To understand contemporary China, one must look back into its past. As one of the world’s oldest civilizations, China’s more than 5,000 years of history are not confined to textbooks and museums; they continue to offer living wisdom today. Its long history was shaped not only by emperors and legendary figures, but also by the countless ordinary people who have lived on this land.
From the complex political struggles during the Three Kingdoms period and the mysterious bronze artifacts unearthed at Sanxingdui, to the lasting influence of Confucianism, which continues to influence Chinese social values and ways of life, China’s history reveals the breadth of human experience, as the ancients learned about the natural world, overcame disaster, dealt with conflict, sought better lives, or simply live out their days while creating arts and poetry and forming philosophical ideas.
Whether it’s the tumultuous Warring States period, lost tales along the ancient Silk Road, crime and punishment in the Ming and Qing dynasties, or the sweeping transformation of modern China, our collection of stories from Chinese history is yours to explore.
From exclusive luxury for royalty to the pride of the People’s Republic, ice cream in China has a long and sweet history
Legal, social, and cultural barriers to ending China’s forced labor tradition
From veiled scholar hats to canopied backpacks, China’s obsession with sun protection is not a recent one
How did Chinese students earn the right to choose their own majors, and how did the most popular choices evolve over time?
When did it become unacceptable for widows to remarry in ancient China?
Founded on June 16, 1924, China’s first modern military academy aimed to reunite a divided nation. It didn’t quite work out that way.
Four discoveries of prehistoric humans in China and what they tell us about the origins of modern humanity
The Yellow River township of Taosi hosts a 4,000-year-old solar observatory with ancient archaeological treasures underfoot
From cram academies to meeting celebrity scholars, preparation for ancient China’s civil service exams was both similar and different to test-prep to…
The story of the two-wheeler’s rise and fall—and comeback—in the “Kingdom of Bicycles”
China’s imperial examinations included a controversial test for gifted children
From turning the tides of battle to preventing conflict altogether, spies were an integral part of warfare in ancient China—sometimes unwittingly
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