History of China

History of China

China is one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations. It started with the prehistory, ancient era, imperial era, until modern era. In the prehistory, there were Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. In these eras, it said that China was inhabited by Homo erectus. Afterwards, the era continued to the ancient era. There were Xia Dynasty, Shang Dynasty, Zhou Dynasty, Spring and Autumn Period, and Warring States Period.

Xia Dynasty was the first dynasty in historical record, from 2100 BC to 1600 BC. The period of Shang Dynasty was started from 1600 BC to 1046 BC. The longest dynasty in Chinese history was Zhou Dynasty. It was started from the end of Shang Dynasty until 221 BC. In Spring and Autumn period, in 8th century BC, the power was decentralized. After the political consolidation, there were seven leading states remained. They invaded each others. This period was known as Warring States Period.

In the imperial era, there were eleven imperials. Those are Qin Dynasty, Han Dynasty, Jin Period, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Song Dynasty and Liao, Jin, Western Xia, Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty, and Qing Dynasty. Here, we are going to look into the Qin Dynasty.

Qin Dynasty became the first Imperial Era in China. Qin Emperor was Qin Shi Huang. The Qin Dynasty was lasted from 221BC- 206BC. Qin Emperor defeated the Han Chinese homeland and united them under a centralized legalist government located in Xianyang. The dogma of legalism produced the absolute power of the emperor. Qin Dynasty is well-known for beginning the Great Wall. Qin Emperor contributed the concept of centralized government, unification of legal code, written language, measurements, and currency of China. In the end of his life, in 210 BC, the Terracota Army, a funerary art, buried with Qin Emperor. The Terracotta Armies were purposed to defend Emperor in his afterlife’s empire.

The Chinese civilization continues until modern eras, which are Republic of China and period 1949 to present. Sun Yat Sen was the founder and the first president of the Republic of China. (Silvia)

Teaching

Taoism

Return To Balance


The Tao is the natural order of things that flows through every living and sentient object, as well as through the entire universe. Taoism is a "Way" of life. It is a river not a religion or philosophy. It means when the Tao is in balance it is possible to find perfect happiness.

In this doctrine there are Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, two scholars who dedicated their lives two balancing their inner spirits.

The sign of Taoist theology is the circular Yin Yang figure which represents the balance of opposites in the universe. When one is outweighed by the other, there is confusion and disarray so does.

Aspects of both philosophical and religious Taoism were appropriated in East Asian cultures influenced by China, especially Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

Traditionally, Taoism has been attributed to three sources, the oldest being the legendary 'Yellow Emperor', but the most famous is Lao Tse's Tao Teh Ching. According to tradition, Lao Tse was an older contemporary of Kung Fu Tse (Confucius). The third source is Chuang Tse's (untitled) work.

The Tao was written in a time of feudal warfare and constant conflict. Lao Tzu was reflecting on a realistic path for humanity to follow which would end the conflict.

One of the wise phrase is, "I am good to the man who is good to me, likewise, I am also good to the bad man." Literally, this sentence would read, "The good man, I good him. The bad man, I good him too."

The Taoist will takes military action when he has not seen far enough ahead to prevent the need for violence in the first place. When violence is needed, the Taoist leader will fight until he has achieved his goal, and then stop.

Taoists were supporters both of magic and of proto-science; they were the element of Chinese culture most interested in the study of and experiments with nature and interested in health.

Philosophical Taoism

As is accomplished at death, so in life must the individual return to the original purity and simplicity of the Tao. Tao is the absolute, the "Uncarved Block" experienced only in mystical ecstasy. As the Tao operates impartially in the universe, so should mankind disavow assertive, purposive action. The Taoist life is rather a life of non-purposive action (wu-wei). Thinking positively will expressing life and give the essence of spontaneity (tzu-jan, "self-so").

Religious Taoism

Taoism’s themes and texts of philosophical started established during the Warring States period (481-221 BC).


