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146-566: The Canadian Methodist Mission was founded by Virgil C. Hart  [ zh ] . In February 1892, eight members of the mission society led by Hart reached Szechwan. Work began in Chengtu and, two years later, in Kiatingfu , with the establishment of mission stations in both cities. A church and a hospital  [ zh ] were subsequently built in Chengtu, which was the result of

292-527: A metropolis or a capital). The present spelling is based on pinyin romanization ; its Postal Map romanization was "Chengtu". Its former status as the seat of the Chengdu Prefecture prompted Marco Polo 's spellings "Sindafu", "Sin-din-fu", &c. and the Protestant missionaries ' romanization "Ching-too Foo". Although the official name of the city has remained (almost) constant,

438-692: A near complete victory (1949) by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Chinese Civil War . The PRC is the most recent political entity to govern mainland China, preceded by the Republic of China (ROC; 1912–1949) and thousands of years of monarchical dynasties . The paramount leaders have been Mao Zedong (1949–1976); Hua Guofeng (1976–1978); Deng Xiaoping (1978–1989); Jiang Zemin (1989–2002); Hu Jintao (2002–2012); and Xi Jinping (2012 to present). The origins of

584-766: A one-month war with Vietnam . Furthermore, China continued to support Khmer Rouge during Deng Xiaoping's time together with the United States , Thailand and several other countries to counter the regional influence of the Soviet Union . In March 1981, Deng Xiaoping determined that a military exercise was necessary for the People's Liberation Army (PLA), and in September 1981, the North China Military Exercise took place, becoming

730-514: A 500-member underground church, the Early Rain Covenant Church , led by Pastor Wang Yi . Over 100 members of the church were arrested including the pastor and his wife. The church's kindergarten and theological college were raided and the church's media outlets were closed down. Before his arrest, church member Li Yingqiang declared: "Even if we are down to our last five, worship and gatherings will still go on because our faith

876-487: A backtrack of these two decades of reforms, but rather propose corrective measures to offset some of the social issues caused by existing reforms. On the other hand, in 1979, the Chinese government instituted a one child policy to try to control its rapidly increasing population. The controversial policy resulted in a dramatic decrease in child poverty. The law was eliminated in 2015. On 18 August 1980, Deng Xiaoping gave

1022-764: A betrayal. By far the major ideological issue was the Great Leap Forward, which represented a Chinese rejection of the Soviet form of economic development. Moscow was deeply resentful, especially since it had spent heavily to supply China with high-technology – including some nuclear skills. Moscow withdrew its vitally needed technicians and economic and military aid. Khrushchev was increasingly crude and intemperate ridiculing China and Mao Zedong to both communist and international audiences. Beijing responded through its official propaganda network of rejecting Moscow's claim to Lenin's heritage. Beijing insisted it

1168-571: A city of gastronomy. It is associated with the giant panda , a Chinese national symbol, which inhabits the area of Sichuan; the city is home to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding . Founded by the Kingdom of Shu in 4th century BC, Chengdu is unique as the only major Chinese settlement that has maintained its name unchanged throughout the imperial , republican , and communist eras for more than two thousand years. It

1314-440: A dead letter of the 1950 alliance, destroying the socialist camp unity, and affected the world balance of power. The split started with Nikita Khrushchev De-Stalinization program. It angered Mao, who admired Stalin. Moscow and Beijing became worldwide rivals, forcing communist parties around the world to take sides; many of them split, so that the pro-Soviet communists were battling the pro-Chinese communists for local control of

1460-597: A hub of Air China and Sichuan Airlines , is one of the 30 busiest airports in the world, and the Chengdu railway station is one of the six biggest in China. Chengdu is considered a "Beta + (global second-tier)" city classification (together with Barcelona and Washington, D.C.) according to the GaWC . As of 2023, the city also hosts 23 foreign consulates, the fourth most in China behind Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Chengdu

1606-545: A large 5-star hotel, a skating rink and a 15,000-spot parking area. According to the 2020 Chinese census , the municipality had 20,937,757 inhabitants; the metropolitan area itself was home to 16,045,577 inhabitants including those of the 12 urban districts plus Guanghan City ( in Deyang ). Chengdu is the largest city in Sichuan and the fourth largest in China. 21,192,000 for 2021 , adding more residents than any other city in

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1752-540: A large number of deaths nationwide. Mao Zedong believed that socialism would eventually triumph over all other ideologies, and following the First Five-Year Plan based on a Soviet-style centrally controlled economy, Mao took on the ambitious project of the Great Leap Forward in 1958, beginning an unprecedented process of collectivisation in rural areas (the People's commune ). Mao urged

1898-714: A level head-on attack against an incoming coming raid of 72 IJANF G3M bombers (Capt. Cen chose this tactic knowing that the operation of the Hispano-Suiza HS.404 20mm autocannon in his D.510 is likely to fail under the g-loads of a high-deflection diving attack), with Capt. Cen pummeling the lead G3M of the IJN's 13th Kōkūtai's CO Captain Kikushi Okuda with cannon fire, sending the G3M crashing down in flames over Chengdu, along with three other G3M bombers destroyed in

2044-506: A liberal figure, triggered weeks of spontaneous protests in the Tiananmen Square . The government imposed martial law and sent in tanks and soldiers to suppress the demonstrations. Western countries and multilateral organisations briefly suspended their formal ties with China's government under Premier Li Peng 's leadership, which was directly responsible for the military curfew and bloody crackdown. In early 1979, China started

2190-484: A link between Eastern China and Western China expanded, with railways built to Chongqing in 1952, and Kunming and Tibet afterward. In the 1960s, Chengdu became an important defense industry hub. Chengdu is now one of the most important economic, financial, commercial, cultural, transportation, research and communication centers in China. Its economy is diverse, characterized by the machinery , automobile , medicine, food, and information technology industries. Chengdu

2336-683: A mixture of descriptive prose and verse during the Tang dynasty; Li Bai and Du Fu , the most eminent poets of the Tang and Song dynasties respectively; Yang Shen'an , a famous scholar of the Ming dynasty; and Guo Moruo and Ba Jin , two well-known modern writers. Chang Qu , a historian of Chengdu during the Jin dynasty, compiled the earliest local historical records, the Record of Hua Yang State . Zhao Chongzuo ,

2482-412: A more realistic view of the utter disasters that would accompany a nuclear war. Three major issues suddenly became critical in dividing the two nations: Taiwan, India, and China's Great Leap Forward. Although Moscow supported Beijing's position that Taiwan entirely belong to China, it demanded that it be forewarned of any invasion or serious threat that would bring American intervention. Beijing refused, and

2628-492: A much wider range of personal rights and freedoms for average Chinese as evidence of the success of the reforms. Critics of the economic reforms, both in China and abroad, claim that the reforms have caused wealth disparity , environmental pollution , rampant corruption , widespread unemployment associated with layoffs at inefficient state-owned enterprises , and has introduced often unwelcome cultural influences. Consequently, they believe that China's culture has been corrupted,

