No doubt, China is a big nation, having a complex account of the past with so many kingdoms, happenings, myth and dynasties. Now, it's experiencing a lot of advancements in tourism, science and technology, business, just to mention a few. Following this, China has been a central point of focus for so many people. A lot to recall from its history and this has kept so many people, both citizens of China and non-citizens, fascinated. Take, for instance, the Chinese dragon which first manifested in 4000BC. Yes, there are a couple of things used to portray this dragon, but the earliest and oldest source was a jade figure from Hong Shan, and it has continuously been featured in movies and writings.
But, before we plunge deeper into the history lane, it'll be very much ok to know a couple of things about present-day China. Isn't it?
China, and to be official, the People's Republic of China, is located on the Eastern part of Asia. With a population of one billion+, it sits conveniently on number one spot on the list of most populous countries in the world. With that huge a number, its population is approximately eighteen percent of the world's population. However, the government of the country is currently faced with a super tough condition, as it is doing all in its power, and with support from top organizations, WHO (World Health Organization), for example, to conquer the severe outbreak of Corona Virus.
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That being said, it feels safe to go into the matter of the day now. So, get your highlighter pen and open up yourself as we look into important incidents in ancient China you should be aware of.
As mentioned in the opening words of the article, ancient China was known for its lorry-load of dynasties. When a family or sect takes full control of rulings and power, it is said to be a dynasty. And, among the dynasties in ancient China, we have the Western Zhou dynasty. Now, the Zhou dynasty, from the records, experienced the longest time in ancient China's dynasties. It was after the Shang dynasty and ended when the state of Qin's soldiers took over the city of Chengzhou in, 256 BCE, to be precise. Zhou dynasty was actually split into two separate times, it seemed to be a normal process: Western Zhou, from 1046-771 BCE and the Eastern Zhou, from 770-256 BCE. It was termed that way because the capital of Zhou was relocated to the eastern region where it was harder to be affected by enemy attack.
Looking back at their origin, the people of Zhou were actually a Chinese-speaking group of people, who came from the bloodline of Longshan Neolithic culture. So they weren't invader or outsiders. Due to pressures, they migrated to the western region of the agricultural basin of North China, to be precise, it was Weil River Valley, modern-day Shaanxi province.
To move further, Western capital was struck by heavy invasion of travelers and Huns, in about 771 BC. This therefore proved that the end of Zhou dynasty was imminent. With the terrible enemy invasion Zhou dynasty suffered, its subjects, in terms of States that paid homage to its great power experienced several disputes and wars in the times and seasons after the invasion. In this period, about three families severely at war, the Han, Wei and Zhao states, to be factual, split the Jin state among themselves. Hundreds of years after the time, Qin was remade, from a local, backward state that it was, to the most lasting of the seven states at war. It then created a political stand, that gave its successors power and autonomy to completely overwhelm the other six warring states. This couldn't have happened without the duke Xiao of Qin, with his legislator as his man-Friday.
The battle of Changping was actually a martial crusade that happened during the Warring States era in ancient China. The battle ended, 260 BC, to be precise, with Qin(state of Qin) conquering Zhao(state of Zhao), leaving Zhao terribly shattered and battered.
Qin forces was lead by Bai Qi, and he successfully destroyed close to half a million men in the Zhao army, thus, eliminating the entire army and Zhao state itself. The leader of the Qin forces, Bai Qi, was known, in the history of China, to be a talented marshal and warlord. He was even given the honor of Lord Wuan, and, undoubtedly, was one of the most amazing generals in the history of State of Qin and even the history of China as a whole. Called by several names/titles; God of war, killing machine, and many more, it's believed that this great general lead scores of battles and wars and came out on the winning side.
After bagging another victory for the state of Qin, Qin was now set in a space to bring the whole of China back together. Were they able to achieve this feat? Keep reading!
Finally, through the help of Qin Shi Huang, their leader, the state of Qin was able to achieve her aim. The reunion has been eyed for several years, since the Zhou regime had several states, subjected to their rule. With this, a central seat of power was created and China was able to build a baseline for the coming together of the nation under a single umbrella.
This is the sole historical factor that lead to the movement for the construction of the Great Wall of China and, of course, you guessed right, it wasn't built in a day, as the work obviously took several years, centuries, to be factual. The State of Qin leader, Qin Shi Huang then settled for building a wall as a precautionary measure against sudden enemy invasion, all to protect the Qin dynasty(existed from 221 BC-206 BC). As at 212 BC, the wall was already spanning from Gansu(situated in the upper region of the Yellow River, which is northwest China. Surrounding territories include Shaanxi in the east, Sichuan in the south, Qinghai and Xinjiang in the west)to south of Manchuria.
As time passed, subsequent governments continued in the mission. They were;
1. The Ming dynasty, from 1369 AD-1644 AD, although, they, somewhat drifted from the real designs laid down by Qin. During the Ming dynasty reign, the nation's population increased significantly and they were really known for business development to other nations therefore establishing cultural relations.