Confucius

Confucius (circa 551-479 BC) was born in the village of Zou in the country of Lu. Confucius was born in a poor family in the year 551 B.C. His original name was K'ung Ch'iu. His father, commander of a district in Lu, died three years after Confucius was born, and the family living in poverty so Confucius nevertheless received a fine education. He was married at the age of 19, had one son and two daughters. He worked as a keeper of a market and a farm worker who took care of parks and farm animals. When he was 20, he worked for the governor of his district. His mother died in 527 BC, and after a period of mourning he began his career as a teacher.

Confucius is a well-known leader in philosophy and also made many wise sayings in ancient China that helped many people learn about nature, the world, the human behavior , the government and the emperor by teaching them lessons on how the emperor should rule his kingdom successfully. Philosophy is a kind of a system of ideas and thoughts that talk about the human's behavior, the rules that you should follow to make a successful life, and about the government.

When feudalism degenerated in China and intrigue and vice were rampant in the second half of the Zhou (Chou) dynasty (1027?-256 BC), Confucius deplored the contemporary disorder and lack of moral standards. He came to believe that the only remedy was to convert people once more to the principles and precepts of the sages of antiquity. He therefore lectured to his pupils on the ancient classics.

One day, he and his students passed a grave where they saw a women weeping at a gravestone. She told Confucius that her husband, her husband's father, and her son were killed by a tiger. When Confucius asked her why she didn't leave such a fated spot, she answered that in this place there was no oppressive government. He said, " An oppressive government is fiercer and more feared than a tiger." That meant that the government in the woman's province did not rule the province well. So he said that the government was more feared than a tiger. This was one of the many events he had to give a person a lesson.

He taught the great value of the power of example. In his opinion rulers can be great only if they themselves lead exemplary lives, and were they willing to be guided by moral principles, their states would inevitably become prosperous and happy.

Confucius' teachings and philosophy was so advanced, it would be the education for China for 2,000 years and is called Confucianism.

Confucianism had a simple moral and political teaching: to love others; to honor one's parents; to do what is right instead of what is of advantage; to practice "reciprocity," example, "don't do to others what you would not want yourself".

He was abandoned from his province and wandered about China for 13 years. When Confucius was 69 years old, he returned to Lu, his home state, and he died there 3 years after settling in Lu - 479 BC. Today the site of his final resting place is the beautiful K'ung Forest.

Mythologies and Feng Shui

What is Feng Shui?

Feng Shui or Kanyu is the art of putting and situating a building to create harmony situation. According to Feng Shui cultural and social issues are influenced by natural, metaphysical and cosmological factors. Feng Shui is an ancient art related to the law and order of the universe and the power of nature. It was first developed some 6,000 years ago. It's a system based on the elements of astronomy, astrology, geology, physics, mathematics, philosophy, psychology and intuition.

Feng Shui is related to be all that matter a great deal to people: their environment, places, people, time and the interaction between the potential factors. Through the knowledge of Feng Shui, people are believed to be able to make themselves more compatible with nature, their surroundings and their own everyday life, so that they can make an impact on their finances, health, and emotions. Obviously, it's a theory to trigger awareness of the relations between human beings and nature. Only when the world is well-manipulated, can it be well availed of and become productive and favorable to humans.

'Feng Shui' is Chinese term that simply means 'Wind and Water.' The concept of them goes throughout the theory and its practice. The ancient Chinese believed a kind of underlying essence of force of things that tends to be dispelled at the chance of wind, while checked at the chance of water.

In ancient China, people would act in virtue of the theory in the hope of promoting prosperity, good health and relationships. Here are some ways Feng Shui is supposed to be able to help you:

· getting a job, raise or promotion;

· improving health;

· getting married;

· getting pregnant or preventing miscarriages;

· protecting a couple from divorce;

· creating more harmonious family relationships;

· feeling free from job impression;

· improving business better;

· preventing accidents;

· Feeling safer in life.

