Chapter 9
Confucius presented his teachings in the Lunyu or __________, arguing that human society was a perfectable moral order. a. Analects. b. The Book of Mencius. c. The Art of War. d. Admonitions for Women.
a. Analects.
The male and female members of the _______ family pioneered the writing of dynastic history in the first century CE with the Hanshu (The History of the Former Han). a. Ban. b. Han. c. Wu. d. Kong.
a. Ban.
For a period in the late seventh and early eighth centuries CE __________ became the established state religion, under the remarkable Empress Wu Zetian. a. Buddhism. b. Confucianism. c. Legalism. d. Christianity.
a. Buddhism.
The authors of the text argue that many of the brilliant innovations of Chinese intellectual and cultural history arose: a. During the political and social turmoil of the late Zhou era. b. During the powerful and peaceful span of the Han dynasty. c. Out of the Legalistic approach of the Sui dynasty. d. From the drive toward empire.
a. During the political and social turmoil of the late Zhou era.
Within a century of Liu Bang's reign, the Han dynasty's political organization: a. Had developed a hierarchical structure, ranging from high-ranking ministers down to village clan leaders or headmen. b. Depended on military support to remain in power. c. Ruled through terror, with harsh penalties for even the most minor infractions. d. Was top-heavy with bureaucrats, having well over a million government officials.
a. Had developed a hierarchical structure, ranging from high-ranking ministers down to village clan leaders or headmen.
Although some elite women achieved prominence in intellectual pursuits, like the _______ Ban Zhao (48-116 CE), women's education centered primarily on cultivating the domestic virtues of devotion and obedience. a. Historian. b. Courtesan. c. Empress. d. Silk merchant.
a. Historian.
The travels of Xuan Zang (596-664 CE) to ________ were later immortalized in the popular collection of fabulous tales called A Journey to the West. a. India. b. Persia. c. Egypt. d. Rome.
a. India.
Once the First Emperor died, Minister Li Si ______. a. Kept his death a secret in order to rule as regent for the monarch's son. b. Presided over an elaborate bonfire of Cheng's body, over a pile of his favorite Confucian books. c. Took power in his place, executing the members of the monarch's immediate family. d. Ordered the demolition of the Great Wall that had proved so costly to the empire's subjects.
a. Kept his death a secret in order to rule as regent for the monarch's son.
The most severe philosophical school that emerged during the Warring States period was: a. Legalism. b. Maoism. c. Crypto-Confucianism. d. Shaolinism.
a. Legalism.
Since __________ like Han Fei and Li Si believed that compliance on small matters led to compliance on larger ones, they imposed harsh punishments for even the tiniest infractions. a. Legalists. b. Daoists. c. Buddhists. d. Wudists.
a. Legalists.
Unlike earlier rulers, the Han leader Liu Bang, who had taken the reign name Gaozu (r. 202-195 BCE), had been a(n) _________. a. Peasant. b. Aristocrat. c. Descendant of Confucius. d. Legalist.
a. Peasant.
Confucius advised rulers in his Analects to "Lead them [the people] by rules of decorum (li) and they will develop a sense of _________ and moreover, will become good." a. Shame. b. Entitlement. c. Resistance. d. Gentlemanly behavior.
a. Shame.
The correct order for the events or eras listed below is: a. Spring and Autumn periods; Warring States period; Former Han dynasty; Sui dynasty. b. Warring States period; Sui dynasty; Spring and Autumn periods; Former Han dynasty. c. Sui dynasty; Former Han dynasty; Warring States period; Spring and Autumn periods. d. Spring and Autumn periods; Former Han dynasty; Sui dynasty; Warring States period.
a. Spring and Autumn periods; Warring States period; Former Han dynasty; Sui dynasty.
Yang Zhu taught that since life was short and death inevitable, people should _________ a. Take what enjoyment they can while they can. b. Retire to a farm and practice the "well-field" system. c. Practice self-denial and become itinerant teachers. d. Perpetuate their memory by having as many children as possible.
a. Take what enjoyment they can while they can.
The work of Zhuang Zhou is an example of: a. The Daoist tradition. b. The Confucian tradition. c. The Legalist tradition. d. The impact of Christianity on China.
a. The Daoist tradition.
