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Questions tagged [china]

Generally refers to the country referred to as the People's Republic of China, a country in E Asia. With a surface area of 3,691,502 sq. mi. (9,560,990 sq. km). The current Capital is Beijing.

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When did China start thinking 8 was lucky and 4 unlucky?

I'm familiar with the reasons for these superstitions, but I can't find any estimate of how old they are. Is one older than the other?
J.G.'s user avatar
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1 answer
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Sino-Taiwanese air clashes

During the cold war, were there any serious air clashes, resulting in mass scrambling of aircraft on both sides, between the Chinese and Taiwanese Airforces over the Taiwan Straits and the Southern ...
Brian Ghilliotti's user avatar
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Why didn't Mao Zedong order to kill locusts initially in the 4 pests campaign?

It looks somewhat strange that the order was centered into sparrows, rats, flies and mosquitoes, although all of those things have a point into the objectives the campaign had, I guess problems with ...
kmpx's user avatar
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4 votes
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What was the National Revolutionary Army's "Training Brigade"?

During the Battle of Nanking, China's forces included the so-called "Training Brigade" which defended Purple Mountain. What was the nature of this formation? The Wikipedia article describes them as "...
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Why didn't Deng Xiaoping de-Maoify China after Mao's death? [closed]

Deng Xiaoping was purged twice by Mao Zedong during the cultural revolution, and exiled by Mao for being too moderate and at odds with Mao's insane and genocidal actions. After the death of Joseph ...
HerrimanCoder's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
251 views

Why was the US table tennis team sent to communist China even after a difference in ideology? [closed]

The USA had an embargo in place with China, due to having fought the Chinese in Korea during the Korean war. For 20 years no American set foot in PRC territory. At last though, the American table ...
Mansha Mannan Ul Haque's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
292 views

Number of artisanal working hours spent on making Terracota Army

Basing on Wikipedia: Estimates from 2007 were that the three pits containing the Terracotta Army held more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses around 8780 ...
GA1's user avatar
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25 votes
3 answers
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Why did the Chinese Nationalist party members go to the island of Taiwan and not to any other island?

The nationalists could have escaped to the present day Phillippines which is further from the Chinese and would keep them more safe or to any other island but why only Taiwan and also why didn't the ...
Mansha Mannan Ul Haque's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
509 views

How do the efforts of the Jesuits in China differ from their efforts in Japan?

Question How do the efforts of the Jesuits in Ming China China differ from their efforts in Japan? I know that when the Jesuits arrived in both countries, they started to convert people into ...
John Rawls's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
365 views

What's the historical basis for Water Margin / 108 Heroes of Liangshan?

Chronicle of the Water Margin (alternatively known as Outlaws of the Marsh and All Men are Brothers), one of the Four Great Famous Works of Chinese literature, is a novel attributed to Shi Nai'an (施耐庵,...
Firebug's user avatar
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Women collaborators within China during the Second Sino-Japanese War?

There are several reports of women collaborators in Europe during the Nazi occupation. I am wondering if there is any reports of this occurring in China, and what possibly happened to these women ...
Josh Murphy's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

How did China become so **populous**? [duplicate]

China is the world's most populous nation. But why is it? In other words, what historical factors made China as populous as it is today?
George A. Solodun's user avatar
3 votes
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82 views

Diplomatic relationships between China and Japan during the Beiyang Goverment

How were the diplomats from Japan treated in the areas controlled by the Beiyang government? Edit: During the Beiyang goverment were diplomats and families from Japan, treated the same as other ...
Josh Murphy's user avatar
33 votes
4 answers
12k views

If the Ch’in dynasty was so short-lived, why was China named for it?

If the Ch’in dynasty was so short-lived, why was China named for it? The Ch’in Dynasty, which lasted for only 39 years, was China’s shortest-lived dynasty. (Compare that to the Shang’s 750 years, ...
George A. Solodun's user avatar
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3 answers
1k views

Why didn't Mao see that the "Great Leap Forward" would be such a disaster?

I've been reading about Mao Zedong and I heard about his Great Leap Forward. I read that it ended up splitting families apart and causing a massive economic crash. Why didn't Mao Zedong see this would ...
The Gamer King's user avatar
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1 answer
322 views

What are these old Chinese books?

While cleaning my house i found some old books written in Chinese. Can anybody tell me what these are? What the books are about and do they have any historical significance? If this post does not fit ...
Tanmoy's user avatar
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4 answers
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Did people in China resort to cannibalism during the reign of Mao?