((Nadya)

Chinese Creation Myths

TThere are five major views of creation in China:

• The first, and most consistent historically, is that no myth exists. This is not to say there were none existing at all, only that there is no evidence showing an attempt to explain the world's origin.
• The second view is very indirect. It is merely based on a question of a dialog in an earlier reference. The idea in the question implies that the heavens and the earth separated from one another.
• The third view is the one perpetuated by Taoism by the nature of its philosophy. It appears "relatively" late in Chinese history. In it, Tao is described as the ultimate force behind the creation. With Tao, nothingness gave rise to existence, existence gave rise to yin and yang, and yin and yang gave rise to everything. Due to the ambiguous nature of this myth, it could be compatible with the first myth (and therefore say nothing). But it could, like its antithesis, be explained in a way to better fit the modern scientific view of the creation of universe.
• The fourth view is the relatively late myth of Pangu. This was an explanation offered by Taoist monks hundreds of years after Laozi; probably around 200 CE. In this story, the universe begins as a cosmic egg. A god named Pangu, born inside the egg, broke it into two halves: The upper half became the sky, the lower half became the earth. As the god grew taller, the sky and the earth grew thicker and were separated further. Finally the god died and his body parts became different parts of the earth.
• The fifth view would be tribal accounts that vary widely and not necessarily connect to a system of belief. (Silvia C)

4 vs 8

The Chinese are paying great importance when it comes to numbers in their lives. They believe that it is possible to change their lives by using certain numbers. The Chinese choose telephone numbers, house number, business numbers, car number plates and anything that has numbers in very carefully way.
Number 8 is considered to be very auspicious as it sounds like "prosperous" in Cantonese. That is why the Chinese try hard on having a phone number, bank account, car license plate, mobile phone number, etc. That ends with a number 8. The number eight is the only number where the top half is the same as the bottom half so in the West it represents the concept "as above so below". This number has come to represent money and power and manifesting your ideas (above) in your world (below).

Number 4 is considered inauspicious in traditional feng shui because it sounds like "death" in Cantonese. Knowing that, it is perfectly understandable why number 4 is considered unlucky in traditional Chinese feng shui circles. The number 4 in it's written form (Chinese) looks like a combination of the words "sun" and "eight" which is interpreted as the sun blocked by the clouds. So the number 4 is not considered lucky. In the West 4 represent stability, like the four legs of a table. The energy of the number 4 is reminiscent of the symbol of Saturn, which represents hard work and striving for success.

In Feng Shui, numbers are also divided into Yin and Yang numbers. Yin numbers represent negative or feminine energy, such as 2, 4, 6, and 8. In the other hand, Yang numbers represent masculine or positive energy, such as 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. 0 is a neutral number. Traditionally Yang numbers are considered to be stronger and luckier than Yin numbers. However, Yin numbers are very useful when softer, gentler energy is needed. Another way that numbers can be used is by combining them together. In Cantonese numbers have the following meanings.

1 = unity
2 = easy
3 = liveliness
4 = death
5 = nothing
6 = profitable
7 = certainty
8 = prosperous
9 = longevity, enough (Miranda)

Folklores

Sui Ren's Story

 

In Tiongkok fairy tales, there are many heroes who brought welfare to the people by using intelligence, courage and perseverance, one of them is Sui Ren.

Long time ago in barbarian era, human did not know fire. They particularly did not know the function of it. When the night arrived, the world of surrounds became pitch dark. Because of not having fire, the person could only eat with raw food, so they often sick and his age was also short.

In that era, there is a god named Fu Xi in the sky. He felt sad to witness the life weight in worldly. He wishes to introduce the function of fire to human. Then with his supernatural powers he reduced rain and lightning in the forest. The lightning bashed the tree and was burnt the trees, quickly fire crept to horrifying forest fire. People are panic and escaping. Not long afterward, rain was stopping and the night arrived. The land that was wet by rain became colder. People who escaped again gathered. At that time, a young man got the sound of wild animal that usually emerges. He thought, the wild animal frightened to the thing that was on that. Bravely he approached fire and was immediately felt so warm air around it. Then happily he asked his friends, “come here, fire did not frighten, fire brought obviously and the warmth.”

