CHAPTER 1

History
 Lead-in Questions:

1. What do you know about Chinese history? How long is it?

2. How many dynasties are there in Chinese history? What is the first dynasty in
Chinese history? How about the last one? Which one do you think is the most
influential?

3. Do you know any great person in Chinese history?

4. Have you ever compared Chinese history with the history of any other countries?
What are the similarities and differences?
Which of the following do you think are ancient civilizations?

Babylon Las
Vegas Singapore
USA China
Japan
Greece
Egypt India Britain
Where do you think Chinese civilization originated?
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both
the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the
Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization.

4
 Ⅰ Ancient Chinese History

Contents Ⅱ Modern Chinese History

Ⅲ Contemporary Chinese History

 Ⅰ

Ancient Chinese History

1 The Yellow Emperor and the Formation of the Chinese Nation

2 Qin Shihuang and China’s Unification

3 Han Wudi and the Silk Road

4 Tang Xuanzong and the Kaiyuan Age of Prosperity

5 Song Taizu and the Economic Prosperity

6 Yuan Shizu and the Territorial Expansion

7 Ming Chengzu and Zheng He’s Voyages to the “Western Oceans”

8 Qing Gaozong and the Prosperity of the Kangxi and Qianlong Periods
Timeline of China

Prehistory

1.1 Paleolithic(75,000-500,000 years BC-8500 years BC)

1.2 Neolithic(10,200 BC-4500BC~2000BC)

10
1. The Yellow Emperor and the Formation of the Chinese Nation

Chinese people always call themselves “Descendants of Yan and Huang”, a

title related to the legendary Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor) and Yandi.
Huangdi, Yandi and Chiyou were three tribal leaders in ancient China.
• Early on, the Huangdi tribe and the Yandi tribe both

lived in the northwestern part of China.

• The war first took place between the Yandi tribe and

the Jiuli tribe.

Yandi
tribe

huangdi Jiuli
tribe tribe
“Zhuolu Battle”
In order to gain control over other tribes,
the Huangdi tribe and the Yandi tribe
fought three more wars.

Finally, Huangdi defeated Yandi and

became the leader of the tribal alliance in
the Central Plains region.

After a long period of integration and

development, they formed the main part of
the Huaxia (Chinese) nationality. Hence, it
can be said that Huangdi and Yandi are
truly the ancestors of the Chinese people.
 H
u
a
x
i
The Huangdi tribe and the Yandi tribe became further integrated. a
They influenced each other economically and culturally, and
became more and more closely related. After a long period of
integration and development, they formed the main part of the
Huaxia (Chinese) nationality.
Z
h
o
n
g
h
u
a
“Descendants of Yan and Huang”
“Zhonghua”represent the whole of China
 Huangdi Mausoleum in Shaanxi

Yandi Mausoleum in Hunan

Here in Xinzheng, Henan the homeland of Huangdi the

Ceremony is also held to worship Huangdi on March 3
according to the lunar calendar , every year
 Dynasty Date
Timeline of Ancient Chinese History Xia  2070-1600 BC  
Shang  1600-1046 BC
Western Zhou  1046-771 BC
Eastern Zhou
     Spring and 770-476 BC
     Warring States 475-221 BC
Qin  221-206 BC
Western Han  206 BC-AD 25        
Eastern Han  25-220
Three Kingdoms 220-280
Western Jin  265-317
Eastern Jin  317-420
Southern and 420-589
Sui  581-618
Tang  618-907
Five Dynasties  907-960
Northern Song  960-1127
Southern Song  1127-1279
Yuan  1271-1368
Ming  1368-1644
Qing  1644-1911
Cultural Notes
• Xia, Shang and Zhou
Three ancient Chinese dynasties, ending in the 3rd
century BC. After Huangdi, three famous leaders of tribal
alliances, Yao, Shun and Yu, appeared successively. Yu
established the Xia Dynasty, the earliest dynasty in ancient
China. After the Xia Dynasty, it was the Shang Dynasty and
then the Zhou Dynasty.

