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| 15086357988 | 17 Article Constitution | Meaning: In 604 CE, an aristocratic leader named Shotoku Taishi wrote this document. The constitution proclaimed a Japanese ruler as an emperor, it encouraged Buddhism and Confucianism. Significance: This constitution was significant because it represented how the Japanese adopted some aspects of Chinese cultures like religions or belief systems. During the following decades, Japanese authorities adopted Chinese-style court rituals, the Chinese Calendar, and Chinese tax/law systems. | 0 | |
| 15086523524 | Bushido | Meaning: 'way of the warrior". The strict code of conduct for samurais. The values were: bravery, loyalty, honor, endurance, great skill in martial arts, and a preference for death over surrender. Significance: This showed how the Japanese were able to only choose which parts of Chinese culture to adopt. Japan's celebration of warrior and physical strength was in contrast with the Chinese's emphasis on intellectual or scholarly achievements. | 1 | |
| 15086610754 | Chinese Buddhism | Meaning: A different branch of Buddhism that represented cultural Chinese beliefs. Took root roughly between 300 and 800 CE within the elite and popular culture. Significance: Originally, the beliefs in Buddhism greatly undermined that of Confucianism. Following the collapse of the Han Dynasty Buddhism was appealing because it provided comfort despite how much their society was suffering. Indian concepts were also modified to help Chinese interpretation. (Ex. "husband supports wife" turned into "husband controls wife" ). | 2 | |
| 15086777833 | Chu nom | Meaning: A variation of Chinese writing that was created by the Vietnamese. Significance: Chu nom provided the basis for an independent national literature and it was also a vehicle for the writing of the most educated women. This represented the Chinese's failure to make Vietnam patriarchal. | 3 | |
| 15086849228 | Foot Binding | Meaning: It was a common practice in China. It involved the tight wrapping of a young girls foot, usually breaking the bones and resulting in immense pain. Significance: Foot binding was something that came out as a result of China's tightening patriarchy. It was associated with female beauty, frailty, and it made it more difficult for women to leave their "inner quarters". It also separated Chinese women from "Barbarian" women and it distinguished social class. | 4 | |
| 15086941545 | Gunpowder | Meaning: (created around 1000) A mixture of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. When it was first made, it was the accidentally by product of a Daoist alchemist who was trying to make an elixir for mortality. Significance: Though this was not the intention, the creation of gunpowder led to it being a revolution in military affairs. It's uses in war during the Song dynasty happened very rapidly. Eventually gunpowder reached the rest of Eurasia and it changed the nature of warfare forever. | 5 | |
| 15087081056 | Hangul | Meaning: A phonetic alphabet that was created for writing the Korean language. Significance: Korea wanted to move towards-greater cultural independence from China. Creating their own alphabet was the start of this. This new form of writing took hold in private correspondence and among women. | 6 | |
| 15087178666 | Hangzhou | Meaning: The capital during the Song Dynasty. Significance; Hangzhou was described by many as a great and luxurious place. Observers said that they had specialized markets , luxurious inns, prostitutes, and more. It overall represented the prosperity of China during the Song Dynasty. | 7 | |
| 15103034829 | House of Wisdom | 8 | ||
| 15103189420 | Murasaki Shikibu | Meaning: One of the greatest Japanese and female authors. Significance: She is known for writing the Tale of Genji, a novel that provides an intimate picture if the intrigues and romances of court life. | 9 | |
| 15103322382 | Northern Nomads | Meaning: These were the nomads/pastoral peoples of China. Significance: The Chinese described these nomads as "barbarians" yet at the same time they were needed by China, especially for trading. This also led to the Tribute System being in use with China and foreigners. At times, however, the tribute system was overpowered by the forces of the Nomads and these nomads that took control parts of China extorted large "gifts" from them and also ravaged and raided Chinese communities. | 10 | |
| 15103469440 | Pure Land Buddhism | Meaning: This was a popular expression of Buddhism in China. Significance: In this expression, people could faithfully repeat the name of an earlier Buddha (the Amitabha) can lead to a rebirth in a heavenly "Pure Land). It emphasized reaching salvation without arduous study or intensive meditation. This made it a Chinese version of the Indian faith. | 11 | |
| 15103609726 | Song Dynasty | Meaning: (960-1279 CE) The Chinese dynasty that placed much more emphasis on civil administration, industry, education, and arts other than military. Significance: Dynasty that was also apart of the Golden Age in China. They had more restrictions on women than during the Tang Dynasty. Song Dynasty was also "by far the richest, most skilled, and populous country on earth" because of China's economic revolution. Industrial production also soared during this time. | 12 | |
| 15112341591 | Sui Dynasty | Meaning: (589-618 CE) The Chinese dynasty that was like the Qin Dynasty in imposing tight political discipline; this dynasty built the Grand Canal which helped transport the rice in the south to the north. Significance: During this dynasty, ideals from the belief system called legalism were adopted, which made it very similar to China during the Qin Dynasty. China regained political unity again during the Sui Dynasty. They also built a massive canal system that linked northern and southern China, especially economically. | 13 | |
| 15112428241 | The Tale of Genji | Meaning: written by Lady Murasaki; first novel in any languange; relates life history of prominent and amorous son of the Japanese emperor's son; evidence for mannered style of the Japanese society. | 14 | |
| 15112452118 | Tang Dynasty | Meaning: dynasty often referred to as China's Golden age that reigned during 618 - 907 AD Significance: During this dynasty, China was described as "the best ordered state in the world". After the short Sui Reign, the Tang dynasty offered even more guidance through the disorder that the Sui Dynasty trie to fix. During this dynasty there were new more elaborate exams to make it so that not only aristocrats could be officials. Women were also less restricted. | 15 | |
| 15112592400 | Tribute System | Meaning: Chinese method of dealing with foreign lands and peoples that assumed the subordination of all non-Chinese authorities and required the payment of tribute—produce of value from their countries—to the Chinese emperor (although the Chinese gifts given in return were often much more valuable). If they paid tribute, they were given permission to trade in China's rich trade centers. | 16 | |
| 15112608198 | Xiongnu | Meaning: This was a confederacy that was established by the nomadic people around the same time as the Han Dynasty. It reached from Manchuria to Central Asia Significance: The Xiongnu were very powerful and often conducted raids into Northern China. The tribute system did not work with them because they were so powerful so instead China had to see them as AT LEAST equals. Because of all the raids, the Chinese Emperor recognized the state as a political equal, promised its leader a princess to marry, and agreed to give them supplies of grain, wine, and silk. | 17 |