2. The Han's dynasty strictly widened the Great wall of China to the western region. The Han dynasty spanned from 206 BCE-220 BCE and was one of the longest, if not the longest of all the dynasties in the history of China. When it comes to power, we could arguably say that it's a good competitor of its contemporary in the other side( that is, in the West). Just a little intermissions and breaks recorded, the Han's dynasty enjoyed power and leadership for at least four hundred years. Little wonder, succeeding administrations reckoned with Han's dynasty as a motivation, parent strand and worthy model of a kingdom that exemplified oneness and a peaceful government.
3. The Qi dynasty concentrated on about sixteen hundred kilometers while the Sui deployed countless manpower to quicken the construction.
However, everyone to their own decisions and with the right to exercise ones beliefs, the;
1. Tang( 618 AD-907 AD)
2. Song(960 AD-1279 AD)
3. Yuan(1271 AD-1368 AD), not forgetting the,
4. Qing
Didn't really partake in the construction of the Great Wall of China. They believed in strengthening their own axis against in-house invasion and/or threats by investing in the military and intelligence agencies.
After the whole effort through centuries to get the walls erected, it still couldn't stop enemy invasion, as in 1644 AD, Manchu Qing community got right past the gates at Shanhai pass and conquered the Ming dynasty.
During 202 BC, Xiang Yu, a great warrior, was defeated by the Han dynasty, Lui Bang as their leader.
Xiang Yu, the great warlord, lived from 233-202 BCE, and his real name was Xiang Ji, Yu, being a service name. He was among the rioters that ignited the death of the Qin dynasty. But, with all the victories and success stories attached to his name, the great warlord was, at the end, conquered by his archrival and leader of the Han dynasty, Lui Bang. Taking a quick look at his genealogy, Xiang Yu was from Xiaxiang, and father, Xiang Yan was once a general of the state of Chu. Right from his youthful age, Xiang Yu was a strong man with a but. He didn't like the idea of learning, writing or using the sword in combat. Like a baby that quickly wants to begin walking, he didn't want anything to do with the basics, he was only interested in waging war against an entire army force.
Looking into the story of the man who saw the end of Xiang Yu, Lui Bang's existence was famously depicted as a grass to grace, or rag to riches epic. Born to a small family, but, somehow, grew to become the China's emperor. Emperor Gaozu of Han, to fully accord him his title, founded the Han dynasty after the death of Qin Shi Huang. He had a better record than Qin Shi Huang as he was kindhearted and fair in his judgements, as against the reign of the tyrant, Qin Shi Huang, number one emperor after the Qin dynasty.
During the reign, there were several successful battles against the Xiongnu tribe. This weakened them and they were ruled out from Han's list of possible invaders. The Xiongnu tribes were known to be nomads who resided both in north-central and northwest of China. This was during the Qin and Han's dynasty. They grew to be a great league of tribes that constantly troubled the border lines of Han until they were finally incapacitated.
How did they grow so strong that they meant constant trouble for the Han dynasty for years, you may ask.
Well, the Xiongnu tribes expanded so great at the time when the seven warring states were so busy waging wars and making life unbearable for one another. At the beginning of the reign of the Qin dynasty, the Xiongnu tribe still didn't show off their already accumulated strength, so the dynasty never saw them as a possible threat to the nation. But the story changed at about the onset of the second century BC, when Mo-du, real name being Border, crowned himself leader and master of the Xiongnu tribes. They paraded several habitats, spanning from lli Basin( somewhat far west of present-day China) down to the fields of current Mongolia.
Hundreds of years later, when the Xiongnu tribe were somewhat silenced, an in-house administrator, Wang Mang by name, took power and closed the Western Han regime. Now, taking a quick leap, the Han dynasty got reinstated by another in-house official that goes by the name Liu Xiu, hence, the beginning of the eastern Han regime.
Han dynasty continued for quite a long time before it finally declined at the hands of the popular Yellow Turban rebellion. This put a stop to the Han dynasty and ushered in the Three Kingdoms era, splitting up China among three states.
Now, the Yellow Turban was a very popular rebellion that saw the end of Han dynasty and several generals emerged, dividing the kingdom. The rebellion got its name from the fact that the rioters or rebels were seen with a yellow bandanna or turban, with Zhang Jiao as the pioneer leader of the rebels. The following were their reasons for the rebellion:
1. Economic meltdown literally affecting the peasants, as they could only taste survival by putting their lands up for sale and in no time become tenants on their farmland.
2. They were made to pay extra services like enlisting as fighters for self-owned troops.
3. Thirdly, the main administration seemed not too strong as children and inexperienced youngsters were saddled with the burden of making pivotal decisions regarding politics and other whatnots.
The rebellion was seriously effective and massive to the extent that the saying of the "ants bandits" spread abroad.
However, the drawback was that the Yellow Turban rebellion wasn't a well organized feat as the rebels didn't fight as a whole. They only worked based on their individual divisions.
Years later, a great general, in the northern region of China, Cao Cao (real name being Mengde, who was born in Qiao County of Peiguo, now known as Anhui Province) by name, was murdered, putting a stop to Wei kingdom and all they desired. Leaving the other two kingdoms to battle it out. Afterward, the Jin dynasty brought peace and tranquility as the notable leader, Sima, reunified China and brought it under one ruler. Thus, closing the doors to several years of crisis, war and commotion.