From the time of the Han, the position of Chinese women was affected by all of the following EXCEPT: a. The imposition of Legalistic works, which depicted women as weak and in need of strong male supervision. b. The emphasis on filial piety in the new Confucian curriculum. c. A society that was generally becoming increasingly hierarchical and patriarchal. d. A belief that women's education should center on the domestic virtues.
a. The imposition of Legalistic works, which depicted women as weak and in need of strong male supervision.
The Northern Wei and the Sui dynasties: a. Were formed by members of Mongolian peoples known as the Toba. b. Were members of lineages originating in eastern China. c. Kept themselves separate from common Chinese families. d. Were reluctant to take advantage of new military tactics.
a. Were formed by members of Mongolian peoples known as the Toba.
Among the innovations that made China the world leader in agricultural productivity until the eighteenth century CE was the fengche, a ____________. a. Specially bred form of draft animal. b. Hand-cranked winnowing machine that separated the chaff from the grain. c. Foot-powered chain pump for irrigation. d. System of crop rotation that ensured that the topsoil would be preserved.
b. Hand-cranked winnowing machine that separated the chaff from the grain.
In the opinion of the text writer, what was the longest lasting benefit of the rule of the First Emperor? a. He had brought order China through the implementation of harsh penalties for non-obedience. b. He had established the fundamental pattern for Chinese imperial government. c. He had standardized Chinese writing so that people across the empire could communicate. d. He had created the roadways and canals that unified the Chinese mainland.
b. He had established the fundamental pattern for Chinese imperial government.
The basic structure inherent in Confucianism is: a. Egalitarian. b. Hierarchical. c. Based on the writings of the Han Emperor Wudi. d. Flexible.
b. Hierarchical.
The following statement is true: a. The son of the Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi was judged unfit to follow his father. b. If the Qin constructed the Chinese empire, the Han perfected it. c. The Han dynasty was formed by a Qin minister, Li Si, who overthrew the son of the First Emperor. d. The Han could keep order because they were more Legalistic than the Qin had been.
b. If the Qin constructed the Chinese empire, the Han perfected it.
The Confucian Dao, dealing with the particulars of this world, differed from the Daoist Dao in that ___________. a. It is beyond all dualities and unifies them in a great oscillating whole. b. It could be named. c. It was more similar to the relationship between atman and Brahman in Indian philosophy. d. Pointed out a "way" that would ultimately lead to suffering.
b. It could be named.
The _________ was, according to Confucius, the "superior man" or "gentleman" who behaves in accordance with the highest ethical and moral standards. a. Fuzi. b. Junzi. c. Tao Te Ching. d. Renxu.
b. Junzi.
By the year 2 CE, the population of China had reached: a. About 200 million. b. Just under 60 million. c. Almost 5 million. d. Approximately 130 million.
b. Just under 60 million.
During the chaos of the Warring States period, many intellectuals and philosophers devoted their thoughts to building a safer, more prosperous society. This intelligentsia included all of the following EXCEPT: a. Mencius, who interpreted and popularized Confucianism, believing that a ruler's duty was to assure adequate material resources and to model appropriate behavior for his subjects. b. Matteo Ricci, who believed that security comes only from entrusting one's fate to God. c. Sun Zi (or Sun Tzu), who believed that a well-trained military is the most effective means of assuring peace, devoted his thoughts to finding more effective strategies for conducting warfare d. Xunzi, who also studied Confucian philosophy, but had a very gloomy view of human nature, and believed it would be necessary to govern with strict, rigidly enforced laws.
b. Matteo Ricci, who believed that security comes only from entrusting one's fate to God.
The quotation, "If Your Majesty says, 'How may I profit my kingdom,' the great officers will say, 'How may we profit our families'," is attributed to: a. Confucius b. Mencius c. King Hui of Liang d. Lao Tzu
b. Mencius
The Mengzi is written in more of a narrative form than the Analects and is supplemented by: a. Sample calligraphy in order to perfect the characters of Chinese writing. b. Parables and stories. c. Aphorisms and pithy sayings that distill Confucian philosophy. d. Commands from the gods that reinforce its directives.
b. Parables and stories.
By the second century CE, bolts of silk with standardized designs were _________. a. Strictly designed for domestic consumption. b. Produced for export, particularly to Persia and Rome. c. Encoded with messages advocating land redistribution. d. Produced by hand, with no machinery to aid to the process.
b. Produced for export, particularly to Persia and Rome.
