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History
It is not confirmed as to when people first arrived in China but there is evidence to suggest that the first peoples were here as early as six thousand years ago. Archeological digs in the Banpo area (Xi an) show an agricultural based community at that time. This was to create the basis for the first period of China, or, the Xia Dynasty (2200-1700BC).
The following period, or, the Shang Dynasty (1700-1100BC) was marked by the introduction of bronze working and was also the period in which the first Chinese characters can be found. These characters are found on bones and shells dating back to that time.
The Zhou Dynasty is divided into two periods, Western Zhou (1100-771BC) and Eastern Zhou (770-221BC). This is due to the moving of the capital city from somewhere near Xi’an to somewhere closer to Luoyang (771BC). This is the troubled period that pushed forward the first of Chinas most revered philosophers and spawned possibly the most famous of all Chinese; Confucius (Kongzi). Confucian theory became widespread through China after Confucius’s death and is still in practice in modern day China.
The Qin Dynasty (221-207BC) lasted only 14 years but is a period well remembered by scholars and commoners alike. Emperor Qin Shihuangdi came out on top at the end of a troubled time at the end of the Zhou dynasty known as the “Warring States Period”. It is no doubt that he arrived on top because of his ruthless ambition, an ambition that would mark his reign. This period though short, saw the beginnings of the great wall, military campaigns reaching north to Korea, and as far south as Vietnam. His ruthlessness had a few drawbacks of course; one being paranoia. Huangdi built a network of 270 palaces, linked by tunnels, and was so afraid of assassination that he slept in a different palace each night.
In the end Qin’s heir did not have the ability to take the reigns and was defeated by a commoner; Liu Bang.
The Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) began under Liu Bang who had proclaimed himself Emperor. The Dynasty can be divided into 3 periods due to the over through of the Han Dynasty in 9 AD by the Xin Dynasty for 14 years. Western Han (206BC-9AD), Xin (9-23AD) and Eastern Han (25-220AD). Later in this period Confucian theory was re-promoted throughout the kingdom and another of Chinas intellectuals came to prominence. Dong Zhongshu developed cosmetology and the idea of using elements (Earth, wind, fire, water, metal) to predict future events. Today, the majority of the Chinese refer to themselves as the Han people, taking the name due to the fact that the Han Dynasty was the longest dynastic period.
The Three Kingdoms period (220-280AD) was broken down into the Wei (220-265) ruled by Caopi who left the Eastern Han to become emperor of his own kingdom. A year later, the Shu (221-263), was founded by its self appointed leader Liu Bei. Finally, in 229 AD, Sunquan founded the Kingdom of Wu (229 - 280) with capital at Jianye, present day Nanjing City. In the end Wei beat out Shu and Wu, restructured and renamed itself Jin.
The Jin Dynasty (265-420) was divided into 2 periods, the Western Jin (265-317) and the Eastern Jin (317-420).
The Southern and Northern Dynasties period lasted from 420ADto 589AD. The Southern Dynasties being the Song (420-479), the Qi (479-502), the Liang (502-557) and the Chen (557-589). The Northern Dynasties being the Northern Wei (386-534), the Eastern Wei (534-550), the Northern Qi (550-577), the Western Wei (535-556) and the Northern Zhou (557-581).
The Sui Dynasty (581-618AD) lasted only 37 years, but was able to reunite north and south under northern rule. The Sui can be credited with constructing the Grand Canal, a waterway 100 feet wide, lined with roads and trees, and stretching for 1,000 miles. The canal was completed in less than 25 years, but at a terrible cost in human life. Almost 5.5 million people were involved in the construction, and it has been estimated that 2.5 million died due to the harshness of the working conditions. Much of the canal is still navigable today. Alas, the costs were too high and Emperor Sui Yangdi was assassinated by one of his officials in 618.
The Tang Dynasty (618-907) established a new means of governance in China to keep the kingdom under control. Emperor Li Yuan divided the country in 300 prefectures and some 1500 counties to divide regional power. This system is loosely the same system used to today. Li’s son Taizong died in 649AD and his then concubine became increasingly powerful until she finally became ruler of a new dynasty she’d created. Empress Wu’s rule ended in 705AD and the Tang re-established itself.
