General Information About China
The People’s Republic of China is the third largest country in the world by area and the most populous. It is located in Southeast Asia. The capital is Beijing, and the official language is Chinese. The currency is the Yuan. People in China practice various religions, with the most common being Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Islam.
China is bordered by South Korea to the east, Russia to the northeast and northwest, Mongolia to the north, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the southwest, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, and North Vietnam to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the east.
History
Research into ancient times continuously uncovers new information about China. The first ruling dynasties known in China were the Xia and Shang dynasties. The only known information about the Xia dynasty is the names of its rulers. The Shang dynasty, which ruled approximately from 1450-1050 BC, controlled the Chinese plains. From 1050-220 BC, the Zhou Dynasty ruled with various policies. The Zhou Dynasty, which overthrew the Shang Dynasty, established a feudal system between 1050-771 BC. Independent feudal states developed, weakening the power of the king and leading to wars among these states. The Turkic and Mongol invasions led to the conquest of much of the country, but the Chinese lord Tsin later recaptured most of the land. As a result, the state became one of the important feudal powers.
To protect against the Hun invasions, earth fortifications, the precursor to the Great Wall, were built between 770 and 472 BC. This era saw internal conflicts between feudal lords, resulting in seven states. In 453 BC, Tsin’s feudal state split into three states. From 221-206 BC, the Tsin Dynasty ruled the country with absolute power. Key developments during this period include the standardization of wheel axle sizes and the beginning of certain measurement units.
During the Eastern China revolts, the Han Dynasty took control. The Han Dynasty was founded by a low-ranking soldier, Liu Bang, in 206 BC. A period of internal wars followed, culminating in the division of China into three kingdoms by 220 AD: Wei, Wu, and Shu. The Tsin Dynasty (265-316) unified the country, bringing stability and peace.
6th Century and After
By 580 AD, various dynasties had established states in southern China. The Sui Dynasty (581-618) succeeded in unifying China. During this short-lived dynasty, China expanded into northern Vietnam and Tibet. The Tang Dynasty (618-907) followed and undertook reforms in land distribution and taxation. The Arabs’ attacks resulted in the loss of Turkestan.
During the Song Dynasty (960), efforts to reunite China were unsuccessful. During this time, significant developments in architecture, literature, art, and porcelain occurred.
Mongol Conquest
Genghis Khan invaded China between 1206 and 1227, and by 1271, his grandson Kublai Khan declared the Yuan Dynasty (1260-1368) and established Beijing as its capital. The Yuan Dynasty fully conquered China, and the Mongols adopted many aspects of Chinese culture. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew the Mongols and founded the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). During this time, European powers arrived in China, including the Portuguese and Spanish in the 16th century, and the Germans and British in the 17th century.
Opium Wars and Western Influence
China was closed off to the West for many years, but began to open in the mid-19th century. Trade with Western powers like Portugal, England, France, and the United States began. The British traded Indian cotton, opium, tea, and silk, and when China tried to block the opium trade, it led to the Opium Wars (1839-1842). The Treaty of Nanjing forced China to open five ports to British trade and cede Hong Kong. Later treaties granted similar privileges to the US and France.
China-Japan Wars
The first Sino-Japanese War (1894) began when both China and Japan sent troops to Korea to quell an uprising. This resulted in significant Chinese losses, and by 1895, China recognized Korea’s independence and ceded Taiwan to Japan.
Republic of China and Civil War
After the Qing Dynasty fell in 1912, Yuan Shikai attempted to establish a monarchy but failed, dying in 1916. During the chaos of the 1920s, the Nationalists, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fought both the Japanese and internal Communist uprisings. The Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, grew stronger, especially after World War II. In 1949, Mao declared the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, while the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan.
The People’s Republic of China
On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The Nationalist government retreated to Taiwan, and China was divided. Mao’s death in 1976 led to criticism of his policies and a shift toward economic cooperation with the United States and Japan. The government began to move away from strict Communist ideologies under new leadership.