Video: 1 Shang Dynasty

Yandi Mausoleum in Hunan

The written history of China can be found as early as the Shang

Dynasty ( 1700 BC – 1046 BC). Oracle bones with
ancient Chinese writing from the Shang Dynasty have
been radiocarbon dated to as early as 1500 BC.
Bronze Technology in Shang Dynasty
Cultural Notes
The Spring and autumn Period

The Warring States Period

Hundreds of Schools of Thought

Qu Yuan
2. Qin Shihuang and China’s Unification

“Seven Powers of the Warring States Period”

Qi Chu Yan Han Zhao Wei Qin
 The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty

In the central government, there was the

Prime Minister(aiding the emperor in state
affairs), the Imperial Censor (administering
the officials) and the Grand Commandant
(ruling the army).

Qin Shihuang
The unification of the Qin Dynasty

• unified legal system

the whole country abided by the laws of the

State of Qin.
The unification of the Qin Dynasty

• unified measurement

units of length, volume

The unification of the Qin Dynasty

• unified currency

only gold or circular square-hole copper

money of the State of Qin could be used.
The unification of the Qin Dynasty

• unification of scripts

the small seal scripts were used throughout

the country. Later, simpler official scripts
appeared, and the unification of these
scripts promoted cultural exchanges.
The unification of the Qin Dynasty

• unify people’s ideals

Qin Shihuang burned down the history

books of the six states and the hundreds of
schools of thought. Because some scholars
had criticized the government, Qin
Shihuang buried more than 460 scholars
alive.
 Protecting and expanding the country

• In the north, from the Warring States Period, the

Huns often went to the land north of the Qin, Zhao
and Yan states to kill and rob people.
• In the south, Qin Shihuang’s army defeated the
Baiyue tribes, and more land entered the territory of
the Qin Dynasty.
• The territory of the Qin Dynasty went east to the sea,
west to Longxi, north to the Great Wall and south to
the South China Sea.
• In ancient Indian Sanskrit, China was called “Cina”.
• In The Geography Book of Ptolemy, written by the
Greek geographer, China was referred to as the
kingdom of “Qinni”.
• The present name of “China”, as some people
believe, may be a variation of “Qin”

Video: 2 How did China get its name?

Cultural Notes

• Qin Shihuang
After the reunification of China, Ying Zheng, the King
of Qin, became the first emperor of the country. He hoped
that the rule of the Qin Dynasty would continue forever; he
was the first emperor and his descendants were the second
and third generations, and so on throughout history.
Therefore, he is known in history as “Qin Shihuang”
(literally “First Emperor of Qin”)
Discussion

1. What contributions do you think Qin Dynasty has made

to the history of China? How are they important?
2. What do you think are the possible reasons that Qin
Dynasty was overthrown at last?
 3. Han Wudi and the Silk Road

The Han Dynasty included the Western Han Dynasty (206

BC—25 AD) and the Eastern Han Dynasty (25—220).

The most famous emperor was Liu Che (156—87 BC), or

Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty.
 Attacking the Huns

In 139 BC, Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty

sent the diplomat and explorer Zhang Qian
(164—114 BC) to the Western Regions to join
Dayuezhi (Central Asians) in attacking the
Huns.
 Military development

The army of the Han Dynasty defeated the

Huns many times and opened the passageway
between the Han Dynasty and the Western
Regions.
When Zhang Qian returned to Chang’an in 115
BC, he was accompanied by envoys from
dozens of the Western Regions countries.
 The Silk Road

From Chang’an and westwards, through the

Hexi Corridor, Chinese silk was transported to
Parthia, and then from Parthia to West Asia and
the Roman Empire.

Video: 3 The Chinese Silk Road

Cultural Notes

• Hexi (River West) Corridor

It is about 1,000 kilometers long, located in Gansu
Province. To get to the Western Regions, one must go
through the Hexi Corridor, through which the Silk Road
leads to Central and West Asia. The Hexi Corridor was
controlled by the Huns in the early Western Han Dynasty.
 The Belt and Road Initiative

“the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century

Maritime Silk Road”
Papermaking Technology The lightest and thinnest clothing in
history-Unearthed in
Mawangdui(Changsha) Han Tomb
4. Tang Xuanzong and the Kaiyuan Age of Prosperity

