A BRIEF History of China

1
A BRIEF History of China

• Perth High School Confucius Classroom
• Introductory Presentation 2

2
A Brief History of China
3
In the Beginning

• China is a very ancient civilisation
• The kingdom from which China grew was established
  for many centuries BC
• The first emperor, Shi Huangdi, established the
  Qn Empire in 221 BC

4
Ancient Dynasties

• Shang c.1600 - c.1100 BC
• Zhou c.1100 BC - 256 BC
• Qin 256 BC - 206 BC
• Han 206 BC - 220 AD
• 3 Kingdoms 220 - 265
• Six dynasties 265 - 589
• Sui 589 - 618
• Tang 618 - 907
• 5 dynasties 10 kingdoms 907-980
• Song 980 - 1279

5
Later Dynasties

• Yuan 1279 - 1368
• (the Mongol Empire)
• Ming 1368 - 1644
• (the first Ming emperor drove out the Mongols
  and re-established the Chinese Empire)
• Qing 1644 - 1912
• The Chinese Empire survived for 2133 years. In
  comparison, the Roman Empire survived for about
  500 years and the British Empire for about 350.

6
The Modern Era

• The Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901 against European
  and US control of China) is defeated in 1901.
• Chinese Republic proclaimed in 1912 after the
  abdication of the child-emperor
• Yuan Shikai (a warlord) seizes power from 1912 to
  1916
• Dr Sun Yat-Sen, leader of the Kuomintang Party,
  attempts to establish the republic despite
  feuding warlords but dies in 1925
• In 1928 Chang Kai-shek seizes Beijing for the
  Kuomintang
• Civil war with Mao Zedongs Communist Party
  begins in 1929.
• The 6000-mile Long March sees Maos army escape
  the Kuomintang forces in 1934-35 (Mao Zedong,
  Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping are all comrades on
  the March)

7
The 2nd Sino-Japanese War

• The Empire of Japan begins attacks on China in
  1937 and quickly seizes many northern and coastal
  areas
• The US gunboat Panay is sunk by Japanese bombers
  whilst peace still exists between the US and
  Japan
• With the attack on Pearl Harbour on Dec. 7, 1941,
  Japan captures European and US territories in
  China e.g. Hong Kong and Macau
• The Chinese capital is moved far up the Yangzi
  river to Chongqing but comes under attack
• Chinese, US and British forces fight back from
  western and central China, with supplies carried
  by the Burma Road to Kunming
• The Japanese are eventually defeated in 1945 but
  many areas of northern, southern and eastern
  China are devastated by the war

8
The Civil War and Revolution

• Despite partial alliances against the Japanese, a
  state of war exists between the Kuomintang and
  Communist forces for over 20 years from 1926
• The Civil War fully breaks out in 1946
• The Communist Party of China seizes power on
  October 1st, 1949 (although some parts of China
  are not captured until 1950)
• Various offshore islands stay loyal to the
  Kuomintang and Chang Kai-Shek re-establishes the
  Chinese Republic on Taiwan
• Several offshore islands are captured by the
  Communists between 1949 and 1960

9
Leaps Forward (and Back)

• The Great Leap Forward (1958-60) saw Mao attempt
  to turn China from an agrarian economy to an
  industrialised society. Between 14 and 43
  million Chinese starved to death.
• The Cultural Revolution (1966-69) saw Mao Zedong
  unleash the Red Guards to stamp out liberal
  economic and political thought.
• Death of Mao Zedong in September 1976
• In October 1976, The pro-Mao Gang of Four - led
  by Maos wife, Jiang Qing - were arrested by the
  new Party chairman, Hua Guofeng.

10
The Making of Modern China

• Deng Xiaoping was restored to Party positions he
  had lost during the Cultural Revolution. He
  quickly removed Hua Guofeng from power but
  allowed him to retire peacefully. Deng stayed as
  the most influential Chinese leader until the mid
  90s.
• The Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 highlighted
  Chinas growing clamour for liberalisation
• Third Generation leaders, under President Jiang
  Zemin, took power in the 90s and introduced
  economic liberalisation.
• Fourth Generation leaders, under President Hu
  Jintao, took power early in the 21st century and
  now control China.