| Dates |
Chinese
Timeline |
Related
Events associated with Fan Shen’s
Memoir, Gang of One |
Other
World Events Happening Approximately at the Same Time… |
| 1000
--
900 BC |
Primitive
Chinese Religion which was characterized by a belief in a
spirit world with a hierarchy of earthy and heavenly deities.
It also included a belief that dead ancestors could influence
the living. |
It
is ironic that during the cultural revolution, there is a
clash between ancient superstitious religious beliefs and
atheistic rationalism. For
example, the workers partially rely upon superstitious beliefs
to help explain the tragic suicide rate and illnesses in the
Factory (see, Gang of One, pp. 138-39). |
995
BC
King David Builds Jerusalem |
| 551
– 473 BC |
Confucius,
a philosopher, historian, and educator, professes
what later becomes know and “Confucianism.” In 1974 a campaign
of the Cultural Revolution denounced [Confucius’] ideas, especially
his conceptions of REN (benevolence, love) and LI (civilized
social order)” (Wang, 2004). |
Confucius
said it is not wrong to steal a book.
(see Gang of One, p. 38). |
509
BC Roman Republic Established
483 BC First Buddhist Council met in India
500-400 BC Mohism challenged
Confucianism |
| 480
--221 BC |
Warring
States Period included
a struggle for power among different warlords and feudal states. This was a period of great change and chaos. |
Fan
Shen mentions Plato’s Republic and
the Philosopher -Kings in his book. |
480
BC Sophism’s focus on pragmatic thought begins
influencing the Western culture
399 BC Plato and the Death of Socrates
338 BC Macedonia
Conquest
356-323 BC Life
of Alexander the Great |
| 221
– 206 BC |
Qin Dynasty. This
was the first political unification of China. “Qinshihuang made
himself the first HUANGDI (Emperor) in China.
Qinshihuang was notorious
for burying alive dissident intellectuals, burning books and
using forced labor to build his palace and tomb” (Wang,
2004).
During
this time, construction of the Great Wall of China begins
to keep out Mongol Tribes from the north. |
“Mao
Zedong (1893-1976, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party),
in 1958 and during the Cultural Revolution, reversed the traditional
views on Qinshihuang. He spoke admirably of Qinshihuang's
character” (Wang, 2004). |
219
BC Second Punic War of Rome against Carthage
218 BC Hannibal crosses the Alps and invades Italy
and ravages Italy for 15 years, but never takes Rome.
He is defeated at the Battle of Zama
in 202 BC |
| …Here
We'll Skip Forward in Time…For More Information on Timelines
See: |
| 1840 |
The
Opium War incites between China and Britain and China
is strong-armed into trading with Britain. This begins the era of foreign domination
of China which continues up until Mao’s communist regime in
1949. Meanwhile, westward expansion occurs in the
United States. |
Throughout
Gang of One we read about Party officials who are still
highly suspicious of any “foreign” influence. |
1776
American Colonies’ Declaration of Independence
1803 Napoleon sells Louisiana Purchase to Thomas Jefferson
and the United States
1849 California Gold Rush! |
| 1850s-1890s |
The
Self-strengthening Movement, carried
out mostly among intellectuals, began to promote western technology
and modernization. |
Mao
later will try to radically modernize China in his "Great
Leap Forward." |
1859
Social Darwinism and Evolution
1877 The Phonograph
1893 Gandhi’s Campaign begins |
| 1900 |
The
Boxer Rebellion was an effort on the part of conservative
traditional Chinese to expel foreign influence. Many captured Boxers were beheaded by foreign
powers. (Fan’s Great
Uncle, a Boxer, was beheaded by the Russians). |
Fan
Shen mentions that his paternal
grandfather had fought in this rebellion as he explains his
family's revolutionary pedigree (see Gang
of One, page 7). |
1903
Women receive the right to vote in the United
States |
| 1911
|
Overthrow
of the Qing dynasty. During this time, The Republic of China was
proclaimed. |
At
this time, Mao was working among the supporters of the Republic
of China. |
1914-1918
World War I |
| 1919 |
“The
May Fourth New Cultural Movement, an attack against traditional
Chinese culture and a promotion of western culture, began”
(Wang, 2004). |
Mao
reflected these sentiments with the Cultural Revolution’s
attack on the “Four Olds.” |
1919
The Rise of Fascism begins in Italy |
| 1920’s |
The
Chinese Nationalist Government
was set up by Sun Yat-Sen in 1923. In addition, during this time the Chinese
Civil War was occurring. |
|
Nov.
8, 1923 Adolph
Hitler's “Beer-hall Putsch”
Jan. 21, 1924 Lenin’s Death
Oct. 6, 1927 First Movie
Oct. 29, 1929 Wall Street Crash (See
Links for more information from Time Magazine) |
|
1937-1945 |
The
Japanese invaded Manchurian Province of China. Chinese Nationalists and Communists fought
together in an uneasy alliance against the Japanese. This was China’s involvement in WWII. |
Fan’s
parents fought for the Communists in China’s long war against
the Japanese. |
March
4, 1933 The
New Deal
May 10, 1940 Churchill
Dec. 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor
June 6, 1944 D-Day
|
| 1949
Oct.
1st |
Mao
Zedong establishes the People's
Republic of China |
This
is the political era in which Fan is Born (1954). |
Oct.
14, 1947 Breaking
the Sound Barrier |
|
1949
Dec. |
Chinese
Nationalist government moves to Taipei, Taiwan. This has been a source of tension for China
since. China still regards Taiwan as part of China proper,
while Taiwan, the United States and most of the world believe
Taiwan to be an independent nation. |
|
1949 NATO is formed |
|
1950
Feb. |
“Sino-Soviet
Pact creates a bilateral defense commitment, settles
historic territorial issues between China and the Soviet Union,
and initiates a modest program of Soviet aid to China” (Turner,
2004). |
|
Feb.
9, 1950 McCarthy's First Slander
May, 1950 Truman
announces U.S. military aid to French in Indochina
June, 1950 North Korea invades South Korea.
Oct., 1950 Chinese units cross the Yalu
River into Korea
Dec., 1950 United States signs a Mutual Defense Agreement
with Vietnam |
| 1951
May |
“Tibet
ends resistance to Chinese takeover” (Turner, 2004). |
|
Sept.,
1951
United States signs peace treaty with Japan
Oct.
20, 1952 The Bloody Mau Mau Revolt |
