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This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters. Mojibake is the happenstance of incorrect unreadable characters (garbage characters shown when Computer software fails to render a text correctly according to its associated A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese ( |
China (traditional Chinese: 中國; simplified Chinese: 中国; Hanyu Pinyin: Zhōngguó ; Tongyong Pinyin: Jhongguó; Wade-Giles (Mandarin): Chung¹kuo²) is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity occupying a large portion of land in East Asia. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Tongyong pinyin ( was the official Romanization of Mandarin Chinese in the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) between 2002 and 2008 Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history A Civilization is a society in which large numbers of people share a variety of common elements A nation is a Human Cultural and Social Community. In as much as most members never meet each other yet feel a common bond it may be considered
China has one of the world's oldest people and continuous civilizations, consisting of states and cultures dating back more than six millennia. The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history It has the world's longest continuously used written language system, and is the source of such major inventions as what the British scholar and biochemist Joseph Needham called the "four great inventions of Ancient China": paper, the compass, gunpowder, and printing. Written Chinese comprises the written symbols used to represent Spoken Chinese and the rules about how they are arranged and punctuated China has been the source of some of the world's most significant Inventions, including the Four Great Inventions of ancient China: Paper, the Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham, CH, FRS, FBA ( December 9, 1900 – March 24 1995) was a British The Four Great Inventions of ancient China ( meaning "four great inventions" are four inventions that are celebrated in Chinese culture for their historical Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon printing upon or packaging A compass, magnetic compass or mariner's compass is a navigational instrument for determining direction relative to the earth's Magnetic poles It consists Gunpowder is a an explosive mixture of Sulfur, Charcoal and Potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre/saltpeter that burns rapidly producing volumes Printing is a process for reproducing text and image typically with ink on Paper using a printing press Historically China's cultural sphere has been very influential in East Asia as a whole, with Chinese religion, customs, and writing system being adopted, to varying degrees, by its neighbors Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
The stalemate of the last Chinese Civil War has resulted in two political entities using the name China: the People's Republic of China (PRC), commonly known as China, which controls mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau; and the Republic of China (ROC), commonly known as Taiwan, which controls the island of Taiwan and some nearby islands. The term Two Chinas (traditional Chinese 兩個中國 simplified Chinese 两个中国 pinyin liǎng gè Zhōngguó currently refers to the two states with " China " Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Macau topics. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. This is a list of Islands under the Republic of China administration (islands claimed but not administered by the ROC are not included on this list
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Etymology
China is called 'Zhongguo' (中國 or 中国) in Chinese. In China, common names for China include " Zhonghua " (zh-Hans [[wiktionary中华 中华]]/zh-Hant [[wiktionary中華 中華]] and " Zhongguo The character zhōng means "middle" or central, the latter, guo', means land, or kingdom.
The name "Zhongguo" appeared first in the Classic of History (6th Century BCE), and was used to refer to the late Zhou Dynasty, as they believed that they were the "center of civilization" [1], while peoples in the four cardinals were called Eastern Yi, Southern Man, Western Rong and Northern Di respectively. The Classic of History ( is a compilation of documentary records related to events in ancient history of China The Zhou Dynasty ( POJ: Chiu Tiau 1122 BC to 256 BC was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. Dongyi (東夷 was a collective term for people in Eastern China and in the east of China. Nanman ( 南蠻, pinyin Nánmán literally "southern barbarians" were Aboriginal tribes who lived in southwestern China. Chionites, Chionitae or Xionites ( Chinese: Xiōng (匈 or Xīróng (西戎 meaning "Western Barbarians" Middle Persian: Xiyon Beidi (北狄 is a term that originally denoted an ancient Ethnic group (Di but was used to refer to all non- Han Chinese ethnic groups in today's Some texts imply that "Zhongguo" was originally meant to refer to the capital of the sovereign, to differ from the capital of his vassals. [2] The use of "Zhongguo" implied a claim of political legitimacy. "Zhongguo" was often used by states who saw themselves as the sole legitimate successor to previous Chinese dynasties; for example, in the era of the Southern Song Dynasty, both the Jin Dynasty and the Southern Song state claimed to be "Zhongguo". The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms [3]
"Zhongguo" came to official use as an abbreviation for the Republic of China (Zhonghua Minguo) after the government's establishment in 1912. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Since the People's Republic of China, established in 1949, now controls the great majority of area encompassed within the traditional concept of "China", the People's Republic is the political unit most commonly identified with the abbreviated name "Zhongguo". Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES [4]
English and many other languages use various forms of the name "China" and the prefix "Sino-" or "Sin-". English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States An affix is a Morpheme that is attached to a stem to form a word These forms are thought to derive from the name of the Qin Dynasty that first unified the country (221–206 BCE). Not to be confused with the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China The pronunciation of "Qin" is similar to the phonetic "cheen", which is considered the possible root of the word "China"[5].
History
Ancient China was one of the earliest centers of human civilization. Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era The following is a Timeline of the History of China. Between the changing of the dynasties, most dates overlap as ruling periods do not transfer immediately Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ( were mythological rulers of China during the period from c The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the The Zhou Dynasty ( POJ: Chiu Tiau 1122 BC to 256 BC was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. The Zhou Dynasty ( POJ: Chiu Tiau 1122 BC to 256 BC was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. The Zhou Dynasty ( POJ: Chiu Tiau 1122 BC to 256 BC was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. The Spring and Autumn Period ( was a period in Chinese history which roughly corresponds to the first half of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (from the second half of the 8th century BC The Warring States Period ( also known as the Era of Warring States covers the period from some time in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by the Not to be confused with the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The Xin Dynasty ( was a Chinese Dynasty (although strictly speaking it had only one Emperor) which lasted from 9 - 23 AD The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The Three Kingdoms period ( is a period in the History of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of Cao Wei ( was one of the empires that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period Shu Han ( Traditional Chinese: 蜀漢 Pinyin: Shǔ Hàn sometimes known as the Kingdom of Shu (蜀 shǔ was one of the Three Kingdoms competing Eastern Wu ( Chinese: 東吳 Pinyin: Dōng Wú also known as Sun Wu ( Traditional Chinese: 孫吳 pinyin Sūn Wú refers to a The Jìn Dynasty ( 265 – 420) one of the Six Dynasties, followed the Three Kingdoms period and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties The Jìn Dynasty ( 265 – 420) one of the Six Dynasties, followed the Three Kingdoms period and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties The Jìn Dynasty ( 265 – 420) one of the Six Dynasties, followed the Three Kingdoms period and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties The Sixteen Kingdoms ( or less commonly the Sixteen States, were a collection of numerous short-lived sovereign states in China proper and its neighboring areas This article is about the Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by Wu Zetian ( (625 – December 16, 705 In 705 she was overthrown in a coup and Emperor Zhongzong was returned to the throne Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms ( 907-960 was an era of political upheaval in China, beginning in the Tang Dynasty and ending in the Song Dynasty. The Liao Dynasty ( 907 - 1125, also known as the Khitan Empire (契丹國 was an empire in northern China that ruled over the regions of Manchuria The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Xi Xia redirects here For a Chinese general whose name may be transliterated as Xi Xia see Xi Qia The Western Xia Dynasty ( or The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms This is an article for the Jurchen Jin Dynasty (1115–1234 For other Chinese dynasties whose names are also rendered "Jin" in Pinyin, see Jin Dynasty The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China This article discusses history of the state which currently governs Taiwan Area. The history of the People's Republic of China details the history of Mainland China since October 1, 1949, when after a near complete victory See also History of China, History of the People's Republic of China Early 1950s Social revolution The People's Republic of China was founded on See also History of China, History of the People's Republic of China Power struggles after Mao's death See also History of China, History of the People's Republic of China Recovery in the 1990s Post-Tiananmen The Tiananmen Square protests See also History of China, History of the People's Republic of China "Fourth Generation" The Hu-Wen Administration Power transition The Republic of China on Taiwan era ( also known as the postwar era ( refers to the period in Taiwan's history, between the end of World War II This article discusses the history of Taiwan (including the Pescadores) The following is a Chronology of the dynasties in Chinese history. China was the largest economy on earth for most of the recorded history of the past two millennia Chinese Historiography refers to the study of methods and assumptions made in studying Chinese history. Chinese art is Art that whether ancient or modern originated in or is practiced in China or by Chinese artists or performers The history of education in China began with the birth of Chinese civilization. The history of Science and Technology in China is both long and rich with many contributions to science and technology See also Chinese law The origin of the current Law of the People's Republic of China can be traced back to the period of the early 1930s during the establishment of the The recorded military history of China extends from about 1500 BC to the present day The naval history of China dates back thousands of years with archives existing since the late Spring and Autumn Period ( 722 BC - 481 BC) about the The following is a Timeline of the History of China. Between the changing of the dynasties, most dates overlap as ruling periods do not transfer immediately Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era Chinese civilization was also one of the few to invent writing independently, the others being Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley Civilization, the Mayan civilization, the Minoan Civilization of ancient Greece, and Ancient Egypt. The history of writing encompasses the various Writing systems that evolved in the Early Bronze Age (late 4th millennium BC) Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding The Indus Valley Civilization (Mature period 2600&ndash1900 BCE abbreviated IVC, was an ancient Civilization that flourished in the Indus River basin The Maya civilization is a Mesoamerican Civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the Pre-Columbian Americas The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age civilization which arose on the island of Crete. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now
Prehistory
Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest humans in China date from 2. 24 million to 250,000 years ago. [6][7] A cave in Zhoukoudian (near present-day Beijing) has fossils dated at somewhere between 300,000 to 550,000 years. Zhoukoudian or Choukoutien ( is a cave system near Beijing in China.
