An Empire Unifies China

Vocab 4.4

Confucius

• Chinese philosopher whose ideas and sayings were collected after his death and became the basis of a Confucianism.

• Followers of Confucianism believe in love for humanity, ancestor worship, reverence for parents, and harmony in thought and conduct.

Taoism / Daoism

• A Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao-tzu (6th century BC), advocating humility and religious piety.

Bureaucracy• A system of

government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

Qin Dynasty

• The Chinese dynasty (from 246 BC to 206 BC) that established the first centralized imperial government and built much of the Great Wall