China (modern country)

I have rivers that wiggle like dragons and tall mountains that wear misty hats. My fields of green rice dance in the wind. I stretch from warm, sunny beaches all the way to tall, snowy peaks. My air smells like sweet blossoms in the spring and spicy noodles cooking in big cities. You can hear the chatter of busy markets and the quiet whisper of wind in a bamboo forest. My story is very, very old, and filled with amazing inventions and brave emperors. Can you guess who I am? I am China, a country with a story as long as my Great Wall.

My story began a very long time ago, with families called dynasties who ruled my lands, starting way back around 2070 BCE. For a long while, my lands were like separate puzzle pieces. Then, a strong emperor named Qin Shi Huang came along in 221 BCE. He said, 'We will all be one big family,' and he united all the pieces together. To protect everyone, he started connecting walls that were already built, making one super long wall. It was like building a giant stone dragon to guard my northern border. My people are very clever. Long, long ago, they invented amazing things that changed the world. Around the 2nd century BCE, they figured out how to make paper, so they could write down stories and draw beautiful pictures. In the 9th century CE, they mixed together a special powder. At first, it went 'BOOM.' and made beautiful, sparkling fireworks that lit up the night sky. We call it gunpowder. Later, in the 11th century CE, my people invented the compass, a little spinning needle that always points north, helping sailors find their way across the big, wide ocean. We also created a famous path called the Silk Road, starting around the 2nd century BCE. It wasn't really made of silk, but my people traveled on it to trade shiny silk fabric and tasty tea with friends from faraway lands. It was a road of friendship. In the early 1400s, my emperors built a special home for themselves in my city of Beijing. They called it the Forbidden City because not everyone was allowed inside. Its roofs were covered in shiny yellow tiles that sparkled in the sun like gold.

Today, my story continues. My cities are filled with busy people and skyscrapers so tall they seem to tickle the clouds. But right next to these tall new buildings, you can find quiet, old temples where traditions live on. Every year, my people celebrate the Lunar New Year with a huge festival. They hang glowing red lanterns and watch dancing dragons parade through the streets for good luck. I still love adventure and discovery. I look to the stars and dream of exploring space. On January 3rd, 2019, one of my spaceships, called Chang'e-4, did something no one had ever done before. It landed on the far side of the Moon. I am a place where ancient stories and new dreams live side-by-side. My history is amazing, my future is exciting, and I invite everyone to come visit and be a part of my continuing story.