Our Family Tree (Jiapu 家譜/家谱)

Source citation: Jin Dynasty Wikipedia

Zhou rulers had made it a policy to decentralize power, creating a network of powerful lords who first overthrew the Zhou ruler and then competed for the throne. The winner was Shi Huangdi. The self proclaimed first emperor not only unified China, but went about standardizing writing, weights, and measures throughout his kingdom. This was used to promote internal trade among the newly acquired states. During this time, many schools of thought were outlawed; only Legalism was given official sanction. The only way for emperor to keep his nation

The end of the Han dynasty was marked by the separation of the large families of that dynasty. The families took advantage of the weakened state of the government and started to establish their own private armies. Division into three states: Wei, Shu, Wu. The Wei gradually dominant. Confucianism was eclipsed; increased importance of Taoism and Buddhism. Many scientific advances adopted from India.source

Source citation: Jin Dynasty Wikipedia

Founded by a Wei general; gradual expansion to the southeast. Series of barbarian dynasties ruled N China. Continued growth of Buddhism. source

Classical age despite political disorder. Written laws, money economy. Iron implements and ox-drawn plows were used. Leaders’ authority were derived from the ‘mandate of heaven’. As long as the ruler, the ‘Son of Heaven,’ was just and fulfilled his sacred duties, the mandate would be maintained. Tyranny however would result in the mandate being withdrawn and the ruler overthrown. It was during the Zhou dynasty that Chinese ideas of morality and just rule were first written. This was the period of Confucius and his follower Mencius, the rise of Daoism and the concept of harmony expressed in the balance of yin and yang. Followed by Warring States period, 480–221 B.C.E. http://mrfarshtey.net/whnotes/CHINESE_DYNASTIES.pdf

Source citation: Northern and Southern Dynasties Wikipedia

Reunification and centralized government reestablished. Even though Confucianism was officially endorsed, Taoism and Buddhism were acknowledged in formulating a new ideology for the empire. During this time, Buddhism flourished. Great Wall was refortified and the canal system established. source

The Tang dynasty is regarded as the highest point of Chinese civilization. The country was at its largest and wealthiest. Its new-found confidence was reflected particularly in its art and literature. Porcelain became more refined; poetry reached its peak and poems written during the period are still quoted by Chinese today. During the Tang dynasty, Buddhism declined, and Confucianism became more popular. Even though Buddhism was at its peak during the early Tang dynasty, many of the Tang officials were of the Confucian discipline and regarded Buddhism as a disruptive force in China. So, in 845, the Tang emperor started a full-scale persecution of Buddhists. More than 4600 monasteries and 40,000 temples and shrines were destroyed. Other religious groups were also brought under government control. Civil service examinations were based on Confucianism. source

Source citation: Five Dynasties and ten Kingdoms Period Wikipedia

Period of great social and intellectual change: Neo-Confucianism attains supremacy over Taoism and Buddhism; central bureaucracy reestablished. Widespread cultivation of tea and cotton; gunpowder first used militarily. This was also the golden age of Chinese painting. Militarily however, the Song empire remained weak, preferring diplomacy to warfare. In 1125, the empire was overrun by the Jin, forcing the emperor to flee south. In 1275, China fell to the Mongols. source

Yuan dynasty of ethnic Mongols. Started by Mongol dynasty founded by Kublai Khan. The Mongols brought China a very different culture. They excluded Chinese from government and placed restrictions on trade. Confucian ideals discouraged intellectuals who would previously have been called to the court or made officials turned to the arts and in particular to Chinese opera which flourished even under Mongol censorship. But while drama developed, China regressed. State revenues shrunk, canal building sucked up money and the country grew poorer. Many missionaries and merchants influenced the Chinese. The most notable foreigner that visited during this time was Marco Polo. Revolts in Mongolia and S China end dynasty. source

