People’s Republic of China’s Brief History and Ancient Buildings
By Lhenn on Jul 23, 2009 with Comments 0
The People’s Republic of China (in Chinese Zhonghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó) is a very large country in the east of Asia (the third largest in the world) with a total surface of 9596960 sq. km. China is also with currently 1.3 billion inhabitants the most populous country in the world. Its official language is Chinese although there are 56 distinct ethnic groups, each with its own language.
China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a history spanning back to 5000 years ago. China originated in the third millennium BC as a series of separate states which were finally unified in a large empire in 221 BC. China has since then been ruled by a series of dynasties until 1911, when it became a republic. The Communist Party of China has been ruling the country since 1949. Currently China is going through a very rapid growth phase with yearly growth rates exceeding 10%, which is rapidly transforming China from a developing country to a developed country. As a side effect of this rapid economic growth, China is currently suffering from a severe pollution problem, with polluted skies and waterways. The continued expansion of deserts, particularly the Gobi Desert, is also a cause of concern.
Tibet is a region encompassing an immense plateau lying between 4000 and 5000 meters. Tibet was a strong empire between the 7th and 10th centuries, which was later incorporated into China’s Yuan Dynasty the 13th century. The capital of Tibet is Lhasa.
The Drepung monastery is one of the three Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet (the other two being Ganden and Sera). Drepung is the largest of all Tibetan monasteries and at its peak also was the largest monastery in the world, housing 15000 monks in 1959. Founded in 1416 by Jamyang Chojey, the founder of the Gelukpa school, it is located on the Gambo Utse mountain, 5 km west of Lhasa.
The Ganden Monastery is one of the great three Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet (the other two being Drepung and Sera). It lies at 4500 metres a.s.l. on the Wangbur Mountain, 47 km east of Lhasa. Being the furthest away from Lhasa of the three Gelupka monasteries, Ganden has a smaller monk population. However, it was the original monastery of the Geluk order, founded by Tsongkhapa himself, and traditionally considered to be the seat of Geluk administrative and political power. The monastery nowadays houses 400 monks.
Gansu, a Chinese province with an area of 454,000 sq km and a population of approximately 25 million inhabitants, lies between Qinghai, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang and contains part of the Gobi Desert around Dunhuang. Its capital is Lanzhou, located in the southeast part of Gansu.
Situated along the Silk Road, Gansu was an economically important province, and a cultural transmission path as well. Its frequent earthquakes, droughts and famines have tended to slow its economic progress, until recently when based on its abundant mineral resources it has begun developing into a vital industrial center. Agricultural production includes cotton, linseed oil, maize, melons, millet, and wheat.
Beijing (literally “northern capital” in Chinese) is the capital of the People’s Republic of China and its second largest city in terms of population, after Shanghai. It is the political, educational, and cultural center of the People’s Republic of China, while Shanghai and Hong Kong predominate in economic fields.Beijing has been settled since 1000 BC, but only became the capital of China under the Mongol rule in the 13th century. Beijing is a huge city (the emphasis being on “huge”, with huge buildings, wide 12-lane streets and large open spaces in between (the Tiananmen square is 1 km wide). Beijing has a rough climate with cold winters, hot summers and short intermediate seasons in-between. The city also suffers from heavy pollution and poor air quality from industry and traffic.
The Forbidden City is a huge area in Beijing with many well preserved ancient buildings and temples. It is called like this because it was off-limits for 500 years. Here is where two dinasties of emperors, the Ming and the Qing resided. The Chinese name is Gugong (= the old city).
The Temple of Heaven (Chinese name: Tiantan Gongyuan) is actually a huge 267 hectare park with several ancient buildings, the oldest dating back to the 16th century. It is the most perfect example of Ming architecture. The park has four gates (north, south, east and west).
Great Wall of China in Jinshanling, a remote place about three hours by car northeast of Beijing. Construction of the Great Wall began during the Qin dinasty (3rd century BC).
China World Trade Centre and other scenes in central Beijing. Atmospheric conditions are frequently bad in Beijing, with sand storms or fog limiting the visibility. Air pollution is also very strong.
The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan in Chinese, meaning ” Garden of Nurtured Harmony”) is a huge garden around the Kunming lake with several palaces, temples and pavilions in Beijing. The highest elevation in the Summer Palace park is the Longevity Hill (60 m). The Summer Palace covers an area of 2.9 sq. km, three quarters of which are taken by the lake. The palaces, temples and other structures in the Summer Palace were built between 1750 and 1902. In 1998 UNESCO declared the Summer Palace a World Heritage Site.
The Tiananmen square (Tiananmen Guangchang in Chinese) is a large square in the centre of Beijing, south of the Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace in Chinese). It has great cultural significance because it has been the site of several key events in Chinese history. The square measures 880 metres from south to north and 500 metres from east to west and is the largest open urban square in the world.
(Wangfujing Dajie in Chinese) is one of Beijing’s most famous shopping streets. Much of the road is a pedestrian area with several shops, malls and shopping complexes. The most recent addition to Wangfujing road is the Oriental Plaza shopping mall. At night Wangfujing shines in a sea of colourful neon lights.
Built on the banks of the Huangpu river, Shanghai is China’s largest city and its most important economic, commercial, financial and communications centre. Shanghai was a sleepy fishing town until the start of the 20th century, when it experienced a period of unprecedented development which transformed it into China’s most important city. After WW II Shanghai languished under the communist rule until 1992, when the Chinese government started implementing free market policies. Currently Shanghai is growing at a very rapid pace, with new buildings and skyscrapers continuosly being built. It’s skyline on the Huangpu river now rivals that of Hong Kong.
The Jade Buddha Monastery is located in
in western Shanghai. Built in 1918 it hosts two wellknown, valuable jade buddha statues. The monastery is still inhabited by monks.
The Yuyuan Gardens in the old town were built between 1559 and 1577 by the Pan family, rich Ming Dynasty officials. After being destroyed in the Opium War in 1842, the gardens were restored and are nowadays a major tourist attraction. Next to the park there is a market and a big food court.
The Pudong New Area on the eastern side of the Huangpu river is a special economic zone which was built in the 1990s. Where before there were farms and vegetables grew, now there are skyscrapers and modern buildings. In this area there are also the Oriental Pearl and Jin Mao towers.
Shaanxi, a province in central China, is considered one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. 13 feudal dynasties have established their capitals in this province during a span of more than 1100 years. In Shaanxi lies the city of Xian, famous for the army of terracotta warriors.
The Sichuan province is the largest province in southwest China. It is a very diverse mountainous province crossed by 80 mighty rivers. The mountainous west is the province borders with the Tibetan plateau, while the east supports one of the densest rural populations in the world. The province is rich in natural resources and is home to the endangered Panda species.
The Giant Panda Breeding Centre is located about 6km north of Chengdu. It is a research and breeding centre for lange and smaller pandas. The centre has been operative since 1990 and has been opened to the public in 1995.
Between Fengjie (Chongqing prefecture) and Yichang (Hubei province), for a length of 200km, the Chang Jiang (Yangze) river passes through a region of dramatic scenery with gorges, steep cliffs and mountains. The Three Gorges (Sanxia in Chinese) are named Qutang, Wu and Xiling.
Construction on the Three Gorges dam was completed in the summer of 2006, and the water level in the Qutang, Wuxia, and the western portion of the Xiling Gorges has already risen by about 100-150m since 2003. The dam has been built in Sandouping in the middle of the Xiling Gorge.
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Filed Under: Asian Countries
