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'''Chinese civilization''' may refer to: | |||
{{selfref| | |||
* The country ] | |||
:''This article is about the Chinese civilization. For other meanings, see ].}} | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
] and ].]] | |||
* ] | |||
] flag before a rapidly modernizing ].]] | |||
* ] | |||
] flag before a busy commercial street in ].]] | |||
'''China''' ({{zh-tsht|t=中國|s=中国|hp={{Audio|zh-zhongguo.ogg|Zhōngguó}}|tp=Jhongguó}}) is a ] and ancient ] in ]. China refers to one of the world's oldest ]s, comprised of states and ] dating back more than six millennia. The stalemate of the last ] following ] has resulted in two ] sovereignties using the name "China": the ], administering ], ], and ]; and the ], administering ] and its ]. See ] for more information. | |||
China has the world's longest continuously used ]. China is also the source of many of the world's great inventions, including the ]: ], the ], ], and ]. | |||
==Name== | |||
{{main|Names of China}} | |||
China is called '''''Zhongguo''''' (also Romanized as '''''Chung-kuo''''' or '''''Jhongguo''''') in ]. The first character ''zhōng'' (中) means "middle" or "central," while ''guó'' (国 or 國) means "country" or "kingdom". The term can be literally translated into English as "Middle Kingdom" or "Central Kingdom." | |||
] and many other languages use various forms of the name "China" and the ] "Sino-" or "Sin-". These forms are thought to be probably derived from the name of the ] that first unified the country (221-206 BCE).<ref>The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed (AHD4). Boston and New York, Houghton-Mifflin, 2000, entries ''china, Qin, Sino-''.</ref> The Qin Dynasty unified the written language in China and gave the supreme ruler of China the title of "Emperor" instead of "King," thus the subsequent ] traders might have identified themselves by that name. | |||
==History== | |||
{{main|History of China|Timeline of Chinese history}} | |||
China was one of the earliest centres of human ]. Chinese civilisation was also one of the few to invent ] independently, the others being ancient ] (]ians), ] (]), the ], and ].{{fact}} | |||
The ] is still used today by the Chinese and Japanese, and to a lesser extent by Koreans and Vietnamese. This script is one of the few ] scripts still used in the world, and the only major one. When printing in the early days, it was attempted to have movable type, but this did not work because the Chinese language has over 80,000 characters. People just carved out the characters into wood, filled the wood with ink and pressed paper on. Now movable type is used. | |||
===Prehistory=== | |||
Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest occupants in China date to as long as 2.24 million to 250,000 years ago by an ancient human relative (]) known as ].{{fact}} One particular cave in ] (near current-day ]) has fossilized evidence that current dating techniques put at somewhere between 300,000 and 550,000 years old. Evidence of primitive stone tool technology and animal bones associated with H. erectus have been studied since the late 18th to 19th centuries in various areas of ] including ] (in particular ]) and ]. It is thought that these early hominids first evolved in ] during the ] epoch. By 2 million years ago, the first migration wave of H. erectus settled throughout the ]. | |||
Fully modern ]s (''Homo sapiens'') are believed to originally have evolved between roughly 200,000 and 168,000 years ago in the area of ] or ] (]). By 100,000 to 50,000 years ago, modern human beings had settled in all parts of the Old World (25,000 to 11,000 BCE in the ]). In the last 100,000 years, all proto-human populations disappeared as modern humans took over or drove other human species into extinction. | |||
The earliest evidence of fully modern humans in China comes from ], ], where a cranium has been found and dated to approximately 67,000 years ago. Although much controversy persists over the dating of the Liujiang remains, there is a partial skeleton from Minatogawa in ], ] that has been ] dated to 18,250 ±650 to 16,600 ±300 years BP, which implies that modern humans must have reached China before that time. | |||
===Dynastic rule=== | |||
] (Yin) at its height, 1350 BCE]] | |||
], in the year 2 CE]] | |||
The first ] according to Chinese sources was the ], but it was believed to be mythical until scientific excavations were made at early ] sites at ] in ] Province.{{fact}} Since then, archaeologists have uncovered urban sites, bronze implements, and tombs that point to the possible existence of the Xia dynasty at the same locations cited in ancient Chinese historical texts. | |||
The first reliable historical dynasty is the ] (Yin), which settled along the ] in eastern China from the 18th to the 12th century BCE. The loosely feudal Shang were invaded from the west by the ] who ruled from the 12th to the 5th century BCE. The centralized authority of the Zhou was slowly eroded by warlords. In the ] there were many strong, independent states continually warring with each other, who deferred to the ] in name only. | |||
