QUESTION:
China proudly boasts
the world's longest written history - some
5,000 years of recorded Chinese culture, history
and society. Chinese history is divided into
various dynasties each with its own special
history and cultural achievements. Which of
the following dynasties is the earliest of
the recognized dynasties:
A. Tang dynasty
B. Qing dynasty
C. Ming dynasty
D. Qin dynasty
ANSWERS:
A. The Tang dynasty spanned
the period AD 618 to AD 907 but was not the
earliest. Famous for it poetry and literature
as well as its outstanding silk and glazed
pottery which were highly sought after in
the Middle East and Europe.
B. Qing is probably the best
known of the dynasties outside of China due
to movies such "The Last Emperor"
and the current demand for arts and crafts
from this period. Novels from this period
include the famous "The Scholars"
by Wu Jing Zi. The Qing dynasty was from 1644
to 1911 AD and was the last of the dynastic
periods - not the earliest.
C. Ming (Ad 1368 to 1644) is
also widely known throughout the world especially
for the exceptionally beautiful vases, sculptures,
paintings and calligraphy scrolls . Indeed
Ming vases regularly fetch hundreds of thousands
of dollars at auctions. Importantly many Ming
vases are now being returned to China to ensure
that Chinese history can be seen by all Chinese
people.
D. Qin is the earliest of the
Chinese dynasties starting in 221 BC and lasting
until 206 BC. Although brief, it is famous
for the terra cotta warriors of Xi'an which
were discovered by Chinese farmers in the
early 1970's. The first emperor of the Qin
dynasty, Qin Shihuangdi united China into
an empire and established standardized weights,
measures, coins and written script throughout
the country.