I have often heard and read this, but I wonder if credible sources can support these claims. I even heard stories of merchants selling human flesh and children under 12 sold to be eaten. I read about ...
Sami's user avatar
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Why didn't the Khalkh Mongols support the Dzungars in their fight against China?

Khalkha Mongol khans fought for China against the Dzungars. What was the reason for that? Why did the Dzungars become enemies of the Khalkh Mongols? See: Dzungar Genocide & Dzungar–Qing ...
kurumkan's user avatar
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13 votes
2 answers
5k views

Who made this Sino-Soviet Propaganda Poster?

Who made this Sino-Soviet Propaganda Poster? And, why was it made so early? By the left armpit, there is a signature: The Who: I believe this says "ВИКТОР ИВАНОВ" which google says translates to "...
Astor Florida's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
2k views

Lenin Jacket Picture: What's the story?

What is the story behind this photo? When was this photo taken? Who are the models? This photo, in many places on the internet, even in this article on "Chinese wikipedia", is shown as an example of ...
Astor Florida's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
289 views

Was there anyone involved in the negotiations of New Territories (Hong Kong) lease still alive at the time of the negotiations of its return to China?

As well explained by this answer, I know the usual confusion among the previous cession in perpetuity of Hong Kong versus the lease of the neighboring New Territories. For all effects, China got the ...
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8 votes
1 answer
3k views

When did Vladivostok become usable year-round?

Apparently some of us (myself included) were told in history class that the Russians were interested in control of Port Arthur/Dalian in part because their port at Vladivostok was not a warm water ...
Colin's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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Were the Chinese Warlords backed by other countries?

This interviewee in a documentary claims that Chinese Warlords in the Warlord Era were supported by foreign powers. I assumed from this that the interviewee meant big ex-colonial countries, like ...
BritishFerret's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
654 views

How many defensive lines did China build for the Second Sino-Japanese War?

Lots of famous defensive lines were built up to and during WWII, like the Maginot Line or Atlantic Wall. China did the same for the Second Sino-Japanese war, two lines they built were part of the so-...
congusbongus's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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What social problem would be solved by a GuoMinDang attack on Shanghai in 1927?

Professor Schwiedrzik's script (distribution limited to Viennese university students), elaborates that during the northern expedition two factions formed within the GuoMinDang in 1927. The left one ...
Ludi's user avatar
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19 votes
4 answers
17k views

Why did China annex Tibet?

This is probably a very naive question, but here it goes: Was there an economical or political reason for the invasion of Tibet by China in 1950? It does not seem to me that Tibet is a particularly ...
Steven Mathey's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
934 views

What's the difference between Route Army and Army Group?

Before and during the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the National Revolutionary Army's largest fighting unit was the Route Army (路軍), but this was soon replaced with the Army Group (集團軍). ...
congusbongus's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
188 views

Physical meaning of the phrase "Beijing-Tianjing corridor" in the context of Sino-Japanese war?

Describing the beginning of the Sino-Japanese war, especially the events following skirmishes after the incident at the Marco Polo bridge in 1937, my textbook stresses Soon the Beijing-Tianjing ...
Ludi's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
627 views

Did Stalin disarm the Chinese Communist Party around 1927?

Can anyone provide a few details on this? Did Stalin telegraph to order disarmament of Chinese workers and to whom? And when? I am very confused about the chronology of Events. The book I mention ...
Ludi's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
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What made Port Arthur (Manchuria) a better port for Russia than Vladivostok?

In 1897, Russia leased Port Arthur, Manchuria as a Pacific port to supplement its existing holding of Vladivostok. Port Arthur is at about 39 degrees N. latitude; Vladivostok is at 43 degrees N. ...
Tom Au's user avatar
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7 votes
4 answers
1k views

What impact does colonial legacy have on current US presence in the South China Sea dispute?

In recent years, the South China Sea has become somewhat important from a geo-political standpoint. China is building military bases, among many other things, and the US has been speaking about ...
Astor Florida's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
1k views

Why was Calcutta a node in the opium smuggling network prior to the Opium Wars in China?

As per Wikipedia's History of Kolkata page: After the territorial conquest of Bengal in 1757, the British East India Company pursued a monopoly on production and export of opium from India. The ...
UrsinusTheStrong's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
7k views

Was *Green Eggs and Ham* really banned in China from 1965–1991?

The Wikipedia article on Green Eggs and Ham states that the children's book was banned in China in 1965 for its "portrayal of early Marxism", and that the ban was lifted in 1991. The citations for ...
c1245645's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
808 views

Were there ever Taoist missionaries?