The earliest evidence of a fully modern human in China comes from Liujiang County, Guangxi, where a cranium has been found and dated to approximately 67,000 years ago. Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, an Autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, is made up of the following three levels of administrative Guangxi (or Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region;) is a Zhuang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Although much controversy persists over the dating of the Liujiang remains,[8][9] a partial skeleton from Minatogawa in Okinawa, Japan has been dated to 18,250 ± 650 to 16,600 ± 300 years ago, so modern humans must have reached China before that time. is one of Japan 's southern prefectures, and consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1000 km long which extends southwest from Kyūshū For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.
Dynastic rule
Chinese tradition names the first dynasty Xia, but it was considered mythical until scientific excavations found early bronze-age sites at Erlitou in Henan Province. The following is a Chronology of the dynasties in Chinese history. Chinese sovereign is the ruler of a particular period in ancient China. A dynasty is a succession of rulers who belong to the same family for generations The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for The Erlitou culture (simplified Chinese 二里头文化 traditional Chinese 二里頭文化 Pinyin: èrlǐtóu wénhuà ( 2100 BC to 1800 BC or 1500 Henan ( is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country [10] Archaeologists have since uncovered urban sites, bronze implements, and tombs in locations cited as Xia's in ancient historical texts, but it is impossible to verify that these remains are of the Xia without written records from the period.
The second dynasty, the loosely feudal Shang, definitely settled along the Yellow River in eastern China from the 18th to the 12th century BCE. The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the The Yellow River or Huang He / Hwang Ho ( Hatan Gol Queen river) is the second-longest river in China (after the Yangtze River) and the They were invaded from the west by the Zhou, who ruled from the 12th to the 5th century BCE. The Zhou Dynasty ( POJ: Chiu Tiau 1122 BC to 256 BC was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. The centralized authority of the Zhou was slowly eroded by warlords. Many strong, independent states continually waged war with each other in the Spring and Autumn period, only occasionally deferring to the Zhou king. The Spring and Autumn Period ( was a period in Chinese history which roughly corresponds to the first half of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (from the second half of the 8th century BC
The first unified Chinese state was established by the Qin Dynasty in 221 BCE, when the office of the Emperor was set up and the Chinese language was forcibly standardized. Not to be confused with the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China An emperor (from the Latin " Imperator " is a (male Monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an Empire or another type of This state did not last long, as its legalist policies soon led to widespread rebellion. In Chinese history, Legalism ( was one of the four main philosophic schools during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period (the other
The subsequent Han Dynasty ruled China between 206 BCE and 220 CE, and created a lasting Han cultural identity among its populace that would last to the present day. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. The Han Dynasty expanded the empire's territory considerably with military campaigns reaching Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia and Central Asia, and also helped establish the Silk Road in Central Asia. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the
After Han's collapse, another period of disunion followed, including the highly chivalric period of the Three Kingdoms. The Three Kingdoms period ( is a period in the History of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties following immediately the loss of Independent Chinese states of this period also opened diplomatic relations with Japan, introducing the Chinese writing system there. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. In 580 CE, China was reunited under the Sui. The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. However, the Sui Dynasty was short-lived after a failure in the Goguryeo-Sui Wars (598–614) weakened it.
Under the succeeding Tang and Song dynasties, Chinese technology and culture reached its zenith. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms The Song dynasty was the first government in world history to issue paper money and the first Chinese polity to establish a permanent standing navy. Polity ( Greek: Πολιτεία or Πολίτευμα transliterated as Politeía or Políteuma) was originally a term used in Ancient Greece Between the 10th and 11th centuries, the population of China doubled in size. This growth came about through expanded rice cultivation in central and southern China, along with its production of abundant food surpluses. Within its borders, the Northern Song Dynasty had a population of some 100 million people. The Song Dynasty was a culturally rich period in China for the arts, philosophy, and social life. Landscape art and portrait paintings were brought to new levels of maturity and complexity since the Tang Dynasty, and social elites gathered to view art, share their own, and make trades of precious artworks. For the art of designing external spaces see Landscape architecture. A portrait is a painting, photograph, Sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person in which the face and its expression is predominant Painting (pān'tīng in Art, is the practice of applying Color to a Surface (support base such as e Philosophers such as Cheng Yi and Chu Hsi reinvigorated Confucianism with new commentary, infused Buddhist ideals, and emphasis on new organization of classic texts that brought about the core doctrine of Neo-Confucianism. Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language Cheng Yi ( 1033–1107 Courtesy name Zhengshu (正叔 also known as Mr Zhu Xi or Chu Hsi (朱熹 born October 18, 1130, Yuxi, Fujian province China &ndash died April 23, 1200 Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Neo-Confucianism (/( is a form of Confucianism that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li
In 1271, the Mongol leader and the fifth Khagan of the Mongol Empire Kublai Khan established the Yuan Dynasty, with the last remnant of the Song Dynasty falling to the Yuan in 1279. For other titles related to and uses of Khan, see that article Origin The title The Mongol Empire ( Mongolyn Ezent Güren or mn Их Mонгол улс Ikh Mongol Uls; 1206–1368 was the largest contiguous Empire Early years Kublai Khan studied Chinese culture and became enamoured of it The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai A peasant named Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew the Mongols in 1368 and founded the Ming Dynasty. Early life Zhu Yuanzhang was born in 1328 in Pei County Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province as the youngest of four sons The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Ming Dynasty thinkers such as Wang Yangming would further critique and expand Neo-Confucianism with ideas of individualism and innate morality that would have tremendous impact on later Japanese thought. Life and times Born Wang Shouren (守仁 in Yuyao, Zhejiang Province, his Courtesy name was Bo'an (伯安 Chosun Korea also became a nominal vassal state of Ming China and adopted much of its Neo-Confucian bureaucratic structure. China's capital was moved from Nanjing to Beijing during the early Ming Dynasty. ( Chinese: 南京 Romanizations Nánjīng ( Pinyin) Nan-ching ( Wade-Giles The Ming fell to the Manchus in 1644, who then established the Qing Dynasty. The Manchu people ( Manchu: Manju;, Mongolian: Манж Russian: Маньчжуры are a Tungusic people who originated in Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China An estimated 25 million people died during the Manchu conquest of Ming Dynasty (1616–1644). [11]
The Qing Dynasty, which lasted until 1912, was the last dynasty in China. In the 19th century the Qing Dynasty adopted a defensive posture towards European imperialism, even though it engaged in imperialistic expansion into Central Asia itself. Imperialism has two meanings one describing an action and the other describing an attitude Imperialism in Asia traces its roots back to the late fifteenth century with a series of voyages that sought a sea passage to India in the hope of At this time China awoke to the significance of the rest of the world, in particular the West. As China opened up to foreign trade and missionary activity, opium produced by British India was forced onto Qing China. Opium is a Narcotic formed from the Latex (ie sap released by lacerating (or "scoring" the immature seed pods of opium poppies ( For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British Two Opium Wars with Britain weakened the Emperor's control. The Opium Wars ( also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, lasted from 1839 to 1842 and 1856 to 1860 the climax of a trade dispute between China under the Qing
One result was the Taiping Civil War which lasted from 1851 to 1862. The Taiping Rebellion or Rebellion of Great Peace was a large-scale Revolt against the authority and forces of the Qing Government in China It was led by Hong Xiuquan, who was partly influenced by a misinterpretation of Christianity. Hóng Xiùquán ( January 1 1814 &ndash June 1 1864 born Hong Renkun (洪仁坤 Courtesy name Huoxiu (火秀 was a Hakka Chinese who Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Hong believed himself to be the son of God and the younger brother of Jesus. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Although the Qing forces were eventually victorious, the civil war was one of the bloodiest in human history, costing at least twenty million lives (more than the total number of fatalities in the First World War), with some estimates up to two-hundred million. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All In addition, more costly rebellions in terms of human lives and economics followed the Taiping Rebellion such as the Punti-Hakka Clan Wars (1855–1867), Nien Rebellion (1851–1868), Muslim Rebellion (1862–1877), Panthay Rebellion (1856–1873) and the Miao Rebellion (1854–1873). Punti-Hakka Clan Wars or Hakka-Punti Clan Wars ( Chinese 土客械鬥 refers to battles or conflicts between the Hakka and the Punti in The Nien Rebellion ( Western historians have traditionally used the Wade-Giles transcription "Nien" rather than Hanyu Pinyin "Nian" was an epic armed uprising that The Dungan Revolt was a religious war It also known as the Hui Minorities' War and the Muslim Rebellion. The Panthay Rebellion (known in PRC as the Du Wenxiu Qiyi 杜文秀起义 1856&ndash1873 was a separatist movement of the Hui people and Chinese Muslims [12] [13] These rebellions resulted in an estimated loss of several million lives for each rebellion and in disastrous results for the economy and the countryside. [14][15] [16] The flow of British opium led to more decline.