The first unified Chinese state was established by the ] in 221 BCE, when the office of the ] was set up and the Chinese language was standardized. This state did not last long, as its ] approach to control soon led to widespread rebellion. | |||
The subsequent ] ruled China between 206 BCE and 220 CE, and created a lasting ] among its populace that would last to the present day. The Han Dynasty expanded China's territory considerably with military campaigns reaching ], ], ] and ], and also established official contacts with the ] via the ] that the dynasty begun in Central Asia.{{fact}} | |||
After Han's collapse, another period of disunion followed, including the highly chivalric period of the ]. Independent Chinese states of this period also opened diplomatic relations with ], introducing the Chinese writing system there. In 580 CE, China was reunited under the ]. However, the Sui Dynasty was shortlived after a failure in the ](598-614) weakened it. | |||
Under the succeeding ] and ] dynasties, Chinese technology and culture reached its zenith. Between the 7th and 14th centuries, China was one of the most advanced ]s in the world in technology, literature, and art.{{fact}} In 1271, ] ] ] established the ], with the last remnant of the Song Dynasty falling to the Yuan in 1279. A peasant named ] overthrew the Mongols in 1368 and founded the ], which lasted until 1644. The Manchu-founded ], which lasted until 1912, was the last dynasty in China. | |||
Regime change was often violent and the new ruling class usually needed to take special measures to ensure the loyalty of the overthrown dynasty. For example, after the ] conquered China, the Manchu rulers put into effect measures aimed at subduing the ] identity, such as the requirement for the Han Chinese to wear the Manchu hairstyle, the ]. | |||
In the 18th century, China achieved a decisive technological advantage over the peoples of ], with which it had been at war for several centuries, while simultaneously falling behind Europe.{{fact}} | |||
In the 19th century the Qing Dynasty adopted a defensive posture towards European ], even though it engaged in ] expansion into Central Asia itself. At this time China awoke to the significance of the rest of the world, in particular the West. As China opened up to foreign trade and missionary activity, ] produced by ] was forced onto Qing China. Two ]s with Britain weakened the Emperor's control. | |||
One result was the ] which lasted from 1851 to 1862. It was lead by ], who was partly influenced by a misinterpretation of ]. Hong believed himself the son of ] and the younger brother of ]. Although the Qing forces were eventually victorious, the civil war was one of the bloodiest in human history, costing at least twenty million lives (more than the total number of fatalities in the ]), with some estimates up to two-hundred million. The flow of opium led to more decline, even in the face of noble efforts by missionaries such as ] and the ] to stem the tide.{{fact}} | |||
While China was torn by continuous war, ] succeeded in rapidly modernizing its military with its sights on Korea and Manchuria. Maneuvered by Imperial Japan, the Qing tributary state of ] declared independence from Qing China in 1894, leading to the ], which ended in China's humiliating secession of both Korea and ] to Japan. Following these series of defeats, ] for Qing China to become a modern Meiji-style ] was drafted by the ] in 1898, but was opposed and stopped by the Empress Dowager ], who placed Emperor Guangxu under house arrest in a coup d'état. Further destruction followed the ill-fated 1900 ] against westerners in Beijing, to which Cixi had secretly supported. By the early 20th century, mass civil disorder had begun, and calls for reform and revolution were heard across the country. Emperor Guangxu died under house arrest on November 14, 1908, suspiciously just a day before Cixi. With the throne empty, he was succeeded by Cixi's handpicked heir, his young nephew ], who became the Xuantong Emperor, the last Chinese emperor. Guangxu's consort, who became the ], signed the abdication decree as regent in 1912, ending two thousand years of imperial rule in China. She died, childless, in 1913. | |||
{{see also|Dynasties in Chinese history|Chinese sovereign}} | |||
===Republican China=== | |||
], ] delivered a speech that would later become the lyrics of the ].]] | |||
On ], ], the Republic of China was established, ending the Qing Dynasty. ] of the ] (KMT or Nationalist Party), was proclaimed provisional president of the republic. However, ], a former Qing general who had defected to the revolutionary cause, soon forced Sun to step aside and took the presidency for himself. Yuan then attempted to have himself proclaimed emperor of a new dynasty; however, he died of natural causes before fully taking power over all of the Chinese empire. | |||
