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Period: 1766 BCE to 1111 BCE
Shang Dynasty
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Period: 1111 BCE to 221 BCE
Zhou Dynasty
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Period: 221 BCE to 206 BCE
Qin Dynasty
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Period: 206 BCE to 221
Han Dynasty
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Period: 221 to 581
Period of Division
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Period: 581 to 618
Sui Dynasty
https://www.ancient.eu/Sui_Dynasty/
Yang Jian (r. 581-604) reigned as Wendi
Yang Guang (r. 605-617) reigned as Yangdi -
583
Wendi moves capital
Wendi moved the capital to the newly built Chang’an named for a previous Han capital city to the northwest. It became the largest city in the world for its day as well as the largest in area of any walled Chinese city. Under the Tang Dynasty it was the most cosmopolitan city. -
589
China is reunified.
Emperor Wendi (Yang Jian) established the “Three Department” system with Six Ministries: Personnel, Revenue, Rites, War, Justice, and Public Works. -
607
Great Wall renovations
Yangdi repaired and added portions to the Great Wall. Over a million men undertook the construction. Working at an exhausting pace, it was completed in 20 days costing many lives.
Both Wendi and Yangdi extended control over portions of the Silk Road. -
609
Grand Canal Construction
The Grand Canal was built from the Yellow River to Beijing by many thousands of men and, for the first time, of women. The canal was 40 paces across and 2000 km long creating an interconnecting transportation system which aided administrative tasks, defense movements, and movement of agricultural and trade goods. It also established a link between northern and southern China making the two territories economically interdependent. -
617
Yangdi
Besides the Great Wall and the Grand Canal, Yangdi built roads, lavish palaces, and other grandiose public works projects costing an immense amount of money and human lives. The peasants were heavily burdened with taxes. To add fuel to their discontent, Yangdi planned and launched three expeditions against northern Korea. Huge revolts broke out throughout northern China. Yangdi fled to his southern capital at Jiangdu where he was assassinated a year later. -
Period: 618 to 906
Tang Dynasty
https://www.ancient.eu/Tang_Dynasty/
Gaozu (r. 618-616) born and known as Li Yuan in his lifetime; name of Gaozu given after his death.
Taizong (r. 626-649) born Li Shimin
Gaozong (r. 649-683)
Zhonzong and Ruizong (r. 683-690 sequentially)
Wu Zhao (Empress Wu) (r. 690-700)
Xuanzong (r. 712-756),called Ming huang, Brilliant Monarch -
630
Taizong
Taizong was the first Chinese emperor to control the northern steppe -
683
Empress Wu rises
Gaozong died. Empress Wu held power as regent through the reigns of her two sons: Zhonzong and Ruizong. -
690
Empress Wu
Empress Wu usurped power for herself and became the only female emperor in Chinese history -
Period: 712 to 745
Xuanzong
Xuanzong ruled very ably: strengthened prestige of court by reducing corruption, abolished the death penalty, pursued vigorous foreign policy, established the Hanlin Academy for the arts which long survived his dynasty: some of the greatest poets (Li Biao and Du Fu ) and greatest painters (Wang Wei and Wu Tao-tzu) flourished during his reign, and invited teachers of newly introduced Tantric school of Buddhism. -
745
Yang Guifei
Xuanzong fell in love with his son’s concubine, Yang Guifei, abandoning his responsibilities of ruler- ship -
Period: 841 to 845
Buddhism suppression
Massive suppression of Buddhism and other foreign religions occurred: many temples and monasteries were closed, their wealth confiscated by the government, a quarter of a million monks and nuns returned to secular life. This persecution cut China off from contact with Central Asia and India where Buddhism then declined in favor of Islam and other religions. Only Pure Land and Chan schools continued; the other schools did not survive. -
884
Tang destruction
rebellion destroyed Tang Dynasty -
Period: 907 to 1128
Liao Dynasty
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Period: 907 to 960
Five Dynasties
An Lu-shan declared himself emperor, only to be assassinated by his son, who in turn was assassinated. Various warlords competed for power. This time subsequently became known as the period of the Five Dynasties. -
Period: 960 to 1279
Song Dynasty
https://www.ancient.eu/Song_Dynasty/
Emperors:
Zhao Kuangyin (r. 960-976) reigned as Taizu Zhou Kuangyi (r. 976-997) reigned as Taizong Zhao Ji (r. 1101-1126) reigned as Huizong Gaozong (r. 1127-1162) -
1127
Nomads invade
Northern Song dynasty was overrun by nomadic groups such as the Jurchen from Manchuria calling themselves the Jin dynasty. -
1215
The Mongols
Mongols under Genghis Khan begin to attack northern frontiers.