After the Eastern Han Dynasty,

Chinese history entered a long period
of division: Wei, Jin, and the Southern
and Northern Dynasties. Then Sui
Dynasty unified the country again but
was soon overthrown by Tang
Dynasty.
 “The
“The Rule Rule of Zhenguan”
of Zhenguan” and “The Kaiyuan
“The Kaiyuan
Age of Age of Prosperity”.
Prosperity”.
 Zhenguan (627—650)

Li Shimin (Tang Taizong)

• took many good measures to consolidate the

country
• enlightened national policy
• married his daughter, Princess Wencheng, to the
leader of Tubo(established by ancient Tibetan
nationality)
 Kaiyuan (713—742)

Li Longji (Tang Xuanzong)

• Wu Zetian’s grandson, Li Longji (Tang

Xuanzong), became the Tang emperor with the reign title
Kaiyuan (713—742). Under his administration, the
country became better and better.
The only female emperor in history——Wu Ze Tian

blank stele
 Du Fu (712—770)

“There were tens of thousands of families in small

cities, and public and private warehouses were full of
grain”
An open dynasty

Chang’an (now Xi’an), the capital

• more than 200 countries and regions had

contact with the Tang Dynasty
• foreign businessmen and students stayed in
Chang’an for decades.
• Chang’an, Luoyang, Yangzhou, Guangzhou,
Lanzhou, Liangzhou, and Dunhuang were all
important cities for foreign trade in Tang Dynasty.

Video: 4 Chang’an everlasting ancient city

Video: 5 History of Tang Dynasty
 An open dynasty: tremendous and far-reaching influence

Chinatown

Tang suit
Cultural Notes

• Wei, Jin, and the Southern and Northern

Dynasties
Wei, Jin, and the Southern and Northern Dynasties are
the collective names of several Chinese dynasties. “Wei”
refers to the Wei (founded in 220) in the Three Kingdoms,
and “Jin” refers to the Western Jin Dynasty (265—317)
established by the Sima family and the Eastern Jin Dynasty
(317—420) reconstructed by the Sima clan in the south.
5. Song Taizu and the Economic Prosperity

After the demise of the Tang Dynasty, Chinese history entered a

period of division — the Five Dynasties and Ten Countries.
Emperor Taizu of the Song
Dynasty
While strengthening the power of the central
government, Song Taizu tried to unify the north
and south on the one hand, promote economic
development on the other, and quickly push the
Northern Song Dynasty into prosperity.

Song Shenzong said, “Before political affairs,

financial management is the most urgent”.
In the Northern Song Dynasty,
streets were full of shops, business
hours were more flexible, and night
markets appeared .
 Among the top ten
richest
person in human history

Song Shenzong is the third

 world’s earliest “Central Bank”

“official banknotes”.
Jiaozi
 According to historical records, the
porcelain of the Song Dynasty was
the sea trade road shipped to more than 50 countries
around the world, the farthest including
Tanzania in Africa.
Cultural Notes

• The Five Dynasties and Ten Countries

Five short dynasties appeared successively in the
Central Plains after the demise of the Tang Dynasty (907).
They were Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and
Later Zhou. Almost at the same time as the Five Dynasties,
there were “Ten Countries”, which included Qianshu,
Houshu, Wu, Nantang, Wuyue, Min, Chu, Nanhan, Nanping
(Jingnan) and Beihan.
6. Yuan Shizu and the Territorial Expansion

Genghis Khan Kublai

Temüjin (1162—1227) unified the

Mongolian region and was elected

the leader of the entire grasslands.

After the establishment of the Great
Mongolia, Genghis Khan continued
to fight with his army.
In 1260, Kublai (Genghis Khan’s
grandson, 1215—1294) became the Great
Khan. In 1271, he officially became the
emperor and named his reign of the
country “Yuan”.
 one of the largest
dynasties in Chinese history
According to The Historical Atlas of
China, the lands inhabited by the Han
Chinese, the vast regions north and south
of the Gobi Desert, Northeast China,
Eastern Xinjiang, the Qinghai-Tibet
Plateau, the Penghu Islands, the Jizhou
Island and the South China Sea were all
under the rule of the Yuan Dynasty.
 Kublai Khan

not only an outstanding military

strategist, but also an excellent statesman
• retained the political system of the Song
Dynasty
• promoted Sinicization
• attached importance to Han culture
• put Han people in important positions.
 a history of less than 100 years
• Sinicization was not very thorough
• many old Mongolian systems hindered
social progress and development
• Frequent wars
• the ethnic relations of the Yuan
• Dynasty were more complicated