After Yuan Shikai's death, China was politically fragmented, with an internationally-recognized, but virtually powerless, national government seated in Beijing. Warlords in various regions exercised actual control over their respective territories. In the late 1920s, the Kuomintang, under ], was able to reunify the country under its own control, moving the nation's capital to Nanjing and implementing "]", an intermediate stage of political development outlined in Sun Yat-sen's program for transforming China into a modern, democratic state. Effectively, political tutelage meant one-party rule by the Kuomintang. | |||
The ] (part of ]) forced an uneasy alliance between the Nationalists and the Communists. With the surrender of ] in 1945, China emerged victorious but financially drained. The continued distrust between the Nationalists and the Communists led to the resumption of the ]. In 1947, constitutional rule was established, but because of the ongoing Civil War many provisions of the ROC constitution were never implemented on the mainland. | |||
{{see also|History of the Republic of China}} | |||
===The ] and the ]=== | |||
After its victory in the Chinese Civil War, the ], led by ], controlled most of Mainland China. On ], ], they established the People's Republic of China, laying claim as the ] of the ROC. The central government of the ROC was forced to retreat to the island of ]. Major armed hostilities ceased in 1950 but both sides are technically still at war. | |||
Beginning in the late 1970s, the Republic of China began the implementation of full, multi-party, ] in the territories still under its control (], ], ] and some offshore islands of ] province). Today, the ROC has active political participation by all sectors of society. The main cleavage in ROC politics is the issue of eventual unification with China vs. formal independence. | |||
Post-1978 reforms on the mainland have led to some relaxation of control over many areas of society. However, the Chinese government still has absolute control over politics, and it continually seeks to eradicate threats to the stability of the country. Examples include the fight against ], jailing of ] and ], custody ] of the press, ] of religions, and suppression of independence/secessionist movements. In 1989, the ] at ] were violently put to an end by the Chinese military after 15 days of martial law. | |||
In 1997 ] was returned to the PRC by the ] and in 1999 ] was returned by ]. | |||
{{see also|History of Hong Kong|History of Macau|History of the People's Republic of China}} | |||
===Present=== | |||
Today, the Republic of China continues to exist on Taiwan, while the People's Republic of China controls the Chinese mainland. The PRC continues to be dominated by the Communist Party, but the ROC has moved towards democracy. Both states are still officially claiming to be the sole legitimate ruler of all of "China". The ROC had more international support immediately after 1949, but most international diplomatic recognitions have shifted to the PRC. The ROC representative to the ] was replaced by the PRC representative in 1971. | |||
The ROC has not formally renounced its claim to all of China, or changed its official maps on which its territories include the mainland, and ], but it has moved away from this identity and increasingly identifies itself as "Taiwan". Presently, the ROC does not pursue any of its claims on the territories administered by the PRC, nor the territories of ]. The PRC claims to have succeeded the ROC as the legitimate governing authority of all of China including Taiwan. The PRC has used diplomatic and economic pressure to advance its ], which attempts to prevent official recognition of the ROC by world organizations such as the ] and the ]. Today, there are ] that still maintain official diplomatic relations with the ROC. | |||
==Territory== | |||
===Historical political divisions=== | |||
{{main|History of the political divisions of China}} | |||
Top-level political divisions of China have altered as administrations changed. Top levels included ]s and ]s. Below that, there have been ]s, ]s, ], ], ]s, and ]. Recent divisions also include ], ], ]s and ]s. | |||
Most Chinese dynasties were based in the historical heartlands of China, known as ]. Various dynasties also ] into peripheral territories like ], ], ], and ]. The ]-established ] and its successors, the ROC and the PRC, incorporated these territories into China. China proper is generally thought to be bounded by the ] and the edge of the ]. ] and ] are found to the north of the ], and the boundary between them can either be taken as the present border between ] and the ] provinces, or the more historic border of the ]-era ] of ]. ]'s borders correspond to today's administrative ]. Historic ] occupies all of the ]. China is traditionally divided into ] (北方) and ] (南方), the boundary being the ] (淮河) and ] (秦岭 or 秦嶺). | |||
===Geography and climate=== | |||
{{main|Geography of China}} | |||
] | |||
China is composed of a vast variety of highly different ], with mostly ] and ] in the west, and lower lands in the east. Principal ]s flow from west to east, including the ] (central), the ] (Yellow river, north-central), and the ] (northeast), and sometimes toward the south (including the ], ], and ]), with most Chinese rivers emptying into the ]. | |||
