen forced the Song south

Who was a famous trader who served in Kublai Khan's court?

Marco Polo traveled by caravan on the Silk Roads with his father and uncle, arriving at Kublai Khan's court around 1275.

Which inventions in the chart above eventually affected warfare and exploration?

Mechanical clock and explosive powder

What was the contemporary of the Heian Period

Tang and Song Dynasties

Why did trade between China and Europe grow under Kublai Khan?

The Mongol Peace, which made the caravan routes across Central Asia safe for trade and travel. Traders transported Chinese silk, porcelain, spices, Black Death, religions, and ideas. These traders also carried with them printing, gunpowder, the compass, paper currency, and playing cards. Kublai further encouraged trade by inviting foreign merchants to visit China.

What was foot binding? Why would peasant women not participate in this custom?

The binding of feet with cloth which would eventually cause the women to break the arch and curled all but the big toe under. Peasant women would not participate because if their feet were broken they were unable to work

What agricultural development led to population growth during the Song Dynasty?

The cultivation of rice, which allowed farmers to harvest two rice crops each year rather than one

How far is the southern end of the Japanese island of Kyushu from China?

The southern end of the Japanese island of Kyushu is about 800 km from China.

What are two reasons the Tang lost power in China?

They struggled to control the vast empire they had built and imposed crushing taxes, which brought hardships to the people

How and when did Dai Viet form?

Vietnam fell under Chinese domination and around 100 BC, China took northern Vietnam during the Han Dynasty. When China's Tang Dynasty weakened during the early 900 AD, Vietnam broke away and became an independent kingdom in 939 known as Dai Viet.

Tan'gun

a hero who was the son of a god(father) and a bear(mother). the first state is founded by Tan'gun according to Korean legend.

Koryu Dynasty

a dynasty that lasted from 935 to 1392. in 935, officer Wang Kon gained control of the country and became king of Koryu. It modeled its central government after Chia's and established a civil service system that didn't offer social mobility. It's society was divided between a landed aristocracy and the rest of the population. It was greatly threatened when the Mongols swept into Korea. Korean printers produced celadon pottery famous for green glaze, and produced wooden blocks for printing Buddhist sculpture.

Tang Taizong

emperor of the Tang Dynasty that built a strong foundation for the great achievements of the dynasty. his reign lasted from 626-649, and his armies reconquered the northern and western that china had last since the decline of the Han dynasty.

Angkor Wat

one of the world's greatest architectural achievements. it nearly covers a square mile, and is built as a symbolic mountain that is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and the Khmer used it as an observatory. It reflects strong Indian influence

Tu Fu

poet who praised orderliness and Confucian virtues. he wrote critically about war and hardships of soldiers. Once he was captured by rebels and taken to Ch'ang-an. He sent his family to the village of Fuzhou for safety.

Shogun

supreme general of the emperor's army. in 1192, the emperor gave a minamoto leader named Yoritomo the title of shogun after they were victorious in a 30 year war. In effect, the shoguns had the powers of a military dictator.

Which tribe gained control of the Korean peninsula? How? When?

the Silla in the mid-600s when they defeated the other rival kingdoms.

etiquette

the code governing correct behavior and appearance. the people of court life during the Heian period, etiquette was very important. For example, laughing aloud in public was frowned about.

Prince Shotoku

the most influential convert to Buddhism. He served as regent for his aunt the empress Suiko. He sent the first 3 missions to China, and his people studied Chinese civilization.