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Chinese history spans some 3,500 years. It began with the advent of the Shang dynasty, the country's first historical dynasty. China has long been the most populous country in the world. It's warring states were united into a single nation by Qin Shihuang in 221 BC. For the next two thousand years, China was ruled by a series of imperial dynasties who followed the principles of [[Confucianism]]. In 1949, a Communist state was established. During the [[Great Leap Forward]] (1958-1961), the Communists starved the nation's peasants to maximize rice exports. The money raised was used to build a nuclear bomb, which was tested in 1964. Market-oriented reforms have allowed the country to experience rapid economic growth since 1978. However, the Communist Party maintains a monopoly on political power. In 1989, the army killed thousands of anti-Communist demonstrators in the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

Chinese history spans some 3,500 years. It began with the advent of the Shang dynasty, the country's first historical dynasty. China has long been the most populous country in the world. It's warring states were united into a single nation by Qin Shi Huang Di in 221 BC. For the next two thousand years, China was ruled by a series of imperial dynasties who followed the principles of [[Confucianism]]. In 1949, a Communist state was established. During the [[Great Leap Forward]] (1958-1961), the Communists starved the nation's peasants to maximize rice exports. The money raised was used to build a nuclear bomb, which was tested in 1964. Market-oriented reforms have allowed the country to experience rapid economic growth since 1978. However, the Communist Party maintains a monopoly on political power. In 1989, the army killed thousands of anti-Communist demonstrators in the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

[[File:China1.jpg|thumb|200px]]

[[File:China1.jpg|thumb|200px]]

{{History of China}}  

{{History of China}}  

==Mythological period==

==Mythological period==

Traditional history begins with Pangu, the first living being. When Pangu died, his left eye became the Sun. Various parts of his body became different parts of the Earth. There followed a succession of Three Sovereigns, or demigod rulers. The first and best known of these was Fu Xi. After the Three Sovereigns, there were the Five Emperors. During the reign of Emperor Yao (c. 2356 – 2255 BC), a great and terrible flood began.<ref>The Biblical flood may be dated as   2304 BC.("[http://creation.com/the-date-of-noahs-flood The Date of Noah’s Flood]" by Dr John Osgood)</ref> The waters overtopped hills and mountains, threatening heaven itself. Yao appointed Gun to control the food. To build dikes, Gun stole soil that expanded magically from the Supreme Deity. This angered the Supreme Deity, and the flood raged on. Yao consulted the Four Mountains, who advised him to appoint Shun as his successor. Shun (r. 2255 – 2195 BC) was only a distant relative of Yao, but he was known throughout the kingdom as a dutiful son. Shun's father had repeatedly tried to murder him, so being a dutiful son was not as easy as it might sound. Shun was later singled out by [[Confucius]] as an example of outstanding filial piety. Yet he too proved helpless before the flood. Shun's successor, Yu the Great (c. 2200 - 2100 BC), was finally able to control the raging waters by building embankments made of non-magical soil. Yu's son succeeded him, making Yu the founder of the legendary [[Xia dynasty]] (2070 – c. 1600 BC).

Traditional history begins with Pangu, the first living being. When Pangu died, his left eye became the Sun. Various parts of his body became different parts of the Earth. There followed a succession of Three Sovereigns, or demigod rulers. The first and best known of these was Fuxi (2852–2737 BC). After the Three Sovereigns, China was ruled by the Five Emperors. The Yellow Emperor (r. 2698–2598 BC) is given credit for numerous inventions and is considered the founder of Chinese culture.

 

During the reign of Emperor Yao (2356 - 2255 BC), a great and terrible flood began.<ref>The Biblical flood may be dated as 2304 BC.("[http://creation.com/the-date-of-noahs-flood The Date of Noah’s Flood]" by Dr John Osgood)</ref> The waters overtopped hills and mountains, threatening heaven itself. Yao appointed Gun to control the food. To build dikes, Gun stole soil that expanded magically from the Supreme Deity. This angered the Supreme Deity, and the flood raged on. Yao consulted the Four Mountains, who advised him to appoint Shun as his successor. Shun (r. 2255 – 2195 BC) was only a distant relative of Yao, but he was known throughout the kingdom as a dutiful son. Shun's father had repeatedly tried to murder him, so being a dutiful son was not as easy as it might sound. Shun was later singled out by [[Confucius]] as an example of outstanding filial piety. Yet he too proved helpless before the flood. Shun's successor, Yu the Great (c. 2200 - 2100 BC), was finally able to control the raging waters by building embankments made of non-magical soil. Yu's son succeeded him, making Yu the founder of the legendary [[Xia dynasty]] (2070 – c. 1600 BC).

