China Timeline

The Xia Dynasty

2070 BCE

Huang-ti was succeeded by his grandson Zhuanxu, who founded the Xia tribe. After the defeat of their rivals, the Xia established the first dynasty in China. The Xia people had left little evidence to support the legends, but it is agreed that they had existed and made great advances over time. Xia people improved methods of agriculture and may have started to use written language. The dynasty began to fall under the control of Jia, the dynasty fell entirely in about 1600 B.C.

The Shang Dynasty

1750 BCE

Shang rulers created a complex bureaucracy- a government organized into different levels and tasks. Many people served as farmers, merchants, and artisans. Shang religion combined animism- the belief that spirits inhibit everything- with ancestor worship, they believed in Shangdi, a god that controlled human destiny and the forces of nature. The Chinese of the Shang period were among the early people to develop a written language. The Shang Dynasty fell in about 1050 B.C.

The Zhou Dynasty

1050 BCE

The Zhou was the longest lasting of the three successive dynasties. Zhou rulers didn't create a centralized form of government, they instead granted territories to members of the royal family and their allies. Their positions were hereditary, but each generation had to renew their pledge of loyalty. The Zhou capital was destroyed in 771 B.C. The Zhou ruler fled east and established a new capital that had lasted 500 years but had lost much of its power.

Buddhism

600 BCE

Missionaries from India first brought Buddhism to China during the Han dynasty, and when the Han dynasty fell, many Chinese turned to Buddhism. The teachings of Buddha were believed to help explain the widespread disruption when the Han fell. Buddhism drew attention to universal charity and compassion, things that Chinese philosophy has ignored. Mahayana Buddhists believed that Buddha helped all human being escape the inevitable miseries of the world.

Confucius

551 BCE

Kong Qui, more popularly known as Confucius, was an influential Chinese philosopher. Confucius' teachings were focused on public interactions, ethical models of family, and setting educational standards. He believed every person should willingly accept their role in society and that the government and leaders should be virtuous. Kong Qui is credited with the creation of some of the most influential traditional Chinese classics. Kong Qui died November 21, 479 B.C. https://youtu.be/PlZ3uLOIPtw

Legalism

475 BCE

Leagalist believed in power over virtue and in harsh laws, in their perspective, humans were inherently evil and untrustworthy and peace and prosperity could only be reached by threats of severe punishments. Cheng, the first Qin emperor, followed Legalism and he created a very powerful empire. Later, it was claimed that the Qin dynasty failed quickly due to it's cruel methods. Dynasties afterwards found a balance between Legalism and Confucianism, strengthening them. https://youtu.be/Xu3ja6sIr90

Daoism

400 BCE

According to legend, Laozi instituted the philosophy of Daoism. Laozi saw Dao ('The Way') as a force that governed the universe and natures alike. Laozi taught that people should withdraw from the world and contemplate nature, that way they could understand the Dao and live in harmony. He also preached that people shouldn't reach for material wealth and they shouldn't seek power. Daoism came second to Confucianism, and appealed to peasants due to its concern with natural forces.

Mencius

372 BCE

Mencius adopted the Confucius's ideas, and was a strong support of the Confucian philosophy. Mencius taught that individuals contained a lot of goodness and he argued that the best characteristics of the individual would benefit others. He believed that rulers who governed according to good moral and ethical guidelines would receive willing support of their people and that rulers who oppressed their people should be overthrown. His teachings, like Confucius, became a Chinese classical tradition.

The Qin Dynasty

221 BCE

The Qin dynasty came to power due to their military might. Cheng, the ruler, founded the dynasty and became Shih Huang Ti (Translates to 'the first emperor') The Qin established an autocracy, where the emperor held complete power. Qin guarded against possible attacks by building a wall, like past rulers, but this wall would be added to by later dynasties and would soon be called the Great Wall of China. The dynasty was overthrown by Liu Bang, a commoner who became a Qin general, in 206 B.C.

The Han Dynasty

206 BCE

Like the Qin, the Han ruled a consolidated and growing empire, but the Han were more moderate rulers. Building off of the Qin, the Han developed a concrete civil service system to govern China. Initially, government officials chose candidates for the system off of family connections, eventually it morphed into examinations to choose the best fit. Only those with family connections and money for schooling could train for government service. The Han dynasty ruled China until A.D. 220.