China, representing one of the earliest civilizations in the world, has a recorded history of about 3,600 years. It possesses rich historical documents as well as ancient relics. Like other nations, China, in its development, passed through the stages of primitive society, slave society, and feudal society. During the middle decades of the 19th century, capitalist forces of foreign countries invaded China, and China was slowly transformed into a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. The founding of the Peoples Republic in 1949 marked Chinas entry into the socialist stage. During the long period of historical development, the industrious, courageous, and intelligent Chinese people of all nationalities collectively created a great civilization. They made great contributions to all of mankind.