Here another extended period of disorder took over known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. The Dynasties were that of the Later Liang (907 - 923), Later Tang (923 - 936), Later Jin (936 - 946), Later Han (947 - 950), and Later Zhou (951 - 960). The ten kingdoms were the Wu, Southern Tang, Wuyue, Chu, Min, Southern Han, Jinnan, Former Shu, Later Shu and Northern Han. These kingdoms and dynasties were in a continual state of warfare. The kingdoms ended up doing a somewhat better job though and the main economic area of China moved south of the Yellow river to the Yangtze river area. A general in the Later Zhou army, Zhao Kuangyin, led a mutiny at Chenquiaoyi in 960 AD and founded the Song Dynasty.
The Song Dynasty (960-1279) again is split into two periods, that of the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279). The Northern Song Dynasty was rather weak to begin with and faced outside challenges from neighboring non-Chinese such as the Liao, the Xi Xia and the Jurchen. The ladder eventually pushed the Chinese out of the north and for a short time ruled as the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234). The Southern Song Dynasty had bigger problems than the aforementioned neighboring kingdoms when Genghis Khan turned his attention south. The Song leadership held out as long as they could but eventually fell to the Khan in 1276 and gave up completely in 1279.
The Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368) was actually the Mongol Dynasty of China. Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, ruled over China. Unfortunately for the Mongols, Kublai Khan was the only other decent leader after Genghis. After Kublai’s death the Mongols were not able to come together and the Empire broke up and re-dissolved into the roaming tribes they are today.
Under Kublai Khan’s rule, anyone who had crops struck by lightning was excused from paying taxes for three years, as he believed that lightning was a sign of God's disapproval. Ipso facto, if the Khan had accepted money from someone who had incurred God's wrath, he would have brought misfortune upon himself.
Mongol control of China fell to the rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhang in 1368.
The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) is probably the most well known dynasty to foreigners who would identify it with Ming vases, Marco Polo’s Journey and also identifying it as a kind of golden age for China. Trade with the west of course did open up but not with much enthusiasm on the Chinese side (for the most part). These times were also plagued with bad leadership. The leaders of the era were prone to despotism, scholar killings, personality cults and deviating carnal pleasures. One such Emperor, Hung Wu (1368-98), had so many people executed that, through his reign, government officials got into the custom of saying their last goodbyes to their families if they were required at a morning audience, and exchanging congratulations with fellow officials if they survived until evening.
This caused massive riots in the countryside that would again give way to civil war. This civil war was exactly what the Manchu’s (to the north of China) had been waiting for and quickly rode in and asserted power.
The Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The Manchu’s conquest over the Chinese is what has given China its massive land area. The Manchu’s brought with them their own lands as well as the lands of the Mongols that were subjugated to them. The Manchu’s were generally better political leaders than China had seen in the past and they were able to maintain order over the less-than-co-operative Chinese population. The Manchu forced an un-co-operative Chinese people wear the traditional Manchu hair style (shaved front hemisphere of head with long pony tail) and stop the traditions of foot binding and widow suicide, but later embraced the latter two to gain favour. Never the less, anti-Manchu sentiment led to the emergence of Dr. Sun Yat Sen and the Republic of China.
The Republic Of China (1911-1949) was not to be. Sun Yat Sen was forced to give up leadership of the movement to Yuan Shikai (the imperial army general of the Qing) in order to fully dissolve the Qing Dynasty. Yuan Shikai was not much interested in the republic though, and decided to appoint himself the new emperor. This sparked a breakup of China into the Republic and states broken off under the leadership of warlords. After Yuan Shikai passed away, a new man emerged on the scene.
Chiang Kaishek, like his predecessor had no interest in the ideals of the revolution and was generally seen as ruthless in command. During his time Kai Shek grew increasingly obsessed with destroying the Communists rather than dealing with the mounting social problems at home and likely defeated himself by supplying the Communist movement with a large supply of disaffected citizens.