The philosophical system known as "the Han Synthesis": a. Is basically Confucianism divorced from the idea of reciprocity. b. Shows clearly the influence of Daoism, Confucianism, and Legalism. c. Sets out the proper role of bureaucrats and commoners, but does not address the expectations of the emperor. d. Shows a philosophical growth away from superstitious notions like the "Mandate of Heaven."
b. Shows clearly the influence of Daoism, Confucianism, and Legalism.
Throughout the Three Kingdoms period in the ____________ and afterward, the aim of reconstituting the empire was always present. a. First century CE. b. Third century CE. c. First century BCE. d. Seventh century CE.
b. Third century CE.
A classic tale that expresses an aspect of Daoist thought is the story of the philosopher Zhuang Zhou, who awoke from a dream unsure of _______________ a. Whether everything was an illusion created as a sort of "matrix." b. Whether he had dreamed he was a butterfly or whether he was a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuang Zhou. c. Whether it was wise to contemplate on opposites and paradoxes. d. Whether the symbols contained in a dream provided insight into the subconscious.
b. Whether he had dreamed he was a butterfly or whether he was a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuang Zhou.
The historical Confucius is an elusive figure, but he appears to have been born to the Kong family in _____________. a. 651 BCE. b. 851 BCE. c. 551 BCE. d. 351 BCE.
c. 551 BCE.
Problems that arose during the Latter Han dynasty included all EXCEPT: a. Peasants were burdened by excessive labor requirements. b. Agricultural productivity declined because borderlands were lost. c. A nomadic group called the Huns pressed against the northern border. d. Internal strife within the royal family diminished Han control of outlying regions.
c. A nomadic group called the Huns pressed against the northern border.
The chief treatise on government in the Han era, the Huainan zi, characterized the emperor as: a. The first among equal regional administrators. b. A leader who was responsible to the people who had elected him. c. An intermediary between heaven, humankind, and earth. d. A philosopher whose primary duty was to produce a poem every year.
c. An intermediary between heaven, humankind, and earth.
Along with painting and poetry, _________ was considered one of the "three excellences" (sanjue) of the scholar. a. Astronomy. b. Philosophy. c. Calligraphy. d. Music.
c. Calligraphy.
In 221 BCE, the Qin ruler _______ proclaimed himself Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of the Qin. a. Li Si. b. Wang Meng. c. Cheng. d. Xunzi.
c. Cheng.
All of the following is true of the reign of the Han Emperor Wudi EXCEPT: a. It was a high point of the power of the Han dynasty. b. He tried to deal with the northern nomads through diplomacy, bribery, and enculturation, but mounted military campaigns when all else failed. c. He controlled most of the northern nomads, but could not subdue the Xiongnu. d. He established wide trade connections and eventually extended Han rule into northern Vietnam and Korea.
c. He controlled most of the northern nomads, but could not subdue the Xiongnu.
All of the following are characteristics of a Confucian junzi EXCEPT: a. He is humane, courteous, kind, and diligent. b. He loves learning and hates sloth. c. He has strict moral expectations of both those above him and those below him. d. He seeks to help people succeed in what is good.
c. He has strict moral expectations of both those above him and those below him.
Which of the following most accurately lists the persons in the order of their birth? a. Laozi, Han Fei, the First Emperor, Confucius, Mencius. b. The First Emperor, Han Fei, Confucius, Mencius, Laozi. c. Laozi, Confucius, Mencius, Han Fei, the First Emperor. d. Laozi, Confucius, Han Fei, Mencius, the First Emperor.
c. Laozi, Confucius, Mencius, Han Fei, the First Emperor.
The Legalists argued that all subjects must serve the state through productive activities, and that the highest priorities of the state were agriculture and _________. a. Construction projects. b. Fostering philosophical speculation. c. Military service. d. Subsidizing the silk industry.
c. Military service.
Around the beginning of the first century CE the first attempts at saddles with straps for supporting a rider's feet began to appear in _________. a. The Western Roman Empire. b. Central China. c. Northern India. d. Southeast Asia.
c. Northern India.
