| | front / forward / ahead / first / top (followed by a number) / future / ago / before / BC (e.g. 前293 年) / former / formerly | HSK 1 |
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| | Confucian school, founded by Confucius 孔子 (551-479 BC) and Mencius 孟子 (c. 372-c. 289 BC) | HSK 7-9 |
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| | a powerful chief of the princes of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) / overlord / hegemon | |
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| | Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC) / surname Shang | |
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| | the Xia or Hsia dynasty c. 2000 BC / Xia of the Sixteen Kingdoms (407-432) / surname Xia | |
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| | Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) / surname Ming / Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God | |
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| | surname Zhi / Zhi (c. 2000 BC), fifth of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God | |
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| | Confucius (551-479 BC), Chinese thinker and social philosopher, also known as 孔夫子 | |
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| | surname Cheng / Cheng (c. 2000 BC), third of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God | |
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| | surname Wei / vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty (1066-221 BC), located in present-day Henan and Hebei Provinces | |
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| | surname Xue / vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) | |
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| | surname Ji / family name of the royal family of the Zhou Dynasty 周代 (1046-256 BC) | |
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| | School of Logicians of the Warring States Period (475-220 BC), also called the School of Names | |
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| | surname Zhou / Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) | |
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| | surname Ruan / small state during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) located in the southeast of present-day Gansu Province | |
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| | Chinese language (Mandarin), emphasizing its national nature / Chinese as a primary or secondary school subject / Chinese in the context of the Nationalist Government / Guoyu, book of historical narrative c. 10th-5th century BC | |
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| | the Warring States period (475-221 BC) | |
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| | Laozi or Lao-tze (c. 500 BC), Chinese philosopher, the founder of Taoism / the sacred book of Daoism, 道德經|道德经 by Laozi | |
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| | Zhou Dynasty / Western Zhou 西周 (1046-771 BC) and Eastern Zhou 東周|东周 (770-221 BC) | |
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| | lit. secretly crossing the Wei River 渭河 at Chencang (idiom, refers to a stratagem used by Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦 in 206 BC against Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽 of Chu) / fig. to feign one thing while doing another / to cheat under cover of a diversion | |
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| | surname Chen / Chen (c. 1045 - 479 BC), a Zhou dynasty state / Chen (557-589), one of the Southern Dynasties 南朝 | |
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| | the Legalist school of political philosophy, which rose to prominence in the Warring States period (475-221 BC) (The Legalists believed that social harmony could only be attained through strong state control, and advocated for a system of rigidly applied punishments and rewards for specific behaviors.) / a Legalist | |
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| | Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty (141-87 BC) | |
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| | the Spring and Autumn (770-476 BC) and Warring States (475-221 BC) periods | |
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| | surname Qin / Qin dynasty (221-207 BC) of the first emperor 秦始皇 / short name for 陝西|陕西 | |
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| | Liu Bang (256 or 247-195 BC), bandit leader who became first Han emperor Han Gaozu 漢高祖|汉高祖 (reigned 202-195 BC) | |
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| | capital of the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-475 BC) | |
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| | Qi state of Western Zhou and the Warring states (1122-265 BC), centered in Shandong | |
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| | Beijing resident / Peking ape-man, Homo erectus pekinensis (c. 600,000 BC), discovered in 1921 at Zhoukoudian 周口店, Beijing | |
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| | Sun Tzu, also known as Sun Wu 孫武|孙武 (c. 500 BC, dates of birth and death uncertain), general, strategist and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period (700-475 BC), believed to be the author of the “Art of War” 孫子兵法|孙子兵法, one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书 | |
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| | a hundred schools of thought contend (idiom); refers to the classical philosophic schools of the Warring States period 475-221 BC | |
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| | Li (c. 2000 BC), sixth of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God, also known as Ai 哀 | |
