The abdication of Puyi, the last Emperor of China: 1912
First World War: 1914–18
Chinese Communist Party founded: 1921
Civil war between the Nationalist and Communist parties: 1927–50
The Long March of the Red Army: 1933–35
Hu Shulai (Jian’s father) born: 1935
Hu Dongsheng (Jian’s grandfather) dies: 1935 (during the Long March)
Chinese War of Resistance against Japan: 1937–45
Second World War: 1939–45
Mao Zedong proclaims the People’s Republic of China: 1949
War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea: 1950–53
China’s first Five Year Plan: 1953–57
Anti-Rightist Movement: 1957–59
Great Leap Forward: 1958–60
Great Chinese Famine: 1958–61
Cultural Revolution: 1966–76
Apollo 11 lands on the moon: 1969
President Richard Nixon visits China: 1972
Kublai Jian born: 1972
Deng Mu born: 1975
Mao Zedong dies: 1976
Jian’s mother dies: 1976
Introduction of one-child policy: 1979
Deng Xiaoping begins China’s economic reform: 1978
“Misty Poets” form in Beijing with the magazine Today: 1978
Shenzhen becomes China’s first Special Economic Zone: 1980
Tiananmen Square Student Demonstration for democracy: 1989
Jian graduates from university: 1997
China holds its first Olympic Games: 2008
China launches spacecraft Shengzhou 9 with three astronauts: 2012
650 million peasants remain in rural China: 2014