Ming Dynasty / 1368 -1644

the last “Han” Empire in Chinese history

Qing Dynasty/1644 – 1912

Empire led by Manchu aristocrats

“Canton System”/1661

Qing trading policy with Western powers that declared Guangzhou (Canton) as the only legal port for overseas trade

1839-42

1839-42

The Taiping Rebellion,/1850-64

the largest and most destructive of many 19^th century rebellions in China, nearly topples the Qing Empire and permanently scars much of Southern China resulting in upwards to 20 million deaths.

Second Opium War/1856-60

Qing to concede defeat first with the signing of the Treaty of Tianjin in 1858 and the Treaty of Beijing in 1860. Western allied forces seize Beijing and destroy the Imperial Summer Palace. After the war, all travel restrictions for Western foreigners are lifted, the British gain an embassy in Beijing, and eleven new ports are opened up for trade. Opium is effectively legalized. The concept of China’s Century of Humiliation is often associated with this event.

Britain takes Hong Kong + other "new territories"/1898

The British Empire forces the Qing government to lease the New Territories—area north of Kowloon as far the Shenzhen River (and also outlying islands around Hong Kong)—for a period of 99 years. 

The Boxer Rebellion/1900 

peasant-led millenarian rebellion that sought to rid China of foreigners

China first film is produced in Beijing—the opera film Dingjun Mountain

The Chinese Exclusion Acts/1882 

passed by U.S. Congress, essentially making Chinese immigration to the U.S. illegal

Treaty of Shimonoseki cedes Taiwan to become part of the rising Japanese Empire and its “model colony.” 

The Republic of China era on Mainland China (after 1949, the Republic of China is located on Taiwan)

The Versailles Peace Conference accedes to Japanese demands that German concessions and interests in the Shandong Province are transferred to the Japanese Empire; as a result, on May 4^th, thousands of students from prominent universities in Beijing gather at the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen) in front of the Forbidden City to protest. Student riots spread throughout the country and the incident sparks the larger May Fourth Movement, a staunchly nationalistic, pro-modernization movement that greatly impacts the arts, culture, and politics of 20^th century China. What year?

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is formally founded during a meeting held in the French Concession of Shanghai (Mao Zedong attends as a junior delegate); 

the Mingxing Film Company is founded 

Luo MIngyou sets up the Lianhua (“United China”) Studio

The Leagues of Left-wing Dramatists/Writers is established; martial art (wuxia) movies are banned as “feudal” and “realist” dramas about the sufferings of ordinary Chinese thrive.

CCP begins the epic “Long March”/ Mao Zedong rises as party leader 

China’s Anti-Japanese War of Resistance/1937 

. Japan invades Shanghai and by the end of the year takes over Nanjing, initiating the Nanjing Massacre (aka The Rape of Nanjing)    

, Mao Zedong delivers an important speech on “Talks on Literature and the Arts” 

1966-76

directors who graduated from beijing film academy in 1982.

chen kaige, zhang yimouw, tian zhuangzhuang

Furthermore, masculinity is better understood from a cultural dichotomy of “cultured” wen (文) and “martial” wu (武). From a Confucian/Chinese perspective, a cultured wen (文) man is always a more refined and “masculine” man than a wu (武) martial man. Many Chinese people have believed through the centuries that while you may be able to conquer with a sword, you can really only govern with a pen, for instance. (Note that this notion of “martial” wu (武) is the first component of武俠, wuxia of martial arts fiction and film.)

Era of Reform and Opening Up

Kuo Mingtang (aka Guomingdang, KMT/GMD, or the Nationalists) 

Ruan Lingyu– (1910 – 1935)

arguably China’s move famous early cinema actress who was much hounded by the paparazzi and eventually committed suicide after being involved in an “extramarital” scandal

New Woman