While China was torn by continuous war, Meiji Japan succeeded in rapidly modernizing its military with its sights on Korea and Manchuria. The, or Meiji era, denotes the 45-year reign of the Meiji Emperor, running in the Gregorian calendar, from 23 October 1868 to 30 July Maneuvered by Japan, Korea declared independence from Qing China's suzerainty in 1894, leading to the First Sino-Japanese War, which resulted in the Qing Dynasty's cession of both Korea and Taiwan to Japan. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Suzerainty (ˈsjuːzərənti RP or /ˈsjuːzəreɪnti/ RP) (/ˈsuːzərənti/ GA) is a situation in which a Region or people is a The First Sino-Japanese War ( 日清戦争 Romaji: Nisshin Sensō ( 1 August 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a war fought between Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Following these series of defeats, a reform plan for the empire to become a modern Meiji-style constitutional monarchy was drafted by the Emperor Guangxu in 1898, but was opposed and stopped by the Empress Dowager Cixi, who placed Emperor Guangxu under house arrest in a coup d'état. The Hundred Days' Reform ( or) was a failed 104-day national cultural political and educational reform movement from 11 June to 21 September 1898 undertaken by the young Guangxu A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is The Guangxu Emperor (光緒帝 (14 August 1871&ndash14 November 1908 born Zaitian (載湉 was the tenth emperor of the Manchu Qing dynasty Further destruction followed the ill-fated 1900 Boxer Rebellion against westerners in Beijing. The Boxer Rebellion, or Boxer Movement, was an uprising by members of the Chinese Society of Right and Harmonious Fists against foreign influence By the early 20th century, mass civil disorder had begun, and calls for reform and revolution were heard across the country. The 38 year old Emperor Guangxu died under house arrest on November 14, 1908, suspiciously just a day before Cixi. With the throne empty, he was succeeded by Cixi's handpicked heir, his two year old nephew Puyi, who became the Xuantong Emperor, the last Chinese emperor. Puyi ( ( February 7, 1906 &ndash October 17, 1967) of the Manchu Aisin-Gioro ruling family was the last Emperor Guangxu's consort, who became the Empress Dowager Longyu, signed the abdication decree as regent in 1912, ending two thousand years of imperial rule in China. Yehenara Empress Xiao Ding Jing (孝定景皇后叶赫那拉氏 is better known as the Empress Dowager Longyu (隆裕皇后 (given name Jingfen 靜芬 (1868 - 1913 She died, childless, in 1913.
Republic of China (1912–1949)
On January 1, 1912, the Republic of China was established, heralding the end of the Qing Dynasty. This article discusses history of the state which currently governs Taiwan Area. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China Sun Yat-sen of the Kuomintang (the KMT or Nationalist Party) was proclaimed provisional president of the republic. Sun Yat-sen ( November 12, 1866 &ndash March 12, 1925) was a Chinese Revolutionary and political leader often However, the presidency was later given to Yuan Shikai, a former Qing general, who had ensured the defection of the entire Beiyang Army from the Qing Empire to the revolution. Yuan Shikai ( Courtesy Weiting 慰亭 Pseudonym: Rong'an 容庵 ( September 16, 1859 &ndash June 6, The Beiyang Army ( meaning "North Western Army" was a powerful Western-style Chinese military force created by the Qing Dynasty government In 1915, Yuan proclaimed himself Emperor of China but was forced to abdicate and return the state to a republic when he realized it was an unpopular move, not only with the population but also his own Beiyang Army and its commanders. A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. The Beiyang Army ( meaning "North Western Army" was a powerful Western-style Chinese military force created by the Qing Dynasty government
After Yuan Shikai's death in 1916, China was politically fragmented, with an internationally recognized but virtually powerless national government seated in Peking (modern day Beijing). Warlords in various regions exercised actual control over their respective territories. In the late 1920s, the Kuomintang, under Chiang Kai-shek, was able to reunify the country under its own control, moving the nation's capital to Nanking (modern day Nanjing) and implementing "political tutelage", an intermediate stage of political development outlined in Sun Yat-sen's program for transforming China into a modern, democratic state. Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash ( Chinese: 南京 Romanizations Nánjīng ( Pinyin) Nan-ching ( Wade-Giles Effectively, political tutelage meant one-party rule by the Kuomintang.
The Sino-Japanese War of 1937–1945 (part of World War II) forced an uneasy alliance between the Nationalists and the Communists as well as causing around 10 million Chinese civilian deaths. The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the With the surrender of Japan in 1945, China emerged victorious but financially drained. The surrender of Japan in August 1945 brought World War II to a close The continued distrust between the Nationalists and the Communists led to the resumption of the Chinese Civil War. In 1947, constitutional rule was established, but because of the ongoing Civil War many provisions of the ROC constitution were never implemented on the mainland.
People's Republic of China and Republic of China (1949–present)
- See also: History of Hong Kong, History of Macau, and History of Taiwan
After its victory in the Chinese Civil War, the Communist Party of China, led by Mao Zedong, gained control of most of the Mainland China. The history of the People's Republic of China details the history of Mainland China since October 1, 1949, when after a near complete victory The Republic of China on Taiwan era ( also known as the postwar era ( refers to the period in Taiwan's history, between the end of World War II Hong Kong began as a coastal Island geographically located in southern China. Macau is a Special Administrative Region (SAR of the People's Republic of China. This article discusses the history of Taiwan (including the Pescadores) The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led On October 1, 1949, they established the People's Republic of China as a Socialist State headed by a "Democratic Dictatorship" with the CCP as the only legal political party, thus, laying claim as the successor state of the ROC. Succession of states is a theory in International relations regarding the recognition and acceptance of a newly created State by other states based on The central government of the Chinese Nationalist Party led by Chiang Kai-shek was forced to retreat to the island of Taiwan that it had occupied at the end of World War II and moved the ROC government there. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Major armed hostilities ceased in 1950 but no peace treaty has been signed.
Beginning in the late 1970s, the Republic of China began the implementation of full, multi-party, representative democracy in the territories still under its control (Taiwan, and a number of smaller islands including Quemoy and Matsu). Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Kinmen, ( Traditional Chinese: 金門 Simplified Chinese: 金门 Hanyu Pinyin: Jīnmén Tongyong Pinyin: Jinmén Wades-Giles The Matsu Islands (also Mazu Islands ( are a minor Archipelago of 19 Islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang Today, the ROC has active political participation by all sectors of society. The main cleavage in ROC politics is the issue of eventual political unification with the Chinese mainland vs. formal independence of Taiwan.