Video: 6 History of Yuan Dynasty

Video: 7 Yuan Dynasty
7. Ming Chengzu and Zheng He’s Voyages to the “Western Oceans”

Zhu Di (Ming Chengzu)

Zheng He
 the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty
(1368—1644)

sent the explorer and diplomat Zheng He

(circa 1371—1433) to the “Western
Oceans” during the third year of his reign
(1405).

Zhu Di (Ming Chengzu)

• At that time, the “Western Ocean” referred
to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean
west of Brunei.
• Zheng He’s fleet went to more than 30
countries and regions
• reached as far as the eastern coast of Africa,
the Red Sea, Mecca, and possibly Australia

Zheng He sailed to the

“Western Oceans” seven times
 Why did Ming Chengzu send
Zheng He to the West so frequently?

diplomacy and trade

• more than 100 ships in each trip

• 40 to 60 large-scale treasure ships in

• more
addition than
to grain 100 ships
carriers, water
carriers, horse
• incarriers,
each tripand warships

• gold, silver, jewelry, silk, porcelain,

and other Chinese specialty products
Every time they came to a country or region, these were
given to the local people as gifts from the Ming emperor to
express his desire for friendly exchanges.
 • set out in June 1405 and returned to in the autumn
of 1407

• lasted about two years

Take Zheng He’s first trip

to the “Western Ocean” as an example
 Zheng He’s voyage to the Pacific Ocean was 87 years earlier than Columbus’s discovery of
the Americas, 93 years earlier than Vasco da Gama’s opening of the New Oriental route, and
116 years earlier than Magellan’s arrival in the Philippines.
Cultural Notes

• Zheng He’s Treasure Ships

The Treasure Ships were built by Chinese shipbuilders
in the Ming Dynasty by drawing on the shipbuilding
experience of previous dynasties. They are the largest
wooden sailboats in China’s navigation history as well as in
the world’s navigation history.
8. Qing Gaozong and the Prosperity of the Kangxi and Qianlong Periods

the Prosperous Age of Kang-

Yong-Qian

Yongzheng

Kangxi Qianlong
 lasted 134 years
(1662—1796)

• vast territories
• a stable society
• a developed economy
• rapid population growth
 Kangxi

• Emperor for 61 years, the longest

serving emperor in Chinese history.

• quelled the Three Vassals’ Rebellion,

defeated Junggar (the Mongolians),
recovered Taiwan, and reunited China.

• protected China’s territorial integrity

and twice expelled the Tsarist Russian
army from Albazin.
 Yongzheng

• reform measures played a key role in the

continuity of the prosperous period of
Kangxi and Qianlong.

• during his 13 years as Emperor, he had

handled more than 192,000 memorials

• rectify government officials and state

finance
How much money did Emperor Kangxi leave when
he handed over the throne to Emperor Yongzheng?

The answer is less than 8 million taels of silver.

Emperor Yongzheng left Qianlong 60 million.
 Qianlong
(or Qing Gaozong)

• Politically, maintained national unity and expanded

the territory of the Qing Dynasty.

• carried out political and religious reforms in Tibet,

and strengthened the rule of Tibet.

• In terms of economy, agriculture, handicraft

industry and commerce developed greatly

• In terms of culture, The Complete Library in the

Four Branches of Literature, which was compiled
under the auspices of Emperor Qianlong in a period
of 13 years, basically includes all ancient Chinese
books.
Cultural Notes

• The Three Vassals’ Rebellion

The Three Vassals refer to three Han vassal kings, Wu
Sangui of Yunnan, Shang Kexi of Guangdong and Geng
Jingzhong of Fujian. Because Emperor Kangxi withdrew,
these three vassal kings launched a rebellion in 1673. The
pacification of the three vassals took eight years and marked
the establishment of a stable rule of the Qing Dynasty.