Transcript SOL Quiz 8

SOL Quiz 8
China
1. In order to show respect to the emperor a person performed a
series of three low bows, with the forehead actually touching the
ground. This series of bows was known as the
a. tea ceremony
b. Great Leap Forward
c. divination
d. Kowtow
In order to show respect to the emperor a person performed the
kowtow. The kowtow was a series of three deep bows in which the
person's forehead actually touched or knocked on the ground. By
performing this act of submission, the person acknowledged the
superior status of the emperor.
2. The major text of Confucianism is the
a. Analects
b. Dao De Jing
c. Koran
d. Torah
The disciples of Confucius (551-479 B.C.) recorded the major
tenets of Confucianism in the Analects after the philosopher's
death. Confucianism stressed social conformity, obedience to
authority, and respect for one's elders. In general, Confucianism
maintained that through education, and by following the exemplary
behavior of one's superiors, the people of society could be shaped
into a harmonious and orderly whole.
3. What major contribution did Confucius make to the cultural
development of China?
a. He created a system of cooking in which food is finely diced
and sauteed in a wok.
b. He created a system of ethics which, if followed, would lead
to a stable and harmonious society.
c. He created a system of brush painting and calligraphy.
d. He created a system of herbal medicine to ease the suffering of the sick.
Confucius created a system of ethics and behavior which, if followed, would lead
to a stable and harmonious society. Many of Confucius's ideas, which were
recorded in the "Analects" by his disciples, codified practices already in
existence in Chinese society -- such as filial piety. While Confucianism
originally began as a code of conduct, it became a religious system for some
people who worshipped Confucius as a deity.
4. Which of the following was NOT a principle of Confucianism?
a. emphasis on proper conduct
b. filial piety
c. social conformity
d. individual rights
Individual rights were NOT stressed in Confucianism since it was believed that
the group was more important than the individual. Confucianism promoted peace
and harmony by stressing social conformity, obedience to authority, and respect
for one's elders. Confucius's sayings were recorded in the book known as the
"Analects." According to Confucius, there were five important social
relationships: friend to friend, son to father, subject to emperor, younger brother
to older brother, and wife to husband.
5. In Confucianism's four-class system, which group sat at the top
of the hierarchy?
a. nobility
b. merchants
c. peasants
d. Scholars
Within Confucianism's four-class system, scholars sat at the top of the
hierarchy. This positioning highlighted the importance that the
Confucian value system placed on education. Peasant farmers occupied
the second highest class. The farmer earned respect because he
produced food for the large Chinese population. Artisans occupied the
position below peasants. Although merchants may have been wealthy,
Chinese society did not view them as highly since wealth lacked
importance in the Confucian value system. This four-class system
omitted the nobility.
6. Which of the following was NOT part of the traditional religious
practice of a Chinese family?
a. keeping a family shrine
b. ancestor worship
c. monotheism
d. making offerings of rice and wine
The ancient Chinese did NOT practice monotheism. Instead, many
spirits and gods filled the Chinese religious system. For example,
Guan Yin was the Goddess of Mercy and appeared in a thousand
forms. Many people even worshipped the philosopher Confucius as
a deity.
7. Which of the following people is believed to be the founder of
Daoism?
a. Confucius
b. Mencius
c. Lao-Zi
d. Siddhartha Gautama
Lao-Zi is credited with founding Daoism in the 6th century B.C.
His writings can be found in a volume titled "Dao De Jing" ("Tao
Te Ching"), the Way of Virtue. Daoism, with its emphasis on the
individual, became an alternative to Confucianism.
8. What do yin and yang represent in Chinese culture?
a. two ancient Chinese painters
b. opposing forces in nature
c. two rivers in China
d. an ancient Chinese musical system
Yin and yang are believed by the Chinese to be the major energy forces of
life. Both yin and yang are to be found within every natural object. They
are frequently shown as two parts of a divided circle, representing a
balance of opposing forces. Yin is negative, feminine, cool, dark, secret,
and submissive.
9. Which of the following beliefs do we associate with Legalism?
a. belief in reincarnation
b. belief in polytheism
c. belief that minor offenses should be punished severely
d. belief that the best government places the fewest
restrictions on its citizens
We associate with Legalism the belief that minor offenses should be
punished severely. Legalism was a philosophy which developed in
ancient China at the end of the Zhou era. It was concerned primarily
with the political system. It was believed that rulers had the right to
make laws which must be obeyed by all people. Minor offenses
were punished severely to discourage the people from committing
more serious ones. As a result, in ancient Chinese society the
emperor had great power.
10. The combination of Legalism and Confucianism which the Han
Dynasty (206 B.C.- 220 A.D.) implemented as its ruling ideology is
called
a. Legalistic Confucianism
b. Shintoism
c. Daoism
d. Imperial Confucianism
The Han Dynasty implemented a combination of Legalism and Confucianism as
their ruling ideology, an ideology called Imperial Confucianism. In calling it
"Imperial Confucianism," this ideology is distinguished from the original
teachings of Confucius. Unlike Legalism, Imperial Confucianism recognized
that a ruler could not exercise power solely through the threat of violence. The
ruler needed to set a positive, moral example for his subjects, thereby
encouraging others to embrace his leadership.
11. The attitude of respect and devotion to one's family observed in
Chinese society, especially in the Imperial era, is known as
a. animism
b. reincarnation
c. ethnocentrism
d. filial piety
Filial piety is the Chinese belief, especially prevalent in imperial times, which
demanded an attitude of respect and devotion toward one's family. Filial piety
pre-dated Confucianism, but upon the establishment of that belief system, it was
incorporated as a main tenet of Confucian thought.