| A | B |
|---|
| Period of Disunion | time of disorder that followed the collapse of the Han Dynasty in China |
| Grand Canal | a canal linking northern and southern China |
| Empress Wu | ruled during the Tang dynasty, ruling ruthlessly and bringing prosperity to China |
| porcelain | thin, beautiful pottery invented in China |
| woodblock printing | entire page is carved into a block of wood, covered with ink, and pressed to a piece of paper to create a printed page |
| gunpowder | misture of powders used in guns and explosives |
| compass | an instrument that uses the earth's magnetic field to indicate direction |
| bureaucracy | body of unelected government officials |
| civil-service | service as a government official |
| scholar-official | an educated member of China's government who passed a series of written examinations |
| Genghis Khan | ruler of the Mongols, led his people in attacks against China and other parts of Asia |
| Kublai Khan | Mongol ruler, completed teh conquest of China and founded the Yuan dynasty |
| Zheng He | Chinese admiral during the Ming Dynasty, he led great voyages that spread China's fame throughout Asia |
| isolationism | a policy of avoiding contact with other countries |
| nepotism | power is given on the basis of family relationships |
| aristocracy | power is held by a small, privileged class |
| meritocracy | talented are chosen based on their skills |