The __________ was the name given to a series of overland trade routes that connected eastern and western Eurasia, beginning at the end of the fourth century BCE. a. Porcelain Path. b. Dao, or Way. c. Silk Road. d. Iron Express.
c. Silk Road.
According to Mencius, a ruler who abused or neglected his subjects upset the social order and ______________. a. The natural tendency of people toward revolt. b. The natural tendency of people toward self-enlightenment. c. The natural tendency of people toward good. d. The natural tendency of people toward social advancement.
c. The natural tendency of people toward good.
Among the projects initiated by the First Emperor were all of the following except: a. The building of the Great Wall. b. The standardization of weights, measures, and coinage. c. The provision of a copy of the Analects to every young boy in the empire. d. The construction of a mammoth tomb complex for himself at Xi'an.
c. The provision of a copy of the Analects to every young boy in the empire.
The periods of the Former Han dynasty and the Latter Han dynasty were separated by: a. A brief period when the Xiongnu captured the capital, Chang'an. b. A period of civil war when there was no official emperor. c. The rule of Wang Mang, a relative of the Han family who seized power. d. The "Red Eyebrow" revolt.
c. The rule of Wang Mang, a relative of the Han family who seized power.
In the view of Han Fei and Li Si: a. The sole duty of the royal court and the emperor was to protect and assure the well-being of the populace. b. Soldiers are the lowest ranked members of society, with Confucian scholars at the top of the hierarchy, followed by peasants, then artisans, and finally military personnel. c. The state was all-important, and all subjects must serve the state through productive activities. d. Everyone can be led to virtue by the good example of leaders and a strict, but gentle, firmness.
c. The state was all-important, and all subjects must serve the state through productive activities.
Wudi drove his armies into central Asia, where he established a lucrative trade with the peoples there, and again into northern ________ and Korea, extending Han rule into those areas. a. Burma. b. Japan. c. Vietnam. d. Malaysia.
c. Vietnam.
The Tang dynasty: a. Was the first foreign dynasty in a millennium. b. Increased the size of China to its largest extent in history. c. Was founded by a 16-year-old who placed his father on the throne for a few years. d. Gave Daoists many privileges at the expense of Confucian and Buddhist scholars.
c. Was founded by a 16-year-old who placed his father on the throne for a few years.
Mo Di taught that the only humane way to approach the world was to regard _______ a. All Confucian philosophy as an impediment to material progress. b. Animals as the reincarnated spirits of one's ancestors and refrain from eating them. c. Non-Chinese as potentially more enlightened, even though they lived across the Wall. d. All people as members of one's own family.
d. All people as members of one's own family.
An influential _________ school in China was the Tiantai, centered on the scripture of the Lotus Sutra. a. Confucian. b. Mencian. c. Daoist. d. Buddhist.
d. Buddhist.
The following statements are true of Confucianism EXCEPT: a. From the time of the Han Dynasty, Mencius's interpretation of Confucianism has been predominant. b. Confucianism was firmly planted in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam as well. c. Confucianism has been a strong influence on the governmental and bureaucratic systems of China. d. Confucian ideology has been uniformly practical, never straying into abstractions.
d. Confucian ideology has been uniformly practical, never straying into abstractions.
The Emperor Cheng: a. Practiced a lenient policy regarding scholars and intellectuals, promoting a renaissance of learning in his domains. b. Left the disciplining of his opponents to the rulers of the individual states of his empire. c. Openly wished he could hire Confucius, or a Confucian student, as his principal advisor. d. Demanded that any literature not officially sanctioned by his government be destroyed.
d. Demanded that any literature not officially sanctioned by his government be destroyed.
All of the following were Chinese technologies EXCEPT: a. The stirrup. b. The compass. c. The horse collar. d. Double-level corkscrews.
d. Double-level corkscrews.
In 134 CE, Zhang Heng devised what was perhaps the world's first practical ___________. a. Bicycle. b. Water-powered loom. c. Lacquer for porcelain. d. Earthquake detector.
d. Earthquake detector.
All of the following is true of the Chinese historian Sima Qian EXCEPT: a. He followed in his father's profession. b. He was determined to relay the truth about events and people no matter the cost. c. He chose castration over death so he could finish writing his history. d. He condemned a court favorite by calling him an ineffective administrator and a coward.
d. He condemned a court favorite by calling him an ineffective administrator and a coward.
