Chinese History 历 史
Most countries can look back at a few hundred years of continuous recorded history; China looks back at thousands of years. From earliest times an accurate account of events has been treasured by the Chinese, this is embodied in the character 史 history ’ which also has the meaning ‘impartial’ . Chinese people know their heritage well and have a long tradition of revering their ancestors . A good knowledge of Chinese history is essential to understanding and relating to its people.
We include pages on all the main dynasties (you can click on the time chart) as well as significant events in Chinese history, up to the foundation of the Republic separate section Taiping Rebellion railways Imperial system Hanlin Academy Imperial officials kowtow Mandate of Heaven Opium Wars Early contacts with Britain 18th century UK-China contacts Leibniz Treaty port system Chinoiserie Lay-Osborn debacle General Charles ‘Chinese’ Gordon Chinese coolies
Click on the time chart on the left to go to a particular time period.
Japan and China The history of the often difficult relations between China and Japan reveals a complex relationship. The Japanese occupation of China 1937-45 and continued U.S. support for Japan has led to continuing frictions between governments and peoples. Read more…
The Great Mongol Empire The conquest of China by the Mongols took over 50 years. The north was taken in 1215 and the south held out until 1279. The horde of brutal horsemen from Mongolia swept all before them. The Mongols took to Chinese ways, using existing administration and traditions rather than imposing their own. It became China's most cosmopolitan era. Read more…
Imperial Examinations One of China's most important exports was the respect for scholarship and learning. China was the first nation to appoint on basis of what they knew rather than who they knew. Strict examinations were set up two thousand years ago and were the passport to a quieter life with a steady income. Read more…
Proverb
塞翁失 马 ,安 知 非 福
Sài wēng shī mǎ, ān zhī fēi fú
When the old man from the frontier lost his horse; how could he have known that it would not be fortuitous?
The
story ➚ is that a man lost his horse but actually it went over the Great Wall and brought back several horses with it. A setback may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Roughly equivalent to: Every cloud has a silver lining.
All about Chinese proverbs
Imperial officials The prized job in dynastic China was as an Imperial official. As well as prosperity and a life of relative leisure an official received respect from the community. As anyone who passed the Imperial examinations could hope for such an appointment the posts were potentially open to all men. Read more…
The Long March The epic tale of the struggle of thousands of soldiers over thousands of miles of challenging terrain has been held up as the chief heroic episode in the early days of the Communist party. It was during the Long March that Mao Zedong emerged as leader with his own vision for the future of China. Read more…
Ancient states and kingdoms within China Before the Qin empire was formed China was split into several distinct kingdoms or states. These names are often mentioned in old tales and histories. There are also other kingdoms that split off from China for brief periods. Read more…
Foot binding The custom of binding the feet of girls from a very early age lasted from the Sui to the Qing dynasty and was at times inflicted on half of all girls. It was seen as a badge of wealth of a household because it implied that the family was rich enough to not need women to carry out physical work and kept them house-bound. Read more…
Power and Prosperity during the Tang dynasty When the dynasties of China are brought to mind, the Han, Tang and Ming are generally considered the greatest. In the Tang dynasty China was undoubtedly the only world super-power with huge cities and great achievements. Tang poetry is considered the finest. Influence of China spread to Japan and far to the west reaching the Aral Sea and Pakistan. Read more…
Chinese porcelain Together with tea and silk, porcelain from China is its most famous export. Prized the world over, high quality porcelain commands high prices at auction. Like silk the secret of its manufacture was a closely guarded secret for centuries. Read more…
The 13 Ming Tombs The tombs of the 13 Ming Emperors is one of the largest and most lavish burial complexes anywhere in the world. Like the Valley of the Kings in Egypt the tombs are scattered around a valley of 17 square miles but here only one tomb has been excavated and was found to be completely intact. Read more…
China's name Why do we call the country of China 'China'? It is not the name used by the Chinese people themselves. In fact there are a number of names used in the 'Middle Kingdom' that reflect the country's rich cultural and historic heritage. Read more…
The Peoples of China China although predominately populated with the Han Chinese , has over 100 million people identified as belonging to other ethnic minorities. However these people are concentrated in the less densely populated 'fringes' of China so may form the majority in some regions. Read more…
Chinese Poetry The Chinese language is ideally suited for writing poems. The long history of Chinese has allowed poems written over two thousand years ago to still be appreciated today. The characters provide a concise method for conveying impressions and emotion. Read more…
