1. Major Themes in Chinese History
These will apply to most dynasties all year. So just learn them now and make your life a lot easier. 

2. Dynastic Cycle

3. Political Leadership
From the Qin dynasty on, who was the leader of China?
How did this leader justify his/her rule? (Yes, there were a few female leaders…)

4. Mandate of Heaven
“Oh! do you, who now succeed to the throne, revere these warnings in your person. Think of them! – sacred counsels of vast importance, admirable words forcibly set forth! The ways of Heaven are not invariable: on the good-doer it sends down all blessings, and on the evil-doer it sends down all miseries. Do you but be virtuous, be it in small things or in large, and the myriad regions will have cause for rejoicing. If you not be virtuous, be it in large things or in small, it will bring the ruin of your ancestral temple.” - Shu Jing

5. Bureaucracy
the body of officials and administrators, especially of a government or government department.
Examples of bureaucrats: people who work at the DMV, prisons, police, etc. clearly hierarchical
Who did this exam system favor? (Educated, elites, people who could hire tutors)
What was the test on? (Confucianism)
Candidates gathering around the wall where the exam results are posted, known as “releasing the roll.” (c by Qiu Ying)

6. Confucian Relationships

7. Confucian Social Hierarchy
Why?

8. Who would these people be?
Middle Kingdom
Who would these people be?
Believed that China was the center of the world and the further away from China, the more “barbaric” you were. (Fast forward: 19th century – when Europeans arrive, the Chinese do not take them seriously… which leads to Opium Wars, etc.)
Early Chinese map of the world

9. Middle Kingdom leads to…
self-sufficiency. (Belief that China can create whatever they need and they don’t need the “barbarians” of the outside world.)
isolation and/or highly controlled trade.
Ex: Silk Road during Han Dynasty (they traded silk and other luxuries, but were incredibly secretive about how to make these items)

10. Rule by Ethnic “Han” Chinese

11. Culture Religion: Confucianism + Daoism + Buddhism
Importance of the family and bringing honor to your family and emperor

12. Technology The Chinese are PROS at inventing things.
(Many of the things that Europe “invents” in the late Middle Ages were actually invented by the Chinese way earlier. Just saying…)
Examples?
Gunpowder. Silk. Paper. Tang and Song Dynasties literally invent everything.

13. Dynasty
Inventions/Contributions
Qin
Multiplication Table
Han
Papermaking, wheelbarrow, seismograph
Sui
Porcelain, block printing
Tang
Tea, gunpowder, flame-thrower
Song
Paper money, magnetic compass, movable type, guns and cannons

14. A strategy for studying China…
ASSUME CONTINUITY. (When in doubt, assume that these major themes haven’t changed.)
Focus your studying for each dynasty on the EXCEPTIONS. (Is there a dynasty that did NOT value Confucianism? One that was ruled by non-Han Chinese? etc.)

15. Chinese Cultural Diffusion
Most other East Asian societies were conquered by or at least influenced by Chinese culture. So, with Japan, Vietnam, Korea, assume similar Chinese characteristics unless otherwise stated.