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Front: Huang-ti (2698 BC-2599 BC), a legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero

Huang-ti, the Yellow Emperor, is said to be the ancestor of all Han Chinese. He has been credited with the invention of the principles of Traditional Chinese medicine, the invention of the compass, and the invention of the earliest form of the Chinese calendar. The actual existence of the Yellow Emperor, however, is questionable. The period of his reign precedes written Chinese history by more than a thousand years. Thus, the tales of his exploits might easily be embellished.

Back: 100 Yuan

Front

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Front: Huang-ti (2698 BC-2599 BC), a legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero

Back: 100 Yuan

Front

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Front

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Front: Chien Lung (1711-1799), Ching Dynasty Emperor 1735-1796

Chien Lung was the fourth emperor of the Ch'ing (Manchu) dynasty. He conducted a series of military campaigns that eliminated the Turk and Mongol threats to northeastern China (1755-60), enlarged his empire by creating the New Province (modern Sinkiang), and reinforced Chinese authority in the south and east.

Back: Old Chinese-styled building

China, located in eastern Asia, has one of the world's longest uninterrupted civilizations, dating back more than six millennia. For centuries, China was the world's most advanced civilization, and the cultural center of East Asia, with an impact lasting to the present day.

China is the source of many great inventions including Paper, the compass, gunpowder, and printing. China was also the first country to use paper money.

In 1911, the Nationalist Party under Dr. Sun Yat-sen overthrew the Ch'ing Dynasty and established the republic. However, the Chinese Civil War following WWII resulted in two Chinese states in 1949: People's Republic of China on the mainland, and the Republic of China in Taiwan.

For a more detailed country profile, see CIA World Factbook on China.