Five Thousand Years Across the Land of China

Five Thousand Years of Chinese History

Chinese history stretches far back, like a brilliant river of stars. In ancient times, the Yan and Huang tribes formed an alliance, and the beginnings of the Huaxia people emerged. Yu the Great controlled the floods, passing his own door three times without going in, demonstrating his selflessness.

Dynasties rose and fell. The Xia, Shang, and Zhou ushered in the era of slavery, while bronze culture flourished. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, a hundred schools of thought contended, and the clash of ideas produced dazzling sparks. Thinkers such as Confucius and Laozi shone brightly. The Qin dynasty unified the six states and established a centralized feudal empire. Its Great Wall became world-famous.

During the Han dynasty, Emperor Wu of Han drove back the Xiongnu to the north, while the Silk Road connected China with the West. Under the Tang, the country grew powerful, Tang poetry was celebrated, and envoys came from all directions. The Song dynasty enjoyed thriving commerce and culture, and movable-type printing helped spread knowledge. The Yuan dynasty's vast territory fostered the integration of different peoples. During the Ming and Qing periods, Zheng He sailed west across the seas, demonstrating China's power. Although the country later closed itself off from the outside world, history continued to roll forward, leaving behind countless legends and stories.