2774-450: A nearly complete halt; daily life involved shouting slogans and reciting Mao quotations; many prominent political leaders, including Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping, were purged and deemed " capitalist roaders ". The campaign would not come to a complete end until the death of Mao Zedong and arrest of the Gang of Four in 1976. The second constitution of China, known as the " 1975 Constitution ",

2920-412: A plot of land for the first time. As a result, "middling peasants", who now accounted for 90% of the village population, owned 91% of the land. Drug trafficking and opium use were largely wiped out. Foreign investments were seized and outsiders were expelled. At the same time, political movements and class struggles were launched nationwide. The Anti-Rightist Campaign of 1957–1958 significantly damaged

3066-693: A poet in Chengdu during the Later Shu Kingdom, edited Among the Flowers , the first anthology of Ci in China's history. Meng Chang , the king of Later Shu, wrote the first couplet for the Spring Festival, which says, "A harvest year accepts celebrations, good festivals foreshadow long springs." In 2023, Chengdu hosted the 81st World Science Fiction Convention , having beat out Winnipeg, Canada, in site-selection voting in 2021. During

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3212-576: A separate ancient bronze-wielding culture that, following its partial sinification , became known to the Chinese as Shu . Shu was conquered by Qin in 316   BC, and the settlement was re-founded by Qin general Zhang Yi . In the early stage of the Xia dynasty or even earlier, the ancient Shu Kingdom located on the Chengdu Plain has formed a relatively developed bronze civilization, becoming an important source of Chinese civilization and one of

3358-718: A speech titled "On the Reform of the Party and State Leadership System (党和国家领导制度改革)" at an enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the CCP Central Committee in Beijing , launching the political reforms in China. He called for the end of bureaucracy, centralisation of power as well as patriarchy, proposing term limits to the leading positions in China and advocating the " democratic centralism " as well as

3504-594: A stepping stone to the development of heavy industries. The achievements of Lee Kuan Yew to create an economic superpower in Singapore had a profound effect on the Communist leadership in China. Leaders in China made a major effort, especially under Deng Xiaoping, to emulate his policies of economic growth, entrepreneurship, and subtle suppression of dissent. Over the years, more than 22,000 Chinese officials were sent to Singapore to study its methods. Deng championed

3650-538: A team effort by O. L. Kilborn , V. C. Hart, G. E. Hartwell , D. W. Stevenson and others. After 1900, eight more mission stations were established in Jenshow (1905), Junghsien (1905), Penghsien (1907), Tzeliutsing (1907), Luchow (1908), Chungking (1910), Chungchow (1911) and Fowchow (1913). The CMM established its own printing house, Canadian Methodist Mission Press, in Kiatingfu in 1897. In 1903, it

3796-699: A worldwide basis until Mikhail Gorbachev's visit to China in May 1989. In the 21st century, the new wealth and technology led to a contest for primacy in Asian affairs versus India , Japan and the United States , and since 2017 a growing trade war with the United States . Following the Chinese Civil War and victory of Mao Zedong's Communist forces over the Kuomintang forces of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek , who fled to Taiwan , Mao Zedong proclaimed

3942-643: Is Daxuetang (also known as Miaojiling) in Xiling Snow Mountain in Dayi County, with an altitude of 5,364 meters. The lowest point is the river bank at the exit of Tuojiang River in Jianyang City, with an altitude of 359 meters. Chengdu has a monsoon -influenced humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cwa ) and is largely warm with high relative humidity all year. It has four distinct seasons, with moderate rainfall concentrated mainly in

4088-409: Is a leading financial hub, ranking 35th globally the 2021 Global Financial Centres Index . Chengdu also hosts many international companies; more than 300 Fortune 500 companies have established branches in Chengdu. Chengdu is the third Chinese city with two international airports after Beijing and Shanghai. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport , and the newly built Tianfu International Airport ,

4234-401: Is a transliteration of ancient Shu place names. There is a saying that "Guangdu, Xindu and Chengdu" are collectively referred to as the "Three Capitals of Ancient Shu". Nowadays, there are many cultural relics of ancient Shu Kingdom in Chengdu Plain, such as Sanxingdui Ruins, Jinsha Ruins, Yufu Ancient City Ruins, Wangcong Temple, etc. Jinsha Ruins located in the urban area of Chengdu is a peak of

4380-499: Is also an argument that campaigns such as the Great Leap Forward – an example of the concept New Democracy – and the Cultural Revolution were essential in jumpstarting China's development and "purifying" its culture: even though the consequences of both these campaigns were economically and humanly disastrous, they left behind a "clean slate" on which later economic progress could be built. The primary foreign policy

4526-562: Is also home to a large primitive forest with abundant biological resources and a giant panda habitat. East of Chengdu stands the low Longquan Mountains and the west bordering area of the hilly land of middle reaches of Min River , an area noted by several converging rivers. Since ancient times, Chengdu has been known as "the Abundant Land" owing to its fertile soil, favorable climate, and novel Dujiangyan Irrigation System. Chengdu

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4672-429: Is also planned to be self-sustaining, with every residence being a two-minute walk from a park. In 2019, Chengdu overtook Shenzhen , China's technology hub, as the best-performing Chinese economy. The city has surged in population in the last two decades. Investments into a Europe-Chengdu Express Railway have been made, providing even more opportunity for the city to grow. As a way to preserve farmland and accommodate

4818-560: Is attested in sources dating back to the Warring States period . It has been called the only major city in China to have remained at an unchanged location with an unchanged name throughout the imperial , republican , and communist eras. However, it also had other names; for example, it was briefly known as "Xijing" (Western Capital) in the 17th century. Etymology of the name is unclear. The earliest and most widely known explanation, although not generally accepted by modern scholars,

4964-485: Is borrowed from the history of the establishment of the capital in the Western Zhou dynasty. The allusions of Zhou Wang Qianqi's "one year, he lived in a cluster, two years became a city, and three years Chengdu," because of the name Chengdu, it has been used to this day. Therefore, Chengdu has become a rare city in China and the world that has not changed its name since its establishment. Some people think that Chengdu

5110-584: Is concentrated in July and August, with very little of it in the cooler months. Chengdu also has one of the lowest annual sunshine totals nationally, with less sunshine annually than much of Northern Europe. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 15 percent in December to 32 percent in August, the city receives 1006 hours of bright sunshine annually. Spring (March–April) tends to be sunnier and warmer in

5256-455: Is hot and humid, but not to the extent of the " Three Furnaces " cities of Chongqing , Wuhan , and Nanjing , all of which lie in the Yangtze basin. The 24-hour daily mean temperature in July and August is around 25 °C (77 °F), with afternoon highs sometimes reaching 33 °C (91 °F); sustained heat as found in much of eastern China is rare. Rainfall occurs most frequently and