For the records, Fei River is actually a name awarded to some rivers around the axis of Anhui, China. Starting from the North Fei River, recognized for the Battle of Fei River, then the South Fei River, that moves through Hefei and down into the lake Chao.
This Battle of Fei River(383 AD) signified the end of the Qin dynasty, followed by about 209 years of serious wars and the commencement of both Northern and Southern dynasties. Much later, the Chen dynasty were attacked by the Sui government, uniting both dynasties(Northern and Southern), then rest from disputes and wars ensued. Then the renowned Emperor Wen of Sui created the backbone for the succeeding Tang dynasty.
It lasted through 7-10 centuries AD. Tang Taizong reigned from 626 AD to 649 AD, and was regarded as the most popular ruler in the dynasty. As the second leader of the Tang dynasty, he saw China through to huge riches and accomplishments. Then, Empress Wu Zeitan took the realms of power from 690 AD through to 705 AD. In the entire history of ancient China, she was the most recognized female power-figure.
Also referred to as Empress Consort Wu, Wu Hou, Mei-Niang and Wu Zhao. Empress Wu Zeitan made history by emerging the only female emperor in ancient China history. She started her journey to the throne as a concubine of Emperor Taizong, later went ahead and got married to his son, Gaozong, after the emperor's demise. Thus, getting the title empress consort. But, the truth be told, she was the emperor's backbone. The moment Gaozong kicked the bucket, she took over the administration. Literally, she had been the source at the backstage, powering the throne right from Gaozong's death, till she declared herself ruler openly and took the leadership mantle, as the emperor of China, until about a year before she passed on, in 705 CE.
Thereafter, the Lushan rebellion broke out in 755 AD, and was recorded as one of the lethal battles in the history books, causing the death of more than thirty million lives. With a great war like this, China definitely spent lengthy years healing from the wounds. The Tang dynasty crumbled in 907 AD, marking the beginning of the 5 dynasties and 10 kingdoms era, spanning till 960 AD.
Song Taizu(960 AD to 976 AD) was considered one of the biggest leaders in ancient China history. He achieved unimaginable success by conquering a good number out of 10 kingdoms and to some extent, reunited China.
Lots of unimaginable events took place in 1125 AD. Kaifeng, the capital of Song was taken over by rebels, Jurchen tribes, to be factual. The Mongols finally crushed the Jin troops in 1211 AD at the battle of Yehuling. The Jim dynasty lost their emperor in the process and that was the end of their dynasty.
Like a game of chess, Mongke Khan( leader of the Mongols) was killed in cold blood, some years after, in a battle at the Diaoyu fortress, resulting in the immediate dismissal of the Mongols and the reinstatement of the Song government for ten extra years.
As there was no peace still, the Song were overthrown by the Mongols once again, then finally silenced.
The Yuan dynasty was created by Kublai Khan, the Mongol leader, and lasted for hundreds of years. However, its royal family were attacked in 1368 AD and had to flee from the city, putting a stop to their reign and a fresh page was opened to welcome the Ming dynasty.
The Ming dynasty witnessed the reign of Emperor Hongwu, from 1368 AD-1398 AD. But, he killed so many counselors in his chamber during his reign. The killing spree was even passed down to succeeding generations as his son, Emperor Zhongle followed in his footsteps and massacred several in-house members of the Jianwen Emperor's regime, after overcoming him.
Nevertheless, he added immensely to the history of China. He built Beijing city, relocating his capital there and fortunately enough, it's still the country's capital. Apart from the fact that he was notable for executing people, he had deep understanding of the game of politics and he employed sound legislators to support his government.
The Chinese government assisted Joseon dynasty, the Korean dynasty to conquer the enemy invasion(were mainly Japanese) of Korea.
The emperor stepped into power early, at about age sixteen, when Emperor Tiangi died. Empress Zhang(widow of Tiangi Emperor) oversaw the whole succession process, though was strongly opposed by the court members. And from the beginning of his regime, he battled in-house problems as fear of being overthrown by rebels within the governing body took hold of Chongzhen and he found it pretty difficult to hold thee Ming dynasty together.
This dynasty spanned through 1644 AD-1912 AD, the last of the dynasties. The great leader of the dynasty, Kangxi Emperor, lasting from 1661AD-1722AD, assumed position and successfully built a great kingdom. One way or the other, bad days came, bringing forth the First Opium War as they were severely dealt with by the British. It was a serious time with troubles from all fronts as China was consistently subjected to political stress by Japan and other authorities. As if that wasn't enough, rebellion broke out in 1851 AD, Taping rebellion to be precise and this claimed millions of life, as believed by some historiographers.
To draw the curtain, the People's Republic of China has had a true blend of history, spanning from the Great Wall of China, down to different dynasties and their regimes, and many other whatnots yet to be unraveled. You can as well plunge into deep research to unearth bizarre truths about the most populous country in the world.
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