Captured Moments of China's Past and Present in Pictures

The People's Republic of China is enormous, diverse and rapidly changing. The most populous country truly lives up to its Mandarin name, Zhōngguó, which literally means "Middle Kingdom", thereby implying China as the center of the world.

The Chinese economy, being the largest in the world, are growing at an unprecedented rate and is seeing no signs of slowing down. The economy grew at a red-hot rate of 10 percent a year over the past decade, making the country as a whole much more affluent.

China is currently undergoing significant political and global changes. Leaders of the past have made China what it is today. Under the authority of Xi Jinping, the man who's destined to guide China in the coming decade, there's hardly any doubt the nation will emerge as a major super power in the near future.

Have a look at China's then and now here in pictures:

File photo of women wearing sunglasses in Beijing

Teenagers dressed in cosplay costumes wait to perform at the 2010 China (Hefei) Digital Entertainment Carnival in Hefei

File photo of a crossroad near Chongwenmen in Beijing

Vehicles drive on Three Ring Road and Jianwai Street in central Beijing

File photo of a worker repairing a pillar in front of a statue of Mao Zedong in Yingkou

A spectator waves a Chinese flag in front of a statue of Chairman Mao Zedong during the Olympic torch relay in Kashgar

File photo of people pushing their bicycles across a railway track during rush hour in Shanghai

Passengers wait for buses during rush hour in Beijing

A worker watches train pass on new high-speed railway line between Shanghai and Hangzhou on the outskirts of Shanghai

Locals dance during a morning exercise session at the Temple of Heaven park in Beijing

File photo of people performing Arhat exercise in Beijing