5402-485: Is in central Sichuan. The surrounding Chengdu Plain is known as the "Country of Heaven" and the "Land of Abundance". Its prehistoric settlers included the Sanxingdui culture. The site of Dujiangyan , an ancient irrigation system, is designated as a World Heritage Site . The Jin River flows through the city. Chengdu's culture largely reflects that of its province, Sichuan; in 2011, it was recognized by UNESCO as

5548-625: Is located at the western edge of the Sichuan Basin and sits on the Chengdu Plain ; the dominating terrain is plains. The prefecture ranges in latitude from 30° 05' to 31° 26' N, while its longitude ranges from 102° 54' to 104° 53' E, stretching for 192 kilometers (119 mi) from east to west and 166 km (103 mi) south to north, administering 12,390 km (4,780 sq mi) of land. Neighboring prefectures are Deyang (NE), Ziyang (SE), Meishan (S), Ya'an (SW), and

5694-488: Is located has an elevation ranging from 450 to 720 meters (1,480 to 2,360 feet). Northwest Chengdu is bordered by the high and steep Longmen Mountains in the north-west and in the west by the Qionglai Mountains , the elevation of which exceeds 3,000 m (9,800 ft) and includes Miao Jiling (5,364 m, 17,598 ft) and Xiling Snow Mountain (5,164 m, 16,942 ft). The western mountainous area

5840-488: Is provided in the 10th-century geographical work Universal Geography of the Taiping Era , which states that the ninth king of Shu 's Kaiming dynasty named his new capital Chengdu after a statement by King Tai of Zhou that a settlement needed "one year to become a town, two to become a city, and three to become a metropolis." (The character for cheng 成 may mean "turned into" while du 都 can mean either

5986-482: Is real. […] Persecution is a price worth paying for the Lord." Police are said to have told one member that the church had been declared an illegal organisation. Chinese media were banned from reporting the events. Video footage which found its way onto western social media showed arrests and photographs alleged to be of injuries inflicted by the police. From a photo of M s . Jiang's detention warrant it appears that

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6132-481: Is the seat of the Western Theater Command region of the People's Liberation Army . In 2023, Chengdu became the third Chinese city to host the 31st FISU Summer World University Games , after Beijing 2001 and Shenzhen 2011 . Chengdu will also host the 2025 World Games . It is considered one of the best cities in China to live. It is also a national central city of China. Chengdu is one of

6278-614: The China Merchants Bank – and the first joint-stock insurance company in China – the Ping An Insurance – were both established in Shekou . In May 1984, fourteen coastal cities in China including Shanghai , Guangzhou and Tianjin were named " Open Coastal Cities (沿海开放城市)". Deng recognized the importance of science and technology in the " Four Modernizations ", pointing out that "science and technology are

6424-559: The Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution wreaked havoc on the entire country. Since late 1978, the economic reforms led by Deng Xiaoping had made China the world's second-largest and one of the fastest growing economies , with a specialty in high productivity factories and leadership in some areas of high technology. Globally, after receiving support from the USSR in the 1950s, China became bitter enemy of USSR on

6570-416: The Kuomintang (KMT) government under Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek ultimately retreated to Sichuan to escape from the invading Japanese forces. They brought with them into Sichuan business people, workers, and academics who founded many of the industries and cultural institutions which continue to make Chengdu an important cultural and commercial production center. Chengdu became a military center for

6716-732: The Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (N). The urban area, with an elevation of 500 m (1,600 ft), features a few rivers, three of them being the Jin , Fu , and Sha Rivers . Outside of the immediate urban area, the topography becomes more complex: to the east lies the Longquan Mountains ( 龙泉山脉 ) and the Penzhong Hills ( 盆中丘陵 ); to the west lie the Qionglai Mountains , which rise to 5,364 m (17,598 ft) in Dayi County. The highest point in Chengdu

6862-583: The Western Han ; the "Hibiscus City" (Rongcheng, 蓉 城), from the hibiscus which King Meng Chang of the Later Shu ordered planted upon the city wall during the 10th century . According to Étienne de la Vaissière , "Baghshūr" ( lit.   ' pond of salt water ' ) may be the Sogdian name for the region of Chengdu. This toponym is attested near Merv , but not far from Chengdu are found

7008-487: The election system . At this Congress, Zhao was elected as the new General Secretary of CCP. However, after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre , many leading reformists including Zhao and Bao were removed from their posts, and the majority of the planned political reforms (after 1986) ended drastically. Left-wing conservatives led by Chen Yun , President Li Xiannian and Premier Li Peng took control until Deng Xiaoping's southern tour in early 1992. On

7154-523: The " 863 Program "; in the same year, the nine-year compulsory education system was established under law ( Law on Nine-Year Compulsory Education ). In the 1980s, Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in Zhejiang and Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant in Shenzhen were built, becoming the first two nuclear power plants in China. Deng also approved the appointments of foreign nationals to work in China, including

7300-585: The " collective leadership ". In addition, Deng proposed to the National People's Congress a systematic revision of China's constitution (the 1978 Constitution ), and emphasized that the Constitution must be able to protect the civil rights of Chinese citizens and must reflect the principle of separation of powers ; he also described the idea of " collective leadership " and championed the principle of " one man, one vote " among leaders to avoid

7446-587: The " one country, two systems " framework. In 1987, the Joint Declaration on the Question of Macau was signed by China and Portugal, stipulating that the sovereignty and the administrative management of Macau would be handed over back to China 20 December 1999, again under the "one country, two systems" framework. In 1989, the relation between China and the Soviet Union returned to normal for

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7592-450: The "Shekou model" of development was gradually formed, embodied in its famous slogan " Time is Money, Efficiency is Life ", which then widely spread to other parts of China. In January 1984, Deng Xiaoping made his first inspection tour to Shenzhen and Zhuhai, recognizing the " Shenzhen Speed " of development as well as the success of the special economics zones. With the help of Yuan Geng, the first joint-stock commercial bank in China –

7738-496: The 11th Central Committee of CCP . Deng's allies such as Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang also received promotions. In September 1977, Deng first proposed the idea of " Boluan Fanzheng ", attempting to dismantle the far-left Maoist policies associated with the Cultural Revolution . In the same year, he resumed the National College Entrance Examination which was cancelled for ten years due to

7884-407: The 1980s, Deng's reforms were not without criticism. Hard-liners asserted that Deng opened China once again to various social evils, and an overall increase in materialistic thinking, while liberals attacked Deng's unrelenting stance on wider political reforms. Liberal forces began gathering in different forms to protest against the Party's authoritarian leadership. In 1989, the death of Hu Yaobang ,

