One
of the world's oldest civilizations, China boasts
a chronicled history of more than 5,000 years.
In the 21st century BC China saw the end of long
years of primitive society and the beginning of
the slave society with the founding of the Xia
Dynasty. The Xia was followed by the Shang and
Western Zhou dynasties. Then came the Eastern
Zhou, which encompassed the Spring and Autumn
and Warring States periods.
In 221 BC, Qinshihuang founded the Qin Dynasty,
the first feudal autocracy in Chinese history
that unveiled more than 2,000 years of feudalism
which, until its demise in the Opium War of
1840, saw the rise and fall of a succession
of dynasties like the Han, Tang, Song, Yuan,
Ming and Qing.
The Chinese civilization reached an apex early
in ancient times. As early as the Shang 3,000
years ago, the Chinese had invented the art
of bronze metallurgy and iron tools. A galaxy
of distinguished thinkers, scientists, artists
and writers emerged in the intervening years.
The Chinese of ancient times were known for
their brilliant achievements in mathematics,
medical science, astronomy, agriculture, architecture,
and many other fields. The world never looked
the same after the Chinese came up with the
four major inventions: papermaking, mobile block
printing, powder and the compass.
The bourgeois democratic revolution of 1911
led by Dr.Sun Yat-sen toppled the rule of the
Qing Dynasty, terminating more than two millennia's
feudal monarchy, and culminating in the establishment
of the provisional government of the Republic
of China.
October 1, 1949 saw the founding of the People's
Republic of China. Today, in transition to a
socialist market eco- nomic system under the
policy of reform and opening up to the rest
of the world, China is blazing a new trail in
building socialism the Chinese way. 
Chinese Dynasties