 

Once upon, the person found the wild animal that died was burnt scattered the deliciously piquant smell. They then gathered near fire and divided wild animal meat that was burnt into parts that, never they felt delicious him food like that. From this experience human began to know fire and to know the important value of fire. Then he was looked for wood twigs to light fire. Every day the fire seed was guarded in a rotating manner to not go out. However one day, the person who guarded the fire fell asleep, and the twig was completely burnt down by fire, fire then went out. Human fell in dark and cold again . They felt very sad
all this was witnessed by the God Fu Xi. He met the earliest young man found the use of the fire in his dream and informed to him, "on next west that very far had a country named Suiming, there had the fire seed. Go there to take the fire seed. ” after got up from sleeping, the young man remembered what will do that was said by the god. He concentrated to take the fire seed in the Suiming Country.

The young man had finally arrived in the Suiming Country after crossing one thousand mountains and the river as well as the jungle by overcoming all the dangers and the difficulty. But, there evidently did not have the sun rays, pitch dark surrounds did not have the difference day and night, moreover fire. The young man was very disappointed, then sat under the Suimu tree. Suddenly, in front of the young man was seen had the shining rays, lighted the surrounding. Immediately he rose to look for the place from the rays. At the time of so he saw several tails of big birds was achieving lice in the Suimu tree by using his beak that was short and hard. Every time birds achieved, there was the sparkling from the tree. Witnessed the scenery, crossed on the youth marrow to copy what was done by these birds. Immediately was looked for by him Suimu tree twigs, then was rubbed-rubbed the twig that was small to the bigger twig. Then, the sprinkling of fire burnt, but did not have fire. The young man was not frightened, was looked for by him again twigs of various tree sorts, patiently he tried rubbed-rubbed twigs from the different tree. Finally had the smoke billowed and fire burnt. It was so happy that the young man until could not keep the drop of the tear.

The young man returned to the native village by bringing the fire seed that will not go out forevermore that is the method got fire with bores wood. Since so human no longer lives in being cold and the fear. The young man was admired by the community because of courage and his intelligence, and he was also appointed to the leader and was named “Suiren” that was significant taken fire.  (Netra)

Sam Pek Eng Tay

One upon a time in China, in Zhejiang province to be precise, live a family, Zhu family. They were wealthy and well known among their society. Zhu family had a very beautiful daughter named Cuk Eng Tay. As a girl, was not allowed to go outside the house freely. Therefore se became really bored. She wanted to go out and go to school just like boys. Many times she tried to persuade her father to allow her to go to school but many times she failed.

 

One day she had a brilliant idea. She locked her self in her room and pretended to be sick. Mr. Zhu who was so worried about her approved Lin Ce’s idea, the maid, to get her daughter a psychic. "Master I suggest you to send your daughter to study outside the city, then she’ll be fine” said the psychic. "What? How you lost your mind? There’s no way I will send my daughter to study out town. There is no single girl at school.” Said Mr. Zhu angrily.

Suddenly the psychic opened his hat and clothes. Mr. Zhu was shocked by then because that psychic was no other than his own daughter, Eng Tay. “Father, if I wear clothes like a boy can I go to school? No one will know that I’m a girl,” said Eng Tay. Mr. Zhu was speechless, there’s nothing he can do to stop his daughter dream, and therefore he approved her to go.

 

At the promised time, Eng Tay accompanied with the loyal maid, Lin Ce, went to Sun Yee school. She dressed like a boy. In the middle of the way, she met a boy who was about to go to Sun Yee as well. They got to know each other and decided to go to school together. The boy’s name was Liang Sam Pek from Guiji. They got closer just like brothers and they promised to protect each other.

At school Eng Tay studied hard. She was so excited to study. Plus she had Sam Pek as her best friend. She never felt bored anymore. Her cover was so perfect that no one knew she was a girl. Sam Pek treated her just like his own little brother. But without him knowing, Eng Tay started to have a crush on him.