8030-719: The American XX Bomber Command launched Operation Matterhorn , an ambitious plan to base B-29 Superfortresses in Chengdu and strategically bomb the Japanese Home Islands . The operating base was located in Xinjin Airport in the southwestern part of the Chengdu metropolitan area. Because the operation required a massive airlift of fuel and supplies over the Himalayas, it was not a significant military success, but it did earn Chengdu

8176-518: The CCC's Szechwan Synod was held on 9 February 1939. Chengdu Chengdu is the capital city of the Chinese province of Sichuan . With a population of 20,937,757 at the 2020 census , it is the fourth most populous city in China , and it is the only city with a population of over 20 million apart from direct-administered municipalities . It is traditionally the hub of Western China . Chengdu

8322-435: The Chengdu raid that day. With the death of Captain Okuda in the air battle over Chengdu, the IJN Kaigun-daisa ( 海軍大佐 ) became the highest-ranking IJN Air officer to be killed-in-action in the War of Resistance/World War II thus far. In mid-late 1940, unknown to the Americans and European allies, the Imperial Japanese appeared in the skies over Chongqing and Chengdu with the world's most advanced fighter plane at

8468-510: The Chinese Communist Party . However, on the subject of Mao's legacy, Deng coined the famous phrase "7 parts good, 3 parts bad" and avoided denouncing Mao altogether. A major document presented at the September 1979 Fourth Plenum, gave a "preliminary assessment" of the entire 30-year period of Communist rule. At the plenum, party Vice Chairman Ye Jianying declared the Cultural Revolution "an appalling catastrophe" and "the most severe setback to [the] socialist cause since [1949]". In June 1981,

8614-461: The Chinese bombardment of the island of Quemoy in August 1958 escalated the tensions. Moscow was cultivating India, both as a major purchaser of Russian munitions, and a strategically critical ally. However China was escalating its threats to the northern fringes of India, especially from Tibet. It was building a militarily significant road system that would reach disputed areas along the border. The Russians clearly favored India, and Beijing reacted as

8760-419: The Chinese government's condemnation of the Cultural Revolution culminated in the Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China , adopted by the sixth plenary session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. This resolution invalidated the Cultural Revolution as a "domestic havoc", but it stated that "Comrade Mao Zedong

8906-548: The Cultural Revolution severely damaged the rule of law as well as traditional Chinese culture and moral values; massacres were committed across the country and acts of cannibalism were also committed on a massive scale (e.g., Guangxi Massacre ). Higher education was halted during the Cultural Revolution and scientific research was also seriously affected because many scientists were persecuted, killed or committed suicide. Some doubt statistics or accounts given for death tolls or other damages incurred by Mao's campaigns, attributing

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9052-515: The Cultural Revolution, but accelerated again after the Sino-Soviet border conflict at Zhenbao Island, which increased the perceived risk of Soviet Invasion. Third Front construction again decreased after United States President Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China and the resulting rapprochement between the United States and China. When Reform and Opening up began after Mao's death, China began to gradually wind down Third Front projects. The Third Front distributed physical and human capital around

9198-403: The Cultural Revolution, nationwide public safety worsened in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and as a result Deng launched the "Strike Hard" Anti-crime Campaign in 1983 which lasted until early 1987. More than 1.7 million people were arrested and received legal punishment during the campaign. At the Third Plenum of the Eleventh National Party Congress Central Committee , Deng embarked China on

9344-407: The Cultural Revolution, the Sï-Shen-Tsï Methodist Church building was no longer in use and the building was entrusted to the nearby Chengdu City Second People's Hospital for management. The hospital used the chapel as a kindergarten and the office of the hospital equipment department. In 1984, the hospital returned the chapel building to the church. In December 2018 the authorities attempted to close

9490-505: The Cultural Revolution. Meanwhile, the " 1978 Truth Criterion Discussion " triggered a decade-long New Enlightenment movement in mainland China , promoting democracy , humanism and universal values such as freedom , human rights and rule of law , while opposing the ideology of Cultural Revolution. Within several years starting 1978, victims of more than 3 million "unjust, false, wrongful cases" were rehabilitated by Deng and his allies such as Hu Yaobang , then General Secretary of

9636-405: The Great Leap Forward. The implementation of Maoism thought in China may have been responsible for the deadliest famine in human history , in which 15–55 million people died due to starvation and epidemics. By the end of 1961, the birth rate was nearly cut in half because of malnutrition. In 1958, the Xunhua uprising broke out and in 1959, a major uprising erupted in Tibet , resulting in

9782-435: The Han dynasty, Chengdu's literature and art also reached a high level. All the most famous literary masters in the Han dynasty were from Chengdu, including Sima Xiangru, Yang Xiong, and Wang Bao. In the former Han dynasty, the whole country was divided into 14 prefectural governors' departments, among which the Yizhou governor was established in Luoxian (now Guanghan City, Sichuan), and the governor later moved to Chengdu. In

9928-479: The KMT to regroup in the War of Resistance . Chengdu was beyond the reach of the Imperial Japanese ground forces and escort fighter planes. However, the Japanese frequently flew in the then-highly advanced twin-engine long-ranged G3M "Nell" medium bombers to conduct massive aerial bombardments of both civilian and military targets in Chongqing and Chengdu . The massed formation of the G3M bombers provided heavy firepower against Chinese fighter planes assigned to

10074-461: The Mao era, tens of millions of people died during various political movements as well as during the Great Chinese Famine , while tens of millions of other people were persecuted and permanently crippled. China turned into a de facto one-party state after the Anti-Rightist Campaign starting in 1957, during which democracy and the rule of law were damaged while at least 550,000 intellectuals and political dissidents were persecuted. Moreover,

10220-406: The Methodists enrolled almost one half of the Protestant Christians in Szechwan . Following the merger of the Methodist Church of Canada into the United Church of Canada in 1925, the latter assumed responsibility for the CMM. At that time, the CMM was the largest mission of the newly-founded Church. By 1934, the CMM had joined the Church of Christ in China (CCC); an annual general meeting of

10366-505: The People's Republic can be traced to the Chinese Soviet Republic that was proclaimed in 1931 in Ruijin (Jui-chin), Jiangxi (Kiangsi), with the backing of the All-Union Communist Party in the Soviet Union in the midst of the Chinese Civil War against the Nationalist government only to dissolve in 1937. Under Mao's rule, China went through a socialist transformation from a traditional peasant society, leaning towards heavy industries under planned economy , while campaigns such as

10512-565: The Russian incompetence in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 as adventurism to start with and capitulationism to wind up on the losing side. Moscow now was increasingly giving priority to friendly relationships and test ban treaties with the United States and United Kingdom . Increasingly, Beijing began to consider the Soviet Union, which it viewed as Social imperialism , as the greatest threat it faced, more so than even

