The contradiction between productive forces and production relations is the fundamental driving force for the development of any society, and productive forces are the most active and revolutionary factors.

The economic base determines the superstructure, and the superstructure reacts on the economic base. China's socio-economic development has always been at the forefront of the world, which has a great influence and contribution to the economic, political and cultural development of Asia and even the world.

The productivity of primitive society is very low. In the arduous struggle with nature, ancient Chinese residents constantly improved their production tools and developed primitive agriculture and animal husbandry. Economic development promoted the evolution of social organizations.

In the later period of primitive society, with the development of productive forces, there appeared product surplus, private ownership, polarization between the rich and the poor, class gradually formed, and the transition from primitive society to slave society.

The establishment of slavery adapted to the social and economic development of Shang Dynasty, the development of agriculture and animal husbandry, and the bronze smelting technology reached a high level. During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the well-field system was developed and the slave economy was highly developed.

The use of ironware and the appearance of Niu Geng in the Spring and Autumn Period led to the rapid development of productive forces, the increase of private fields, the gradual disintegration of well-field system and the emergence of feudal exploitation. ?

The establishment of feudal system in the Warring States period promoted the development of feudal economy. The Qin dynasty unified measurement, currency and writing, which was beneficial to the economic and cultural exchanges between various ethnic groups and regions.

The rulers in the early Western Han Dynasty accepted the lesson of Qin's death, adopted the policy of recuperation, resumed economic development, became strong in national strength, opened up the Silk Road, and promoted the development of trade between China and West Asia and Europe.

Economic development of landlord manor in eastern han dynasty. During the period of the Three Kingdoms, the Jin Dynasty and the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the great ethnic integration, the technical exchange of agriculture and animal husbandry in the north, the land equalization system and rent adjustment system in the northern Wei Dynasty, the northern economy resumed development, and a large number of working people in the north moved south, which promoted the economic development of the south of the Yangtze River. After the reunification of the Sui Dynasty, the economy was once prosperous.

At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, the rulers adjusted their ruling policies, implemented the system of land equalization and rent adjustment, and developed agriculture, handicrafts and urban commerce, which led to the economic development of ethnic minority areas and unprecedented development of foreign trade, forming a "Chinese cultural circle."

The implementation of the two tax laws in the late Tang Dynasty changed levy standard, which was dominated by population. During the Five Dynasties, Ten Kingdoms, Liao, Song, Xia, Jin and Yuan Dynasties, the national integration further developed, the feudal economy continued to develop, and the feudal mode of production gradually spread to the frontier;

During the Northern Song Dynasty, the commodity economy was unprecedentedly prosperous. During the Southern Song Dynasty, the southern economy began to surpass the north, and foreign trade was developed. Cotton textile industry has become the main sideline of rural areas in cotton-producing areas. In the Yuan Dynasty, the cotton textile industry and shipbuilding industry made progress, the transportation between China and foreign countries was developed, the grain supply was guaranteed by water transportation and sea transportation, and the overseas trade was unprecedentedly developed.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, agriculture and handicrafts surpassed the previous generation, commodity economy flourished, capitalist relations of production sprouted and developed slowly, feudal system declined, and China gradually fell behind European capitalist countries. ?