| A | B |
|---|
| loess | fertile silt left behind by flooding of Huang He (Yellow River) |
| Shang Dynasty | 1700 to 1027 B.C., first dynasty to leave written records |
| role of family | central social institution; respect for parents a virtue |
| oracle bones | pieces of shell or bones used to ask the gods questions |
| Chinese writing | uses characters to represent syllables |
| Mandate of Heaven | belief that a just ruler had divine approval |
| dynastic cycle | pattern of the rise and fall of dynasties |
| Xia Dynasty | first dynasty described in ancient historical writing; Yu was first ruler |
| feudalism | system in which kings give land to nobles in exchange for services |
| Confucius | born 551 B.C.; important Chinese scholar and teacher |
| Zhou Dynasty | 1027 to 256 B.C.; ancient values decline near end of this dynasty |
| five basic relationships | important relationships stressed by Confucious: family, ruler and subject, friends |
| filial piety | respect for parents and ancestors |
| bureaucracy | trained civil service, those who run the government |
| Confucianism | ethical system of right and wrong, stressed family relationships and education |
| Daoism | ethical system; teaches that a universal force called the Dao guides all things |
| Laozi | sixth century B.C. founder of the philosophy of Daoism |
| Legalism | ethical system; teaches that a powerful government is key to social order |
| autocracy | government with unlimited power |
| Qin Dynasty | employed Legalist ideas, harsh rule to unify China in 3rd century B.C. |