10658-625: The Song, a rebel leader set up a short-lived kingdom known as Great Shu ( 大蜀 , Dàshǔ ). Allegedly the Mongols called for the death of a million people in the city but the city's population had less than 30,000 residents (not Chengdu prefecture). The aged males who had not fled were killed while in typical fashion, the women, children and artisans were enslaved and deported. During the Yuan dynasty , most of Sichuan's residents were deported to Hunan during

10804-610: The Ten Principles of Bandung. In 1964, tensions between Washington and Paris allowed France to open relations. In 1950, India became one of the first countries to recognize People's Republic of China and establish formal diplomatic relation . However, India had close ties to the USSR and in 1962, a one-month Sino-Indian war and also a one-month Second Sino-Indian war in 1967 broke out along their remote border. Border tensions flared from time to time ever since. Beijing

10950-545: The authorities have charged the church's leaders with "inciting subversion of state power," which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years. History of the People%27s Republic of China The history of the People's Republic of China details the history of mainland China since 1 October 1949, when CCP chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic of China (PRC) from atop Tiananmen , after

11096-459: The birthplaces of the Chinese nation. According to records, there were five dynasties in the ancient Shu Kingdom, and their capitals were Qushang (now Wenjiang District, Chengdu), Piyi (now Pidu District), Xindu, and Guangdu. At the end of the Spring and Autumn period (around the 4th century BC), the fifth King Kaiming moved the capital to Chengdu. According to "Taiping Huanyu Ji", the name of the city

11242-405: The center of political power in China. The campaign was far reaching into all aspects of Chinese life. Estimated death toll ranges from hundreds of thousands to 20,000,000. Massacres took place across the country while massive cannibalism also occurred; Red Guards terrorized the streets as many ordinary citizens were deemed counter-revolutionaries; education and public transportation came to

11388-413: The city of Chengdu is to make the city 'a city within a park' rather than creating parks within a city. The Great City falls in line with the Chengdu 'park city' initiative, prioritizing the environment, public space and quality of life. It will consist of 15% park and green space and be situated on a 1.3 km (0.50 sq mi) area. Although 25% of the space will be dedicated to roads, one half of

11534-542: The city without any resistance after a deal was negotiated between the People's Liberation Army and the commander of the KMT Army guarding the city. On 10 December the remnants of the Nationalist Chinese government evacuated to Taiwan . The Chengdu Tianfu New Area is a sustainable planned city that will be outside of Central Chengdu, and is expected to be completely built later in the decade. The city

11680-410: The city. Li Bai praised it as "lying above the empyrean ." The city's present Caotang ("Grass Hall") was constructed in 1078 in honor of an earlier, more humble structure of that name erected by Du Fu in 760, the second year of his 4-year stay. The Taoist Qingyang Gong ("Green Goat Temple") was built in the 9th century. Chengdu was the capital of Wang Jian 's Former Shu from 907 to 925, when it

11826-741: The country's cigar and cigarette production, the rest of the country long continuing to consume snuff instead. In 1911, Chengdu's branch of the Railway Protection Movement helped trigger the Wuchang Uprising , which led to the Xinhai Revolution that overthrew the Qing dynasty. During World War II , the capital city of China was forced to move inland from Nanjing to Wuhan in 1937 and from Wuhan to Chengdu, then from Chengdu to Chongqing in 1938, as

11972-520: The country, ultimately decreased regional disparities and created favorable conditions for later market development. In 1963, Mao Zedong launched the Socialist Education Movement, which is regarded as the precursor of the Cultural Revolution. To impose socialist orthodoxy and rid China of " old elements ", and at the same time serving certain political goals, Mao began the Cultural Revolution in May 1966, attempting to return to

12118-468: The country. As of 2015, the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) estimated the Chengdu metropolitan area's population to be 18.1 million. In 2006, China Daily named Chengdu China's fourth-most-livable city. Some of China's most important literature comes from Chengdu. The city has been home to literary giants, such as Sima Xiangru and Yang Xiong , two masters of Fu ,

12264-646: The court accepted Liu Yan's suggestion and changed the provincial governors to state shepherds with actual recruitment and command power. In the fifth year of Chuping (194), it moved to Chengdu. At that time, the Yizhou Provincial Governor's Department was the place where the Hu people in the Western Regions were operating. Under the Han , the brocade produced in Chengdu became fashionable and

12410-433: The day than autumn (October–November). The annual mean is 16.9 °C (62.4 °F), and extremes have ranged from −6.5 °C (20 °F) to 39.4 °C (102.9 °F). Chengdu is a sub-provincial city which has served as the capital of Sichuan since Chongqing 's restoration to provincial status in 1997. It has direct jurisdiction over 12 districts , 5 county-level cities and 3 counties : As of July 2013,

12556-636: The deaths of tens of thousands of Tibetans, and the Dalai Lama went into exile afterwards. Mao's failure with the Leap reduced his power in government, whose administrative duties fell to President Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping , especially after the Seven Thousand Cadres Conference in early 1962. The power struggle between Mao Zedong and Liu Shaoqi together with Deng Xiaoping began after 1962. The Socialist Education Movement

12702-556: The defense of Chongqing and Chengdu, which continued to cause problems for the Japanese attacks. Slow and vulnerable obsolescent Chinese fighter aircraft burning low-grade fuel were still sufficiently dangerous in the hands of capable pilots against the Japanese schnellbomber - terror bombing raiders; on 4 November 1939 for instance, Capt. Cen Zeliu ( Wade-Giles : Shen Tse-Liu ) led his 17th Fighter Squadron, 5th Fighter Group of seven cannon-equipped Dewoitine D.510 fighters in

12848-680: The democracy in China, during which at least 550,000 people were persecuted, most of whom were intellectuals and political dissidents. After the campaign, China entered the de facto one-party state of the Chinese Communist Party. Other major political movements in 1950s included the Suppression of Counter-revolutionaries , the Three-anti and Five-anti Campaigns and the Sufan Movement , each of which resulted in

12994-692: The development of ancient Shu culture. The Golden Mask of the Shang and Zhou dynasties at the Jinsha Site. The ancient state of Shu was the first target to be conquered by the Qin state in the process of unifying the world. King Huiwen of Qin had prepared for this for many years, and opened up the Shiniu Road (that is, the Jinniu Road) from Qin to Shu. In 316 BC, King Huiwen of Qin took advantage of

13140-473: The development of basic industry and national defense industry in protected locations in China's interior. This resulted in the building of the Third Front, which involved massive projects including railroad infrastructure, aerospace industry including satellite launch facilities, and steel production industry including Panzhihua Iron and Steel . Development of the Third Front slowed in 1966 during

13286-518: The dictatorship of the General Secretary of CCP . In December 1982, the fourth Constitution of the People's Republic, known as the " 1982 Constitution ", was passed by the 5th National People's Congress , embodying Chinese-style constitutionalism with most of its content still being effective as of today. In the first half of 1986, Deng repeatedly called for the revival of political reforms, as further economic reforms were hindered by

