| China is a country with an ancient history, a brilliant civilization, and beautiful landscapes. Philosophers, emperors, foreign conquerors, political leaders, and civil war have all left their marks on China’s colorful history, but the people’s culture has endured and remained constant.
As their civilization developed, the people excelled in science and artistic expression. Many examples have endured the test of time and are revered today as national treasures and historical sites. Twenty three sites in China are now World Heritage listed and protected. They include ancient architectural complexes and a number of historical relics, forming an important basis for the study of China’s ancient culture and history.
The 2Oth century marked the end of Dynastic rule in China and the emergence of two political forces, the Koumintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). China suffered from an invasion and occupation by Japan that lasted until the end of WWII. Communism emerged as the leading party and the KMT fled to Taiwan.
Mao Zedong established The People’s Republic China and embarked on a rapid plan of reconstruction and economic recovery in isolation from the rest of the world. Strict social and ideological controls were put in place and those that voiced opposition were dealt with harshly. Failed economic experiments like the Great Leap Forward created further hardship for the people of China as did The Cultural Revolution that resulted in the birth of The Red Guard and the end of scientific, artistic, literary and cultural publication. At the end of the 20th Century and under new leadership, China began to increase contact with capitalist economies of the West and open up to foreign visitors. The new ideology under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping was called ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics’, but the ideology failed to bridge gaps between political and social contradictions. The one child policy was implemented to stem population growth which created other social challenges with an aging population and an out of balance gender ratio. Growing frustrations among the Chinese people over a host of issues led to demonstrations in 1989 that turned tragic in Tiananmen Square.
At the dawn of the 21st century, Hong Kong and Macau returned to China as Special Administrative Regions, Beijing won the bid for the 2008 Olympics and China joined the World Trade Organization. Hu Jintao became president in 2003 and China placed its first man in space the same year. In recent years, China has emerged from isolation and captured the attention of the world by accomplishing astonishing technical achievements and driving their economy at a dazzling pace. The blending of ancient traditions, technological advancement, economic reform, and government control is creating a new China that is dynamic and cannot be defined in conventional ways. There is no argument that China will continue to make a significant impact on world affairs, but just how and to what extent is the topic of much debate.
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