After the Chinese Civil War, mainland China underwent a series of disruptive socioeconomic movements starting in the late 1950s with the Great Leap Forward and continued in the 1960s with the Cultural Revolution that left much of its education system and economy in shambles. Socioeconomics or socio-economics is the study of the relationship between economic activity and Social life. The Great Leap Forward ( of the People's Republic of China (PRC was an economic and social plan used from 1958 to 1960 which aimed to use China 's vast population The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China was a struggle for power within the Communist Party of China that manifested into With the death of its first generation Communist Party leaders such as Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, the PRC began implementing a series of political and economic reforms advocated by Deng Xiaoping that eventually formed the foundation for mainland China's rapid economic development starting in the 1990s. Mao Zedong ( 26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976) was a Chinese Military and political leader who led Zhou Enlai ( (5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976 was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from 1949 until his death in January 1976 Deng Xiaoping ( 22 August 1904 19 February 1997) was a prominent Chinese Revolutionary, Politician, Pragmatist and Reformer
Post-1978 reforms on the mainland have led to some relaxation of control over many areas of society. However, the PRC government still has almost absolute control over politics, and it continually seeks to eradicate what it perceives as threats to the social, political and economic stability of the country. Examples include the fight against terrorism, jailing of political opponents and journalists, custody regulation of the press, regulation of religion, and suppression of independence/secessionist movements. Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion A dissident, broadly defined is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine policy or institution A journalist (also called a newspaperman) is a person who practices Journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events trends This article is for the legal term For regulation of genes see Regulation of gene expression. In 1989, the student protests at Tiananmen Square were violently put to an end by the Chinese military after 15 days of martial law. The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 culminating in the Tiananmen Square Massacre (referred to in Chinese as the June Fourth Incident, to avoid confusion with two Tiananmen Square ( is the large Plaza near the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen (literally Gate of Heavenly Peace In 1997, Hong Kong was returned to the PRC by the United Kingdom, and in 1999, Macau was returned by Portugal. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Macau topics. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula.
Today, mainland China is administered by the People's Republic of China—a one-party state under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party; while the island of Taiwan and surrounding islands are administered by the Republic of China—a democratic multi-party state. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES After the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, both states claimed to be the sole legitimate ruler of all of "China". After the Kuomintang retreat to Taiwan in 1949, the Republic of China had maintained official diplomatic relations with most states around the world, but by the 1970s, there was a shift in the international diplomatic circles and the People's Republic of China gained the upper hand in international diplomatic relations and recognition count. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES In 1971, under resolution 2758, the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek to the United Nations were expelled from the intergovernmental organization. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 25 October 1971 recognized the representatives of the People's Republic of China (PRC as "the only The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security With the expulsion of the Chiang Kai-shek's representatives, and effectively the Republic of China, the representatives of the People's Republic of China were invited to assume China's seat on the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly and other United Nations councils and agencies. Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Membership For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly see General Assembly members The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Later attempts by the Republic of China to rejoin the UN have either been blocked by the People's Republic of China, who has veto power on UN Security Council, or rejected by the United Nations Secretariat or a United Nations General Assembly committee responsible for the General Assembly's agenda[17]. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The United Nations Secretariat is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and it is headed by the United Nations Secretary-General, assisted by a staff Membership For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly see General Assembly members
Since its retreat to Taiwan, the Republic of China has not formally renounced its claim to all of China, nor has it changed its official maps, which includes the mainland and Mongolia. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Following the introduction to full democracy and the electoral victory of DPP's Chen Shui-bian in the presidential elections, the Republic of China has not pursued its claims on the mainland and in Mongolia. Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East The previous DPP Administration has adopted a policy of separating the state's identity from "China", while moving towards identifying the state as "Taiwan". Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. The ROC has not made formal moves to change the name, flag, or national anthem of the state to reflect a Taiwan identity due to pressure from the United States and the fear of invasion or military action from the People's Republic of China against the island. The People's Republic of China claims to have succeeded the Republic of China as the sole legitimate governing authority of all of China, which, from the official viewpoint of People's Republic of China, includes the island of Taiwan. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Over the last 50 years, both the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China have used diplomatic and economic means to compete for recognition in the international arena. Because most international, intergovernmental organizations observe the One-China policy of the People's Republic of China, the PRC has been able to pressure organizations, such as the World Health Organization and the International Olympic Committee, to refuse official recognition of the Republic of China. The One-China policy ( is a principle that there is one China and that Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are all part of Due to the One-China policy, states around the world are pressured to refuse, or to cut off, diplomatic relations with the Republic of China. As a result, 23 U.N. member states currently maintain official diplomatic relations with the Republic of China while the vast majority of the U. The Republic of China (ROC, whose jurisdiction is now constituted by the islands of Taiwan, Pescadores, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands and some other N. member states maintain official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.
Territory and environment
Historical political divisions
Top-level political divisions of China have altered as administrations changed. Top levels included circuits and provinces. In Law, a circuit is an appellate judicial district used in the Court systems of several nations A province, in the context of China, is a translation of sheng ( which is an administrative division Below that, there have been prefectures, subprefectures, departments, commanderies, districts, and counties. Prefecture, in the context of China, is used to refer to several unrelated political divisions in both ancient and modern China. Subprefecture is an Administrative division of a country that is below Prefecture or Province. In the Terminology of Political geography and Historiography a National department (département departamento is an administrative The commandery ( 郡 in Pinyin: jùn was a historical administrative level of China. The term district, in the context of China, is used to refer to several unrelated political divisions in both ancient and modern China. In the context of Political divisions of China, county is the standard English translation of 县 ( xiàn) Recent divisions also include prefecture-level cities, county-level cities, towns and townships. A prefecture-level city ( or prefecture-level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and A county-level city ( is a county-level administrative division of Mainland China. When referring to Political Divisions of China, town is the standard English translation of the Chinese 鎮 (simplified 镇; pinyin zhèn Wade-Giles Township ( is the basic level of political divisions in China.
Most Chinese dynasties were based in the historical heartlands of China, known as China proper. China proper (also known as Inner China) refers to the historical lands of China where the Han Chinese are the majority Ethnic group, in contrast Various dynasties also expanded into peripheral territories like Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Xinjiang, and Tibet. In general expansionism consists of expansionist policies While some have linked the term to promoting Economic growth (in contrast to no growth / Sustainable policies Inner Mongolia ( Mongolian:, Öbür mongɣul; occasionally romanized to Nei Mongol is the Mongol Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European The Manchu-established Qing Dynasty and its successors, the ROC and the PRC, incorporated these territories into the Chinese empire. The Manchu people ( Manchu: Manju;, Mongolian: Манж Russian: Маньчжуры are a Tungusic people who originated in Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China
Geography and climate
- See also: Environment of China
China ranges from mostly plateaus and mountains in the west to lower lands in the east. The geography of China stretches some 5026 kilometers across the East Asian landmass bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and This article documents the environment of China. One of the serious negative consequences of the People's Republic of China 's rapid industrial development has been increased In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak Principal rivers flow from west to east, including the Yangtze (central), the Huang He (Yellow river, north-central), and the Amur (northeast), and sometimes toward the south (including the Pearl River, Mekong River, and Brahmaputra), with most Chinese rivers emptying into the Pacific Ocean. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there The Yellow River or Huang He / Hwang Ho ( Hatan Gol Queen river) is the second-longest river in China (after the Yangtze River) and the The Zhu Jiang, ( Chinese 珠江 Pinyin: Zhū Jiāng or Pearl River or less commonly the Canton River, is China 's third longest The Mekong is one of the world’s major Rivers It is the 11th-longest river in the world and 7th longest in Asia The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions
In the east, along the shores of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea there are extensive and densely populated alluvial plains. The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a Marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. The East China Sea is a Marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1249000 km² Alluvium (from the Latin, alluvius, from alluere, "to wash against" is Soil or Sediments deposited by a river or other running On the edges of the Inner Mongolian plateau in the north, grasslands can be seen. Southern China is dominated by hills and low mountain ranges. A mountain range is a chain of Mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys In the central-east are the deltas of China's two major rivers, the Huang He and Yangtze River. A delta is a Landform where the mouth of a River flows into an Ocean, Sea, Estuary, Lake or another river The Yellow River or Huang He / Hwang Ho ( Hatan Gol Queen river) is the second-longest river in China (after the Yangtze River) and the Most of China's arable lands lie along these rivers; they were the centers of China's major ancient civilizations. Other major rivers include the Pearl River, Mekong, Brahmaputra and Amur. The Mekong is one of the world’s major Rivers It is the 11th-longest river in the world and 7th longest in Asia The Brahmaputra, also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is a Trans-boundary river and one of the major Rivers of Asia. Yunnan Province is considered a part of the Greater Mekong Subregion, which also includes Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam[18].
