To many New Yorkers, Chinese antiquity is very much a mystery. Once known as "The Divine Land," China is now beset by political, cultural, and ecological problems. On top of this, after the communist takeover in 1950, much of its 5,000 years of glorious history has been destroyed or rewritten. Chinese youth now grow up without learning their true heritage. Modern China is growing into a global force. However, to truly understand and foster ties with this great nation and its many peoples, one must have experienced its history.