In the east, along the shores of the ] and the ] there are extensive and densely populated ] plains. On the edges of the Inner Mongolian plateau in the north, grasslands can be seen. Southern China is dominated by hills and low ]s. In the central-east are the ] of China's two major rivers, the ] and ] (Chang Jiang). Most of China's arable lands lie along these rivers; they were the centers of China's major ancient civilizations. Other major rivers include the ], ], ] and ]. Yunnan Province is considered a part of the Greater Mekong Subregion, which also includes Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam . | |||
In the west, the north has a great alluvial plain, and the south has a vast ] ] traversed by ] ranges of moderate elevation, and the ]s, containing our planet's highest point ]. The northwest also has high plateaus with more arid ] landscapes such as the ] and the ], which has been expanding. During many dynasties, the southwestern border of China has been the high ]s and deep valleys of ], which separate modern China from ], ] and ]. | |||
<!-- I have no idea what this para says. Somebody please translate. --> | |||
The ] formations of China, excepting only the upper part of the ] system, are ], while the ] and ] deposits are ] and ] or else of terrestrial origin. Groups of ] cones occur in the Great Plain of north China. In the ] and ] Peninsulas, there are ]ic plateaus. | |||
The ] of China varies greatly. The northern zone (containing ]) has summer daytime temperatures of more 30 degrees and winters of ] severity. The central zone (containing ]) has a ] ] climate with very hot summers and cold winters. The southern zone (containing ]) has a ] climate with very hot summers and mild winters. | |||
Due to a prolonged ] and poor agricultural practices, ]s have become usual in the spring in China.<ref>. BBC news. Accessed 17 April, 2006.</ref> Dust has blown to southern China and Taiwan, and has even reached the West Coast of the ]. Water, ], and pollution control have become important issues in China's relations with other countries. | |||
{{seealso|Environment of China}} | |||
==Society== | |||
===Demographics=== | |||
{{main|Ethnic groups in Chinese history|Ethnic minorities in China|Demographics of China}} | |||
China's overall population exceeds 1.3 billion, about one-fifth of the world's population. While over a hundred ] have existed in China, the government of the ] officially recognizes a total of ]. The largest ethnic group in China by far is the ]. This group is diverse and can be divided into smaller ethnic groups that share some traits. | |||
Many ethnic groups have been assimilated into neighboring ethnicities or disappeared without a trace. Several previously distinct ethnic groups have been ] into the Han, causing its population to increase dramatically. At the same time, many within the Han identity have maintained distinct linguistic and cultural traditions, though still identifying as Han. Many foreign groups have shaped Han language and culture, e.g. the queue was a pig tail hairstyle strictly enforced by the Manchurians on the Han populace. The term ] (''Zhonghua Minzu'') is usually used to describe a notion of a Chinese nationality that transcends ethnic divisions. | |||
===Languages=== | |||
{{Main|Languages of China}} | |||
] and ] street signs in the city of ], ].]] | |||
Most languages in China belong to the ] language family, spoken by 29 ethnicities. There are also several major "dialects" within the ] itself. The most spoken dialects are ] (spoken by over 70% of the population), ] (Shanghainese), <!--Shanghainese is the common name for the Wu dialects. Please do not remove. Western sinologists and linguists use the term "Shanghainese" to generalize the Wu dialects. This is identical to Cantonese (Guangzhou-hua) being used to generalize the diverse Yue dialects.--> ] (Cantonese), ], ], ], and ]. Non-Sinitic languages spoken widely by ethnic minorities include ] (Thai), ], ], ] (Turkic), ] and ].<ref name=language>. 2005. GOV.cn. ''URL accessed 3 May 2006.''</ref> | |||
] (Standard Mandarin, literally ''Common Speech'') is the official language and is based on the Beijing dialect of the ] group of dialects spoken in northern and southwestern China. Standard Mandarin is the medium of instruction in education and is taught in all schools. It is the language used in the media, for formal purposes, and by the government.<ref>. 2005. GOV.cn. ''URL accessed 15 May 2006.''</ref> Non-Sinitic languages are co-official in some autonomic minority regions.<ref name=language> . 2005. GOV.cn. ''URL accessed 3 May 2006.''</ref> Road signs in major Chinese cities are typically bilingual in Chinese and ]. | |||
"]" or "''baihua''" is the written standard based on the Mandarin dialect which has been in use since the early 20th century. An older written standard, ], was used by literati for thousands of years before the 20th century. Classical Chinese is still a part of the high school curriculum and is thus intelligible to some degree to many Chinese. Spoken variants other than Standard Mandarin are usually not written, except for ] (see ]) which is sometimes used in informal contexts. | |||