Taoism is not generally known as a proselytizing religion these days, but was there ever a time when Taoist missionaries were found?
Joe's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
724 views

Why China government used military and tanks against students on Tienanmen Square in 64 incident? [closed]

Refer to Tienanmen Square protests of 1989 that happened on 1989 June the 4th. The students at the Tienanmen Square were just a bunch of confused kids, mired in internal bickering, rapidly loosing ...
Graviton's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
690 views

What were China's thoughts on the possibility of a nuclear exchange, during the Cold War?

What were China's thoughts on the possibility of a nuclear exchange, during the Cold War? We know, sorta, what the Soviets, and Americans thought, what about China?
Malady's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
615 views

Why didn't America "rent" parts of China? [closed]

After the Opium War, Britain and France signed treaties with China that said they could establish "spheres of influence" over parts of China. Britain and France went this way, but why didn't America?
user17409's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
1k views

Why was Luodian important in the Battle of Shanghai?

In the middle of the 3-month long Battle of Shanghai, the small town of Luodian on the outskirts of Shanghai saw some of the heaviest fighting. After Japanese troops made successful amphibious ...
congusbongus's user avatar
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9 votes
2 answers
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Did many Nationalist Chinese soldiers fight in the Korean War on the Communist side?

Some years ago I was told by some Taiwanese friends that Nationalist troops who had surrendered to the Communists during or after the Chinese Civil War were made to fight for the Communists rather ...
Readin's user avatar
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21 votes
8 answers
20k views

Why do some sections of Great Wall of China seem to be bidirectional?

Official historiography says that Great Wall of China is built "across the historical northern borders of China to protect the Chinese states and empires against the raids and invasions of the various ...
Be Brave Be Like Ukraine's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
745 views

Why were Chinese divisions undersized?

Reading the orders of battle for the Second Sino-Japanese War, it seems that in the major battles, the Chinese side consistently fields large numbers of divisions, but not as many total troops as that ...
congusbongus's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
471 views

Origin of the "Tartar" troops in the First Opium War

During the First Opium War, on the march to Peking, many of the battles that occurred did not involve Chinese soldiers, but fighters that the British described as "Tartars," being vaguely described as ...
Tyler Durden's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
288 views

Did any Chinese warlord claim the mantle of the Beiyang government after 1928?

In 1928 Beiyang government was replaced by the Nationalists, with its last leader, Zhang Xueliang, agreeing to submit to the Nationalist government. But did any warlord cling to the symbols etc for ...
Ne Mo's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why did Japan take so long to attack Wuhan?

On December 13, 1937 Japan captured Nanjing; from there they could have continued up the Yangtze to attack Wuhan, then the second most populous Chinese city and de facto wartime capital. But ground ...
congusbongus's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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What is the history of this coin? By Mandate of Heaven) Emperor of the Great Qin", Nurhaci - 1616-1626

I want to know the complete history of this coin.
Vipin Singh's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
408 views

What was the nature of the Japanese cabinet crisis after the Battle of Taierzhuang?

According to Wikipedia, after the Japanese defeat in the Battle of Taierzhuang, "It was reported in the world's newspapers, however, and by mid-April had provoked a Cabinet crisis in Tokyo". ...
congusbongus's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
319 views

Was Lin Biao a total recluse? If so how did he get so powerful?

Lin Biao became the second most powerful man in China after Mao, but according to Wikipedia, he was a psychological basket case. If this is accurate, how did he get any power at all? From wiki: ...
Ne Mo's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
539 views

Did Jiang Baili receive a sword from Emperor Meiji for graduating first of his class?

Jiang Baili was a famous Chinese military trainer who attended the Imperial Japanese Army Academy. Some sources, including the Wikipedia article, claims that he graduated top of the class and that ...
congusbongus's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
227 views

What was the Chinese impact on Japanese culture and the arts after ~1750?

What significant and subtle impacts has China had on Japanese social dynamics and the arts from ~1750 to the early nineteen hundreds? If at all possible include dates on which changes happened ...
Minativ7's user avatar
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32 votes
5 answers
10k views

Given their reputation for fighting to the last man in the Pacific, why did 700,000 Japanese troops surrender in Manchuria?

I just read this. It says: On August 8, 1945 ... the Soviet Union launched the invasion of Manchuria, a massive military operation mobilizing 1.5 million soldiers against one million Kwantung Army ...
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