In the west, the north has a great alluvial plain, and the south has a vast calcareous tableland traversed by hill ranges of moderate elevation, and the Himalayas, containing Earth's highest point, Mount Everest. Calcareous refers to a Sediment, Sedimentary rock, or Soil type which is formed from or contains a high proportion of Calcium carbonate in the In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting Mount Everest, also called Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा meaning Head of the Sky) or Chomolungma, Qomolangma or Zhumulangma (in The northwest also has high plateaus with more arid desert landscapes such as the Takla-Makan and the Gobi Desert, which has been expanding. A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. The Taklamakan Desert (Takelamagan Shamo 塔克拉玛干沙漠 also known as Taklimakan, is a Desert in Central Asia, in the Xinjiang The Gobi (Говь Govi or Gov', "gravel-covered plain" Chinese: zh-t 戈壁(沙漠 Gēbì (Shāmò) During many dynasties, the southwestern border of China has been the high mountains and deep valleys of Yunnan, which separate modern China from Burma, Laos and Vietnam. A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially
The Paleozoic formations of China, excepting only the upper part of the Carboniferous system, are marine, while the Mesozoic and Tertiary deposits are estuarine and freshwater or else of terrestrial origin. The Paleozoic or Palaeozoic Era (from the Greek palaio (παλαιο "old" and zoe (ζωη "life" meaning "ancient life" The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian period about 359 This article is about the body of water For other uses see SEA and Seas. The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. The chuprichondira geological time interval covers roughly the time span between the demise of the non- avian Dinosaurs and beginning of the most recent Ice Age, approximately An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open Freshwater is a word that refers to bodies of water such as Ponds lakes rivers and streams containing low concentrations of dissolved Salts and other Total dissolved Groups of volcanic cones occur in the Great Plain of north China. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the In the Liaodong and Shandong Peninsulas, there are basaltic plateaus. The Liáodōng Peninsula ( is a Peninsula in the Liáoníng province of northeastern China, historically known in the west as southern east- Manchuria ( is a coastal province of eastern People's Republic of China. Basalt (bəˈsɔːlt ˈbeisɔːlt ˈbæsɔːlt is a common Extrusive Volcanic rock.
The climate of China varies greatly. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of The northern zone (containing Beijing) has summer daytime temperatures of more than 30 degrees Celsius and winters of Arctic severity. The Arctic is the Region around the Earth 's North Pole, opposite the Antarctic region around the South Pole. The central zone (containing Shanghai) has a temperate continental climate with very hot summers and cold winters. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million Continental climate is a Climate that is characterized by Winter Temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of Snow cover each Year The southern zone (containing Guangzhou) has a subtropical climate with very hot summers and mild winters. Guangzhou ( Jyutping: Gwong²zau¹; Yale: Gwóngjàu) is the Capital and a Sub-provincial city The subtropics are the zones of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of
Due to a prolonged drought and poor agricultural practices, dust storms have become usual in the spring in China. A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply [19] Dust has blown to southern China and Taiwan, and has reached the West Coast of the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Water, erosion, and pollution control have become important issues in China's relations with other countries. Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability disorder harm or discomfort to the physical systems or living organisms they are in
Economy
Society
Culture
- See also: Chinese law, Chinese philosophy, and Confucianism
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 was the largest economy on earth for most of the recorded history of the past two millennia China has the second-largest economy in the world with a GDP of over $ 6 Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by the Republic of China (ROC government which The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history Chinese Law is one of the oldest Legal traditions in the world Chinese philosophy is Philosophy written in the Chinese tradition of thought Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era The Imperial examinations ( in Imperial China determined who among the population would be permitted to enter the state's Bureaucracy. China's traditional values were derived from various versions of Confucianism. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B A number of more authoritarian strains of thought have also been influential, such as Legalism. Authoritarianism describes a Form of government characterized by an emphasis on the Authority of the State in a republic or union In Chinese history, Legalism ( was one of the four main philosophic schools during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period (the other There was often conflict between the philosophies, e. g. the Song Dynasty Neo-Confucians believed Legalism departed from the original spirit of Confucianism. The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Neo-Confucianism (/( is a form of Confucianism that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li In Chinese history, Legalism ( was one of the four main philosophic schools during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period (the other Examinations and a culture of merit remain greatly valued in China today. Meritocracy is a system of a government or another organization wherein Appointments are made and responsibilities are given based on demonstrated talent and Ability 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". New Confucianism ( "Contemporary New Confucianism" is a new movement of Confucianism that began in the twentieth century [20]
With the rise of Western economic and military power beginning in the mid-19th century, non-Chinese systems of social and political organization gained adherents in China. Economics is the social science that studies the production distribution, and consumption of goods and services. A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking Some of these would-be reformers totally rejected China's cultural legacy, while others sought to combine the strengths of Chinese and Western cultures. In essence, the history of 20th century China is one of experimentation with new systems of social, political, and economic organization that would allow for the reintegration of the nation in the wake of dynastic collapse. Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions
Arts, scholarship, and literature
- See also: Chinese art, Chinese painting, Chinese paper art, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese poetry, Cinema of China, and Music of China
Chinese characters have had many variants and styles throughout Chinese history. A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese ( Tens of thousands of ancient written documents are still extant, from Oracle bones to Qing edicts. Oracle bones ( Chinese: 甲骨 Pinyin: jiǎgǔpiàn are pieces of Bone or turtle shell that were heated and cracked during divination This literary emphasis affected the general perception of cultural refinement in China, e. g. the view that calligraphy was a higher art form than painting or drama. The art of Calligraphy is widely practiced and revered in the East Asian Civilizations that use or used Chinese characters. Manuscripts of the Classics and religious texts (mainly Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist) were handwritten by ink brush. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Ink brushes ( in Japanese fude) are used in Chinese calligraphy. 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 BCE. Chinese literature extends back thousands of years from the earliest recorded dynastic court Archives to the mature fictional Novel that arose during the Ming Dynasty The I Ching ( Wade-Giles) or “Yì Jīng” ( Pinyin) also called “Classic of Changes” or “Book of Changes” is one of the oldest of the A flourishing of philosophy during the Warring States Period produced such noteworthy works as Confucius's Analects and Laozi's Tao Te Ching. The Warring States Period ( also known as the Era of Warring States covers the period from some time in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by the The Analects ( also known as the Analects of Confucius, are a record of the words and acts of the central Chinese thinker and philosopher Laozi ( also Lao Tse, Lao-Tzu, Laotze, Lao Zi, Laocius, and other variations was a philosopher of ancient The Tao Te Ching or Dao De Jing ( originally known as Laozi or Lao tzu ( is a Chinese classic (See also the Chinese classics. Chinese classic texts or Chinese canonical texts ( refer to the pre- Qin Chinese texts especially the Confucian Four Books and Five Classics ) Dynastic histories were often written, beginning with Sima Qian's seminal Records of the Historian written from 109 BCE to 91 BCE. Early life and education Sima Qian was born and grew up in Longmen, near present-day Hancheng Shaanxi. The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name 史記 or Shiji, written from 109 BC to 91 BC The Tang Dynasty witnessed a poetic flowering, while the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature were written during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Chinese Poetry is the most highly regarded literary genre in China. The Four Great Classical Novels, or Four Major Classical Novels ( of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly counted by scholars to be the greatest and most
Printmaking in the form of movable type was developed during the Song Dynasty. Printmaking is the Process of making artworks by Printing, normally on Paper. Movable type is the system of Printing and Typography that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document (usually individual letters or punctuation The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 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, such as Su Song's Xin Yixiang Fayao and Shen Kuo's Dream Pool Essays. Su Song ( style name: Zirong 子容 (1020&ndash1101 AD was a renowned Chinese statesman, astronomer, cartographer, Shen Kuo or Shen Kua ( (1031&ndash1095 style name Cunzhong and pseudonym Mengqi Weng, was a Polymathic Chinese The Dream Pool Essays ( Pinyin: Meng Xi Bi Tan; Wade-Giles: Meng Ch'i Pi T'an Chinese: 夢溪筆談／梦溪笔谈 There were also enormous works of historiography and large encyclopedias, such as Sima Guang's Zizhi Tongjian of 1084 CE or the Four Great Books of Song fully compiled and edited by the 11th century. Life profession and works He was born in 1019 in present-day Yuncheng Shanxi to a wealthy family and obtained early success as a scholar and officer The Zizhi Tongjian ( was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography. The Four Great Books of Song ( was compiled by Li Fang and others during the Song Dynasty ( 960 - 1279)
For centuries, economic and social advancement in China could be provided by high performance on the imperial examinations. The Imperial examinations ( in Imperial China determined who among the population would be permitted to enter the state's Bureaucracy. This led to a meritocracy, although it was available only to males who could afford test preparation. Meritocracy is a system of a government or another organization wherein Appointments are made and responsibilities are given based on demonstrated talent and Ability 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. Some classical scholars, however, were noted for their daring depictions of the lives of the common people, often to the displeasure of authorities.
