Glossary of Terms

Xavier, Francis   [zAY vEE uhr, zav EE-, zAY vyuhr] Spanish Jesuit missionary; worked in India in 1540s among the outcaste and lower caste groups; made little headway among elites. (p. 672)

Xia   [shEE ä] China's first, possibly mythical, kingdom; no archeological sites have been connected to it; ruled by Yu. (p. 62)

Xian   [shEE än] Along with Loyang, capital of the Zhou dynasty. (p.118)

Xuanzong   [shU än jonh, shwantsong] Leading Chinese emperor of the Tang dynasty who reigned from 713 to 755 though he encouraged overexpansion. (p. 432)

Xunzi   [hsun tzu, shUn] Follower of Confucius; stressed need for authoritarian government. (p. 104)

Yalta Conference   Meeting among leaders of the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union in 1945; agreed to Soviet entry into the Pacific war in return for possessions in Manchuria, organization of the United Nations; disputed the division of political organization in the eastern European states to be reestablished after the war. (p. 858)

Yamato   Japanese clan that gained increasing dominance in the 4th and 5th centuries c.e.; created imperial cult around Amaterasu and Shinto; brought most of the lowland plains of the southern islands under control. (p. 241)

yanas   A class of people within Inca society removed from their ayllus to serve permanently as servants, artisans, or workers for the Inca or the Inca nobility. (p. 416)

Yang Guifei   [yäng gwä fä] Young woman belonging to harem of Tang prince; raised to status of royal concubine during reign of Xuanzong; introduction of relatives into royal administration led to revolt. (p. 432)

Yangdi   Second member of Sui dynasty; murdered his father to gain throne; restored Confucian examination system; responsible for construction of Chinese canal system; assassinated in 618. (p. 425)

Yangshao culture   [yäng shou] One of formative Chinese cultures located at Ordos bend c. 2500 to 2000 b.c.e.; primarily an intensive hunting-and-gathering society supplemented by shifting cultivation. (p. 61)

Yaroslav   Last of great Kievan monarchs; issued legal codification based on formal codes developed in Byzantium. (p. 367)

Yathrib   [yath ruhb] Also known as Medina; town located northeast of Mecca; grew date palms whose fruit was sold to bedouins; became refuge for Muhammad following flight from Mecca [hijra]. (p. 281)

Yayoi epoch   [ya yU] Last centuries b.c.e.; featured introduction of wet-rice cultivation, iron working; produced wheel-turned pottery and sophisticated bronzeware. (p. 240)

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