CHINA China is a LARGE COUNTRY IN EAST ASIA With NEARLY 40,000 OF CONTINUOUS HISTORY, China is one of the world's

oldest CIVILIZATIONS. CULTURAL SPHERE has extended across East Asia as a whole, with CHINESE RELIGION,CUSTOMS, and WRITING SYSTEMS being adopted to varying degrees by neighbors such as JAPAN, KOREA and VIETNAM. HISTORY Ancient China was one of the earliest centers of human civilization. Chinese civilization was also one of the few to invent writing, the others being Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley Civilization, the Maya and other Mesoamerican civilizations, the Minoan civilization of ancient Greece, and Ancient Egypt. PREHISTORY Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest hominids in China date from 250,000 to 2.24 million years ago.A cave in Zhoukoudan (near present-day Beijing) has fossils dated at somewhere between 300,000 to 780,000 years.The fossils are of Peking Man, an example of Homo erectus who used fire. With nearly 4,000 years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldestcivilizations.[1][2][3] Prior to the 19th century, it possessed an advanced economy; but successive dynasties missed the Industrial Revolution that occurred in Europe and China began to decline.[4][5] In the 19th and 20th century, European and Japanese imperialism, internal weakness and civil war damaged the country and its economy, and led to the overthrow of imperial rule. In 1949, after major combat in the Chinese Civil War had ended,two states calling themselves "China" emerged: The People's Republic of China (PRC), established in 1949, commonly known as China, has control over mainland China and the largely self-governing territories ofHong Kong (since 1997) and Macau (since 1999). The Republic of China (ROC) established in 1912 in mainland China, now commonly known as Taiwan, has control over the islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen,Matsu, the Pratas island group, and a few other outlying islands. DYNASTIC RULE

XIA DYNASTY - ca. 2070 ca. 1600 BC) is the first dynasty in China to be described in ancient historical chronicles such as Records of the Grand Historian and Bamboo Annals; The

Xia Shang Zhou Chronology Projectconcluded that the Xia existed between 2070 and 1600 BC. - EMPEROR: Zhuanxu, one of the legendary Five Emperors; Yu the Great is the grandson of Zhuanxu - CONTRIBUTION:

He ordered the construction of large blockades to block the path of the water in the yellow river. Yu was successful in stopping the flooding and increased the produce from farming (since the floods usually destroy the crops) SHANG DYNASTY - according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. But The first Chinese dynasty that left historical records, the loosely feudal Shang (Yin), settled along the Yellow River in eastern China from the 17th to the 11th century BC. the Shang ruled between 1766 BC and 1122 BC - EMPEROR: Shang Zhou the last Shang king, committed suicide after his army was defeated by the Zhou() people. Legends say that his army and his equipped slaves betrayed him by joining the Zhou rebels in the decisive Battle of Muye. - CONTRIBUTION:

The workmanship on the bronzes attests to a high level of civilization. armed with a variety of stone and bronze weaponry, including mo spears,yu poleaxes, ge pole-based dagger-axes, composite bows, and bronze or leather helmets ZHOU DYNASTY - lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history - EMPEROR: D K, W of Zhu - CONTRIBUTIONS:

the use of iron was introduced to China Centralization became more necessary as the states began to war among themselves and centralization encouraged more war. Shng system ofancestor worship towards a universalized worship, away from the worship of Shng D and to that ofTin or "heaven".

They legitimized their rule by invoking the "Mandate of Heaven," the notion that the ruler (the "Son of Heaven") governed by divine right and that his dethronement would prove that he had lost the Mandate. QIN DYNASTY - the first ruling dynasty of Imperial China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. - EMPEROR: 221 BC210 BC-Qin Shihuang; 208 BC207 BC-Zhao Gao - CONTRIBUTIONS:

achieved increased trade, improved agriculture, and military security. allowed for the construction of ambitious projects, such as a wall on the northern border, now known as the Great Wall of China. An attempt to purge all traces of the old dynasties led to the infamous burning of books and burying of scholars incident, which has been criticized greatly by subsequent scholars. The Qin's military was also revolutionary in that it used the most recently developed weaponry, transportation, and tactics, though the government was heavy-handed and bureaucratic. Architectural elements such as high towers, pillar gates, terraces, and high buildings amply conveyed this. The written language of the Qin was logographic The dominant religious belief in China during the reign of the Qin, and, in fact, during much of early imperial China, was focused on the shen HAN DYNASTY - Han Empire was divided into areas directly controlled by the central government, known as commanderies, and a number of semi-autonomous kingdoms. These kingdoms gradually lost all vestiges of their independence, particularly following theRebellion of the Seven States. 206 BC 220 AD - EMPEROR: 202 195 BCE emperor Gaozu of HAN - CONTRIBUTIONS:

was an age of economic prosperity hierarchical social order, emperor was at the apex of Han society and government. However the emperor was often a minor, ruled over by a regent such as the empress dowager or one of her male relatives.[94] Ranked immediately below the emperor were the kings who were of the same Liu family clan.[95] The rest of society, including nobles lower than kings and all commoners excluding slaves belonged to one of twenty ranks.