Mongols expelled. Confucianism, civil service examinations, reinstated. Ming power was great and started to re-establish a tribute among the nonChinese states of East Asia. This tribute required that these states acknowledge the moral and cultural supremacy of the Chinese. In the first quarter of the 15th century, the Ming had decisively defeated the Mongol tribes. This was also a period of naval exploration, at least for a while. Chinese ships reached Africa and maritime Asian nations arrived with tribute. These foreign contacts however, were short-lived and China retreated

The Qing dynasty edict that cleared 50 li (~15.5 miles) from the coast of China next to Taiwan. Here were based loyalists of the prior Ming dynasty

Great Britain since the 18th century consumed a lot of Chinese tea. There were no manufactured goods from England that the Chinese desired. The tea had to be purchased by English silver, which caused a drop in reserves. Britain then introduced opium from the British East India Company, and found a ready market in an addicted China. Sensing the destructions of their social fabric, Qing emperors fought and lost to the British this war.

Source citation: California Gold Rush Wikipedia

The bloodiest civil war in history with upwards to 70 million killed, between the Qing empire and a theocratic Christian based society. The Qing had to seek help from France and the United Kingdom. This weakened the central Qing government and saw the rise of warlords.

Source citation: Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Associations Wikipedia

Many reasons for these Associations to exist 1. insurance 2. protection 3. companionship 4. ancestor veneration

Source citation: Hakka Punti Clan Wars Wikipedia

Source citation: Red Turban Rebellions Wikipedia

The contestants were the Qing empire against a consortium of American and European powers. Again the Qing were defeated and lost port cities to the control of the western powers.

Source citation: First Transcontinental Railroad Wikipedia

Source citation: First Sino Japanese War Wikipedia

This conflict represented failure of the Qing dynasty's military modernization versus Imperial Japan Meiji Restoration's military advancement. The result was ceding of Taiwan and Korea to Japan.

An anti-foreigner rebellion of Chinese peasants and eventually the Qing empire against a consortium of western and Japanese troops.

These started as conflicts between clans and sensationalized by American media as gang and turf urban warfare.

2nd foreign dynasty to rule China—Unlike the Mongols however, the Manchu adopted Chinese dress and customs. However, they did force men to wear the queue. Neo-Confucianism was made the official doctrine, demanding loyalty to the emperor, but Chinese culture was preserved and Chinese were excluded only from the very senior court positions. Increasing European trade causedforeign powers divide China into spheres of influence. The Boxer uprising caused the downfall of this last dynasty. source

An official act legalizing discrimination against Chinese in the United States. Poster: 'Chinese Must Go'.

Source citation: Chinese Exclusion Act Wikipedia

Public birth records were destroyed in the subsequent fire, which allowed a new opportunity for Chinese to claim American citizenship.

Source citation: The Great San Francisco Earthquake Wikipedia

Source citation: Republic of China Wikipedia

Imperial Japan starts to subjugate Manchuria for natural resources and living space. Japan wanted a Great Britan like empire calling it the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. The Japan's defeat to the Soviet during the Battles of Khalkhin Gol set the stage for the Japan's Pearl Harbor attack and war with the United States.

Source citation: Attack on Pearl Harbor Wikipedia

Source citation: Second Sino Japanese War (WW@) Wikipedia

Some historians consider this the true start of World War Two. Japan's attempt to conquer China, after subjugating Manchukuo.

Source citation: Internment of Japanese Americans Wikipedia

Source citation: Communist Nationalist Civil War Wikipedia

An example of memes and slogans during this time was 'better dead than red' and the Domino theory

The wanton distruction of Chinese clan genealogy documents along with cultural relics by the Red Guards made tracing Chinese Americans family heritage even harder. This represented Mao Zedong' s attempt to regain local control of China.

Source citation: Cultural Revolution Wikipedia

Source citation: Chinese Confession Program Wikipedia

A program of the Immigration and Naturalization Service allowing reconciliation of the illegal entry status of paper sons. This caused much fear and distrust among the Chinese American population. The number of participants were less than initially predicted.

Source citation: 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Wikipedia