The Tang continued the policy of land redistribution begun during the brief Sui dynasty by allotting each peasant family a tract of 100 mou, _________ of which was inheritable, while the remainder reverted to the state for redistribution. a. One-third. b. Two-thirds. c. One-half. d. One-fifth.
d. One-fifth.
Confucius described "___________" (shu) as "what you would not want for yourself, do not do to others." a. The Lex Talionis. b. The Golden Rule. c. The Way. d. Reciprocity.
d. Reciprocity.
By the time of the late Han, China's old aristocracy had largely died out, its place at the top of the social hierarchy assumed by the so-called _________. a. Mou-distributors. b. Merchant-oligarchy. c. Proto-porcelains. d. Scholar-gentry.
d. Scholar-gentry.
___________ (145-86 BCE) offended the powerful Emperor Wudi in his histories by exonerating a general whom the emperor and the court had accused of cowardice. a. Ban Gu. b. Hui Neng. c. Xuan Zang. d. Sima Qian.
d. Sima Qian.
As a member of the growing shi class of well-to-do, educated commoners and lower aristocracy, Confucius _____________. a. Easily found employment in his native state of Lu and far beyond. b. Argued that whatever the shi class maintained to be moral was actually moral. c. Advocated the "well-field" system as a means of ensuring crop surpluses and equality among peasant cultivators. d. Sought a position as political adviser to the courts of several states, but was largely unsuccessful.
d. Sought a position as political adviser to the courts of several states, but was largely unsuccessful.
The ________ proved so effective that by the fifth century CE the armies of all the Chinese states had adopted and refined the technology, paving the way for the Sui reunification in 589. a. Gunpowder. b. Proto-porcelain. c. Armillary sphere. d. Stirrup.
d. Stirrup.
While scholars agree that women's roles deteriorated in some respects, there were also times when they exercised considerable freedom and influence, such as during the ________ period. a. Warring States. b. Qin. c. Sui. d. Tang.
d. Tang.
The state that emerged triumphant from the Period of Warring States was: a. The Zhou b. The Latter Zhou c. The Former Han d. The Qin
d. The Qin
Mencius used water as a metaphor to illustrate: a. The destructive power of untrammeled emotions to flood one's life. b. The impossibility of stepping into the same river twice. c. The tendency of a person's nature to freeze in place, like a block of ice. d. The importance of allowing behavior to flow naturally, and not be blocked by artificial constructions.
d. The importance of allowing behavior to flow naturally, and not be blocked by artificial constructions.
All of the following statements about the Dao are true EXCEPT: a. Most Chinese philosophical schools accepted the concept of the Dao as the ordering principle of the universe. b. Confucians generally believe that study and self-cultivation can put individuals in tune with the Dao. c. Followers of the Daoist tradition attributed to Laozi the belief that Confucianism obscures understanding of the Dao. d. There are records of intense debates between Laozi and Confucius.
d. There are records of intense debates between Laozi and Confucius.
All of the statements below are true of the Daoist works attributed to Laozi EXCEPT: a. There are similarities between it and Deutero-Isaiah. b. There are similarities between it and the Zoroastrian reformers. c. There are similarities between it and the Upanishad writers. d. There are similarities between it and the works of Han Fei.
d. There are similarities between it and the works of Han Fei.
All of the following are true of the Qin (as it finally did come to power) EXCEPT: a. They were not pressed into constant battles by many of the other Chinese states. b. Its remote location allowed it the luxury of developing its economic and military resources. c. The state had recently been reorganized, replacing the old Zhou institutions with a strong, centralized system. d. They immediately adopted the political system promoted by Laozi.
d. They immediately adopted the political system promoted by Laozi.
Wudi extended the Great Wall begun by the Qin for all of the following reasons except: a. To provide greater protection for his subjects. b. To encourage people to move to areas along the northern and western borders of the empire. c. To maintain continuity with the previous regime's policies and strength of unity. d. To prevent Chinese people from finding out about Buddhist philosophy in other parts of Asia.
d. To prevent Chinese people from finding out about Buddhist philosophy in other parts of Asia.
All of the following were important schools of Buddhism in China EXCEPT: a. Amida b. Tiantai c. Chan d. Zen
d. Zen
