Interesting Facts About China

China is one of the world's oldest civilizations. It is a state located in East Asia. The Republic of China was established on January 1, 1912. China is rich in history, culture and has contributed widely to global arts. Here are some interesting facts about China. 


Interesting Facts About China

• Many commodities of everyday use were invented by the Chinese. Papyrus was found in China. It was from Papyrus that paper was created.
• The art of printing was first invented and then fine-tuned by the Chinese. The early lodestone was also invented in China. It is a common knowledge that gunpowder was first made in China, though it is a misconception that the Chinese used it only for festivals and crackers. The Chinese had various weapons working on gunpowder.
• Other notable inventions include the wheelbarrow, cast iron, the iron plough, the suspension bridge, the parachute, compass, matches, raised relief maps, the propeller, the cross bow and the cannon. The Chinese were also the first to use natural gas as fuel. The Chinese astronomers were the first to make notes about the Supernova.
• Calligraphy is one of the major arts of China, and has recently entered the western world. Chinese literature existed since around 1000 BC.
• The Chinese also invented various musical instruments, such as the pinyin, zheng, qin, sheng, xiao and the pipa.
• The establishment meant an end of the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty in China. The total population of China is more than one billion. It is the most populated country in the world. Around a fifth of the world's population resides in China.
• China has mostly mountains and plateaus in the west and lower lands in the east. The main rivers in China are the Huang He and the Yangtze. Another important river is the Amur, which flows in the north east.
• The first dynasty in China was named Xia and it was considered mythical until recent excavations were considered mythical. The second Chinese Dynasty was Shang. The Shang Dynasty was then invaded by the Zhou, which ruled China from the twelfth to the fifth century.
• The first rebellion in China took place during the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC. It was also the dynasty to unify the whole of China and set up the post of the Emperor, along with standardizing the Chinese language. It was followed by the Han Dynasty, the Three Kingdoms and the short-lived Sui Dynasty. The Tang and Song Dynasties also ruled over China, until the Mongol leader Kublai Khan formed the Yuan Dynasty. The Yuan Dynasty was overthrown in 1368, giving way to the Ming Dynasty in 1644.
• The first emperor of China was Shi Huang-Ti. He is remembered in China for his ruthlessness and harsh laws, and most notably his burning of books circa 213 BC. He also built a network of around two hundred and seventy palaces, which were linked by tunnels.
• At the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1947, constitutional rule was established, with the Communist Party of China controlling Mainland China. Mao Zedong led the Communist Party of China.
• China has about fifty-six recognized ethnic groups in itself, with the biggest ethnic group being the Han. Altogether, there are around hundred ethnic groups. China is a secular and atheist country, although it does offer religion on a personal basis as well as supervised religious organizations, like Buddhism, Taoism and the immortal Confucian mentality. Around three percent of the Chinese population are Christians, while about two percent follow the ways of Islam.
• Beijing is the capital of China and is one of the most populous cities in the world. It is China's political, educational, cultural and military hub. The largest city of China is Shanghai.
• There are between 7 and 13 main regional groups in China. The most spoken language is Mandarin, followed by Wu, Cantonese and Min.
• China has also etched its name in the world of sports. Historians are of the opinion that football has originated in China. The Chinese are well-known for their martial arts.
• The Giant Panda is China's most loved animal. Pandas are also considered symbols of bravery.
• The Phoenix is the most important bird in Chinese mythology. It represents the feminine power of the empress.
• The Chinese consider red as their lucky color. Red is a symbol of happiness for them and is commonly used at Chinese festivals, weddings, birthdays and other festive occasions.
• The Chinese calendar dates back to 2600 BC and is based on the cycles of the moon.
• The Chinese National Day is celebrated on 1st October and is a holiday in China.
• The Great Wall of China is the longest wall in the world, built by Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. It is the largest engineering project ever carried out in the history of mankind.
• The Grand Canal of China is the oldest and longest canal in the world.