four to five nuclear family members living in one household crops consumed during Han were wheat, barley, foxtail millet, proso millet, rice, and beans silk robes, skirts, socks, and mittens, coats made of badger or fox fur, duck plumes, and slippers with inlaid leather, pearls, and silk lining. Central Government land tax paid in a portion of their crop yield, the poll tax and property taxes were paid in coin cash. the chief writing materials were clay tablets One of the Han's greatest mathematical advancements was the world's first use of negative numbers. Han-era astronomers adopted a geocentric model of the universe, theorizing that it was shaped like a sphere surrounding the earth in the center. accurately described the water cycle of the evaporation of water into clouds. acupuncture, and calisthenics as methods of maintaining one's health SUI DYNASTY - China was reunited under the Sui. However, the Sui Dynasty was short-lived after a failure in the Goguryeo-Sui Wars (598614) weakened it. - EMPEROR: Emperor Wen of Sui - CONTRIBUTIONS:

construction of the Grand Canal initiated to reduce the rich-poor social gap that resulted in enhanced agricultural productivity centralization of government power. defense was improved and the Great Wall expanded. Buddhism was also spread and encouraged throughout the empire TANG DYNASTY - was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li () family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire. - The dynasty was interrupted briefly by the Second Zhou Dynasty (October 8, 690 March 3, 705) when Empress Wu Zetian seized the throne, becoming the first and only Chinese empress regnant, ruling in her own right. - EMPEROR: Li Yuan (later to become Emperor Gaozu of Tang, r. 618626) - CONTRIBUTIONS:

drafting officials through standardized examinations the rise of regional military governors known as jiedushi during the 9th century. considered the greatest age for Chinese poetry Buddhism became a major influence in Chinese culture, with native Chinese sects gaining prominence The center of the political power of the Tang was the capital city of Chang'an (modern Xi'an), where the emperor maintained his large palace quarters, and entertained political emissaries with music, sports, acrobatic stunts, poetry, paintings, and dramatic theater performances. The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Chang'an(modern-day Xi'an), built in 652, repaired by Empress Wu Zetian in 704. Xumi Pagoda, built in 636 was a golden age of Chinese literature and art. Concepts of women's social rights and social status during the Tang era were notably liberal-minded for the period. SONG DYNASTY -was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; -divided into two distinct periods: the Northern Song and Southern Song. During the Northern Song (Chinese: , 9601127), the Song capital was in the northern city of Bianjing (now Kaifeng) and the dynasty controlled most of inner China. The Southern Song (Chinese: , 11271279) refers to the period after the Song lost control of northern China to the Jin Dynasty. - EMPEROR: Emperor Taizu, Emperor Taizong, Emperor Zhenzong, Emperor Renzong, Emperor Yingzong -CONTRIBUTIONS:

The population of China doubled in size during the 10th and 11th centuries. This growth came through expanded rice cultivation in central and southern China complex social organization. In rural areas, farming peasants either owned their own plots of land, paid rents as tenant farmers, or were serfson large estates.[51] The Song judicial system retained most of the legal code of the earlier Tang Dynasty, the basis oftraditional Chinese law up until the modern era Song cavalry employed a slew of different weapons, including halberds, swords, bows, spears, and 'fire lances' that discharged a gunpowder blast of flame and shrapnel painting, composing poetry, and writing calligraphy People also consumed dates, raisins, jujubes, pears, plums, apricots, pear juice,lycheefruit juice, honey and ginger drinks, pawpaw juice, spices and seasonings of Sichuan pepper, ginger, pimento, soy sauce, oil, sesame oil, salt, and

vinegar.[122][124][127][128] The common diet of the poor was pork, salted fish, and rice. Gunpowder, flamethrower, explosive grenade, firearm, cannon, and land mine, South Pointing Chariot. astronomical clock tower ringing gongs and bells, banging drums & star charts. hydraulic engineering YUAN DYNASTY - The Yuan is sometimes referred to as the Empire of the Great Khan, - was a Mongol dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modernMongolia and its surrounding areas,[3] lasting officially from 1271[4] to 1368. - EMPEROR: Kublai Khan, also claimed the title ofGreat Khan, Tolui, gedei Khan, Gyk Khan, - CONTRIBUTIONS:

also promoted science and religion, and strongly supported the Silk Road trade network allowing the contacts between Chinese technologies and the western ones. It is worth mentioning that prior to meeting Marco Polo, Kublai Khan had met Nicolo Polo, Marco Polo's father and Matteo Polo. Through conversation with the two merchants, Kublai Khan developed a keen interest in the Latin world especially Christianity and sought to invite a hundred of missionaries through a letter written in Latin to the Pope so that they may convince the masses of idolators the errors of their belief. The major cultural achievements were the development of drama and the novel and the increased use of the written vernacular. Nestorianism and Roman Catholicism also enjoyed a period of toleration. printing techniques, porcelain, playing cards and medical literature, MING DYNASTY - was the ruling dynasty of Chinafrom 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. - The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", - Estimates for the late-Ming population vary from 160 to 200 million - EMPEROR: Hongwu Emperor - 13681398, Chongzhen Emperor - 16271644 - CONTRIBUTIONS:

construction of a vast navy and a standing army of one million troops

restoration of the Grand Canal and the Great Wall the establishment of the Forbidden City in Beijing during the first quarter of the 15th century Three Departments and Six Ministries system, embroidered silks and wares in jade, ivory, and cloisonn. QING DYNASTY - also known as theManchu Dynasty, was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 - Originally established as the Later Jin Dynasty; became highly integrated with Chinese culture - However, its military power weakened thereafter and, faced with massive rebellions and defeat in wars, the Qing Dynasty declined after the mid-19th century. The Qing Dynasty was overthrown following the Xinhai Revolution, when Empress Dowager Longyu abdicated on behalf of the last emperor, Puyi, on February 12, 1912. - EMPEROR: Hong Taiji - 16261643; Xuantong Emperor - 19081912 - CONTRIBUTIONS:

it ruled China proper as well as Manchuria (Northeast China), Inner Mongolia, Outer Mongolia,Xinjiang and Tibet, at approximately 13 million km2 in size. There were originally 18 provinces, all of which in China proper, but later this number was increased to 22, with Manchuria and Xinjiang being divided or turned into provinces. Taiwan, originally part of Fujian province, became a province of its own in the 19th century, but was ceded to the Empire of Japan following the First Sino-Japanese War by the end of the century. In addition, many surrounding countries, such as Korea (Joseon Dynasty), Vietnam and Nepal, were tributary states of China during much of this period. Centralized government China become open to the world after years of isolation. CULTURE Confucianism was the official philosophy throughout most of Imperial China's history, and mastery of Confucian texts was the primary criterion for entry into the imperial bureaucracy. China's traditional values were derived from various versions of Confucianism. A number of more authoritarian strains of thought have also been influential, such as Legalism. Examinations and a culture of merit remain greatly valued in China today. In recent years, a number of New Confucians (not to be confused with Neo-Confucianism) have advocated that democratic ideals and human rights are quite compatible with traditional Confucian "Asian values".

RELIGION The "official" orthodox faith system held by most dynasties of China since at least the Shang Dynasty(1766 BC) until the overthrow of the last dynasty (1911 AD) centered on the worship of Shangdi ("Supreme God") or "Heaven" as an omnipotent force. This faith system pre-dated the development of Confucianism and Taoism and the introduction of Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. It has features of monotheism in that Heaven is seen as an omnipotent entity, endowed with personality but no corporeal form. From the writings of Confucius, we find that Confucius himself believed that Heaven cannot be deceived, Heaven guides people's lives and maintains a personal relationship with them, and that Heaven gives tasks for people to fulfill to teach them righteousness ARTS & LITERATURE Calligraphy later became commercialized, and works by famous artists became prized possessions. Chinese literature has a long past; the earliest classic work in Chinese, the I Ching or "Book of Changes" dates to around 1000 BC. A flourishing of philosophy during the Warring States Period produced such noteworthy works as Confucius's Analects and Laozi's Tao Te Ching. Dynastic histories were often written, beginning with Sima Qian's seminal Records of the Grand Historian, which was written from 109 BC to 91 BC Printmaking in the form of movable type was developed during the Song Dynasty. Academies of scholars sponsored by the empire were formed to comment on the classics in both printed and handwritten form. Royalty frequently participated in these discussions as well. The Song Dynasty was also a period of great scientific literature, and saw the creation of works such as Su Song's Dream Pool Essays. There were also enormous works of historiography and large encyclopedias, such as Sima ,Guang's ,Zizhi ,Tongjian of 1084 AD or the Four Great Books of Song fully compiled and edited by the 11th century. For centuries, religious and social advancement in China could be achieved through high performance on the imperial examinations. This led to the creation of a meritocracy, although success was available only to males who could afford test preparation. Imperial examinations required applicants to write essays and demonstrate mastery of the Confucian classics. Those who passed the highest level of the exam became elite scholar-officials known as jinshi, a highly esteemed socio-economic position. Chinese philosophers, writers and poets were highly respected and played key roles in preserving and promoting the culture of the empire.

The Chinese invented numerous musical instruments, such as the zheng (zither with movable bridges), qin (bridgeless zither), sheng (free reed mouth organ), and xiao (vertical flute) and adopted and developed others such the erhu (alto fiddle or bowed lute) and pipa (pear-shaped plucked lute), many of which later spread throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia, particularly to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Among the technological accomplishments of ancient China were paper (not papyrus) and papermaking, woodblock printing and movable type printing, the early lodestone and needle compass, gunpowder, toilet paper, early seismological detectors, matches, pound locks, the double-action piston pump, blast furnace and cast iron, the iron plough, the multi-tube seed drill, the suspension bridge, natural gas as fuel, the hydraulic-powered armillary sphere, the hydraulic-powered trip hammer, the mechanical chain drive, the mechanical belt drive, the raised-relief map, the propeller, the crossbow, the cannon, the rocket, the multistage rocket, etc.