History of China
China has been endowed with some of the most picturesque surroundings in the world. Gleaming lakes, colourful flora and fauna and an exceedingly rich cultural heritage; it is more than just a beautiful country. The roots of Chinese history are grounded deep and go back thousands of years.
The name China comes has been taken from the Sanskrit word ‘Cina’. The Qin Dynasty pronounced the word as ‘Chin’. The Persians had their version when they began trading with the Chinese through the Silk Route. They called it ‘Cin’. For the Greek and the Romans China was ‘the land where silk came from – Seres. It was only in 1516 that the name China appeared in the journals of Barbosa, who has narrated about his travels in the East.
1. Pre-History
Stone tools and use of fire which date back 1.36 and 1.27 million years ago respectively have been found in the region which now falls within the boundaries of China. Evidence of rice agriculture which go back to 8000 BC has been found by the Yangtze River. The Chinese were even familiar with some form of writing back in 7000 BC. The evidence to this was found in Jiahu – proto-writing did exist back then. The first villages began to settle in the Yellow River Valley and the proof was found in the archaeological excavations at Banpo Xian which date between 5000 BC and 3000 BC. The first culture was the Yangshao which was followed by Longshan culture.
Xia Dynasty 2070 to 1600 BC
The Xia Dynasty is considered as one of the first dynasties of China. Records of Sima Qian (Father of Chinese Historiography) speak about an emperor Zhuanxu or Gao Yang who was the grandson of Huang-Ti to be one of the Five Emperors to have founded the Xia Dynasty. Later a man by the name of Yu who is believed to have solved the flood problems of the area was made the leader of the Xia Dynasty’s army by the then ruling King Shun. Yu proved to be an effective leader of the army and managed to defeat the Sanmiao tribe who were a grave problem to the Xia people. Shun was so happy that he declared Yu the heir to the throne. Yu was a good ruler and Xia flourished under his rule for 45 years. His son Qi took the reins of the kingdom after him but couldn’t keep up to his father’s expectation. Soon the Xia dynasty dwindles under its leaders making way for the next dynasty.
The name China comes has been taken from the Sanskrit word ‘Cina’. The Qin Dynasty pronounced the word as ‘Chin’. The Persians had their version when they began trading with the Chinese through the Silk Route. They called it ‘Cin’. For the Greek and the Romans China was ‘the land where silk came from – Seres. It was only in 1516 that the name China appeared in the journals of Barbosa, who has narrated about his travels in the East.
1. Pre-History
Stone tools and use of fire which date back 1.36 and 1.27 million years ago respectively have been found in the region which now falls within the boundaries of China. Evidence of rice agriculture which go back to 8000 BC has been found by the Yangtze River. The Chinese were even familiar with some form of writing back in 7000 BC. The evidence to this was found in Jiahu – proto-writing did exist back then. The first villages began to settle in the Yellow River Valley and the proof was found in the archaeological excavations at Banpo Xian which date between 5000 BC and 3000 BC. The first culture was the Yangshao which was followed by Longshan culture.
Xia Dynasty 2070 to 1600 BC
The Xia Dynasty is considered as one of the first dynasties of China. Records of Sima Qian (Father of Chinese Historiography) speak about an emperor Zhuanxu or Gao Yang who was the grandson of Huang-Ti to be one of the Five Emperors to have founded the Xia Dynasty. Later a man by the name of Yu who is believed to have solved the flood problems of the area was made the leader of the Xia Dynasty’s army by the then ruling King Shun. Yu proved to be an effective leader of the army and managed to defeat the Sanmiao tribe who were a grave problem to the Xia people. Shun was so happy that he declared Yu the heir to the throne. Yu was a good ruler and Xia flourished under his rule for 45 years. His son Qi took the reins of the kingdom after him but couldn’t keep up to his father’s expectation. Soon the Xia dynasty dwindles under its leaders making way for the next dynasty.
Transcript
00:05China has been endowed with some of the
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00:28The name China comes has been taken
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00:42They called it ‘Cin’.
00:44For the Greek and the Romans China was
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undefined:undefinedfire which date back
01:071.36 and 1.27 million
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01:26The Chinese were even familiar with
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undefined:undefinedXian which date between 5000 BC and 3000 BC.
01:54The first culture was the Yangshao which
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undefined:undefinedZhuanxu or Gao Yang
02:20who was the grandson of
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02:41Yu proved to be an effective
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03:02His son Qi took the reins
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undefined:undefinedprospered in Ancient China.
03:27Feudal era took roots and China expanded
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undefined:undefinedof Cheng Tang overthrew a cruel
03:51leader Jie of the Xia Dynasty and
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undefined:undefinedHistorian say that there
04:11were 31 kings who ruled the
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undefined:undefinedWu who founded the Zhou Dynasty.
04:32Pan Geng and Wu Ding were the
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04:59Zhou co-existed with the Shang
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undefined:undefineddisrupted the Shang court.
05:15However, it was his successor
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undefined:undefinedinfact they took King Wu’s side.
05:35The Shang ruler committed
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05:52Wu returned after some time and his son
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06:14Art and culture flourished,
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undefined:undefinedWarring States – seven
06:34leaders fought to unite
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07:09It was the first time that
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07:27But the emperor also restricted
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undefined:undefinedand Qin Dynasty came to an end.
07:49The nation erupted with battles and
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undefined:undefinedfish instead of writing.
08:22Wooden tablets and bamboo slips were
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08:41With new roads open for merchants to trade
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undefined:undefinedwere floods, tremors and
09:04plagues which further pulled
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undefined:undefinedZhou controlled the power.
09:23Xie gave up the throne in 220 AD
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undefined:undefinedthat were less powerful.
09:52Northern China was occupied
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undefined:undefinedand lack of harmony but when it
10:10came to culture, there was a lot
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undefined:undefinedlasted just two kings long,
10:37they had managed to unite
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undefined:undefinedreforms so smaller farmers did
10:56not have to face the atrocities
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undefined:undefinedmilitary campaigns failed
11:11which led to the loss of the
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undefined:undefinedTang Dynasty but Taizong
11:34was the one who brought
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undefined:undefinedfurther strengthened China.
11:50Some of the known developments
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12:07their own pleasures and
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12:35the Tang Dynasty and gained enough
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undefined:undefinedco-existed with the Song.
12:59The downfall of the Song Dynasty was
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13:28Famous traveller Marco Polo
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13:43The latter Yuan rulers
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14:11Beijing and Nanjing became the
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undefined:undefinedall types of maritime
14:30and banned the Chinese
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undefined:undefinedmost famous emperors of this period.
14:58China had the largest economy in the
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15:20This period also saw the fierce Yihetuan
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undefined:undefinedthe others supported the foreigners.
15:43The Boxer Protocol signed on
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undefined:undefinedhand over the power to
16:15Yuan Shikai who was in
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undefined:undefinedRepublic of China.
16:44Today the Communist Party
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