TIME AND SPACE

PREHISTORY

MESOPOTAMIA

ANCIENT EGYPT

WESTERN RELIGIONS

THE CRUSADES

THE MIDDLE EAST

CONFLICTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

ANCIENT AFRICA

COLONIAL AFRICA

AFRICA TODAY

INDIA

CHINESE HISTORY

CHINA

SOUTHEAST ASIA

JAPAN

ANCIENT GREECE

ROME

MIDDLE AGES

RENAISSANCE

ENLIGHTENMENT

WORLD WARS

RUSSIA AND COMMUNISM

EUROPE TODAY

CANADA

CARIBBEAN

MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA

SOUTH AMERICA

     Chinese writing dates back at least 3,500 years. Chinese writing is a combination of phonemes and pictographs. The largest Chinese dictionary contains more than 50,000 characters, but only about four thousand characters are needed for everyday use. 

     There are many dialects in the Chinese language. A dialect is a form of language used only in certain places or among certain groups. Chinese people may not understand each other when they speak, but all Chinese people can read and understand the same written characters. 

     In 1958, China adopted the Pinyin system of phonetic writing. The Pinyin system uses Roman letters more familiar to Americans. Since then, Americans have been encouraged to change their pronunciation and spelling of Chinese names. Most Americans referred to the Chinese capital as "Peking." (pe-KING) We now know it as "Beijing." (bay-ZHING) 

Cool Chinese writing links

What is Pinyin? This website explains the language, how it is written and how it sounds.

Practice your Pinyin. This website was produced by the University of Iowa. It includes and explanation of Pinyin, lessons on how to speak the language, and a place for new learners to chat.

Learning Chinese Online.  This page helps you to learn Chinese.