Chinese banknotes are multilingual and contain written scripts for Standard Mandarin (] and ]), Zhuang (]), Tibetan (]), Uyghur (]) and Mongolian (]). | |||
===Religion=== | |||
{{main|Religion in China}} | |||
] temple. ] remains the largest organized religion in China since its introduction in the 1st century CE.]] | |||
The People's Republic of China is officially secular and atheist but it does allow personal religion or supervised religious organization. ] (佛教) and ] (道教), along with an underlying ] morality, have been the dominant religions of Chinese society for almost two millennia. Personal religion has been more widely tolerated in the PRC today, so there has been a resurrection of interest in Buddhism and Taoism in the past decade. The main tradition of Buddhism practiced by the Chinese is ] (大乘) and its subsets ] (淨土宗) and ] (禪/禅宗) are the most common. Among the younger, urban secular population, Taoist spiritual ideas of ] have become popular in recent years, spawning a large ] market in China. The ] (]) of the ] reports that in addition to unknown numbers of adherents of Taoism and Buddhism, | |||
* 3%-4% Chinese from the PRC are adherents of ] and | |||
* 1%-2% Chinese from the PRC are adherents of ]. | |||
In recent years ], developed in the 1990s, has attracted great controversy after the government labeled it a malicious ] and attempted to eradicate it. The Falun Gong itself denies that it is a cult or a religion. The Falun Gong claims approximately 70-100 million followers, a number which is rejected by foreign independent groups and the Chinese government, though exact numbers are unknown. | |||
Religion and ancient Chinese traditions are widely tolerated in the Republic of China, and play a big role in the daily lives of modern Taiwanese people. According to the official figures released by the CIA: | |||
* 93% of Taiwanese are adherents of a combination of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. | |||
* 2.5% of Taiwanese are adherents of other religions, such as Islam, ], and others. | |||
* 4.5% of Taiwanese are adherents of Christianity, this group includes a combination of ], ], ], and other non-denominational Christian groups. | |||
{{see also|Catholicism in China|Chinese folk religion|Chinese mythology|Protestantism in China|Way of Former Heaven}} | |||
===Culture=== | |||
{{main|Culture of China}} | |||
] in ], ], one of the largest gardens in China.]] | |||
Confucianism was the official philosophy throughout most of ]'s history, and mastery of Confucian texts was the primary criterion for ]. The literary emphasis of the exams affected the general perception of cultural refinement in China, e.g. the view that ] was a higher art form than painting or drama. China's traditional values were derived from various versions of ] and ]. A number of more ] strains of thought have also been influential, such as ]. There was often conflict between the philosophies, e.g. the ] ] ] believed ] departed from the original spirit of Confucianism. Examinations and a ] remain greatly valued in China today. In recent years, a number of ] have advocated that democratic ideals and human rights are quite compatible with traditional Confucian "Asian values".<ref>Bary, Theodore de. . Columbia University.</ref> | |||
With the rise of Western ] and ] power beginning in the mid-19th century, non-Chinese systems of social and political organization gained adherents in China. Some of these would-be reformers totally rejected China's cultural legacy, while others sought to combine the strengths of Chinese and Western cultures. In essence, the history of 20th century China is one of experimentation with new systems of social, ], and economic organization that would allow for the reintegration of the nation in the wake of dynastic collapse. | |||
The first leaders of the PRC were born in the old society but were influenced by the ] and reformist ideals. They sought to change some traditional aspects of Chinese culture, such as rural land tenure, sexism, and Confucian education, while preserving others, such as the family structure and obedience to the state. Many observers believe that the period following 1949 is a continuation of traditional Chinese ] history. Others say that the CPC's rule and the ] have damaged the foundations of Chinese culture, asserting that many important aspects of traditional Chinese morals and culture, such as ], ], literature, and performing arts like ] were altered to conform to government policies and communist propaganda. The institution of the ] orthography reform is controversial as well. | |||
].]]Today, the PRC government has accepted much of traditional ] as an integral part of Chinese society, calling it an important achievement of the Chinese civilization and vital to the formation of a ]. | |||