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| | Qi son of Yu the Great 禹, reported founder of the Xia Dynasty 夏朝 (c. 2070-c. 1600 BC) | |
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| | Han ethnic group / Chinese (language) / the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) | |
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| | Hongmen feast / (fig.) banquet set up with the aim of murdering a guest / refers to a famous episode in 206 BC when future Han emperor Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦 escaped attempted murder by his rival Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽 | |
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| | Mozi (c. 470-391 BC), founder of the Mohist School 墨家 of the Warring States Period (475-220 BC) | |
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| | to play the xiao 簫|箫 (mouth organ) / to beg while playing pipes; cf politician Wu Zixu 伍子胥, c. 520 BC destitute refugee in Wu town, 吳市吹簫|吴市吹箫 / to busk / virtuoso piper wins a beauty, cf 玉人吹簫|玉人吹箫 / (slang) fellatio / blowjob | |
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| | the state of Qin, one of the seven states of the Warring States Period (475-220 BC) | |
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| | Zeng Shen (505-435 BC), a.k.a. 曾子, student of Confucius, presumed editor or author of Confucian classic the Great Learning 大學|大学 | |
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| | fifth year E5 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1988 or 2048 | |
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| | Shennong or Farmer God (c. 2000 BC), first of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝 and creator of agriculture | |
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| | King Wu of Zhou (-1043), personal name Ji Fa 姬發|姬发, reigned 1046-1043 BC as first king of Western Zhou dynasty 1046-1043 BC | |
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| | book format, similar to in-4°, in-8° etc (a 16-kai format 16 開|16 开 is roughly A4) (abbr. to 開|开) | |
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| | Fuxi, legendary Chinese emperor, trad. 2852-2738 BC, mythical creator of fishing, trapping and writing | |
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| | Ke (c. 2000 BC), seventh of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God | |
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| | Silla, Korean kingdom 57 BC-935 AD / one of the Korean Three Kingdoms from 1st century AD, defeating its rivals Paikche 百濟|百济 and Koguryo 高句麗|高句丽 around 660 in alliance with Tang China / unified Silla 658-935 | |
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| | the Hundred Schools of Thought, the various schools of thought and their exponents during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods (770-220 BC) | |
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| | surname Zhao / one of the seven states during the Warring States period (476-220 BC) / the Former Zhao 前趙|前赵 (304-329) and Later Zhao 後趙|后赵 (319-350), states of the Sixteen Kingdoms | |
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| | Jiang Ziya (c. 1100 BC, dates of birth and death unknown), partly mythical sage advisor to King Wen of Zhou 周文王 and purported author of “Six Secret Strategic Teachings” 六韜|六韬, one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书 | |
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| | Duke Huan of Qi (reigned 685-643 BC), one of the Five Hegemons 春秋五霸 | |
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| | Qin Shihuang (259-210 BC), the first emperor | |
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| | surname Di / generic name for northern ethnic minorities during the Qin and Han Dynasties (221 BC-220 AD) | |
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| | a hundred flowers bloom, a hundred schools of thought contend (idiom); refers to the classical philosophic schools of the Warring States period 475-221 BC, but adopted for Mao's campaign of 1956 | |
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| | posthumous name of the first Han emperor Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦 (256 or 247-195 BC), reigned 202-195 BC | |
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| | Bamboo Annals, early chronicle of Chinese ancient history, written c. 300 BC | |
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| | state of Wei (c. 1040-209 BC), vassal of Zhou | |
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| | Ying Zheng (260-210 BC), personal name of the first emperor 秦始皇 | |
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| | Virgil or Vergilius (70-19 BC), Roman poet and author of the Aeneid 埃涅阿斯紀|埃涅阿斯纪 | |
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| | the Yellow Emperor, mythological emperor of China, reigned c. 2697-2597 BC | |
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| | surname Yao / Yao or Tang Yao (c. 2200 BC), one of the Five legendary Emperors 五帝, second son of Di Ku 帝嚳|帝喾 | |
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| | Duke Mu of Qin, the first substantial king of Qin (ruled 659-621 BC), sometimes considered one of the Five Hegemons 春秋五霸 | |
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| | King Mu, fifth king of Zhou, said to have lived to 105 and reigned 976-922 BC or 1001-947 BC, rich in associated mythology | |
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| | lit. warp and weft in weaving; vertically and horizontal / length and breadth / criss-crossed / able to move unhindered / abbr. for 合縱連橫|合纵连横, School of Diplomacy during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) | |
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| | Goguryeo (37 BC-668 AD), one of the Korean Three Kingdoms | |
