A calendar of Chinese history
28 events
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Birth
Birth of Hua Guofeng, Mao's successor
Hua Guofeng, born Su Zhu, comes into the world in Jiaocheng county. Mao Zedong's designated successor, he led the Chinese Communist Party and became premier after the death of Zhou Enlai in January 1976.
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Death
Death of physicist Chien-Shiung Wu
Chinese-American physicist Chien-Shiung Wu dies in New York. Born in Shanghai, she worked on uranium enrichment for the Manhattan Project and in 1956 provided the experimental proof that parity is not conserved in weak interactions.
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Death
Death of the pilgrim monk Yijing
The Buddhist monk and translator Yijing dies under the Tang dynasty. His writings are a key source on the kingdom of Srivijaya in Sumatra and on the Buddhist university of Nalanda, and he ranks with Faxian and Xuanzang among the great Chinese pilgrims to India.
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Birth
Birth of astronomer Zhang Yuzhe
Astronomer Zhang Yuzhe is born. Widely regarded as the founder of modern Chinese astronomy, he is credited with the discovery of the asteroid Zhongguo.
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Birth
Birth of table tennis player Zhang Jike
Table tennis player Zhang Jike is born. He completes the sport's grand slam, playing with the shakehand grip rather than the penhold grip.
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Politics
Adoption of the Hong Kong flag
Hong Kong's regional flag is adopted: a white five-petalled bauhinia on a red field, the same red as the flag of the People's Republic of China. It is first raised on 1 July 1997, at the ceremony marking the handover from the United Kingdom to China.
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Disaster
China Airlines jet crashes near Taipei
A China Airlines Airbus A300-600 arriving from Indonesia crashes onto a road and a residential area after a go-around attempt at Taipei's international airport. All 196 people on board are killed, along with six on the ground, among them the governor of the central bank, Sheu Yuan-dong.
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Death
Death of the official Zhu Yi
Zhu Yi, a senior official of the Liang dynasty, dies. Greatly trusted by Emperor Wu in his later years, he is often portrayed by historians as corrupt and duplicitous, and blamed for hastening the fall of the Liang.
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Birth
Birth of Emperor Yingzong of Song
The future Emperor Yingzong, born Zhao Zongshi, comes into the world. The fifth ruler of the Song dynasty, he was adopted by Emperor Renzong in 1055.
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Birth
Birth of Emperor Tugh Temür
Tugh Temür, known as Jayaatu Khan, is born. An emperor of the Yuan dynasty, remembered by his temple name Wenzong, he ruled from 1328 to 1329 and again from 1329 to 1332.
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Politics
Founding of the Control Yuan
The Control Yuan is established. An institution of the Republic of China, it oversees public accounts and can impeach public officials.
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Birth
Birth of actress Cherie Chung
Hong Kong actress Cherie Chung, born Chung Chor-hung, comes into the world. Hugely popular in the 1980s, she was nicknamed the Marilyn Monroe of Hong Kong cinema.
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Birth
Birth of actor Sean Lau
Hong Kong actor Sean Lau, also known as Lau Ching-wan, is born. He holds the record for Best Actor nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards, and has won the prize three times.
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Birth
Birth of businessman Guo Guangchang
Businessman Guo Guangchang is born in Dongyang, in Zhejiang province. Chairman of Fosun International, he ranks among the wealthiest people in China.
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Disaster
Airliner crashes near Songshan Airport
A Civil Air Transport Boeing 727 flying from Hong Kong to Taipei crashes into Hunan village, in Linkou township, on approach to Songshan Airport. Twenty-one people on board and one on the ground are killed.
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Disaster
China Airlines Boeing lost off Penghu
A China Airlines Boeing 737-200 goes missing after a go-around at Penghu Airport, in Taiwan. The wreck is found weeks later on the seabed, nineteen kilometres north of the island, with all thirteen people on board dead.
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Death
Death of writer Ye Shengtao
Writer Ye Shengtao dies. Born in Suzhou as Ye Shaojun, he was also an educator and a politician.
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Birth
Birth of actress Mao Xiaotong
Actress Mao Xiaotong, also known as Rachel Momo, is born. She becomes best known for supporting roles in the television series Empresses in the Palace and Love O2O.
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Birth
Birth of volleyball player Liu Xiaotong
Volleyball player Liu Xiaotong is born in Beijing. She wins the women's Olympic tournament with China at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
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Birth
Birth of canoeist Xu Shixiao
Canoeist Xu Shixiao is born. She takes the Olympic title in the women's C-2 500 metres at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
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Birth
Birth of snooker player Yan Bingtao
Snooker player Yan Bingtao is born in Zibo, in Shandong province. Amateur world champion in 2014 and a professional from 2016, he wins the Masters in January 2021 at his first attempt.
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Death
Death of footballer Wan Chi-keung
Hong Kong footballer Wan Chi-keung dies. A key player for the Hong Kong national team in the 1970s and 1980s, once billed as Asia's top striker, he later turned actor and played a senior police officer in the Infernal Affairs trilogy.
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Sport
Four Continents figure skating championships begin
The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships open at Taipei Arena and run through to 21 February 2016.
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Death
Death of politician Li Rui
Politician Li Rui dies in Beijing. Born in Hunan province, he took part in the Chinese democracy movement.
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Birth
Birth of military officer Wei Lihuang
Chinese military officer Wei Lihuang is born. He died in January 1960.
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Birth
Birth of politician Yang Jen-fu
Taiwanese politician Yang Jen-fu is born. A member of the indigenous Amis people, he died in September 2024.
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Birth
Birth of tennis player Liu Wanting
Tennis player Liu Wanting is born. She wins fourteen doubles titles on the ITF circuit and reaches the doubles final of the Guangzhou International Open in 2010.
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Death
Death of actor Ba Ge
Taiwanese actor Ba Ge dies. He had been born on 4 July 1954.