1. Ancient China Vocabulary

2. WARLORD
A military commander exercising civil power by force, with his own army

3. ARISTOCRAT
A member of an upper class of society, usually made up of hereditary nobility

4. ANCESTOR
A person that someone is descended from

5. PICTOGRAPH
A symbol in a writing system based on pictures

6. IDEOGRAPH
A symbol in a writing system that represents a thing or an idea

7. BUREAUCRACY
A group of nonelected government officials

8. HEREDITARY
Having title or possession by reason of birth

9. MANDATE OF HEAVEN
The belief that the Chinese king’s right to rule came from the gods

10. DAO
Chinese system of beliefs which describes the way a king must rule

11. CONFUCIANISM
A system of beliefs based on the teachings of Confucius

12. DAOISM
A Chinese philosophy concerned with obtaining long life and living in harmony with nature

13. LEGALISM
A Chinese philosophy that stressed the importance of laws

14. FILIAL PIETY
The responsibility children have to respect, obey, and care for their parents

15. CENSOR
An official who watches others for correct behavior

16. CURRENCY
Something, such as coins or paper, that is used as a medium of exchange

17. CIVIL SERVICE
The administrative service of a government

18. TENANT FARMER
A farmer who works land owner by someone else and pays rent in cash or as a share of the crop

19. ACUPUNCTURE
Originally, a Chinese practice of inserting fine needles through the skin at specific points to treat disease or relieve pain