Name:________________________
Test Date:_____________
Period:_____
East Asia Study Guide
1. The Kunlun Mountains are in western China and are the source of the Huang He (Yellow) River and the
Chiang Jiang (Yangtze) River.
2. Which desert stretches from northwest China to Mongolia and is the largest in the region? Gobi
3. Who owned the Macao Peninsula until 1999? Portugal
4. The three great rivers of China are the:
1) Huang He (Yellow River) that begins in the Kunlun Mountains and empties into the Yellow Sea.
It gets its name from the silt, or particles of soil, that it carries to its delta. Why is it also known
as “China’s Sorrow?” Because of the floods it has caused
2) Chang Jiang Yangtze River) is the longest river in all of Asia. It flows from Xi Jiang (Tibet) to
the East China Sea.
3) The Xi Jiang (West River) runs in southern China where it joins the Pearl (Zhu Jiang) River and
others to form an estuary (define rivers current meets the oceans tides)
5. What is significant about the Yalu River?
It forms a natural boundary between North Korea and China
6. Which countries in East Asia have limited resources but have grown into major economic powers?
Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, mainly electronics
7. Why is China self-sufficient?
It has an abundance of resources
8. What is a typhoon? What do we call typhoons in the United States?
Tropical storm that occurs in the western Pacific/ hurricanes
9. Which river is the Three Gorges Dam being built on? Why?
Chiang Jiang (Yangtze) to help control flooding
10. What is a dynasty? What is the name of the first dynasty in China?
Series of rulers from the same family/Shang Dynasty
11. Which dynasty gave China its name? Qin The emperor of this dynasty built the Great Wall of China.
12. Who established Qing (Ching) Dynasty? Manchu people
13. They were overthrown in 1911 by revolutionaries that ended dynasties and the Chinese empire
14. In 1912 who founded the Kuomintang (Nationalists Party)? Sun Yat-Sen
Who took over after his death? Chiang Kai-Shek
15. In 1949 Communists under Mao Zedong defeated the Nationalists and ruled the People’s Republic of
China causing Chiang Kai-Shek and the Nationalists to flee to the island of Taiwan
16. There are two types of economies in China:
1) Rural: It has rich soil for crops, 60% of China’s workers work on farms. China produces rice,
maize, wheat and sweet potatoes.
2) Industrial: Mainly located in northeast where there is an abundance of resources and better
transportation systems.
17. Explain the three religious/ethical traditions in China:
1) Confucianism: Based on the teachings of Confucius, he believed in respect for the past and
one’s ancestors, in an orderly society and he stressed the importance of education in a well-run
society
2) Taoism: Based on the book Tao-te-ching, based on the teachings of Lao-tzu, he believed in the
importance of preserving and restoring harmony in the individual and the universe and that
government should leave people alone
3) Buddhism: Came to China from India, influenced by other religions especially Hinduism, believe
in the rebirth cycle and reject the caste system
18. What are two traditional forms of Chinese medicine? Herbal remedies and accupuncture
19. Mongols were nomadic herders whose history was changed by Genghis Khan (“Supreme Conqueror”),
the empire broke up in the 1300’s and was under the control of the Chinese.
20. Who established the Republic of China? Why?
Chinese Nationalists, because they were defeated by the Communists on the mainland
21. In the annual Naadam festival what are the Three Games of Men?
Wrestling, archery and horse racing
22. What is the basis of the Mongolian economy? Herding and managing livestock
23. What type of products does Taiwan produce? Radios, tv’s, calculators and computers
24. Taiwan is an economic tiger because it is a nation that has rapid economic growth due to cheap labor,
high technology and aggressive exports
25. The Pacific Rim is made up of the countries surrounding the Pacific Ocean.
26. What type of housing do most Mongolians live in? tents called yurts
27. Korea is a buffer between what two countries? China and Japan
28. What type of government molded the culture of North Korea? Soviet Union
29. What culture has South Korea been influenced by? United States
30. Why would North and South Korea form an economic powerhouse if they unite?
North Korea will provide natural resources and raw materials for South Korea’s industries
31. Samurais were professional soldiers who served the interests of the landowners and clan chiefs.
32. In 1192 the Japanese emperor created the position of the shogun, who was the general of the
emperor’s army with the powers of a military dictator. All officials, judges and armies were under his
authority.
33. Which European power brought Christianity and firearms to Japan in the 1500’s? Portuguese
34. Japan’s interest in the Pacific conflicted with the interests of the US and on December 7, 1941 the
Japanese launched a surprise attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor. This brought the United
States into World War II.
35. What type of government does Japan have today? Constitutional monarchy
36. Who is often discriminated against in Japan? minorities
37. Japan is a part of the ring of fire (a chain of volcanoes that line the Pacific Rim).
38. When an earthquake occurs under the ocean floor, part of the floor moves and if it is strong enough it
can produce a tsunami (huge wave with destructive power)
39. What is a global economy? When nations become dependent on each other for goods and services
40. What is the name given to the prosperity zone formed by Japan, South Korea and Taiwan?
Jakota Triangle
41. Why was China’s one child policy instituted? Has it been effective? Explain.
China wanted a large labor force but the population grew too fast so they passed laws to limit the
number of children a couple could have. Yes/No. Yes in urban areas (cities) because pressure is put
on couples not to have more than one child by work units. No in rural areas because there are loop
holes where women go to different villages to have a child so that they do not have to register the child.
This has led to undocumented girls.
42. Does a command economy still exist in China? What do some argue that it does not? Give examples.
Yes because most land and industry is still dictated by the government. Some say no because the
Chinese government has allowed for special economic zones (SEZ’s) allowing multinationals to
conduct business without government interference
43. Why do so many products come from E Asia (including high tech items & vehicles)?
Cheap labor, resources and technology
44. Why has Taiwan been much more successful than the mainland China?
It has a highly motivated and trained workforce, access to education and healthcare and democratic
ideals that allow people to move up in society