13432-656: The distinction of launching the first serious retaliation against the Japanese homeland. During the Chinese Civil War , Chengdu was the last city on the Chinese mainland to be held by the Kuomintang. President Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-kuo directed the defense of the city from the Chengdu Central Military Academy ( 黄埔军校成都分校 ) until 1949, when Communist forces took the city on 27 December . The People's Liberation Army took

13578-426: The doors of Chengtu's first Protestant Mission Headquarters were opened with over one thousand people of the community attending. The first Methodist religious service was held the following Sunday with only several attendants. The first western dispensary in Sichuan was opened 3 November 1892 with sixteen patients seeking care. The mission site became so popular that a larger space was secured near Chengtu's East Gate in

13724-558: The execution of more powerful landlords. China's old system of gentry landlord ownership of farmland and tenant peasants was replaced with a distribution system in favor of poor/landless peasants which significantly reduced economic inequality . Over a million landlords were executed in the Chinese land reform . In Zhangzhuangcun, in the more thoroughly reformed north of the country, most "landlords" and "rich peasants" had lost all their land and often their lives or had fled. The campaign resulted in hundreds of millions of peasants receiving

13870-664: The first time since the Sino-Soviet split in the 1950s. Mikhail Gorbachev , then General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , visited Beijing and met with Deng Xiaoping during the Sino-Soviet Summit , which took place amid the Tiananmen Square protests. After the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, China faced strong backlash from the western countries . Deng, as

14016-617: The first year of Emperor Guangwu's reign (25 years) in the Eastern Han dynasty, Gongsun Shu established himself as the emperor in Chengdu, and the country's name was "married family". In the twelfth year of Jianwu in the Later Han dynasty (36 years), the Great Sima Wuhan of the Eastern Han dynasty finally captured Chengdu after five years of war, and his family perished. In the fifth year of Zhongping (188), Emperor Ling of Han,

14162-490: The founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on 1 October 1949. Mao laid heavy theoretical emphasis on command economy and class struggle . After the Korean War ended in 1953, Mao Zedong launched campaigns to persecute former landlords and merchants, starting the industrialisation program at the same time. Mao's first goal was a total overhaul of the land ownership system, and extensive land reforms, including

14308-475: The growing population of Chengdu, China is building a hyper-dense satellite city centered around a central mass-transit hub called the Great City where any destination within the city is within a 15-minute walk. This proto-type city is intended to provide affordable, high-quality lifestyle, which provides people-oriented spaces that does not require a car to navigate. Their current urban-planning focus in

14454-674: The high death toll to natural disasters , famine, or other consequences of political chaos during the rule of Chiang Kai-shek . Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) also exported the ideology of socialism and socialist revolution to other parts of the world, especially to Southeast Asia . Influenced and supported by Mao and the CCP, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge conducted the Cambodian genocide during which 1.5-2 million people were killed in just three years. Mao Zedong's death

14600-490: The idea of Special Economic Zones (SEZ), including Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Xiamen , areas where foreign investment would be allowed to pour in without strict government restraint and regulations, running on a basically capitalist system. On 31 January 1979, the Shekou Industrial Zone of Shenzhen was founded, becoming the first experimental area in China to "open up". Under the leadership of Yuan Geng ,

14746-555: The insurgency of the western ethnic tribes of western Sichuan. Marco Polo visited Chengdu and wrote about the Anshun Bridge or an earlier version of it. At the fall of the Ming , the rebel Zhang Xianzhong established his Great Western Kingdom ( 大西 ) with its capital at Chengdu; it lasted only from 1643 to 1646. Zhang was said to have massacred a large number of people in Chengdu and throughout Sichuan. In any case, Chengdu

14892-634: The large salt water wells of the Yangtze basin. The city logo adopted in 2011 is inspired by the Golden Sun Bird , an ancient relic unearthed in 2001 from the Jinsha Site . Archaeological discoveries at the Sanxingdui and Jinsha Site have established that the area surrounding Chengdu was inhabited over four thousand years ago, in the 18th–10th century   BC. At the time of China's Xia , Shang , and Zhou dynasties , it represented

15038-472: The largest exercise conducted by the PLA since the founding of the People's Republic. In 1985, in order to modernise the PLA and to save money, Deng cut 1 million troops from the military (百万大裁军) and ordered further modernisation. On 1 January 1979, the People's Republic of China formally established its diplomatic relations with the United States . In January 1979, Deng Xiaoping visited the United States, which

15184-502: The late Qin dynasty and was called the "Land of Abundance", and this reputation has continued to this day. During the Han dynasty, the Chengdu economy, especially its brocade industry, prospered, becoming an important source of tribute to the court. The imperial court invested in Chengdu and specially set up Jinguan management and built "Jinguan City" in the southwest of Chengdu, "Jinguan City" and "Jincheng" becoming nicknames for Chengdu. In

15330-571: The leading capitalist power, the United States. In turn, overtures were made between the PRC and the United States, such as in the Ping Pong Diplomacy , Panda Diplomacy and the 1972 Nixon visit to China . China established formal relationships with several major western countries and Japan. Typically the other party broke relations it had with the government on Taiwan. Only major disasters are presented below (click to show). During

15476-472: The left-wing forces in much of the world. Internally, the Sino-Soviet split encouraged Mao to plunge China into the Cultural Revolution, to expunge traces of Soviet ways of thinking. Mao argued that as far as all-out nuclear war was concerned, the human race would not be destroyed, and instead a brave new communist world would arise from the ashes of imperialism. This attitude troubled Moscow, which had

15622-404: The meeting, it was proposed he lead this contingency; having built western hospitals, Boy's and Girl's schools at Missions he established on the Yangtze and Gan Rivers from 1866 – 1888. On 9 May 1891 Dr. Virgil Hart arrived in Chengtu and two weeks later bought a home and had it subdivided into living quarters and a dispensary, for the later arriving Missionary staff to move into. On 24 June 1892,

15768-426: The mutual attack between Ba and Shu, and sent Sima Cuo to lead his army into Shu along the Shiniu Road, and they captured the land in a few months. After that, the king of Qin established three abolitions of Shu Hou, and finally established Shu County, and the county seat of Chengdu County was established in Chengdu, the former capital of Shu. In 311 BC, Zhang Yi of the Qin dynasty built the Chengdu city wall according to

15914-442: The original political system while the country had seen an increasing trend of corruption and economic inequality , aggravated by the many social privileges enjoyed by governmental officials and their relatives. A five-man research unit for China's political reforms was established in September 1986, and the members included Zhao Ziyang , Hu Qili , Tian Jiyun , Bo Yibo and Peng Chong . Deng's intention of political reforms

