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PeoplePeople Population China, as the world's most populous country, has a population exceeding 1.2 billion, which makes up 22 percent of the world total. To bring population growth under control, the country has followed a family planning policy since the 1970s. Ethnic Groups China is a multiracial country with 56 ethnic groups, including Achang, Bai, Bonan, Blang, Bouyei, Korean, Daur, Dai, De'ang, Dong, Dongxiang, Derung, Oroqen, Russian, Ewenki, Gaoshan, Gelao, Hani, Kazak, Han, Hezhen, Hui, Jino, Gin, Jingpo, Kirgiz, Lahu, Li, Lisu, Lhoba, Manchu, Maonan, Mongolian, Monba, Miao, Mulam, Naxi, Nu, Primi, Oiang, Salar, She, Sui, Tajik, Tatar, Tu, Tujia, Va, Uygur, Uzbek, Xibe, Yi, Yuigur, Yao, Tibetan, and Zhuang. The Han people account for 92 percent of the population. No matter how big or small the population is, all peoples share equal rights. Religion China is a multi-religious country. Taoism, Buddhism, Islamism, Protestantism and Catholicism have all developed quite a following in this country. Nearly all of the world's great religions have a past and a present in China. The overwhelming majority of the Chinese population are non-religious, but Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and Christianity are practiced by a considerable portion of the people. BUDDHISM Buddhism spread to China during the 2nd century AD, and has had a considerable influence on Chinese thought, art and culture, even though only a fraction of the population have accepted Buddhism as their religion. Famed age-old monasteries throughout the country are well-maintained as tourist attractions, in addition to their role as places for religious practice. The most notable monasteries are found in the shadows of the four Buddhist Holy Mountains: Mt. Wutai in Shanxi Province, Mt. Putuo in Zhejiang Province, Mt. Jiuhua in Anhui Province and Mt. Emei in Sichuan Province. TAOISM Along with Buddhism, Taoism casts prominent themes in Chinese religious and philosophical thought. As the only truly indigenous Chinese religion, Taoism was founded 1,800 years ago. Its thought is based on the ideas recorded in the classic book "Dao De Jing", said to be authored by Taoism's major proponent, Lao Zi, in the 6th century BC. ISLAM communities found in the northwestern Xinjiang Uyguar Autonomous Region and Ningxia Huizu Autonomous Region, and in most of the cities along the ancient Silk Road, the Grand Canal, and the southeast sea coast. Grand mosques dating as far back as the Tang Dynasty -9th century AD- remain active in Xian, Hohhot, Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Hangzhou, and Beijing. CHRISTIANITY Christianity first came to China in the 7th century, introduced by Nestonian Christians from Persia. Today, some estimates put China's Christian population at more than 8 million. JUDAISM Jewish settlers arrived in China as early as the middle of the 10th century, establishing their first synagogue in the city of Kaifeng of Henan Province in 1163. Their descendants have been gradually assimilated into the Chinese ethnic and social fabric, with the result that Judaism is no longer practiced. Shanghai and Tianjin supported large communities of Jewish migrants prior to 1949, with virtually no surviving traces. CONFUCIANISM Not a religion but rather a system of social philosophy and ethics, Confucianism continues to influence East Asia almost 2,500 years after the death of Confucius. Qufu, 108 miles south of Jinan in Shandong Province, is the native town of Confucius. Qufu's ornate Confucius Temple, the largest such structure in the world, covers more than 50 acres of ground in red and gold-tiled splendor. Confucius (551-479 BC) and his legion of descendants evolved into one of the most politically influential familial clans in China's history. The Confucius Family Mansion, a maze of nine interlocking courtyards and more than 400 rooms, attests to the clan's power and prestige. More than 200,000 Confucius family tombs can be found in the nearby Confucian Forest Cemetery. China, with a recorded history of 5,000 years, is one of the world's earliest civilizations. In the 21st century BC, China entered slave society with the founding of the Xia Dynasty, thereby writing a finale to long years of primitive society. The Xia was followed by the Shang and Western Zhou dynasties; then came the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, which encompassed the "Spring and Autumn" and Warring States periods. In 221 BC, Qin Shihuang established China's first centralized autocracy, the Gin Dynasty, thereby ushering Chinese history into feudalism, which endured in a succession 7 of dynasties, such as the Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing, until the Opium War of 1840. The economy and science and technology were relatively well developed in ancient China. During the Shang Dynasty some 3,000 years ago, the Chinese had mastered the art of bronze metallurgy, and invented iron implements; Many distinguished thinkers, scientists, artists and writers came into being. The contributions to world civilization of ancient China's four inventions: papermaking, printing, powder, and the compass, as well as remarkable achievements in mathematics, medical science, astronomy, agriculture, and architecture, are universally recognized. The Bourgeois Democratic Revolution of 1991 led by Sun Yat-sen toppled the rule of the Qing Dynasty, put an end to more than 2,000 years of feudal monarchical system and culminated in the establishment of the provisional government of the Re public of China. The People's Republic of China was founded on October 1, 1949. Today, China is implementing reform and opening-up policies. HISTORY LIST Xia (Hsia) 2205 - 1766 BC
Shang 1766 - 1122 BC Zhou (Chow) 1122 - 770 BC Spring & Autumn Annals 770 - 476 BC Warring States 476 - 221BC Qin (Chin) 221 - 206 BC Han 206 BC - 220 AD Three Kingdoms 220 - 265 AD Jin (Tsin) 265 - 420 AD Southern and Northern 420 - 580 AD Sui 589 - 618 AD Tang 618 - 907 AD Five Dynasties 907 - 960 AD Song (Sung) 960 - 1280 AD Yuan 1280 - 1368 AD Ming 1368 - 1644 AD Qing (Ching) 1644 - 1911 AD Republic of China 1911 - 1949 AD (ROC in Taiwan, China after 1949) People's Republic of China (Mainland China) 1949 AD  Private Tours - Tour Itineraries Join-in Tours - Pakages Free and Easy Tours Semi Self Service Tours |
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