What?: The most populous nation in the world.
Where?: Located in Asia, China is bordered by Russia, Korea and Japan to name but a few. China considers itself to be the “Middle Kingdom” as they feel they are in the center of the world.
Who?: There are currently 1.2 billion Chinese people however the people of China are a diverse group consisting of urban businessmen, nomadic ranchers and rural farmers.
Historical Importance: China has a long history of ethnocentrism. In the early 1400’s China was a world power second to none, however in the mid 1400’s China chose to isolate itself from the rest of the world causing it to fall behind in new technology. By the early 1800’s China had fallen from the ranks of the world powers and was carved up into spheres of influence by the European powers.
Geography:
1) China is isolated from the rest of the world by the ocean to east and mountains and desert to the north and west.
2) Chinese civilization began in the fertile yellow river valley (Huang He)
3) China built the Great Wall of China to protect it from barbarians to the west.
Importamt Chinese in History: Confucius, Mao Zedong, , Deng Xiaping, Jiang Jeshi, Sun Yixan and Shi Hui Di
Related Terms: Ethnocentrism, Confucianism, Legalism, Sphere of Influence, Opium Wars, Boxer Rebellion, Communism, Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution