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In the 200s AD, the people of China learned a new religion from India called Buddhism. The Chinese began to build Buddhist temples as the religion spread all over China. Buddhism influenced Chinese art, architecture, and literature. Buddhism was very popular among the Chinese, especially during the Period of Disunion. The people took comfort in the fact that they could escape suffering and achieve a state of perfect peace, called Nirvana.
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Mathematics was taught in many Chinese schools. The schools used a textbook called Nine Chapters. This was written as early as the Han Dynasty around the 200s AD.
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The Period of Disunion is a time where China was very divided. The Period of Disunion followed the collapse of the Han Dynasty. It was ended by a man named Yang Jian.
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The first hot air balloon was invented in 250 AD by a man named Zhuge Kongming. People used it in war.
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In 300 AD, Ge Hong created the first effective treatment for Malaria. The treatment was a result of scientific observations of plants and animals.
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Buddhism became extremely important to the Chinese people, that the years 400 through 845 AD became known as the Age of Buddhism. It came to an end when a Tang Emperor launched a campaign against the religion. He burned texts and Buddhist temples.
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Empress Wu was the only woman to ever rule China. When her husband died, she didn't think that her sons were worthy of ruling China, so she kept the power for herself. She was not well liked, but she brought stability and prosperity to China.
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In 730 AD, Li Bo and Du Fu write some of the greatest poems in Chinese history. Nearly fifteen hundred poems have been preserved that were written by Li Bo and Du Fu.
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Around the year 1000 AD, moveable type was invented. It was created during the Song Dynasty. It made printing much faster. The carved letters could be rearranged and reused to print many different messages.
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Kublai Khan became ruler of the Mongol Empire in 1260. He completed the conquest of China. His rule began the Yuan Dynasty.
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The Yuan Dynasty lasted 87 years. It was ruled by Kublai Khan and was part of the Mongolian Empire.
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The Ming Dynasty lasted for 276 years. They were known for overseas exploration and their large building projects.
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The Great Wall of China was built on and off in many different dynasties, but during the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, the greatest amount of work on the wall was done during that time. It is 5,500 miles long. The Great Wall of China is one of the world's greatest wonders.
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Paper was invented in the Han Dynasty around 105 AD, by Cai Lun. Paper made it easier for the chinese to keep records and print things. Previously people had written on silk and bamboo.
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The people of the Song Dynasty invented the world's first system of paper money in the 900s. Having paper money was a result of the growth of trade and wealth.
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The first well-known printed book was printed using a woodblock printing technique. Woodblock printing was a form of printing where an entire page is carved into a block of wood.
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After the Tang Dynasty fell, many people fought for power. It lasted for 53 years. China was so divided during this period, that it was called "Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms."
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Gunpowder was invented in the 900s BC. It was used for rockets, grenades, and bombs, that were placed against wooden gates of enemy cities.
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Woodblock printing was invented around 850 AD, under the Tang Dynasty. This enabled people to copy things easier and quicker.
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Like the Tang Dynasty, the Song Dynasty was a time of great accomplishments. The Song Dynasty was ruled for 300 years.
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A new dynasty started in China in 618, when a Sui official overthrew the old government. It was often called the "golden age of chinese civilization." One of its greatest rulers was Taizong. He conquered many lands, reformed the military, and created law codes. Another great ruler was Xuanzong. When he ruled, Chinese culture flourished. Also, during the Tang Dynasty, many of China's finest poets wrote poetry during that time. Also, China's first woman ruler, Empress Wu, ruled.
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The Sui Dynasty was ruled by Yang Jian, the man who ended the Period of Disunion. The Sui Dynasty didn't last long. It only lasted from 589 to 618. After the Sui Dynasty collapsed, leaders restored order to China, and began the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal was a canal linking northern and southern China.
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In 132 AD, Cheng Hang invented the seismograph. It is a device for measuring the strength of earthquakes and locating their center.
