History of Modern China
China in the twentieth century witnessed cataclysmic changes. The Boxers rebelled, Last Emperor fell, Japan invaded, the Communists and Nationalists fought a civil war, Mao founded the People's Republic of China... Learn more about the seismic shifts in Modern Chinese History.
The Great Tangshan Earthquake of 1976
The Great Tangshan Earthquake of 1976 rattled much of northern China, and caused more casualties than any other quake in the twentieth century. It also shook the halls of power, fundamentally changing the people's view of the top Communist leadership.Photo Gallery: Tiananmen Square, 1989
Gallery of photos from the Tiananmen Square Protests and Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989, by Jeff Widener (AP), Robert Croma, and others.Eyewitness at Tiananmen Square, 1989
Interview and images from Jeff Widener, the photographer who took the iconic "Tank Man" photo during the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing, China.The Tiananmen Square Massacre, 1989
In 1989, the Chinese government faced escalating student protests in Beijing and other cities. The regime cracked down hard, with tanks and soldiers from the People's Liberation Army. Estimates of the number of students, soldiers, and ordinary citizens killed range between 200-300 (government numbers) and 3,000 (Chinese Red Cross). Video and still photos gave the world a front-row seat at the Tiananmen Square Massacre, sparking wide-spread outrage and condemnation of the government's actions.Biography of Hu Jintao
Biography of Hu Jintao, the current president of the People's Republic of China.What was the Long March?
The Long March is one of the most famous episodes in modern Chinese history, but what was it exactly? Find out here.What was the Great Leap Forward?
What was the Great Leap Forward? Find out about this tragic event in Chinese history, in the Asian History FAQs.The Tibetan Uprising of 1959
In 1950, the People's Republic of China overwhelmed Tibet, and brought it under Chinese control. In 1956, a Tibetan Uprising began. When China moved to crush the Uprising in 1959, the young Dalai Lama barely escaped with his life. He fled into exile in India.Mao Zedong - Timeline of his Life
Mao Zedong was born to a relatively wealthy peasant family in the waning days of the nineteenth century, as China's last dynasty crumbled from within. With charisma, luck and ruthlessness, Mao rose to be the founding leader of a new Communist nation, the People's Republic of China.
This timeline highlights the most important events of his lifetime.