 

It’s been years since Eng Tay first came to Sun Yee. For the same long time she never once went back home to visit her father. It was only Lin Ce who went back to report how Eng Tay was doing at school. One day Lin Ce who was just went back home had news for Eng Tay. Her father was sick. His condition was getting worse. Her father wanted her to come home. Eng Tay indeed wanted to went back but at the same time she was afraid that once she went back she would never go to school anymore. That means she would never see Sam Pek anymore. To Lin Ce she admitted that she had fallen I love with Sam Pek.

Finally, she decided to see her lecturer for advice. Eng Tay admitted that she pretended to be a boy so that she could study at school. Lucky for her the lecturer was not mad at all. But he told her to go home to pay her father a visit. Eng Tay was sad but she obeyed him. She left a chain to her lecturer to be given to Sam Pek.

Before she left, Eng Tay tried to give Sam Pek a signal that she was a girl but Sam Pek seemed to do not understand. She gave up and told Sam Pek that she was about to meet him with her sister. But Sam Pek should purpose her himself.

After Eng Tay left, Sam Pek felt so lonely. He was then asking for the lecturer permission to go after her. The lecturer gave him the chain Eng Tay was left earlier. The lecturer also told him that Eng Tay was actually a girl. Sam Pek was shocked. He finally realized all the signs that she was trying to give him. He knew that Eng Tay wanted him to purpose her not her sister. Then Sam Pek rushed with his horse to see the love of his life.

In the mean time, Mr. Zhu was planning to marry her daughter to a boy from a wealthy family named Ma Wencai. Eng Tay refused it and admitted that she had a boyfriend who was about to purpose her. Mr. Zhu was so angry to hear it, He still insist her to marry the man of his choice. He threatened her that he would kill Sam Pek if she insists to refuse. There was nothing she could do. She was just crying.

A few days after Sam Pek has arrived. They were so happy to meet each other. But at the same time Eng Tay was sad because that was the last time she would be able to see Sam Pek. When Sam Pek told her that he would purpose her, Eng Tay could not bear to hold her tears. “ Why are you crying my love? Aren’t you happy that I’m going to purpose?” asked Sam Pek. “I cannot be happier my love, but my dad has menjodohkan me with someone else, and I can’t say no. I am sorry my love.” Eng Tay cried loudly.

Sam Pek was so angry to hear it. He thought that she had forgotten him and did not want to be his wife. “So you prefer to be with someone wealthy rather than being with me, a poor boy?” said Sam Pek angrily. “It’s not like that my love. It is my father’s will and I shall not refuse. Please try to understand. Even though I have to marry another guy, my love is only for you and you alone” said Eng Tay.

Sam Pek did not want to hear. He drove his horse and went back home. Sam Pek was so sad. He had no reason to live. He tried to fade the pain away by drinking. He forgot to eat and forgot to sleep. Finally he went sick, and when the sick became worse. He just didn’t want to heal and he did not want to live.

Sam Pek’s mother was so sad to see her son suffering. So she went to Mr. Zhu and begged for him to allow Eng Tay to see him for the last time. But Mr. Zhu refused. Eng Tay was so sad and disappointed. But there was not much she could do. She gave a book of love poems and a bundle of her hair to Sam Pek’s mother.

When his mother was back home, Sam Pek’s health had gotten much worse. He told his mother that when he dies, he wanted to be buried in a place where Eng Tay’s wedding parade would cross by. Soon after he passed away

Eng Tay was grieving for her boyfriend’s death. She cried every single day grieving on her faith and her lost for that she would never be able to be with someone she love.

Mr. Zhu was worried about her daughter’s condition. He then insisted for the wedding to be held earlier that the plan was. Eng Tay then begged her father to allow her to go out for a while to pay Sam Pek’s tomb a visit as a goodbye. Mr. Zhu agreed.

So when the wedding parade across Sam Pek’s tomb, Eng Tay went down from the carriage. And on her knee she cried in front of his tomb. “ My love please trust me that my love is only for you and you alone. I don’t want to marry another man. If you hear me please take me with you!“ shouted Eng Tay.

