south of Changjiang or Yangtze river / south of the lower reaches of Changjiang / often refers to south Jiangsu, south Anhui and north Zhejiang provinces / a province during Qing times / in literature, refers to the sunny south / Gangnam (district in Seoul, South Korea)
Tokyo, capital of Japan / Tonkin (northern Vietnam during the French colonial period)
打工
dǎ gōng
to work a temporary or casual job / (of students) to have a job outside of class time, or during vacation
纵横
zòng héng
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[He2 zong4 Lian2 heng2], School of Diplomacy during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC)
教案
jiào àn
lesson plan / teaching plan / a "missionary case" (a dispute over Christian missionaries during the late Qing)
photo taken during a theatrical production / a still (from a movie)
诸葛亮
Zhū gě Liàng
Zhuge Liang (181-234), military leader and prime minister of Shu Han 蜀漢|蜀汉 / during the Three Kingdoms period / the main hero of the fictional Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义, where he is portrayed as a sage and military genius / mastermind
延安
Yán ān
Yan'an, prefecture-level city in Shaanxi, communist headquarters during the war
History of the Three Kingdoms, fourth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], composed by Chen Shou 陳壽|陈寿[Chen2 Shou4] in 289 during Jin Dynasty 晉朝|晋朝[Jin4 chao2], 65 scrolls
九州
Jiǔ zhōu
division of China during earliest dynasties / fig. ancient China / Kyūshū, southernmost of Japan's four major islands
复古
fù gǔ
to return to old ways (a Confucian aspiration) / to turn back the clock / neoclassical school during Tang and Song associated with classical writing 古文 / retro (fashion style based on nostalgia, esp. for 1960s)
feudal vassal / feudal princes, esp. the monarchs (dukes or princes) of the several vassal states 諸侯國|诸侯国 / of Zhou during Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn periods 11th-5th century BC / subordinate warlord / local official
工分
gōng fēn
work point (measure of work completed in a rural commune in the PRC during the planned economy era)
国大
Guó Dà
abbr. for 國民大會|国民大会, National Assembly of the Republic of China (extant during various periods between 1913 and 2005) / abbr. for 新加坡國立大學|新加坡国立大学, National University of Singapore (NUS) / abbr. for 印度國民大會黨|印度国民大会党, Indian National Congress (INC) / abbr. for 馬來西亞印度國民大會黨|马来西亚印度国民大会党, Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC)
特别行政区
tè bié xíng zhèng qū
special administrative region (SAR), of which there are two in the PRC: Hong Kong 香港 / and Macau 澳門|澳门 / refers to many different areas during late Qing, foreign occupation, warlord period and Nationalist government / refers to special zones in North Korea and Indonesia
古筝
gǔ zhēng
zither or guzheng / large zither with 13 to 25 strings, developed from guqin 古琴[gu3 qin2] during Tang and Song times
知青
zhī qīng
educated youth (sent to work in farms during the Cultural Revolution), abbr. for 知識青年|知识青年[zhi1 shi5 qing1 nian2]
都督
dū dū
(army) commander-in-chief (archaic) / provincial military governor and civil administrator during the early Republic of China era (1911-1949 AD)
东吴
Dōng Wú
Eastern Wu (222-280) / the southern state of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, founded by Sun Quan 孫權|孙权
袁绍
Yuán Shào
Yuan Shao (153-202), general during late Han, subsequently warlord
汤圆
tāng yuán
boiled or deep-fried balls of glutinous rice flour, usually eaten during Lantern Festival
下榻
xià tà
to stay (at a hotel etc during a trip)
伯乐
Bó Lè
Bo Le (horse connoisseur during Spring and Autumn Period) / a good judge of talent / talent scout
建业
Jiàn yè
an old name for Nanjing, called Jiankang 建康 / or Jianye during the Eastern Jin (317-420)
留校
liú xiào
to join the faculty of one's alma mater upon graduation / to remain at school during vacation
彭德怀
Péng Dé huái
Peng Dehuai (1898-1974), top communist general, subsequently politician and politburo member, disgraced after attacking Mao's failed policies in 1959, and died after extensive persecution during the Cultural Revolution
History of the Former Han Dynasty, second of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], composed by Ban Gu 班固[Ban1 Gu4] in 82 during Eastern Han (later Han), 100 scrolls
small barbarian kingdom in southern China during the Han dynasty
灯会
dēng huì
carnival during the Lantern Festival, with lantern displays and traditional folk performances such as stilt walking and lion dance
旅顺
Lu:3 shùn
Lüshun / Lüshunkou district of Dalian city 大連市|大连市, Liaoning / called Port Arthur during Russian occupation and Russian-Japanese war of 1905
建康
Jiàn kāng
old name for Nanjing 南京, esp. during Southern dynasties
贺龙
Hè Lóng
He Long (1896-1969), important communist military leader, died from persecution during the Cultural Revolution
南苑
Nán yuàn
Nanyuan or "Southern Park", an imperial hunting domain during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, now the site of Nanhaizi Park in the south of Beijing
批斗
pī dòu
to drag sb before a public meeting to denounce, humiliate and physically abuse them (esp. during the Cultural Revolution)
四库全书
Sì kù Quán shū
Siku Quanshu (collection of books compiled during Qing dynasty)
蜀国
Shǔ guó
Sichuan / the state of Shu in Sichuan at different periods / the Shu Han dynasty (214-263) of Liu Bei 劉備|刘备 / during the Three Kingdoms
梦话
mèng huà
talking in one's sleep / words spoken during sleep / fig. speech bearing no relation to reality / delusions
红烛
hóng zhú
red candle (used during birthdays and other celebrations)
资治通鉴
Zī zhì Tōng jiàn
A Mirror for the Wise Ruler (or Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government), a vast chronological general history, written by 司馬光|司马光[Si1 ma3 Guang1] Sima Guang (1019-1089) and collaborators during the Northern Song in 1084, covering the period 403 BC-959 AD, 294 scrolls
蜀汉
Shǔ Hàn
Shu Han (c. 200-263), Liu Bei's kingdom in Sichuan during the Three Kingdoms, claiming legitimacy as successor of Han
督军
dū jūn
provincial military governor during the early Republic of China era (1911-1949 AD)
关东军
Guān dōng jūn
Japanese Kwantung army (or Kantō / army), notorious for numerous atrocities in China during WWII
张角
Zhāng Jué
Zhang Jue (-184), leader of the Yellow turban rebels during the late Han
戴高乐
Dài Gāo lè
Charles De Gaulle (1890-1970), French general and politician, leader of the Free French during World War II and president of the Republic 1959-1969
后汉书
Hòu Hàn shū
History of Eastern Han (later Han), third of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], composed by Fan Ye 范曄|范晔[Fan4 Ye4] in 445 during Song of the Southern Dynasties 南朝宋[Nan2 chao2 Song4], 120 scrolls
飞虎队
fēi hǔ duì
Flying Tigers, US airmen in China during World War Two / Hong Kong nickname for police special duties unit
Green Standard Army, standing infantry during Qing dynasty, originally formed from Ming and other Chinese army units
楚辞
Chǔ cí
Chu Ci, the Songs of Chu (ancient book of poems, collected during Han but esp. from country of Chu c. 500 BC)
明史
Míng shǐ
History of the Ming Dynasty, twenty fourth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], compiled under Zhang Tingyu 張廷玉|张廷玉[Zhang1 Ting2 yu4] in 1739 during the Qing Dynasty, 332 scrolls
赵军
Zhào jūn
army of Zhao 趙國|赵国 / during the Warring States
豆腐皮
dòu fu pí
tofu skin (made by drying the skin that forms on the surface of soymilk during cooking, and therefore not actually made from tofu)
冯玉祥
Féng Yù xiáng
Feng Yuxiang (1882-1948), warlord during Republic of China, strongly critical of Chiang Kai-shek
孙膑
Sūn Bìn
Sun Bin (-316 BC), political strategist of the School of Diplomacy 縱橫家|纵横家[Zong4 heng2 jia1] during the Warring States Period (425-221 BC)
