China - An Introduction
Perth High School Confucius Classroom
Introductory Presentation 1
China - Asian Superpower
China - An Introduction
• An ancient AND modern
civilisation
• A rich and complex history
• Superb cultural legacy
• The most populous nation
on Earth
• Many nationalities
• Socialist government
• Very diverse landscapes
• Plants and Animals
China - History
• Origins of Chinese Kingdom
lost in mythology
• First Emperor in
• Many Imperial Dynasties:
Xin, Han, Ming, Tang,
Manchu
• The Great Wall(s!)
• Many religions and
philosophers e.g. Confucius
• Republic founded in
• Socialist republic from 1949
China - Culture
• Religions - Buddhism,
Taoism, Islam
• Art - painting, fabrics,
sculpture, furniture, etc.
• Architecture
• Philosophy - Confucian
thought, etc.
• Music - Beijing Opera
• Kites - Wei Fang kitemaking
tradition
Who Are the Chinese?
• The most populous nation
on earth
• Population = 1.3 billion
• 20% of world population
• Population was only 0.5
billion in 1950
• One child per family policy
since 1979
• Most Populated Province Henan (92.56 million,
almost twice the UK)
China - Many Nations
• 55 different
nationalities
• Predominantly
Han Chinese
(olive green
colour)
• Only 2.5 million
Tibetans (golden
colour)
• Mongolians (lilac
colour)
• Other minorities
are small
China - Landscape
• Western third mostly
mountains, snow and desert very sparsely populated
• Northern edge borders the
Gobi Desert
• South-western part tropical dense forest/jungle
• Remaining central and eastern
zones are very diverse - river
valleys, plains, mountains,
loess plateau
China - Government
• China is governed by the
Communist Party of China
• President Hu Jintao and Prime
Minister Wen Jiabao are the
leaders of China
• The Politburo (led by the 2
named above) currently has 25
members
• There are 22 provincial
governments, as well as 4
major cities, 5 autonomous
regions and 2 special
administrative regions
China - Flora and Fauna
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China is probably most famous for
its Giant Pandas
They are the subject of an
intensive breeding programme to
prevent extinction
Many of the garden plants in
Scottish gardens are native to
China and were brought back by
British 19th and 20th century plant
collectors
Edinburgh Zoo has recently had
red pandas and is currently
bidding for some giant pandas
Despite population pressure,
China has a very rich range of
animals, plants and insects (-->)
Including 12-inch centipedes!!