User:Gblack513/sandbox

Climate
Eastern China is made up of the capital region, the Pacific coastal regions, the Huang He, Chiang Jiang, and Xi Jiang river valleys, and the northeast region of Manchuri. Summers are hotter and more humid than those in the rest of China, and winters are mild, except in Manchuri where they tend to be drier and more dramatic. Eastern Chinese regions typically have the highest population because the agriculture is better than that in Western China. Compared to the rest of China, temperatures are relatively mild. According to the BBC Weather Center, Beijing averages highs of 88 degrees Fahrenheit (31 degrees Celsius) in the summer and 37 degrees F (3 degrees C) in the winter. Monsoon winds occupy eastern China from May to October. While the rest of China is consistently dry, rainfall is abundant in Eastern China. According to the BBC Weather Center, Beijing receives, on average, 10 in. (250 mm) of rain in July, its rainiest month.

Culture
Eastern Chinese culture and Western Chinese culture are relatively similar to each other, but are vastly different than cultures in the Western Hemisphere. Traveling and Transportation, Perception of Beauty, Hierarchy, and Family and Social Life are all unique aspects of Eastern China. Bicycles and traveling by foot have become decreasingly popular for those who can afford it. Beijing and other major cities have replaced bike routes with roads. Because there is so much vehicular traffic, biking is now risky behavior. Dark skin in China is a negative quality. Skin color was once a factor that determined one’s social class. Those that had brown or black skin were victims of poverty, while white skin was a sign of wealth and success. Skin whitening products are broadly sold across eastern China, and women carry umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun. In eastern China, children are raised under the care of their parents and both set of grandparents. This is largely an effect of the one-child policy that applies to all of China.

History
China’s history is consistent in its pattern with the rise and fall of Dynasties. One rises, then it falls, and another rises again. Eastern China has been the site for China’s Dynasties for thousands of years, starting with the Xia Dynasty from 21st - 16th century BC all the way to the Qing Dynasty from 1644 - 1911. Many different opinions exist as to which dynasty was the best or most successful. However none of them lasted forever as the transition to modern democracy came in the mid-19th century. After 3000 years of feudal society the Opium War came in 1840, and China became more of a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society as a result. Only to develop further into democracy as time went on.

Current Issues
Overpopulation: China has become very overpopulated over the last 60 years partly because of the policies of Mao Zedong, who encouraged families to have as many children as possible. However China has recognized that they have surpassed their carrying capacity and have developed a one-child policy to limit the population growth. Which, so far, has done its job.

Pollution: China’s air pollution problem comes from the burning of fossil fuels and other industrial activity. Since China is a part of the Industrial revolution, their pollution is getting worse every year as they develop more and more. The pollution contributed to 1.2 million deaths in 2010 and is only getting worse. One of the worst cities exhibiting the pollution issue is Beijing, who reported pollution levels past 900 µg/m3 in January, about three times what is considered safe air quality.