CNTO - China National Tourist Office

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History

Terra-cotta Warrior

China, with a recorded history of 5,000 years, was one of the world's earliest civilizations. China was one of the countries where economic activity first developed. As early as 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, people in the Yellow River valley had already started farming and raising livestock. In the 21st century B.C., China established a slave society with the founding of the Xia Dynasty, thereby writing a finale to long years of primitive society.

In 221 B.C., Qin Shihuang established China's first centralized autocracy, the Qin Dynasty, thereby ushering Chinese history into feudalism, which endured in a succession of dynasties until the Opium War of 1840.

The Bourgeois Democratic Revolution of 1911 led by Sun Yat-sen toppled the rule of the Qing Dynasty, putting an end to more than 2,000 years of feudal monarchical system.

The People's Republic of China was founded on October 1^st, 1949. Today, China is implementing reform and open polices, and has established a socialist market economy.

Brief Chinese Chronology
Xia Dynasty	21st century BC-16th century BC
Shang Dynasty	16th century BC-1066 BC
Zhou Dynasty: Western Zhou	1066 BC-771 BC
Eastern Zhou	770 BC-476 BC
Spring and Autumn	770 BC-221 BC
Qin Dynasty	221 BC-206 BC
Han Dynasty: Western Han Dynasty	206 BC-23 AD
Eastern Han Dynasty	25-220
The Three Kingdoms: Wei	220-265
Shu Han	221-263
Wu	222-280
Western Jin	265-316
Eastern Jin	317-420
Southern and Northern Dynasty:
Southern Dynasty	420-589
Northern Dynasty	386-581
Sui Dynasty	581-618
Tang Dynasty	618-907
The Five Dynasties	907-960
Sung Dynasty: Northern Sung	960-1127
Southern Sung	1127-1279
Liao Dynasty	907-1125
Western Xia Dynasty	1032-1227
Jin Dynasty	1115-1234
Yuan Dynasty	1271-1368
Ming Dynasty	1368-1644
Qing Dynasty	1644-1911
Republic of China (Guo Ming Dang)	1912-1949
The People's Republic of China	1949-the present