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 have later spread throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia, particularly to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The guzheng, also spelled gu zheng or gu-zheng ( or zheng (箏 ( gu-, 古 means "ancient" The (simplified/traditional 古琴; Pinyin: gǔqín The Chinese shêng ( Chinese: 笙; Pinyin shēng) is a Mouth -blown Free reed instrument consisting essentially The xiao ( is a Chinese vertical End-blown flute. It is generally made of dark brown Bamboo (called "purple bamboo" in Chinese The erhu ( also called nanhu ( 南[[wikt 胡|胡]] "southern fiddle" and sometimes known in the West as the "Chinese The pipa ( is a plucked Chinese String instrument. Sometimes called the Chinese Lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body
Demography
Hundreds of ethnic groups have existed in China throughout its history. The largest ethnic group in China by far is the Han. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. This group is diverse in itself and can be divided into smaller ethnic groups that share some traits.
Over the last three millennia, many previously distinct ethnic groups in China have been Sinicized into a Han identity, which over time dramatically expanded the size of the Han population. Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, (in Mandarin: 中国化 Zhōngguóhuà) is the linguistic assimilation or However, these assimilations were usually incomplete and vestiges of indigenous language and culture often are still retained in different regions of China. Because of this, many within the Han identity have maintained distinct linguistic and cultural traditions, though still identifying as Han. Several ethnicities have also dramatically shaped Han culture, e. g. the Manchurian clothing called the qipao became the new "Chinese" fashion after the 17th century, replacing earlier Han styles of clothing such as the Hanfu. The cheongsam is a body-hugging (modified in Shanghai) one-piece Chinese Dress for women Han Chinese clothing or Hanfu ( also known as Hanzhuang ( 漢裝) Huafu ( 華服) or guzhuang ( 古裝, meaning The modern term Chinese nation (Zhonghua Minzu) is now used to describe a notion of a Chinese nationality that transcends ethnic divisions. Zhonghua minzu ( Traditional Chinese: 中華民族 ( Simplified Chinese: 中华民族 Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínzú sometimes translated as
Languages
Most languages in China belong to the Sino-Tibetan language family, spoken by 29 ethnicities. China's many different ethnic groups speak many different Languages collectively called Zhōngguó Yǔwén (中国语文 literally " speech and writing There are also several major dialects within the Chinese language itself. A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of The most spoken dialects are Mandarin (spoken by over 70% of the population), Wu (Shanghainese), Yue (Cantonese), Min, Xiang, Gan, and Hakka. Non-Sinitic languages spoken widely by ethnic minorities include Zhuang (Thai), Mongolian, Tibetan, Uyghur (Turkic), Hmong and Korean. The Zhuang language ( autonym: Cuengh or Cueŋь) is used by the Zhuang people in the People's Republic of China. The Mongolian language (mn [[ImageMonggol kelesvg 17px]] Mongɣol kele, Cyrillic: Монгол хэл Mongol khel) is the best-known member of Tibetan refers to a group of languages spoken primarily by Tibetan peoples who live across a wide area of eastern Central Asia bordering South Asia as well as by overseas Uyghur (/ ug-Latn Uyƣurqə/ug-Cyrl Уйғурчә, or / ug-Latn Uyƣur tili/ug-Cyrl Уйғур Hmong ( RPA: Hmoob) or Mong ( RPA: Moob) is the common name for a group of dialects of the West Hmongic (Chuanqiandian branch This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system [21]
Classical Chinese was the written standard used for thousands of years in China before the 20th century and allowed for written communication between speakers of various unintelligible languages and dialects in China. Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of Written Chinese based on the Grammar and Vocabulary of ancient Chinese Vernacular Chinese or baihua is the written standard based on the Mandarin dialect first popularized in Ming dynasty novels and was adopted (with significant modifications) during the early 20th century as the national vernacular. Vernacular Chinese is a style or register of the Written Chinese Language essentially modeled after the spoken language and associated with A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Classical Chinese is still part of the high school curriculum and is thus intelligible to some degree to many Chinese.
Religion
The "official" orthodox faith system held by most dynasties of China until the overthrow of the last dynasty is a panentheism system, centering on the worship of "Heaven" as an omnipotent force. Religion in China has been characterized by Pluralism since the beginning of Chinese history. Panentheism (from Greek (pân "all" (en "in" and (Theós "God" "all-in-God" is a belief system Tian ( is one of the oldest Chinese terms for the Cosmos and a key concept in Chinese mythology, philosophy, and religion. This faith system pre-dated the development of Confucianism and Taoism or the introduction of Buddhism and Christianity. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings It has features of a monotheism in that Heaven is seen as an omnipotent entity, endowed with personality but no corporeal form. For the Celtic Frost album see Monotheist (album In Theology, monotheism (from Greek grc [[wiktμόνος μόνος]] "Heaven" as a supernatural force was variously referred to as Shangdi (literally "Emperor Above"). Shangdi (上帝 Pinyin: Shàngdì, Wade-Giles Shang Ti) is the Supreme God in the original religious system of the Han Chinese Worship of Heaven includes the erection of shrines, the last and greatest being the Altar of Heaven in Beijing, and the offering of prayers. Tian Tan redirects here For the Big Buddha statue in Hong Kong, see Tian Tan Buddha The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar Manifestation of the powers of Heaven include weather and natural disasters. Although it gradually diminished in popular belief after the advent of Taoism and Buddhism, among others, some of its concepts remained in use throughout the pre-modern period and have been incorporated in later religions of China.
Taoism is an indigenous religion of China and is traditionally traced to the composition of Lao Zi's Tao Te Ching (The Book of Tao and Its Virtues) or to seminal works by Zhang Daoling. Laozi ( also Lao Tse, Lao-Tzu, Laotze, Lao Zi, Laocius, and other variations was a philosopher of ancient The Tao Te Ching or Dao De Jing ( originally known as Laozi or Lao tzu ( is a Chinese classic Zhang Daoling (張道陵 Pinyin Zhāng Dàolíng, Wade-Giles Chang Tao-ling) also commonly called Zhang Ling, was an Eastern The philosophy of Taoism is centered on "the way"; an understanding of which can be likened to recognizing the true nature of the universe. Taoism in its unorganized form is also considered a folk religion of China. More secular derivatives of Taoist ideas include Feng Shui, Sun Tzu's Art of War, and acupuncture. Feng shui ( ˈfəŋˌʃueɪ fehng-shway in English is an ancient Chinese system of Aesthetics believed to utilize the Laws of both heaven (astronomy and earth (geography The Art of War ( is a Chinese military Treatise that was written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. History Antiquity In China, the practice of acupuncture can perhaps be traced as far back as
Buddhism was introduced from India and Central Asia during the Han dynasty and became very popular among Chinese of all walks of life, embraced particularly by commoners, and sponsored by emperors in certain dynasties. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. Mahayana (大乘, Dacheng) is the predominant form of Buddhism practiced in China, where it was largely Sinicized and later exported to Korea, Japan and Vietnam. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, (in Mandarin: 中国化 Zhōngguóhuà) is the linguistic assimilation or Some subsets of Mahayana popular in China include Pure Land (Amidism) and Zen. Pure Land Buddhism ( Jìngtǔzōng; 浄土教 Jōdokyō; Korean: ko-Hang 정토종 jeongtojong; Vietnamese: 浄土宗 vi Pure Land Buddhism ( Jìngtǔzōng; 浄土教 Jōdokyō; Korean: ko-Hang 정토종 jeongtojong; Vietnamese: 浄土宗 vi Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Buddhism is the largest organized faith in China and the country has the most Buddhist adherents in the world, followed by Japan. Many Chinese, however, identify themselves as both Taoist and Buddhist at the same time.
Ancestor worship is a major religious theme shared among all Chinese religions. Traditional Chinese culture, Taoism, Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism all value filial piety as a top virtue, and the act is a continued display of piety and respect towards departed ancestors. In Confucian thought filial piety ( is one of the Virtues to be cultivated a love and respect for one's parents and ancestors Virtue ( Latin virtus; Greek) is moral Excellence. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting individual The Chinese generally offer prayers and food for the ancestors, light incense and candles, and burn offerings of Joss paper. Incense is composed of Aromatic biotic materials It releases fragrant Smoke when burned These activities are typically conducted at the site of ancestral graves or tombs, at an ancestral temple, or at a household shrine.
Islam, Judaism and Christianity first arrived in China after the 7th century during the Tang Dynasty. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by Islam was later spread by merchants and craftsmen as trade routes improved along the Silk Road, while Christianity began to make significant inroads in China after the 16th century through Jesuit and later protestant missionaries. The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. A missionary is a member of a Religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith someone who proselytizes. Islam arrived in China during the 8th century, only a few years after the Islamic prophet Muhammad's death. Muslims regard as Prophets of Islam ( Arabic: نبي) those non-divine humans chosen by Allah as Prophets IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics The Emperor of China took Islam highly, and the first mosque in China, the Huaisheng Mosque was built in Canton, Guangzhou in 630. The Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou, also known as the Lighthouse Mosque, is at over 1300 years old one of the oldest Mosques in the world Guangzhou ( Jyutping: Gwong²zau¹; Yale: Gwóngjàu) is the Capital and a Sub-provincial city In the first half of the 20th century, many Jews arrived in Shanghai and Hong Kong during those cities' periods of economic expansion, seeking refuge from the Holocaust in Europe. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as Shanghai was particularly notable for its volume of Jewish refugees, as it was the only port in the world then to accept them without an entry visa.
Sports and recreation
- For sports in the disputed region Taiwan see Sport in Taiwan. Although China has long been associated with the Martial arts, sports in China today refers to a small variety of competitive Sports played in China The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Sports is a somewhat popular activity in Taiwan. However due to political reasons and pressure from the People's Republic of China, Taiwan had
Many historians believe that football (soccer) originated in China, where a form of the sport may have appeared around 1000 CE. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered [22] Other popular sports include martial arts, table tennis, badminton, and more recently, golf. Kung fu and wushu are popular terms that have become synonymous with Chinese Martial arts. Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players (singles or two opposing pairs (doubles who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court Basketball is now popular among young people in urban centers. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m
There are also many traditional sports. Chinese dragon boat racing occurs during the Duan Wu festival. A dragon boat or "dragonboat" is a very long and narrow human-powered Boat now used in the team Paddling sport of dragon boat In Inner Mongolia, Mongolian-style wrestling and horse racing are popular. Inner Mongolia ( Mongolian:, Öbür mongɣul; occasionally romanized to Nei Mongol is the Mongol This article is about the sport For other uses see Horserace (drinking game or Horse race (politics. In Tibet, archery and equestrian sports are part of traditional festivals. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European For the Roman class see Equestrian (Roman Equestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving Horses This broad description [23]
China has become a sports power, especially in Asia. It has finished first in medal counts in each of the Asian Games since 1982,[24] and in the top four in medal counts in each of the Summer Olympic Games since 1992. [25] The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be held in Beijing. Currently, China has been preparing intensively for the games.
Physical fitness is highly regarded. Physical fitness is used in two close meanings general fitness (a state of Health and well-being and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability It is common for the elderly to practice Tai Chi Chuan and qigong in parks. Tai chi chuan (is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for Health reasons Qigong (or ch'i kung) refers to a wide variety of traditional cultivation practices that involve methods of accumulating circulating and working with Qi or energy
Board games such as International Chess, Go (Weiqi), and Xiangqi (Chinese chess) are also common and have organized formal competitions. A board game is a Game in which counters or pieces that are placed on removed from or moved across a "board" (a premarked surface usually specific to that game Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players.
Science and technology
Among the scientific accomplishments of ancient China were paper (not papyrus) and papermaking, woodblock printing and movable type printing, the early lodestone and magnetic compass, gunpowder, toilet paper, early seismological detectors, matches, dry docks, pound locks, sliding calipers, the double-action piston pump, blast furnace and cast iron, the iron plough, the multi-tube seed drill, the wheelbarrow, the suspension bridge, the parachute, natural gas as fuel, the escapement mechanism for clocks, the differential gear for the South Pointing Chariot, 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. The history of Science and Technology in China is both long and rich with many contributions to science and technology China has been the source of some of the world's most significant Inventions, including the Four Great Inventions of ancient China: Paper, the Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era Paper is thin material mainly used for writing upon printing upon or packaging Papyrus (/pəˈpaɪrəs/ (Rhymes -aɪrəs)is a thick paper-like material produced from the Pith of the papyrus plant Cyperus papyrus Papermaking is the process of making Paper, a material which is used ubiquitously today for writing and packaging For the use of the technique in art see Woodcut on the technique and Old master print for the history in Europe and Woodblock printing in Japan. Movable type is the system of Printing and Typography that uses movable components to reproduce the elements of a document (usually individual letters or punctuation For the article on the development of printing in Europe see History of western typography. A compass, magnetic compass or mariner's compass is a navigational instrument for determining direction relative to the earth's Magnetic poles It consists Gunpowder is a an explosive mixture of Sulfur, Charcoal and Potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre/saltpeter that burns rapidly producing volumes Toilet paper is a soft paper product used to maintain Personal hygiene after human Defecation or Urination. Seismometers (from Greek Seism - "the shakes" - and Metro - "I measure" are instruments that measure and record motions of the ground including A match is a consumable Tool for lighting a Fire under controlled circumstances on demand A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform A pound lock is type of lock that is used almost exclusively nowadays on Canals and Rivers A pound lock has a chamber (the pound) with A caliper ( British spelling also calliper) is a device used to measure the distance between two symmetrically opposing sides A piston is a component of Reciprocating engines Pumps and Gas compressors It is located in a cylinder and is made gas-tight by Piston A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical Furnace used for Smelting to produce metals generally Iron. Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but identifies a large group of Ferrous Alloys which solidify with a Eutectic. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 The plough ( American spelling plow; both plaʊ is a Tool used in Farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed A seed drill is a device for planting Seeds in the soil Before the introduction of the seed drill the common practice was to "broadcast" seeds by hand A wheelbarrow is a small hand-propelled vehicle usually with just one Wheel, designed to be pushed and guided by a single person using two handles to the rear or a sail This article is concerned with a particular type of suspension bridge the suspended-deck type A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, In Mechanical watches and Clocks an escapement is a device which converts continuous rotational motion into an oscillating or back and forth motion Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput, or Clock is a gene which encodes proteins regulating Circadian rhythm. This article deals with the concept of a differential in mechanical engineering. The South Pointing Chariot is widely regarded as one of the most complex Geared mechanism of the ancient Chinese civilization, and was continually used throughout the For the mechanical technology see Hydraulic machinery and Hydraulic cylinder Hydraulics is a topic of science and Engineering A trip hammer (alt helve hammer) is a massive powered Hammer, usually raised by a Cam and then released to fall under the force of gravity. Chain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another A Belt is a looped strip of flexible material used to mechanically link two or more rotating shafts A raised-relief map or terrain model is a three-dimensional representation usually of terrain A propeller is essentially a type of fan which transmits power by converting Rotational motion into Thrust for propulsion of a vehicle such as an A crossbow is a Weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles often called bolts | NOTE Throughout this article "cannon" is used as BOTH the || singular and plural A rocket or rocket vehicle is a Missile, Aircraft or other Vehicle which obtains Thrust by the reaction of the Chinese astronomers were among the first to record observations of a supernova. Astronomy (from the Greek words astron (ἄστρον "star" and nomos (νόμος "law" is the scientific study A supernova (plural supernovae or supernovas) is a stellar Explosion. The work of the astronomer Shen Kuo (1031–1095) alone was most impressive, as he theorized that the sun and moon were spherical, corrected the position of the polestar with his improved sighting tube, discovered the concept of true north, wrote of planetary motions such as retrogradation, and compared the orbital paths of the planets to points on the shape of a rotating willow leaf. Shen Kuo or Shen Kua ( (1031&ndash1095 style name Cunzhong and pseudonym Mengqi Weng, was a Polymathic Chinese A pole star is a visible star especially a prominent one that is approximately aligned with the Earth 's Axis of rotation; that is a star whose apparent position noted by the Chinese Polymath Shen Kuo in the 11th century and possibly the egyptians over 6 millenia ago In Physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of one object around a point or another body for example the gravitational orbit of a planet around a star Direct motion is the motion of a Planetary body in a direction similar to that of other bodies within its system and is sometimes called prograde motion. In Physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of one object around a point or another body for example the gravitational orbit of a planet around a star Willows, sallows and osiers form the Genus Salix, around 400 species of Deciduous Trees and Shrubs found primarily With evidence for them, he also postulated geological theories for the processes of land formation in geomorphology and climate change in paleoclimatology. Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit Geomorphology (from Greek: γη ge, "earth" μορφή morfé, "form" and λόγος Logos, "knowledge" Climate change is any long-term significant change in the “average weather” that a given region experiences Paleoclimatology (also Palaeoclimatology) is the study of Climate change taken on the scale of the entire History of Earth. Yet there were many other astronomers than Shen Kuo, such as Gan De, Shi Shen, Zhang Heng, Yi Xing, Zhang Sixun, Su Song, etc. Gan De ( fl 4th century BC was a Chinese Astronomer / Astrologer born in the State of Qi also known as the Lord Gan (Gan Gong Shi Shen ( fl 4th century BC) was a Chinese Astronomer and contemporary of Gan De born in the State of Wei, also known as the Zhang Heng ( (CE 78–139 was an astronomer, mathematician, inventor, geographer, cartographer, artist, poet Yi Xing ( 683–727 born Zhang Sui (张遂 was a Chinese Astronomer, Mathematician, mechanical engineer, and Buddhist monk Zhang Sixun ( fl 10th century was a Chinese Astronomer and Military engineer from Bazhong Sichuan during the early Su Song ( style name: Zirong 子容 (1020&ndash1101 AD was a renowned Chinese statesman, astronomer, cartographer, Chinese mathematics evolved independently of Greek mathematics and is therefore of great interest in the history of mathematics. Mathematics in China emerged independently by the 11th century BC Greek mathematics, as that term is used in this article is the Mathematics written in Greek, developed from the 6th century BC to the 5th century The area of study known as the history of mathematics is primarily an investigation into the origin of new discoveries in Mathematics and to a lesser extent an investigation The Chinese were also keen on documenting all of their technological achievements, such as in the Tiangong Kaiwu encyclopedia written by Song Yingxing (1587–1666). An encyclopedia (or '''encyclopædia''') is a comprehensive written Compendium that contains Information on either all branches of Knowledge Song Yingxing ( Traditional Chinese:宋應星 Simplified Chinese:宋应星 Wade Giles: Sung Ying-Hsing; 1587-1666 AD was a Chinese
China's science and technology fell behind that of Europe by the 17th century. Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Technology is a broad concept that deals with a Species ' usage and knowledge of Tools and Crafts and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt Political, social and cultural reasons have been given for this, although recent historians focus more on economic causes, such as the high level equilibrium trap. The high level equilibrium trap is a concept developed by Mark Elvin to explain why China never underwent an indigenous Industrial Revolution, despite its Since the PRC's market reforms China has become better connected to the global economy and is placing greater emphasis on science and technology.
See also
References
- ^ 《尚書•梓材》:「皇天既付中國民越厥疆土于先王」Roughly translated as "The Heavens awarded the lands and peoples of Zhongguo to our ancestors". The Chinese calendar is lunisolar, incorporating elements of a Lunar calendar with those of a Solar calendar. Chinese cuisine ( Traditional Chinese: 中國菜 Simplified Chinese: 中国菜 originated from the various regions of China and has become widespread in The Chinese Dragon or Oriental dragon is a mythical creature in East Asian culture with a Chinese origin Personal Names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Chinese nationalism ( sometimes synonymous with Chinese Patriotism ( lit Chinese New Year is the most important of the Traditional Chinese holidays. The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the People's Republic of China (including Hong Chinese units of measurement ( are the customary and traditional units of measure used in the People's Republic of China. Mathematics in China emerged independently by the 11th century BC Traditional Chinese medicine (also known as TCM,) includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. Astronomy in China has a very long history Oracle bones from the Shang Dynasty ( 2nd millennium BC) record eclipses and novae See also Geography of China Native Chinese geography begins in the Warring States period (5th century BC Chinese architecture refers to a style of Architecture that has taken shape in Asia over the centuries The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history Agriculture is the most important economic sector of China, employing over 300 million farmers Fenghuang are mythological Chinese birds that reign over all other birds The story of the Postage stamps and Postal history of China is complicated by the gradual decay of imperial China and the years of civil war and Japanese occupation China has the largest population on earth Hospitals and healthcare are of vital importance China has been the source of some of the world's most significant Inventions, including the Four Great Inventions of ancient China: Paper, the In a reversal of the common perception that surrounding countries invariably paid tribute to China, China itself has paid tribute to a number states and confederations throughout history The following is a list of tributaries of Imperial China. Chronological list Many entities have paid Tribute to Imperial China This is a list of wetest tropical cyclones by country using all known available sources The recorded military history of China extends from about 1500 BC to the present day The Summer Palace or Yi he yuan ( is a palace in Beijing, China. The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial Palace from the mid- Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty.
- ^ 《毛亨·傳》：「中國，京師也」 Roughly translated as "Zhongguo, the capital. "
- ^ See Quansongwen (8345 chapters), 2005. Historic texts written in the period of Southern Song refer to the Jin Dynasty as "barbarians", while Jin texts portray the Song as "Manzi". Official historic texts such as Songshi, which is written after the period, are more neutral.
- ^ The official name of ROC in Chinese is "中华民国". The official name of PRC in Chinese is "中华人民共和国". "Zhongguo" are the first and last characters of both of these official names. Although in both of these contexts, the name does not contain the exact phrasing of "Zhongguo", it is expressed in the similar phrase "Zhonghua", while the PRC's official abbreviation is "中国".
- ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed (AHD4). Boston and New York, Houghton-Mifflin, 2000, entries china, Qin, Sino-.
- ^ "Early Homo erectus Tools in China" by Archaeological Institute of America
- ^ List of Chinese fossil hominids at ChinesePrehistory.org
- ^ The Liujiang skeleton
- ^ "Chinese Roots: Skull may complicate human-origins debate" at Science News Online
- ^ "Bronze Age China" by National Gallery of Art
- ^ Twentieth Century Atlas - Historical Body Count
- ^ Jenks, R. D. Insurgency and Social Disorder in Guizhou: The Miao ‘Rebellion’, 1854–1873. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. 1994.
- ^ Cf. William J. Peterson, The Cambridge History of China Volume 9 (Cambridge University Press, 2002)
- ^ Damsan Harper, Steve Fallon, Katja Gaskell, Julie Grundvig, Carolyn Heller, Thomas Huhti, Bradley Maynew, Christopher Pitts. Lonely Planet China. 9. 2005. ISBN 1-74059-687-0
- ^ Gernet, Jacques. A History of Chinese Civilization. 2. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous
- ^ Perry, Elizabeth. Rebels and Revolutionaries in Northern China, 1845–1945 (Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1980).
- ^ CBC News (2007-09-19). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 335 - Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar by his uncle Constantine I. Taiwan's 15th bid for UN membership rejected. Retrieved on 2008-01-07. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental
- ^ Greater Mekong Subregion Atlas of the Environment published by Asian Development Bank
- ^ "Beijing hit by eighth sandstorm". BBC news. Accessed 17 April, 2006.
- ^ Bary, Theodore de. "Constructive Engagement with Asian Values". Columbia University.
- ^ Languages. 2005. GOV. cn. URL accessed 3 May 2006.
- ^ Origins of the Great Game. 2000. Athleticscholarships. net. Accessed 23 April 2006.
- ^ Qinfa, Ye. Sports History of China. About. com. Retrieved April 21, 2006.
- ^ http://www.dohaasiangames.org/en/asian_games_2006/history.html
- ^ International Olympic Committee - Olympic Games
External links
- China.org.cn China news, weather, business, travel, language courses, archives
- U.S. Department of State, Background Note on China
- Interactive China map with province and city guides.
- China Digital Times Online China news portal, run by the Graduate School of Journalism of University of California at Berkeley.
- China Worker
- China Map
- NY Inquirer: China's 21st Century
- The Chinese Superpower-Historical Background, Dr Rivka Shpak-Lissak
Dictionary
china
-noun
- (uncountable) Ceramic or porcelain
- (uncountable) Tableware made from china.
- (Cockney rhyming slang; shortened from china plate; countable) Mate (i.e., friend).
- (music, countable) A cymbal, flattened at the perimeter, about 16 to 20 inches (40 to 50 centimetres) across, that is ridden or crashed to produce a distinctive "trashy" sound.
China
-proper noun
- A country in East Asia, officially named People's Republic of China (Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo).
- A region in East Asia comprising the areas governed by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan).
- The civilization of the Chinese people.
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