苏秦
Sū Qín
Su Qin (340-284 BC), political strategist of the School of Diplomacy 縱橫家|纵横家[Zong4 heng2 jia1] during the Warring States Period (475-220 BC)
周作人
Zhōu Zuò rén
Zhou Zuoren (1885-1967), brother of Lu Xun 魯迅|鲁迅[Lu3 Xun4], academic in Japanese and Greek studies, briefly imprisoned after the war as Japanese collaborator, persecuted and died of unknown causes during the Cultural Revolution
宋史
Sòng shǐ
History of the Song Dynasty, twentieth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], composed under Toktoghan 脫脫|脱脱[Tuo1 tuo1] in 1345 during the Yuan Dynasty 元[Yuan2], 496 scrolls / (not to be confused with 宋書|宋书[Song4 shu1])
连横
Lián Héng
Horizontal Alliance, clique of the School of Diplomacy 縱橫家|纵横家[Zong4 heng2 jia1] during the Warring States Period (425-221 BC)
丁玲
Dīng Líng
Ding Ling (1904-1986), female novelist, author of novel The Sun Shines over the Sanggan River 太陽照在桑乾河上|太阳照在桑干河上, attacked during the 1950s as anti-Party
韩非子
Hán Fēi zǐ
another name for Han Fei 韓非|韩非[Han2 Fei1], Legalist philosopher (c. 280-233 BC) / Han Feizi, book of Legalist Philosophy authored by Han Fei 韓非|韩非[Han2 Fei1] during the Warring States Period (475-220 BC)
晋书
Jìn shū
History of the Jin Dynasty, fifth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], compiled under Fang Xuanling 房玄齡|房玄龄[Fang2 Xuan2 ling2] in 648 during Tang Dynasty 唐朝[Tang2 chao2], 130 scrolls
样板戏
yàng bǎn xì
model theater (operas and ballets produced during the Cultural Revolution)
张居正
Zhāng Jū zhèng
Zhang Juzheng (1525-1582), Grand Secretary during the Ming dynasty, credited with bringing the dynasty to its apogee
乡试
xiāng shì
the triennial provincial imperial exam during the Ming and Qing
士族
shì zú
land-owning class, esp. during Wei, Jin and North-South dynasties 魏晉南北朝|魏晋南北朝[Wei4 Jin4 Nan2 Bei3 Chao2]
列子
Liè zǐ
Lie Zi, Daoist author, said to be early Warring States period 戰國|战国[Zhan4 guo2] / Daoist text in eight chapters, said to be by Lie Zi, probably compiled during WeiJin times 魏晉|魏晋[Wei4 Jin4] (3rd century AD)
汛情
xùn qíng
water levels during the flood season
张宝
Zhāng Bǎo
Zhang Bao (-184), leader of the Yellow Turban rebels during the late Han 漢朝|汉朝[Han4 chao2]
宪兵队
xiàn bīng duì
the Kempeitai or Japanese Military Police 1881-1945 (Japanese counterpart of the Gestapo during WWII)
脱脱
Tuō tuō
Toktoghan (1314-1355), Mongol politician during the Yuan dynasty, prime minister until 1345, compiled three dynastic histories of Song 宋史, Liao 遼史|辽史 / and Jin 金史 / also written Tuoketuo 托克托
张自忠
Zhāng Zì zhōng
Zhang Zizhong (1891-1940), Chinese National Revolutionary Army general during the Second Sino-Japanese War
康生
Kāng Shēng
Kang Sheng (1896-1975), Chinese communist leader, a politburo member during the Cultural Revolution and posthumously blamed for some of its excesses
元史
Yuán shǐ
History of the Yuan Dynasty, twenty third of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], compiled under Song Lian 宋濂[Song4 Lian2] in 1370 during the Ming Dynasty, 210 scrolls
setting-up exercises during the break (between classes)
旧唐书
Jiù Táng shū
History of the Early Tang Dynasty, sixteenth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], compiled under Liu Xu 劉昫|刘昫[Liu2 Xu4] in 945 during Later Jin 後晉|后晋[Hou4 Jin4] of the Five Dynasties, 200 scrolls
叫床声
jiào chuáng shēng
to moan (in bed) / cries of pleasure during love-making
新唐书
Xīn Táng shū
History of the Later Tang Dynasty, seventeenth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], compiled under Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修|欧阳修[Ou1 yang2 Xiu1] and Song Qi 宋祁[Song4 Qi2] in 1060 during Northern Song 北宋[Bei3 Song4], 225 scrolls
魏书
Wèi shū
History of Wei of the Northern Dynasties, tenth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], compiled by Wei Shou 魏收[Wei4 Shou1] in 554 during Northern Qi Dynasty 北齊|北齐[Bei3 Qi2], 114 scrolls
dāng