The large star represents the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the smaller stars represent the four classes of people in China (as designated by Mao Zedong): workers, peasants, petty bourgeoisie, and patriotic capitalists. Red is the traditional color of revolution or may be associated with communism. Gold is said to either symbolize the yellow race of the nation or to indicate that socialism has a bright future in the nation.
the great wall
The Great Wall of China was built in increments during many time periods. The oldest parts were built in the second century bc to protect from northern invaders. Most was built during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) when it became the world's largest military structure. The wall is quite wide, at some places it is wide enough for eight men on horses to ride side by side. There are also many towers built into the wall. Many of were built 2 arrow-lengths apart to ensure that the wall could be sufficiently protected by its defenders.
terracotta warriors
Ying Zheng became king at 12-1/2 in 247 bc. Construction of his great mausoleum begain in 246 bc. He united what is now China in 221 bc and he renamed himself Qin Shi Huang Di, becoming the first emperor of China, in the Qin dynasty. He was the first to create the Great Wall of China by connecting smaller existing walls. He died in 210 bc. The army of terracotta soldiers was created to help rule another empire in the afterlife. The soldiers are about 6 feet tall and vary in height according to their roles, generals being the tallest. No two soldiers are alike, as specified by Qin. It is estimated that there are more than 8000 soldiers, 130 chariots, and 670 horses. The Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974 by a local farmer named Yang who was drilling a water well. When the tombs were created, villages were set nearby as guards. The farmer may be a descendant of those original guardians.
giant panda
Giant pandas live in mountain ranges in central China. They were driven from the low areas as lands were cleared for farming and development. Pandas eat mostly bamboo. They can be seen in some US zoos, including the National Zoo, where Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are on a ten-year loan from the China Wildlife Conservation Association. You can see them on the pandacam.
"Dragons were considered very important by the people of ancient China. For thousands of years, the symbol of the imperial throne was a dragon. Some people believed that dragons brought good luck, such as rain for farmers' crops. Other, more fearsome dragons were said to bring death and disease. The most famous Chinese dragons were ferocious, bearded creatures that were capable of changing shape and size. They could be as tiny as the smallest silkworm or as large as the vast space of heavens and earth. Most were made up of distinct animal parts," such as tiger feet, snake neck, camel head, stag antlers, and cow ears. (Behold the Dragons!, Gail Gibbons, 1999)
inventions
You may know that the world gets fireworks from China, but did you know we get many other things from China too? . . . Like paper and printing, peaches, icecream, the compass, saddles, dominoes, kites, hackey sack, and sunglasses. Pasta didn't come from Italy, people in China have had past for more than 3000 years.
tangrams
A trangram is an ancient Chinese puzzle that uses 7 pieces made from a square to create animas and other shapes. They are a lot of fun for kids. (But I think they're fun too!) Play the Cyberchase Tangram Game on pbs.org or use these directions to make your own (from Discovering Cultures: China, Sandy Asher, 2003).
What a cool blog! Great ideas for helping kids see there is more to the world than what they see at home. I love that you incorporate recipes, books, and videos.
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