Suddenly the wind blew hardly and rain dropped from the sky. The Sam Pek tomb was wide open. Without everyone came on her way she jumped quickly to the tomb. Then the tomb was closed again. Eng Tay was gone.

The weather then back to normal as if there was nothing happened. Only the wedding parade left stoned by the quick happening. Lin Ce cried out loud. Suddenly from the back of the tombs a couple of beautiful butterfly appeared. They flied over LinCe’s had and finally happily fly away from her and from the parade. Lin Ce was happy to see them she believed that they was the reincarnation of Eng Tay and Sam Pek’s spirit who were finally be able to be together. (Nadia Bunga)

Arts

Chinese Traditional Dress

The Chinese Opera in Taipei wear Two feathers of a ho bird (a kind of pheasant good at fighting) were inserted into the headwear of warriors of this period to symbolize a bold and warlike spirit, that of the ho. The characteristic of traditional Chinese clothing is not only an external expression of elegance, but also an inter symbolism. This combination of external form with internal symbolism is clearly exemplified in the pair of fighting pheasant feathers used in headwear.

China's Shantingtung culture, which flourished over 18,000 years ago, such as bone sewing needles, and stone beads and shells with holes bored in them, attest to the existence of the concept of ornamentation and the craft of sewing already in that age. It was established by the era of the Yellow Emperor and the Emperors Yao and Shaun (about 4,500 years ago).

• The three main types of traditional Chinese clothing:

1. The pien-fu is an ancient two-piece ceremonial costume, including a tunic-like top extending to theknees, and a skirt reaching to the ankles; one had to wear a skirt on certain occasions in order to be properly dressed.

2. The ch'i-p'ao is a traditional Manchu design still popular today. Modified form of a traditional Ch'ing Dynasty fashion, on formal occasions to the spring of modern fashion.

3. The shen-I is unique features of traditional Chinese dress. Relatively plain design and structure, embroidered edgings, decorated bands, draped cloth or silks, embellishment on the shoulders, and sashes were often added as ornamentation.

• The Colors:

1. Darker colors were favored over lighter ones in traditional Chinese clothing, so the main color of ceremonial clothing tended to be dark, accented with elaborate embroidered or woven tapestry designs rendered in bright colors.

2. Lighter colors were more frequently used by the common people in clothes for everyday and around the house. The Chinese associate certain colors with specific seasons, for example, green represents spring, red is for summer, white for autumn, and black for winter.

• Sophisticated Fashion

Fashion designers today in the Taiwan are finding new ways to freely combine modern fashion aesthetics and trends with traditional Chinese symbols of good fortune. The great wealth of source material designs including guardian deities, lions, the eight trigrams, and masks of Chinese opera characters. Woven, embroidered, and appliquéd design for clothes is Chinese bronzes. People of Taiwan are incorporate traditional Chinese dress into modern life.

Architecture

Since the Tang Dynasty, Chinese architecture has had a major influence on the architectural styles of Korea, Vietnam and Japan. Chinese’s architecture style has taken shape in Asia over many centuries. The structural principles of Chinese architecture have remained largely unchanged, the main changes being only the decorative details.

The architecture of China is as old as Chinese civilization. From every source of information - literary, graphic, exemplary - there is strong evidence testifying to the fact that the Chinese have always employed an indigenous system of construction that has retained its principal characteristics from prehistoric times to the present day. Over the vast area from Chinese Turkistan to Japan, from Manchuria to the northern half of French Indochina, the same system of construction is prevalent; and this was the area of Chinese cultural influence. That this system of construction could perpetuate itself for more than 4.000 years over such a vast territory and still remain a living architecture, retaining its principal characteristics in spite of repeated foreign invasions - military, intellectual, and spiritual - is a phenomenon comparable only to the continuity of the civilization of which it is an integral part.

