Great Chinese Documentary - China History 中国通史[zhōngguó tōngshǐ]

China History Documentary 中国通史 [zhōngguó tōngshǐ]

If you’re interested in Chinese history, you are in the right place!

Curious about Chinese history? Well, everything you need to know about China from the era of primitive myth to the end of the late Qing Dynasty is in this TV show.

It is called 中国通史[zhōngguó tōngshǐ]，which means China history.

It has 100 episodes with each one lasting 45 minutes. You will find every episode has a theme in this documentary.

You will experience the long historical scenes about China with voice-over commentary. Just like you were in part of that history.

• China History Documentary: Brief Introduction
• China History Documentary: Where to Watch
• China History Documentary: Confucius 孔子 kǒngzǐ
• China History Documentary: Marco Polo
• China History Documentary: The Only Female Emperor
• China History Documentary: FAQ’s

China History Documentary – Brief introduction

Before I start to introduce the China history documentary, I’d love to ask you a question.

How much do you know about Chinese history? Comment below and tell us what you know, and perhaps what you’d like to learn also.

In fact Chinese history is so in depth and goes back many, many years, it is so hard for us understand every finite detail!

After finishing the blog, I hope you can learn something from this.

Maybe you have heard about the Cultural Revolution? This film below, The Last Emperor might be of particular interest to you.

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The Last Emperor was the first, and may end up being the only film that was allowed to be shot inside The Forbidden City.

China History Documentary – Where to Watch?

You can watch the China History Documentary 中国通史[zhōngguó tōngshǐ] on YouTube with Chinese subtitles for free.

China History Documentary – Confucius 孔子kǒngzǐ

In Episode 13, you will find the person who has the most influence on Chinese people, even to this day.

His name is Confucius 孔子 kǒngzǐ.

His original name is actually 孔丘 kǒng qiū.

One great ancient Chinese thinker, educator and the founder of Confucianism.

His influence goes beyond China but also the world.

If you know a little bit of Chinese traditional culture, you have probably heard of him.

The Analects 论语 lúnyǔ is a great book written and organized by Confucius’s students, mainly about what Confucius and his students say.

The content involves politics, education, literature, philosophy, and how to become a better person.

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There are so many options out there, it is completely normal to feel lost when looking for the best Chinese movies to learn Chinese nowadays.

China History Documentary – Marco Polo

In Episode 74, you will find out about Marco Polo and China.

You will hear a lot of Italian and Chinese combined.

This takes place during the Yuan Dynasty and the emperor is 忽必烈 hū bì liè, one of the greatest emperors in China history.

The emperor gives a job to Marco Polo and offers him other duties likewise.

Marco Polo plays a great role in broadcasting China’s culture to western countries.

He wrote a blog about Lugou Bridge 卢沟桥 lúgōuqiáo. This is still in Beijing now. In fact, next time you visit China, why not visit?!

Episode 84 features Matteo Ricci who transfers Chinese culture to Western culture.

China History Documentary – The Only Female Emperor

In Episode 43, you will find out about the only female emperor (女皇帝nǚ huángdì) in China’s history.

Her name was 武则天 wǔ zétiān. She became a concubine of 唐太宗 táng tàizōng when she was 14 years old.

PS – you can find out more about famous women in Chinese history here.

After 唐太宗 dies, she smartly managed to woo his son, the prince, 李治 lǐ zhì, the ninth son of 唐太宗.

唐太宗 táng tàizōng is hugely famous during not only Tang dynasty but also China’s entire history.

He inherited his father’s throne and became the third emperor of Tang dynasty.

He fell in love with his step-mother, 武则天 wǔ zétiān. He ignored other opinions and insisted on dethroning Empress Wang and making Wu his empress instead!

Crazy world right!

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李治 knows that he is going to die, he wants to make his empress the all powerful one.

However, it is hugely difficult in that patriarchal society to do so, many challenges and obstacles are in the way.

After 李治 dies, 武则天 wǔ zétiān tries everything and finally she gets what she wants: becoming the first and only authentic female emperor in Chinese history.

As a person, she is cruel, she kills her children to set up Empress Wang.

She kills a lot of people in fact. After she dies, instead of writing about how great she is, she decides to leave a wordless tomb and she said I will just let the people born after me, judge me.

If you have a chance to go to Shanxi, you may find her tomb with 功过自有后人评 gōngguò zì yǒu hòu rén píng

Now it is your turn to explore more about the show China History and don’t forget to come back to leave us a comment what you think of it.

Edited by Katie Coy

China History Documentary – FAQ’s

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