CHINA

It was 50 years ago this month that Mao Tse-tung declared the formation of the People’s Republic of China, creating a Communist nation that broke tradition with centuries of Chinese dynasties. The third-largest country in the world, China covers almost 3.7 million square miles and has the world’s largest population--more than 1.2 billion. Discover its rich culture, explore the many periods of Chinese history that go back to ancient times, and learn about China today through the direct links on the Los Angeles Times Launch Point Web site: https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint.

Here are the best sites for getting your schoolwork done or for just having fun.

Level 1

Explore China: The Chinese language is composed of thousands of characters, and each one can be pronounced up to four ways. Get acquainted with Chinese history and philosophy, learn who was allowed in the Forbidden City and embark on an online adventure that tests your knowledge of this country’s history and culture.

https://www.eplay.com/1999-06-19/etravel/cow.adp

Daily Life in Ancient China: The ancient Chinese not only invented paper, gunpowder and the compass, but they also developed three important teachings that were guides to living one’s life: Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Learn about the achievements of different dynasties as well as some of their customs.

https://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Chinalife.html

Tales From China: Enjoy six Chinese folk tales, including the story of how China’s four great rivers were formed by the efforts of four dragons determined to do good for the people forever.

https://darsie.ucdavis.edu/tales/china.html

Level 2

Encarta: China: The landscape of China ranges from deserts to fertile valleys to the highest mountains in the world. Read about the Cultural Revolution and other key events as well as learn about China’s government, economy and people.

https://encarta.msn.com//find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg;=2&ti;=05464000

China: Beyond the Great Wall: In China, tea is not only an important drink but has been prescribed as a medicine and even used as currency in the form of pressed bricks. View a gallery of images of China, learn about China through the current government’s perspective and discover the history behind the techniques used in its cuisine.

https://www.uncletai.com/china/china.html

Discovery Online: Secrets of the Great Wall: The Great Wall of China was originally built to defend against invaders from the north, but it later was useful in ensuring safe trade routes. This site describes the wall’s history and its construction over the course of 1,000 years.

https://www.discovery.com/stories/history/greatwall/greatwall.html

Level 3

CNN: Visions of China: Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “China is a sleeping giant. When it awakens, the earth will shake.” Explore China from ancient times to the present through this exceptional site, which offers commentaries, timelines, photos, interactive games and forums to discuss your views on current issues such as Tibet and Taiwan.

https://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/flash.html

China the Beautiful: Interested in the real story behind the legendary Mulan or the important Silk Road trade route? Find out through this extensive collection of materials that details classical Chinese art, calligraphy, literature, painting, philosophy and history, and even includes some audio clips of poetry and music.

https://www.chinapage.com/china.html

China: A Country Study: Trace China’s history through its beginnings with ancient dynasties to its current status as the country with the world’s largest Communist party. Get acquainted with key historical events and figures and learn about its geography, culture, economy and government.

https://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cntoc.html

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This column was designed by Anna Manring.

EXPLORER’S QUEST

The answer to this Internet quiz can be found in the sites at right.

Who were the only ones originally allowed into the Forbidden City?

CLUE: See Explore China

Find What You Need to Know: Have a project on California history? Need help doing a math problem? Launch Point now covers more than 100 topics for getting your schoolwork done. Go to https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/ for the full list of subjects and direct links to the best Internet sites.

Answer to last week’s Quest: German, French, Italian and Romansch are the four official languages of Switzerland.