Changes

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.

The origin of Chinese civilization is shrouded in mythology. Documented history begins with the [[Shang dynasty]], founded in 1600 BC. 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 in 221 BC. For the next two thousand years, China was ruled by a series of imperial dynasties who followed the principles of [[Confucianism]]. Officials were selected by an examination system which tested knowledge of classic works of literature. The Qing (1644-1911), the last of these dynasties, was founded  by the Manchu, a barbarian people from the northeast. 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. China now has the world's second largest economy, surpassing Japan in 2010.

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

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

{{History of China}}  

{{History of China}}