Throughout the 20th Century, however, Western-trained Chinese architects have attempted to combine traditional Chinese designs into modern (usually government) buildings, with only limited success. Moreover, the pressure for urban development throughout contemporary China required higher speed of construction and higher floor area ratio, which means that in the great cities the demand for traditional Chinese buildings, which are normally less than 3 levels, has declined in favor of modern architecture. However, the traditional skills of Chinese architecture, including major carpentry, minor carpentry, masonry, and stone masonry, are still applied to the construction of vernacular architecture in the vast rural area in China.

Bilateral symmetry and the articulation of buildings are found everywhere in Chinese architecture, from palace complexes to humble farmhouses. When possible, plans for renovation and extension of a house will often try to maintain this symmetry provided that there is enough capital to do so.

Famous People

Mao Ze Dong


Mao Zedong was born in 26 December 1893,a Chinese Communist dictator . Mao Zedong loved swimming. When he was young, he advocated swimming as a way of strengthening the bodies of Chinese citizens, and one of his earliest poems celebrated the joys of beating a wake through the waves. Usually he and his close friends would often swim in local streams before they debated together the myriad challenges that faced their nation. In after 1955, when he was in his early 60s and at the height of his political power as leader of the Chinese People's Republic, swimming became a central part of his life. He swam so often in the large pool constructed for the top party leaders in their closely guarded compound that the others eventually left him as the pool's sole user. He swam in the of
ten stormy ocean off the north China coast, when the Communist Party leadership gathered there for its annual conferences. He led the Communist Party of China (CPC) to victory against the Kuomintang (KMT) in the Chinese Civil War. As the leader of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Mao Zedong, from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 09 September 1976. He would be the most important figurein the history and named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.

Mao had a great interest in the political system, encouraged by his father. He has two famous essays like “On Contradiction” and “On Practice” that are concerned with the practical strategies of a revolutionary movement and stress the importance of practical, grassroots knowledge, obtained through experience. They reflect the guerrilla roots of Maoism in the need to build up support in the countryside against a Japanese occupying force and emphasise the need to win over 'hearts and minds' through 'education'.

After he finished the highest level of schooling, he spent six months studying independently. And then for the first time he introduced to communism while working at Peking University, and in 1921 he attended the organizational meeting of the Communist Party of China (CPC). He first encountered Marxism while he worked as a library assistant at Peking University.

Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee (Lee Hsiao Lung) was born in San Francisco in November 1940. Lee was born in the Year of the Dragon at the Jackson St. Hospital in the Chinatown District of San Francisco. His father is a famous Chinese opera singer. His mother called him “Bruce”, which means “strong one” in Gaelic. In 1941, Lee moved to Hong Kong when he soon became a child star in the growing Eastern film industry. His first film was called the birth of Mankind.

When he was a teenager, he became a member of a Hong Kong’s gangster, and in 1953 began studying kung-fu to maintain his fighting skills. At the age of 19 (In 1959), after Lee got into trouble with the police because of fighting, his mother sent him back to the U.S. and lived with their friends in outside Seattle, Washington.

Lee finished high school in Edison, Washington, and subsequently enrolled as a philosophy major at the University of Washington. Then he also got a job teaching the Wing Chun’s martial art style that he had learned in Hong Kong to his fellow students and others. Through his teaching, Lee met Linda Emery and married in August 17, 1964. By that time, Lee had opened his own martial arts school in Seattle. He and Linda moved to California, where Lee opened two more schools in Los Angeles and Oakland.

In Oakland, 1964, Bruce is challenged by a leading Gung Fu practitioner in the Chinatown Community. In the 1900's, the Boxer Rebellion was severely beaten by Western Forces. The Boxer Rebellion desired the Westerners to be expelled from China. The Western Forces punished this rebellion and gave beatings to the Chinese Army. Therefore, Chinese are reluctant to teach Westerners their martial arts. Bruce accepts this challenge and wins in only a couple of minutes. But Bruce was upset though on why the fight took longer than usual so he begins to re-evaluate his style. Thus, the early concepts of Jeet Kune Do (JKD) were born.