Chinese films have enjoyed box office success abroad, introducing both exotic and mundane elements of Chinese culture across the world. In the last two decades, China has become a hotbed of filmmaking with such films as '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' (Taiwan), '']'' (Taiwan), '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']'' being critically acclaimed around the world. | |||
{{see also|Chinese law|Chinese philosophy}} | |||
===Arts, scholarship, and literature=== | |||
] by Mifu, ], ca. 1100 CE]] | |||
]s have had many variants and styles throughout Chinese history. Tens of thousands of ancient written documents are still extant, from ] to Qing edicts. ] is a major art form in China, more highly regarded than ] and ]. Manuscripts of the Classics and religious texts (mainly ], ], and ]) were handwritten by ]. Calligraphy later became commercialized, and works by famous artists became prized possessions. | |||
] was developed during the ]. Academies of scholars sponsored by the empire were formed to comment on the classics in both printed and handwritten form. Royalty frequently participated in these discussions. | |||
For centuries, economic and social advancement in China could be provided by high performance on the ]s. This led to a ], although it was available only to males who could afford test preparation. Imperial examinations required applicants to write essays and demonstrate mastery of the Confucian classics. Those who passed the highest level of the exam became elite scholar-officials known as ''jinshi,'' a highly esteemed socio-economic position. | |||
Chinese philosophers, writers, and poets were highly respected, and played key roles in preserving and promoting the culture of the empire. Some classical scholars, however, were noted for their daring depictions of the lives of the common people, often to the displeasure of authorities. | |||
]'', a 7-string bridgeless zither]] | |||
The Chinese invented numerous ]s, such as the ] (箏, zither with movable bridges), ] (琴, bridgeless zither), ] (笙, free reed), ] (箫 or 簫, end blown flute) and adopted and developed others such the ] (二胡, bowed lute) and ] (plucked lute), many of which have later spread throughout ] and ], particularly to Japan, Korea and Vietnam. | |||
{{see also|Chinese art|Chinese painting|Chinese paper art|Chinese calligraphy|Chinese poetry|Cinema of China|Music of China}} | |||
===Sports and recreation=== | |||
{{main|Sports in China}} | |||
], a popular traditional Chinese sport.]] | |||
There is evidence that a form of ] (i.e. soccer) was first played in China around 1000 CE, leading many historians to believe that it originated there.<ref>. 2000. Athleticscholarships.net. Accessed 23 April 2006.</ref>. Besides football, the most popular sports are ], ], ] and more recently, ]. ] is especially popular with the young, in urban centers where space is limited. | |||
There are also many traditional sports. Chinese ] occurs during the ]. In ], Mongolian-style wrestling and ] are popular. In ], archery and ] are part of traditional festivals.<ref>Qinfa, Ye. . About.com. Retrieved April 21, 2006.</ref> | |||
China has become a sports power in the Asian region and around the world. China finished first in medal counts in each of the Asian Games since 1982,<ref>http://www.dohaasiangames.org/en/asian_games_2006/history.html</ref> and in the top four in medal counts in each of the Summer Olympic Games since 1992.<ref>http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/index_uk.asp</ref> The ], officially known as the ''Games of the XXIX Olympiad'', will be held in ]. | |||
] is highly regarded. Morning exercises are a common activity and the elderly are often seen practicing ] in parks. | |||
] such as ], ] (Weiqi), and ] (Chinese chess) are also common and have organised formal competitions. | |||
===Science and technology=== | |||
], known as ] in West, was first drawn by the Chinese]] | |||
{{main|Science and technology in China}} | |||
{{sectstub}} | |||
'''Scientific achievements:''' | |||
* ], applied to ] and ]. Pi (]) was calculated by 5th century mathematician ] to the seventh digit. The ] was used in China as early as the 14th Century BCE. ], known as ] in China, was discovered by mathematicians ], ], ] and ], about 500 years before ] was born. | |||
* ], such as ]s of ]s. | |||
* ] and ] have achieved recognition over the last few decades in the West as alternative and complementary therapies. | |||
<br> | |||
'''Technical inventions attributed to China''' (some of them only allegedly):<br> | |||
:''see also ]'' | |||
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* Online China news portal, run by the Graduate School of Journalism of University of California at Berkeley. | |||
* World Bank Group's guide | |||
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Latest revision as of 07:01, 26 April 2024
Chinese civilization may refer to:
- The country China
- Chinese culture
- Greater China
- History of China
- Zhonghua minzu
See also
Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Chinese civilization.If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Category: