OLD RAIN PUDDLES never die, they just dry up
Fact file
Date: 1,500 BC – 200 AD
Area: China
China is one of the world’s most oldest civilizations, with written records (turtle shells from the Shang Dynasty 商朝) carbon dated back to 1,500 BC. These records show that the Chinese civilization may go back before 3,000 BC. 0 BC is commonly used as a date when China became unified as an empire.
Then Qin (秦) emperor (200 BC) imposed a common system of and developed a state ideology based on Confucianism (100 BC). Politically, China altered in periods of political unity and disunity.
The word ‘China’ is derived from the porcelain or ceramic ware originally made in China. ‘China’ was derived from 秦 which is pronounced similarly to “chin’.
China had dynasties which were the ruling of the country under one family. These include Xia, Shang, Qin, Southern & Northern, Sui, Tang, Yuan, Ming, Qing.
The Xia dynasty is unclear because of lack of written records, and therefore the dynasty is poorly understood.
The Shang dynasty (1600 – 1046 BC) is very complicated, with scholars suggesting the Shang Dynasty as the early Zhou dynasty.
The Zhou dynasty (2000 – 256 BC) emerged in the Huang He valley, overrunning the Shang. They run under a semi-feudal system. The Hundred School of Thought blossomed with spiritual movements including Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism and Mohism being formed.
The Qin dynasty was the first Chinese empire. Although this unified reign only lasted for 12 years, the Qin emporer united China in a Legalist government seated in Xiangyang. The Qin dynasty is well known for beginning the Great wall of China, later augmented by the Ming Dynasty.
The Han Dynasty was a period of prosperity, with the country embracing Confucianism.
The Sui Dynasty was the reunification of China after the Nothern and Southern Dynasties. During this time, millions of Chinese labored the Grand Canal of China, the longest canal in the world to date.
The Tang Dynasty was a return to prosperity, but ended in Huang Chao (a warlord) capturing Guangzhou in 879 killing 200,000 inhabitants.
The Jin Empire was defeated by the Mongols, and as many as 50 million Chinese people (half of the population) died as a result of the invasion.
The Ming Dynasty was the revival of the Chinese culture. The Ming Dynasty completed the Great Wall of China.
The Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) was founded on the defeat of the Ming dynasty. They ordered all chinese have their pigtail hairstyle with the front of their heads shaved. They also forbid writing against the government. They ordered the most complete dictionary f Chinese characters. Two opium wars erupted during the Qing dynasty which caused China severe pain. Christian missionairies attempted to enter into the country, but they were denied access because the Chinese thought that they were causing the country damage.
The Republic of China was established as a peace process by students.
Maps
The Qin empire in 210 BC:
Gallery
Chinese history written in Chinese:
OLD SAILORS never die, they just get a little “DINGHY”