Text Workbook Quiz
Notes






... Geography
..... Rivers : Amur, Hwangho, Yangtse, Pearl River (see map)
..... cities : Beijing, Nanjing. Chongjing, Canton/Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau, Taipeh, Shanghai, Tianjin, Yenan (see map)
..... regions : Taiwan, Manchuria, Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet (see map)

... Early History
..... China one of the early civilizations, emerging on the banks of the Hwangho River. Cultivation of millet (rice in what is southern China today, on the Yangtse and southward). Chinese script, production of paper, chinaware, silk. Cultivation of tea.
..... Shang Dynasty c. 1766-1122, Chou Dynasty 1122-403, Warring States 403-221.
..... Theory of sinocentricity, of heavenly mandate (Celestial Empire); Chinese civilization introverted.

... Chinese Philosophy
..... Confucius, Lao-tzu, Meng-tzu (Mencius)
..... Shihuangti (221-206) and the Burning of the Books; construction of Great Wall of China; Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.); Silk Road
..... Development of Confucianism as political philosophy; introduction of Buddhism

... Chinese Dynasties
..... Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.), Warring States, Tang Dynasty (618-907), Sung Dynasty, the Mongols : Yuan Dynasty (1215-1368) introduction of Confucianism as state philosophy 11th century in Sung China.
Mongols favour int'l trade, religious tolerance; favour Buddhism. Papal embassies arrive in Khanbalik (Beijing) since c. 1250. Marco Polo.

... Ming Dynasty China 1368-1644
..... in 1368 Mongols expelled. New Ming dynasty establishes Neoconfucianism as state philosophy (two pillars of Yuan China, merchants and Buddhist monks, rank at the bottom of society scale). Isolationism; int'l trade channelled through port city of Canton.
..... Expedition of Chinese admiral Zheng He, a Muslim, to Mecca and east coast of Africa
..... Arrival of Europeans - Portuguese, Macao. Dutch, Taiwan 1622. Chinese quality products - tea, silk, chinaware, in high demand in Europe. Chinese trade surplus, Peruvian & Mexican silver ended up in China.

... Manchu (Ching or Qing) Dynasty, 1644-1911
..... In 1644 ouster of Ming by Manchu. Capital remains at Beijing, Confucianism remains state religion; trade imbalance favouring China continues until into the early 19th century. In 1670es Manchu army forces submission of Mongolia (1676), Sinkiang, Tibet. Korea, Upper Burma, Vietnam also recognize Chinese overlordship.
China benevolent overlord; tribute from tributary kingdoms is matched with Chinese "presents" of equal value. Manchu China a multiethnic Empire.

... Transoceanic Trade Developments
..... to reduce huge trade imbalance, Europeans begin with silk production (Italy, S. France), reinvent porcelein (Saxony early 1700es), begin tea plantations (British India 1820es). The British cultivate Opium in India on large scale; Opium was a legitimate trade product for medicinal purpose, fetching high price.
..... In the 1830es British push opium sales; Opium War 1840-1844. Chinese have to cancel trade restrictions, open more ports for int'l trade, cede Hongkong, permit missionary activity.
..... Taiping Rebellion, Ever Victorious Army
..... Second Opium War 1859-1860, Peace of Tianjin, opening of more ports
..... Inequal Treaties, with Russia 1858, 1860, cession of Amur and Fareastern Provinces
..... Massive unemployment in S China : Hakka; they are hired as indentured labourers on plantations - Overseas Chinese

..... 1884 war with France; China cedes Tonkin to France, Upper Burma to Britain
..... China begins program of modernization : Chinese Custom,s Service.
..... 1894/95 Sino-Japanese War; China defeated, cedes Taiwan, sovereignty over Korea, permits presence of Japanese troops in S. Manchuria. Japanese can not hold on to Manchuria; in 1897/98 China leases Port Arthur to Russians, Kiauchow to Germans, Kwangchouwan to French, Weihaiwei to British.
..... Open door policy proclaimed by US to prevent China from being partitioned in spheres of interest.
..... 1900 Boxer Rebellion, directed against 'Foreign Devils', fails in its objectives

... Chinese Revolution and after
..... 1911 Revolution in Canton (Sun Yat Sen), Coup d'Etat in Beijing (Yuan Shi K'ai). Yuan takes over govt, dies in 1916, when Sun Yat Sen assumes presidency (power base in the South; Chinese Empire disintegrates). Mongolia (1911), Tibet (1912) declare independence.
..... Sun Yat Sen founds Guomindang. He is soon succeeded by Chiang Kai Shek. Party organized by Michael Borodin, a Communist Russian.
..... In 1926 Chiang dismisses Borodin and splits with Communists; Chiang takes control of south central China, moves capital to Nanjing. Period of the warlords. In 1926-1928 Chiang leads his army into the north, extends his authority over Beijing, Manchuria (1928); Communists chased out of southern strongholds - Long March (1927) to YENAN.
..... Japanese establish Manchukuo (puppet state, 1932-33), begin Sino-Japanese War 1937. Massacre of Nanjing. Guomindang retreats, establishes new govt at Chungking.

... World War II : 3 Chinese govts - Guomindang, recognized by west, Yenan Communists, recognized by USSR, Japanese puppet administration, recognized by Japanese. Only after Pearl Harbour do allies convince Guomindang and Communists to stop fighting each other.
..... China threatened when Japanese cut Burma Road; Flying Tigers keep up supply line.
..... Chiang Kai Shek present at Conference of Cairo (1943), but not at Yalta and Potsdam (Stalin refused recognition)

... Post war China
..... US cuts aid; inflation sped up; Guomindang soon impopular. Chinese civil war : Communists victorious, Guomindang retreated to Taiwan 1949. Some Americans : "Why we lost China".
..... 1949 foundation of PRC, recognized by GB, not by US where anti-communist hysteria breaks out (McCarthyism). 1950 Korean War : McArthur signs treaty with Nat'l China (Taiwan), guaranteeing it protection against Chinese naval attack. PRC sends "volunteers" to fight GIs in Korea. 1950 Chinese occupy Tibet. Korea : truce signed 1953; Chinese "volunteers" leave Korea in 1958. PRC supports communists in Vietnam War, any independence organization in colonies.

... Establishment of Socialism in PRC

..... collectivization, reeducation
..... 1956 : Great Leap Forward, focus on heavy industry
..... 1966 : Cultural Revolution
..... 1968 : Breakup of Soviet-Chinese friendship; border conflict
..... early 1970es : ping pong diplomacy : PRC and US resolve differences, PRC gets permanent seat on UN security council (great power status; US drops recognition of Taiwan, China gets most favoured nation status; US gets out of Vietnam (1973))
..... China engages in economic reform : liberalization of economy, shifting focus on consumer good production

..... problems : overpopulation - one child policy
..... problems : minorities - cultural autonomy granted

..... 1997 Hongkong handed over to PRC, 1999 Macao
..... one state,, two systems policy, Hongkong, Macao, special economic zones capitalist. Huge economic imbalance in China

..... PRC pursues one China policy, breaks diplomatic relations with any govt recognizing Taiwan, insists on ultimate unification.



This page is part of World History at KMLA
Last revised on June 28th 2001

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