16060-430: The other hand, many policies due to the political reforms launched by Deng in the early 1980s remain effective after 1989 (such as the new Constitution, term limits, and the democratic centralism), even though some of them have been reversed by CCP general secretary Xi Jinping after 2012. In 1983, left-wing conservatives initiated the " Anti-Spiritual Pollution Campaign ". In 1986, the student demonstrations led to

16206-667: The period of the Five Dynasties, Huang Quan, a painter in Chengdu, initiated the Fine-Brush Flower-and-Bird Painting School with other painters. At that time, "Hanlin Painting Academy" was the earliest royal academy in China. Chengdu contains official, Roman Catholic and Protestant congregations, some of which are underground churches . The Apostolic Vicariate of Szechwan (now known as Roman Catholic Diocese of Chengdu )

16352-493: The political reforms. In his speech titled "Advance Along the Road of Socialism with Chinese characteristics (沿着有中国特色的社会主义道路前进)", Zhao argued that the socialism in China was still in its primary stage and by taking Deng's speech in 1980 as guidelines, Zhao outlined a variety of steps to be taken for the political reforms, including promoting the rule of law and the separation of powers , imposing de-centralisation , and improving

16498-461: The poor have been reduced to a hopeless abject underclass, and that the social stability is threatened. They are also of the opinion that various political reforms, such as moves towards popular elections, have been unfairly nipped in the bud. After all, the path of modernisation and market-oriented economic reforms that China started since the early 1980s appears to be fundamentally unchallenged. Even critics of China's market reforms do not wish to see

16644-580: The primary productive force". In December 1981, he approved the construction of " Beijing Electron–Positron Collider ", the first high-energy particle collider in China, and had several meetings with Nobel laureate Tsung-Dao Lee who supported the project. In 1985, the Great Wall Station , the first Chinese research station in Antarctica , was established. In 1986, Deng approved the proposal from four leading Chinese scientists and launched

16790-485: The program had been seriously affected by the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution . After the failure of the Great Leap Forward, China's leadership slowed the pace of industrialization. It invested more on in China's coastal regions and focused on the production of consumer goods. After an April 1964 General Staff report concluded that the concentration of China's industry in its major coastal cities made it vulnerable to attack by foreign powers, Mao argued for

16936-676: The relations between China and many countries, especially those in south-east Asia . In 1984, Xu Haifeng , a pistol shooter , won the first Olympic gold medal for China during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles . In the same year, the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed by China and the United Kingdom , stipulating that the sovereignty and the administrative management of Hong Kong would be handed over back to China on 1 July 1997 under

17082-491: The renowned Chinese-American mathematician Shiing-Shen Chern . Supporters of the economic reforms point to the rapid development of the consumer and export sectors of the economy, the creation of an urban middle class that now constitutes 15% of the population, higher living standards (which is shown via dramatic increases in GDP per capita , consumer spending , life expectancy , literacy rate , and total grain output) and

17228-486: The resignation of Hu Yaobang , then General Secretary of CCP and a leading reformist, and the left-wing conservatives continued to launch the " Anti-Bourgeois Liberalisation Campaign ". The campaign ended in mid-1987 because Zhao Ziyang convinced Deng Xiaoping that the conservatives were taking advantage of the campaign to oppose the Reforms and Opening-up program. Although standards of living improved significantly in

17374-421: The road to Reform and Opening-up (改革开放 Gaige Kaifang ), policies that began with the de-collectivisation of the countryside, followed with industrial reforms aimed at decentralizing government controls in the industrial sector. In 1979, Deng emphasized the goal of " Four Modernizations " and further proposed the idea of "xiaokang", or " moderately prosperous society ". Deng laid emphasis on light industry as

17520-535: The roads will be pedestrian-oriented . This transit system provides direct transport to Chengdu itself. It is expected that the city will consume 48% less energy than cities of similar size. The goal of the 'park city' project is to allow a city like Chengdu to compete with Beijing and Shanghai without stripping the city of its character. The city of Chengdu is already known for its focus on quality of life, which includes affordable housing, good public schools, trees and bike lanes. The vast plain on which Chengdu

17666-535: The second year of Emperor Ping of the Yuan dynasty, the population of Chengdu reached 76,000 households, or about 354,000 people, making it one of the most populous cities at that time. Towards the six major cities. In the third year of the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han dynasty (141 BC), the Wen Dang, the prefect of Shu County, established the world's earliest local government-run school, "Wenweng Shishi", in Chengdu. In

17812-481: The spring of 1893. This site is where the city's first Methodist church ( Sï-Shen-Tsï Methodist Church ) and hospital were built. These were later razed by rioting Chinese in 1895 and the Mission staff retreated to Chongqing and later Shanghai to escape the marauders. Dr. Virgil Hart traveled to Peking to demand redress and full payment of retribution was collected from Sichuan Viceroy Liu Ping Chang. The mission compound

17958-497: The surrounding area has sometimes taken other names, including " Yizhou ". Chinese nicknames for the city include the "Turtle City" , variously derived from the old city walls ' shape on a map or a legend that Zhang Yi had planned their course by following a turtle's tracks; the "Brocade City" (see Sichuan brocade ), a contraction of the earlier "City of the Brocade Official", after an imperial office established under

18104-407: The system of the capital Xianyang, and built a large city and a small city. In 256 BC, King Zhao of Qin appointed Li Bing as the governor of Shu County. During his tenure, he presided over the construction of the world-famous Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project. The Chengdu Plain has been fertile and wild for thousands of miles since then. After decades of operation, Chengdu replaced Guanzhong Plain in

18250-656: The time: the A6M "Zero" fighter that dominated the skies over China against the increasingly obsolete Russian-made Polikarpov I-15/I-153s and I-16s that were the principal fighter planes of the Chinese Nationalist Air Force. This would later prove to be a rude awakening for the Allied forces in the Pacific War following the attack on Pearl Harbor . One of the first American ace fighter pilots of

18396-449: The use of communally organised iron smelters to increase steel production, pulling workers off of agricultural labor to the point that large amounts of crops rotted unharvested. Mao decided to continue to advocate these smelters despite a visit to a factory steel mill which proved to him that high quality steel could only be produced in a factory. He thought that ending the program would dampen peasant enthusiasm for his political mobilisation,

18542-627: The war and original volunteer fighter pilot for the Chinese Nationalist Air Force, Major Huang Xinrui (nicknamed "Buffalo" by his comrades) died as a result of battling the Zero fighters along with his squadronmates Cen Zeliu and Lin Heng (younger brother of renowned architect Lin Huiyin ) defending Chengdu on 14 March 1941. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor at the end of 1941, the United States began setting up stations at airbases in China. In 1944,

