| Summary/Abstract |
The creation of an alphabet and system of spelling for the Chinese language [Standard Beijing (Northern) Mandarin/Putong -hua] (the Pinyin Zimu Project) gave new life to ancient Chinese characters. In 1958, the "Great Mute," the Chinese character, began speaking to the world for the first time with the sounds of Beijing speech. Today the two forms of Chinese Mandarin writing, traditional ideographic and innovative phonographic, together ensure the linguo-cultural unity of Chinese society and the progress of science and technology in China. Millions of people in China and beyond are studying the Chinese language based on the phonetic standard of words in Putonghua. The use of letters to spell Chinese words ensures tele- and Internet communication for hundreds of millions of Chinese. In the 20th century, the first Latinized alphabet for the Chinese language was created under the influence of the experience of creating alphabets for nonliterate peoples of the USSR in 1921-1926. One of the founders and leaders of the CPC, Qu Qiubai (officially listed in the 100 Greatest Figures of New China), played a leading role in this project.
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