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| | Zhuangzi (369-286 BC), Daoist author | |
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| | "Erya" or "The Ready Guide", first extant Chinese dictionary, c. 3rd century BC, with glossaries on classical texts | |
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| | Daoist School of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), based on the teachings of Laozi or Lao-tze 老子 (c. 500 BC-) and Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子 (369-286 BC) | |
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| | The Yellow Emperor's Internal Canon, medical text c. 300 BC | |
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| | Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC), famous Roman politician, orator and philosopher, murdered at the orders of Marc Anthony | |
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| | Khufu (pharaoh, reigned possibly 2590-2568 BC) | |
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| | surname Zou / vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) in the southeast of Shandong | |
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| | Yu the Great (c. 21st century BC), mythical leader who tamed the floods / surname Yu | |
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| | the Grand Canal, 1800 km from Beijing to Hangzhou, built starting from 486 BC | |
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| | Roman Empire (27 BC-476 AD) | |
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| | Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) / Spring and Autumn Annals, chronicle of Lu State (722-481 BC) | |
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| | Mencius (c. 372-c. 289 BC), Confucian philosopher second only to Confucius / book of the same name, one of the classics of Confucianism | |
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| | Plato (c. 427-c. 347 BC), Greek philosopher | |
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| | Book of Music, said to be one of the Six Classics lost after Qin's burning of the books in 212 BC, but may simply refer to Book of Songs 詩經|诗经 | |
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| | Eastern Zhou (770-221 BC) | |
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| | Emperor Xuan (91-48 BC) of the Former Han Dynasty, reigned 74-48 BC | |
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| | Miscellaneous School of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) whose leading advocate was Lü Buwei 呂不韋|吕不韦 | |
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| | Shang Tang (1646-? BC), legendary founder of the Shang Dynasty | |
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| | the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC), namely: Duke Huan of Qi 齊桓公|齐桓公, Duke Wen of Jin 晉文公|晋文公, King Zhuang of Chu 楚莊王|楚庄王, and alternatively Duke Xiang of Song 宋襄公 and Duke Mu of Qin 秦穆公 or King Helu of Wu 吳王闔閭|吴王阖闾 and King Gou Jian of Yue 越王勾踐|越王勾践 | |
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| | the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) | |
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| | Aesop (trad. 620-560 BC), Greek slave and storyteller, supposed author of Aesop's fables | |
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| | Ai (c. 2000 BC), sixth of legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God, also known as Li 釐|厘 | |
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| | School of Agriculture, school of thought of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) | |
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| | Classic of Mountain and Sea, probably compiled c. 500 BC-200 BC, contains wide range of geography, mythology, witchcraft, popular customs etc | |
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| | Titus Livius or Livy (59 BC-17 AD), Roman historian | |
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| | Fuxi or Fu Hsi, legendary Chinese emperor 2852-2738 BC, mythical creator of fishing, trapping, and writing | |
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| | Fan Li (536-488 BC), politician of Yue state, businessman and economist | |
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| | another name for Han Fei 韓非|韩非, Legalist philosopher (c. 280-233 BC) / Han Feizi, book of Legalist Philosophy authored by Han Fei 韓非|韩非 during the Warring States Period (475-220 BC) | |
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| | Liu An (179-122 BC), King of Huainan under the Western Han, ordered the writing of the 淮南子 | |
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| | Shun (c. 23rd century BC), mythical sage and leader | |
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| | Pang Juan (-342 BC), military leader and political strategist of the School of Diplomacy 縱橫家|纵横家 during the Warring States Period (425-221 BC) | |
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| | white pottery (of Shang Dynastry 16-11th century BC) | |
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| | Prince Dan of Yan (-226 BC), commissioned the attempted assassination of King Ying Zheng of Qin 秦嬴政 (later the First Emperor 秦始皇) by Jing Ke 荊軻|荆轲 in 227 BC | |
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| | Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-8 AD), also called 前漢|前汉, Former Han Dynasty | |
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| | Sima Tan (-110 BC), Han dynasty scholar and historian, and father of 司馬遷|司马迁 | |
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| | the three legendary sovereigns of the third millennium BC: Suiren 燧人, Fuxi 伏羲 and Shennong 神農|神农, or 天皇, 地皇 and 人皇 | |
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