China (place) by Berek - Everything2.com

The People's Republic of China covers a huge area of Asia (approx 9.597,000 sq km/ 3,705,400 sq mi), stretching as far west as Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, south to India, Myanmar and Vietnam, east to the East China Sea and North Korea, and north to Mongolia and Russia.

It is well-known as being the most populous nation in the world. In 2003, its population is rapidly heading towards 1.3 billion.

China's history began in 5,000 BC with a simple agricultural society, and during the period c2800-221 BC, the Sage kings and Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties developed writing systems, bronze and iron use, money, and written laws. The Qin dynasty 221-206 BC began the Great Wall of China, and built roads and canals. Subsequent dynasties saw Chinese society develop further, and the Tang dynasty 618-907 saw trade relations being established with the Islamic world and the Byzantine Empire. The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 907-960 saw the development of printing and paper money, and the start of porcelain exports to Islamic nations. The Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties saw Mongol invasions and rule over China. Marco Polo visited the court of the Great Khan during this time, and served his successor, Kublai Khan.

The Ming dynasty 1368-1644 expelled the Mongols, and began naval exploration and expansion of the empire. Portuguese and other European explorers came to China, and porcelain was sent to Europe.

The Manchu or Ching dynasty (1644-1912) saw much trade with Europe, but growing European dominance led to the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 against Western influence.

1911 saw the first of a series of upheavals in China and a republic was formed in 1912. Civil war followed until nationalist control by the Guomindang was established in 1926, with help from their communist allies. The communists were chased to northwest China during the Long March of 1934-35, but fought with the nationalists against Japan 1937-45. Following the Japanese surrender, civil war again broke out, with communist victory resulting, and the nationalists fleeing to Taiwan. The People's Republic was formed in 1949.

The Communists under Mao Zedong experimented with communes during the Great Leap Forward of 1958, but their efforts to achieve "true communism" failed, with 20 million dying in floods and famines 1959-62. Mao saw attempts to help the country recover as being a return to capitalism, and launched the Cultural Revolution 1966-69.

He was assisted by the Gang of Four, and opponents like Deng Xiaoping were forced into hiding following Mao's death. Deng regained control over government by 1979, however, and introduced reforms such as "Special Economic Zones". The Gang of Four were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1981.

A prodemocracy movement arose in the country during the 1980s, but was fiercely crushed at Tiananmen Square in June, 1989, where over 2000 unarmed protesters were massacred by army troops.

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