A Brief History of China
The history of China encompasses centuries of innovation, expansion and conflict. Chinese weaponry, thought and raw materials have flowed west since the travels of Marco Polo in the 13th century. The early dynasties of China struggled with neighboring Mongols, while modern Chinese fought against the Japanese Empire in World War II. A brief exploration of Chinese history can reveal how a loose group of feudal states turned into an economic superpower in the 21st century.
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The Zhou Dynasty
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The Zhou Dynasty is separated between the Western (1027 to 771 B.C.) and Eastern (771 to 221 B.C.) Zhou lines. China under the Western Zhou line led to the decentralization of provinces and territories to decrease administrative difficulties. The death of the Western Zhou emperor in 771 B.C. led to the ascendancy of the Eastern Zhou line in China. The defining characteristic of China in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty was a vibrant setting for philosophical thought including the genesis of Confucianism, Daoism and Legalism.
The First Imperial Period
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The Qin Province (221 B.C. to 220 AD) rose to prominence in China after decades of feuding under the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Qin leaders ruled China by bringing together warring provinces through targeted executions, bureaucratic structures and codified laws. The latter half of the First Imperial Period featured the Han Dynasty, which pushed China's borders westward to the Middle East. The First Imperial Period was notable for the creation of trade routes to Europe and North Africa via the Silk Road.
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Yuan Dynasty
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The Yuan Dynasty (1279 to 1368 A.D.) represents a low point in Chinese political history as feuding warlords gave way to Mongolian rule. Kublai Khan led Mongolian forces through Chinese provinces, executed or imprisoned Han Dynasty officials and brought order to this war-torn region. Khan employed remaining Han officials and encouraged the use of Tibetan Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism to appease Chinese subjects. The Yuan Dynasty provided the backdrop for Marco Polo's historic journey from Italy to China in the late 13th century.
Conflicts in Modern China
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China was besieged by internal and international conflicts as Europeans made contact in the 19th century. The Opium War that raged from 1839 to 1842 featured British soldiers invading China to open the opium trade. The British defeated the Chinese handily, eliminating prohibitions on opium in China and receiving Hong Kong as compensation. The Taiping Rebellion of 1851 lasted 13 years before international forces helped the Chinese government defeat Hong Xiuquan's forces.
Rise of Communism in China
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The Communist Party under Mao Zedong rose to prominence in the 1920s as an alternative to Chiang Kai-Shek's Nationalists. Zedong led 100,000 party members and sympathizers to Shaanxi Province in October 1934 to create a base of operations for the Communists. China's tense internal politics gave way to temporary unity as the Japanese Empire tried to take Beijing in July 7, 1937. The creation of the People's Republic of China by Mao Zedong on October 1, 1949 came after a two-year civil war.
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- Photo Credit Photo by Wirralwater (Flickr)
