>it's 5000 year history

Please don't give credence to nonsensical nationalist tropes. The Oracle Bone Script goes back to about 1200 BC during the Shang Dynasty, that makes about 3200 years of history. Before that it's _pre-history_.

It's a bit younger than Linear B, Old Avestan and Vedic Sanskrit. So in terms of a traceable, continuous culture China is at the fourth place of so.

These days I'd probably be called a "historical nihilist" in China for saying that.

That was the most pedantic correction I've ever seen on HN in a while :-). I think the parent was just speaking loosely rather than spreading "nonsensical nationalistic tropes". Take it easy.

Does being 5000 or 3200 years old really change the discussion to anyone but historians?

I think it touched a nerve because that line of thinking ("we're the oldest culture") is presumably highly propagandized amongst CCP China. 1800 years is the difference between "best" and "just another", which is a big deal in totalitarian narrative terms :)

It's certainly changes the discussion to the CCP ! They intend to cement the notion that China is the oldest, greatest, most venerable nation their is. Truth be damned.

I happened to like this pedantry! It refreshed my memory of history I had once learned but forgotten.

> It's a bit younger than Linear B, Old Avestan and Vedic Sanskrit. So in terms of a traceable, continuous culture China is at the fourth place of so.

Linear B does not represent a traceable, continuous culture.

Neither does Old Avestan.

How so ? There's a case to be made for Linear B because of the Greek Dark Ages, but Old Avestan ? By that same token, Oracle Bone Script also doesn't represent a traceable and continuous culture.

Persia was conquered by iconoclastic foreigners. Many native traditions were lost, even the knowledge of how to read the old writings. Continuity was significantly interrupted.

> There's a case to be made for Linear B because of the Greek Dark Ages

That's sufficient to defeat the claim of cultural continuity, but note also that the case that Linear B has been deciphered at all isn't on the firmest ground.

> Persia was conquered by iconoclastic foreigners.

Spouting this as if it somehow justifies or reinforces the CCP's claim to China being the oldest and therefore most venerable of cultures is just continuing to give credence to their nationalist tropes. It's not as if China had never been conquered.

I try to remind people of this all the time, it’s especially interesting since the leadership is trying to destroy artifacts of their history to fit a very recent narrative.

They only occasionally use bits and pieces to talk about how they are in ancient culture, but they are rapidly becoming a very young culture in a historical sense.

Even less actually. The CCP has existed for 100yrs (since 1921), but didn't control China till 1949. Communist China has only existed for 72yrs.

and 5000 years of dictator rule, not sure what you are trying to say

Not sure why you are being downvoted. During the communist revolution (in the 40s), the previous government was overthrown and escaped to Taiwan. That was when Mao and Communism took over.

It is an interesting perspective

Edited for accuracy, 'cultural' -> 'communist'

That’s not what the cultural revolution was.

The cultural revolution took place well after the CCP took over.

> During the cultural revolution, the previous government was overthrown and escaped to Taiwan

Not the Cultural Revolution. Cultural Revolution was in the 1960s, the Communist victory over the Nationalists and the Nationalists' flight to Taiwan was late 1940s. The "Cultural Revolution" was not a "revolution" in the classic sense. It was not an attempt to install a new government. It was a totalitarian exercise in which the Communist Party – led by Mao – attempted to eliminate every aspect of Chinese culture and society that wasn't enthusiastically communist

> Not sure why you are being downvoted. During the communist revolution (in the 40s), the previous government was overthrown and escaped to Taiwan.

Incorrect. The previous government of China (the Beiyang government) was overthrown by a collaboration between the CPC and the KMT (Which was led by Chiang Kai-shek).

The CPC and the KMT then had a war, which the KMT lost - and fled to Taiwan.

As a bonus, the KMT then proceeded to carry out the White Terror - 38 years of one-party rule, repression and martial law, which ostensibly purged Taiwan's of suspected or alleged communists.

This is a pretty interesting perspective to consider, too.