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Introductory material |
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Subdivisions of China including Southern Central China, Northern Central China, Southern Coastal China, and Southern Interior China are being examined in connection with the cities that belong to them. Northern China, Mongolian China, and Western China are not yet being closely examined.
The prehistory of China is not well known. Some evidence of settlement appears in early prehistory, It seems to have been first inhabited by modern humans in middle prehistory. I do not yet have information about the period beginning 50,000 years ago, the period beginning 40,000 years ago, the period beginning 30,000 years ago, or the period beginning 20,000 years ago. In late prehistory, there is some evidence of neolithic cultures. I do not yet have details of the early 8th millennium BC, the late 8th millennium BC, the early 7th millennium BC, the late 7th millennium BC, the early 6th millennium BC, or the late 6th millennium BC.
Approximately in the 5th Millennium BC, Neolithic farming communities of the Yang Shao culture were present along the Yellow and Wei rivers. I do not yet have details of the early 5th millennium BC, the early mid 5th millennium BC, the mid 5th millennium BC, the late mid 5th millennium BC, or the late 5th millennium BC. Neolithic farming communities spread downriver in the 4th Millennium. I do not yet have details of the early 4th millennium BC, the early mid 4th millennium BC, the mid 4th millennium BC, the late mid 4th millennium BC, or the late 4th millennium BC. In the 3rd Millennium, Pottery was introduced. I do not yet have details of the early 3rd millennium BC, the early mid 3rd millennium BC, the mid 3rd millennium BC, the late mid 3rd millennium BC, or the late 3rd millennium BC. About the middle of the 2nd millennium, the bronze age Shang culture originated, and was succeeded by the western Chou. I do not yet have details of the early 2nd millennium BC, the early mid 2nd millennium BC, the mid 2nd millennium BC, the late mid 2nd millennium BC, or the late 2nd millennium BC. In the early 1st millennium, these were succeeed by the eastern Chou, and then about 722, the Warring States period. I do not yet have details of the 10th century BC, the 9th century BC, the 8th century BC, the 7th century BC, or the 6th century BC.
I do not yet have many details of North Central China, South Central China, Southern Coastal China, or Southern Interior China. In the Early classical period I have limited information. I do not yet have many details of the 5th century BC. I also have few details of the 4th century BC. In the third century BC, The Warring states period was followed by the short-lived Qin empire, founded c. 221-210 BC by Shih Huang-Ti. This was followed in 206 BC by the Han dynasty. I do not yet have many details of the 2nd century BC or the 1st century BC.
In the late classical period, I do not yet have specific details of the 1st century CE, or the 2nd century CE. In the 3rd century CE, the Han dynasty came to an end in 220 CE. this was followed by a period of disunity in the 4th century CE and the 5th century CE.
In the early medieval period, China was reunified. In the 6th century, the Sui dynasty was present. In the 7th century, the Sui dynasty was followed by the T'ang. In the 8th century, this dynasty was at its height. In the 9th century, it was showing signs of decline. In the 10th century, the Khitan Mongols conquered the northern part of China, and beginning in 960 BC, the Song dynasty was established in the south.
In the late medieval period, China began to come to the attention of the west. In the 11th century, the Song dynasty flourished. In the 12th century, the Song dynasty in the south was at war with the Qin dynasty in the north. Gunpowder, employed mostly for the explosive sound effects, came into use. In the 13th century, China was invaded by the Mongols and the Sung dynasty finally yielded in 1279 BC, when Kublai Khan (the grandson of Genghis Khan) established the Mongol or Yuan dynasty. In the 14th century, the Yuan dynasty had already begun weakening and was ovethrown. In 1368, the Ming dynasty was declared. In the 15th century, China began a program of organized sea exploration, which stoped after a brief period. At this period, the Ming dynasty seems to have been at its height. Sometime in this period, Shanghai seemed to have originated as a fishing village.
I do not yet have detailed summaries of North Central China, South Central China, Southern Coastal China (with Taiwan and Hong Kong), or Southern Interior China. The periods of the 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, and 19th century can be considered on the Modern history of China page. The 20th century has a separate page.
The future with the cities of Shanghai, Canton, Beijing, Shenzhen, Wuhan, and Tientsen has not yet been well examined.
Events of the near future can be connected. Next month (October 2009 and November 2009) can be considered, Next quarter including December 2009, January 2010, February 2010, and March 2010, and next year can possibly be examined. Events of the middle future including the next five years, next twenty years, next century, and next five centuries are much more difficult to examine. The far future cannot yet be projected.