-
Period: 2070 BCE to 1600 BCE
Xia Dynasty
It was founded by the legendary Yu the Great (c. 2123-2025 BC), known for developing a flood control technique that stopped the Great Flood that ravaged farmer’s crops for generations.
There is a severe lack of documented evidence about this dynasty and therefore very little is known about the Xia period. Most scholars believe that stories about it were spoken, rather than written. For this reason, some scholars believe it to be mythical or quasi-legendary. -
Period: 1600 BCE to 1050 BCE
Shang Dynasty
The Shang dynasty is the earliest recorded Chinese dynasty supported by archaeological evidence. 31 kings ruled much of the area along the Yellow River.
Under the Shang dynasty, there were advances in maths, astronomy, art and military technology. They used a highly developed calendar system and an early form of modern Chinese language.https://www.historyhit.com/the-dynasties-that-ruled-china-in-order/ -
Period: 1046 BCE to 256 BCE
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou dynasty ruled China for almost 8 centuries. Writing was codified, coinage was developed and chopsticks came into use.
Chinese philosophy blossomed with the birth of the philosophical schools of Confucianism, Taoism and Mohism. The dynasty saw Chinese philosophers, poets and military strategist Lao-Tzu, Tao Chien, Confucius, Mencius, Mo Ti Sun-Tzu. The dynasty ended with the Warring States period (476–221 BC), city-states battled each other, establishing independent feudal entities. -
Period: 221 BCE to 206 BCE
Qin Dynasty
Qin dynasty was the beginning of the Chinese Empire. Qin Shi Huangdi’s reign, China expanded to Hunan and Guangdong. This saw public works projects including unification of state walls into a single Great Wall, standardised currency, uniform system of writing and a legal code. He was a ruthless megalomanic; in 213 BC he ordered the burning of hundreds of thousands of books and the live burial of 460 Confucian scholars and built a city-sized mausoleum for himself, guarded by the Terracotta Army. -
Period: 206 BCE to 220
Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty was known as a golden age in Chinese history. A central imperial civil service was established. China’s territory was extended to most of China. The Silk Road was opened up to connect to the west, bringing in trade, foreign cultures and the introduction of Buddhism. Confucianism, poetry and literature flowered. Paper and porcelain were invented. Yellow Emperor’s Canon of Medicine, was codified. -
Period: 220 to 589
Six Dynasties Period
Three Kingdoms (220-265), Jin Dynasty (265-420), Period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-589).
Six Dynasties is the collective term for the six successive Han-ruled dynasties during this turbulent period. All had their capitals at Jianye, present-day Nanjing.
The Three Kingdoms period has been romanticised repeatedly in Chinese culture – most notably in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. -
Period: 581 to 618
Sui Dynasty
The Sui dynasty, although brief, saw great changes in Chinese history. Its capital was held at Daxing, present-day Xi’an.
Confucianism disintegrated as the dominant religion, making way for Taoism and Buddhism. Literature flourished – it is thought that the legend of Hua Mulan was composed during this time.
Under Emperor Wen and his son, Yang, the army was enlarged to the largest in the world. Coinage was standardised, the Great Wall was expanded and the Grand Canal was completed. -
Period: 618 to 906
Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty is known as a Golden Age of Ancient China. By the rule of Emperor Xuanzong (712-756), China was the largest and most populous country in the world. Major achievements in technology, science, culture, art and literature, especially poetry. The dynasty saw the only female monarch in the history of China – Empress Wu Zetian (624-705) she organised a secret police force and spies, she was one of the most effective & popular monarchs in Chinese history. -
Period: 907 to 960
Five Dynasties Period, Ten Kingdoms
The 50 years between the fall of the Tang dynasty and establishment of the Song dynasty were dominated by internal strife and chaos.
In north China, 5 would-be dynasties followed one another in succession. During the same period, 10 regimes dominated separate regions of south China.
Despite the political turmoil, some key developments took place during this time. The printing of books – which had begun in the Tang dynasty – became popular. -
Period: 960 to 1279
Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty saw the reunification of China under the Emperor Taizu. Major inventions included gunpowder, printing, paper money and the compass.
Plagued with political factions, the Song court eventually fell to the challenge of the Mongol invasion and was replaced by the Yuan dynasty. -
Period: 1279 to 1368
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan dynasty was established by the Mongols and ruled by Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan. Khan was the first non-Chinese ruler to take over the entire country. Yuan China was considered the most important part of the vast Mongol Empire.
Khan created the new capital city of Xanadu (or Shangdu in Inner Mongolia) it was later moved to Daidu, present day Beijing. The Mongols’ reign in China came to an end after a series of famines, plagues, floods and peasant uprisings. -
Period: 1368 to
Ming Dynasty
The Ming dynasty saw a huge growth in China’s population and general economic prosperity. However the Ming emperors were dogged with the same problems of previous regimes and collapsed with the invasion of the Manchus.
During the dynasty, the Great Wall of China was completed. It also saw the construction of the Forbidden City, the imperial residence in Beijing. The period is also known for its blue-and-white Ming porcelains. -
Period: to
Qing Dynasty
Qing dynasty was the last imperial dynasty & was followed by the Republic of China in 1912. Qing dynasty was the 5th largest empire in world history, by early 20th century it was weakened by rural unrest, aggressive foreign powers and military weakness. In the 1800s, Qing China faced attacks from Britain, France, Russia, Germany & Japan. The Opium Wars (1839-42 & 1856-60) ended & Hong Kong was given to Britain. On 12th February 1912, 6 year old Puyi (last emperor of China) abdicated.