In the Chinese version, China history begins with three legendary individuals who taught the Chinese the arts of civilization around 2800-2600 BC: Fu Hsi, the inventor of writing, hunting, trapping, and fishing; Shen Nung, the inventor of agriculture and mercantilism, and the Yellow Emperor (around 2700 BC), who invented government and Taoist philosophy. While Western historians will say these Three Cultural Heroes are part of legend, they were regarded as historical fact for most of Chinese history.