==Pre-history and early history==

==Pre-history and early history==

===Dictatorship of Yuan Shikai 1911-1916===

===Dictatorship of Yuan Shikai 1911-1916===

By 1911 China had 400 million people and the beginnings of a modern railroad system.  The administrative system remained hopelessly inadequate; for example the central government never knew how much was raised in taxes (only a small part of which it obtained).  Unrest with the failures of the Qing dynasty continued to escalate, despite belated efforts at reform. [[Sun Yat-sen]] (1866-1925) created a revolutionary ferment based in the worldwide Chinese diaspora.  The old dynasty collapsed in 1911 as soldiers of the modernized army revolted, and the emperor abdicated in early 1912. A republic was proclaimed on January 1, 1912, but power was held by a [[Yuan Shikai]] (1859-1916), a soldier. The Nationalist ("Kuomintang" or [[KMT]]) party won the first national elections in 1912, but Yuan had the KMT leader assassinated, crushed republican uprisings in 1913 (called the "Second revolution"), shut down parliament, and ruled as dictator. Yuan's foreign policy was subservience to the foreign powers; he accepted Japan's Twenty-One demands, giving Japan control of Manchuria and a voice in internal affairs; it was a humiliation the people rejected. Yuan even tried to proclaim himself emperor, but the spirit of [[republicanism]] was too strong and a rising revolt, based in the south, was about to overthrow him when he suddenly died of natural causes in June 1916.<ref>Hsü, (1999) ch 20</ref>

By 1911 China had 400 million people and the beginnings of a modern railroad system.  The administrative system remained hopelessly inadequate; for example the central government never knew how much was raised in taxes (only a small part of which it obtained).  Unrest with the failures of the Qing dynasty continued to escalate, despite belated efforts at reform. [[Sun Yat-sen]] (1866-1925) created a revolutionary ferment based in the worldwide Chinese diaspora.  The old dynasty collapsed in 1911 as soldiers of the modernized army revolted, and the emperor abdicated in early 1912. A republic was proclaimed on January 1, 1912, but power was held by a [[Yuan Shikai]] (1859-1916), a soldier. The Nationalist ("Kuomintang" or [[KMT]]) party won the first national elections in 1912, but Yuan had the KMT leader assassinated, crushed republican uprisings in 1913 (called the "Second revolution"), shut down parliament, and ruled as dictator. Yuan's foreign policy was subservience to the foreign powers; he accepted Japan's Twenty-One demands, giving Japan control of Manchuria and a voice in internal affairs; it was a humiliation the people rejected. Yuan even tried to proclaim himself emperor, but the spirit of [[republicanism]] was too strong and a rising revolt, based in the south, was about to overthrow him when he suddenly died of natural causes in June 1916.<ref>Hsü, (1999) ch 20</ref>

===Age of Warloards, 1916-1927===

===Age of Warloards, 1916-1927===

After Yuan's death power devolved to regional warlords, and there was little or no central government until 1928.<ref>Hsü,  (1999) ch 20</ref>

After Yuan's death power devolved to regional warlords, and there was little or no central government until 1928.<ref>Hsü,  (1999) ch 20</ref>

===KMT government 1927-1937===

===KMT government 1927-1937===

Under the leadership of the [[KMT]] (Kuomintang), headed by [[Chiang Kai-shek]] (1887-1975), the central government finally suppressed the local warlords who effectively controlled many provinces.  Japan seized Manchuria in 1931, and in 1937 invaded all of China, defeating the government armies, seizing the coast, the major cities, and setting up a puppet government that controlled most of the population. China's resistance was ineffective.<ref> Spence, ''Search for Modern China'' (1990) ch 14-16</ref>  

Under the leadership of the [[KMT]] (Kuomintang), headed by [[Chiang Kai-shek]] (1887-1975), the central government finally suppressed the local warlords who effectively controlled many provinces.  Japan seized Manchuria in 1931, and in 1937 invaded all of China, defeating the government armies, seizing the coast, the major cities, and setting up a puppet government that controlled most of the population. China's resistance was ineffective.<ref> Spence, ''Search for Modern China'' (1990) ch 14-16</ref>