18688-595: The warmer months, and relieved from both sweltering summers and freezing winters. The Qin Mountains (Qinling) to the far north help shield the city from cold Siberian winds in the winter; because of this, the short winter is milder than in the Lower Yangtze . The 24-hour daily mean temperature in January is 5.9 °C (42.6 °F), and snow is rare but there are a few periods of frost each winter. The summer

18834-506: The world's largest building in terms of floor area, the New Century Global Center , is located in the city. The 100-meter-tall (330 ft) structure is 500 by 400 meters (1,600 by 1,300 ft) in size with 1,700,000 square meters (18,000,000 sq ft) of floor area, housing retail outlets, a movie theaters, offices, hotels, a water park with artificial beach and waves and a Mediterranean-style village comprising

18980-501: The world's top 25 cities by scientific research output , and home to the greatest number of universities and research institutes in Western China, notably Sichuan University , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Southwestern University of Finance and Economics , Southwest Jiaotong University , Chengdu University of Technology , Sichuan Normal University , and Xihua University . The name Chengdu

19126-533: Was a great Marxist and a great proletarian revolutionary, strategist and theorist. It is true that he made gross mistakes during the "Cultural Revolution", but, if we judge his activities as a whole, his contributions to the Chinese revolution far outweigh his mistakes. His merits are primary and his errors secondary". Today, the public perception of Mao has improved at least superficially; images of Mao and Mao related objects have become fashionable, commonly used on novelty items and even as talismans. As an aftermath of

19272-468: Was conquered by the Later Tang . The Later Shu was founded by Meng Zhixiang in 934, with its capital at Chengdu. Its second and last king, Meng Chang beautified the city by ordering hibiscus to be planted upon the city walls . The Song conquered the city in 965, introducing the first widely used paper money in the world. Su Shi praised it as "the southwestern metropolis". At the fall of

19418-679: Was established on 15 October 1696. Artus de Lionne , a French missionary of Paris Foreign Missions Society , was appointed as the first Apostolic Vicar. In 1890, the Canadian Methodist Mission was searching for more stations in Asia. In February 1891, Dr. Virgil Chittenden Hart  [ zh ] , who had been Superintendent of the New York Methodist Mission Society of Central China recommended that Chengtu be its first Mission sight. During

19564-518: Was exported throughout China. A "Brocade Official" ( 錦官 ; jǐnguān ) was established to oversee its production and transaction. After the fall of the Eastern Han, Liu Bei ruled Shu Han , the southwestern of the Three Kingdoms , from Chengdu. His minister Zhuge Liang called the area the "Land of Abundance". Under the Tang , Chengdu was considered the second most prosperous city in China after Yangzhou . Both Li Bai and Du Fu lived in

19710-577: Was first official visit by a paramount leader of China to the United States. In the same year, the Chinese Olympic Committee for PRC was recognized by the International Olympic Committee . Under the advice of Lee Kuan Yew , Deng Xiaoping agreed to further open up the country and stop exporting communist ideologies and revolutions to other countries like Mao did, and the decisions significantly improved

19856-421: Was followed by a power struggle between the Gang of Four , Hua Guofeng , and eventually Deng Xiaoping . The third constitution of China, known as the " 1978 Constitution ", was passed in 1978 under Hua's " Two Whatevers ". In December 1978, with the support of Ye Jianying and other high-ranking officials, Deng eventually replaced Hua and became the paramount leader of China during the 3rd plenary session of

20002-447: Was launched by Mao from 1963 to 1965, as a result. Much more successful was the " Two Bombs, One Satellite " program, launched in 1958, with the help at first of Moscow. It used leading scientists who returned to mainland China from abroad, including Qian Xuesen , Deng Jiaxian and Qian Sanqiang . China's first atomic bomb , nuclear missile , hydrogen bomb and artificial satellite were all successfully developed by 1970. However,

20148-521: Was moved to the capital city of Chengtu. This press was responsible for the printing of The West China Missionary News (1899–1943) and Journal of the West China Border Research Society (1922–1945). The former was the first and the longest running English newspaper in the province of Szechwan. The CMM was one of the four mission societies responsible for the creation of West China Union University in 1910. By 1922,

20294-415: Was passed in 1975 during the Cultural Revolution. On the other hand, by the time of Mao's death, China's unity and sovereignty were assured for the first time in a century, and there was development of infrastructure , industry , healthcare , education (only 20% of the population could read in 1949, compared to 65.5% thirty years later), which raised standard of living for the average Chinese. There

20440-667: Was quickly rebuilt only to be destroyed once more in the riots of 1901. These were rebuilt a third time and later missionaries would relocate and expand the Boys' and Girls' Schools just south of the city, dedicating the Divinity College as Hart College in 1914; a part of the West China Union University , that is now Sichuan University and the West China School of Medicine (Huaxiyida). During

20586-399: Was said to have become a virtual ghost town frequented by tigers and the depopulation of Sichuan necessitated the resettlement of millions of people from other provinces during the Qing dynasty . Following the Columbian Exchange , the Chengdu Plain became one of China's principal sources of tobacco . Pi County was considered to have the highest quality in Sichuan, which was the center of

20732-428: Was the capital of Liu Bei 's Shu Han Empire during the Three Kingdoms Era, as well as several other local kingdoms during the Middle Ages. During World War II , refugees from eastern China fleeing from the Japanese settled in Chengdu. After the war, Chengdu was briefly the capital of the Nationalist republican government until it withdrew to Taipei on the island of Taiwan . Under the PRC, Chengdu's importance as

20878-496: Was the true inheritor of the great Leninist tradition. At one major meeting of communist parties, Khrushchev personally attacked Mao as an ultra leftist – a left revisionist – and compared him to Stalin for dangerous egotism. The conflict was now out of control, and was increasingly fought out in 81 communist parties around the world. The final split came in July 1963, after 50,000 refugees escaped from Xinjiang in western China to Soviet territory to escape persecution. China ridiculed

21024-491: Was to boost the administrative efficiency, further separate the responsibilities between the Communist Party and the Government, and to eliminate bureaucracy. Although he also mentioned " rule of law " and " democracy ", Deng delimited the reforms within the one-party system and opposed the implementation of Western-style constitutionalism. In October 1987, at the 13th National Congress of CCP chaired by Deng, Zhao Ziyang delivered an important talk drafted by Bao Tong on

21170-413: Was to obtain diplomatic recognition in the face of strong American opposition. The Bandung Conference in 1955, at which Premier Zhou Enlai led the Chinese delegation, was an important milestone for China's foreign relations. China developed its foreign relations with many newly independent and soon-to-be independent countries. China's Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were incorporated into

21316-418: Was very pleased that the success of the Soviet Union in the space race – the original Sputniks – demonstrated that the international communist movement had caught up in high technology with the Americans. Mao assumed that the Soviets now had a military advantage and should step up the Cold War; Khrushchev knew that the Americans were well ahead in military uses of space. The strains multiplied, quickly making

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