Mongols capture Beijing. -
1232
Destroy Jin
Southern Song allied with Mongols to destroy Jin. -
Period: 1260 to 1368
Yuan Dynasty
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yuan-dynasty
Kublai (r. 1260-1294) known posthumously as Shizu Toghun Temur (r.1333-1368) reigned as Shundi Major Historical Events
Kublai established his capital at Beijing.
Kublai extended his authority overseas in Sumatra, Ceylon and southern India. -
Period: 1274 to 1281
Kublai Conquests
Kublai sent fleets against Japan. The second attempt was aborted by a typhoon’s destruction of the fleet which the Japanese regarded as the godly intervention of the Kamikaze or divine wind.
Mongol rule throughout was maintained by military occupation. The Mongols resisted assimilation into Chinese culture by retaining the Mongol language and yearly summer visits to Mongolia. -
1279
End of Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty valiantly resisted Mongol invasion for 39 years. The dynasty did not concentrate on its military capabilities. Considering the Mongol swift conquests elsewhere, the armies of the Song had a remarkable effect. -
1292
Mongol Control
Kublai sent a fleet to Java to rebuke the reluctant leader, asserted Mongol control. -
1315
Reinstatement and Improvement
The civil service examination was reinstated, but it required that half the degrees be awarded to Mongols and other non-Chinese regardless of their qualifications.
The Mongols rebuilt the Grand Canal and extended it to Beijing. -
1344
Taizu becomes a monk
Taizu became a monk at the age of 16 and was sent from his monastery to beg, wandering throughout east-central China. -
1352
Taizu and the Red Turbans
Taizu joined one of the rebel groups associated with the Red Turbans. Within this band, he rose quickly to command. -
1360
Fall of Yuan Dynasty
From the1340s - 1360s, the Yuan dynasty was plagued with ineptitude, intrigues, factionalism, military deterioration, the spread of deadly epidemics such as bubonic plague, and neglect of much-needed water programs. These problems led to the decline and defeat of the Yuan dynasty. During this time peasants revolted and civil war raged throughout the empire. Shundi, the last of the Mongol emperors, fled from Beijing to Mongolia to avoid capture. -
1368
Taizu Control
Taizu gained control of Beijing. The Ming dynasty was never able to defeat the Mongol and unable to expand their empire into inner Asia. It could be described as ordinary, favoring the common man. Taizu had policies that favored the poor over the rich: he confiscated great estates, and then rented these lands to the landless. He abolished slavery and taxed the rich, was a cruel emperor who was extremely anti-intellectual & caused the deaths of many government officials through periodic purges. -
Period: 1368 to
Ming Dynasty
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ming-dynasty-Chinese-history
Zhu Yuanzhang (r.1368-1398) reigned as Hongwu
Zhu Di (r. 1402-1424) reigned as Yongle
Zhe Qizhen (r. 1436-1450; restored in 1457-1465) reigned as Zhentong, then as Tianshun
Guangzong (r. 1573-1620) reigned as Wanli -
Period: 1405 to 1433
Yongle and Maritime Power
Under Yongle, seven expeditions were sent out under Admiral Zheng He to assert Chinese domination. This included collecting tribute. This marked the only time China was the dominant maritime power. -
Fall of the Ming
Ming emperor commited suicide after rebels took Beijing -
Period: to
Qing Dynasty
http://www.cpp.edu/~inch/group4/timeline.pdf
Emperors
Kangxi (r. 1662-1722)
Yongzheng (r. 1722-1736)
Qianlong (r. 1736-95)
Guangxu (r. 1898) from 1898-1909 Empress Dowager Cixi ruled, having imprisoned her nephew -
Manch Hairstyle
Chinese men required to wear Manchu hairstyle. -
Period: to
Opium Wars
Opium War occurred ending with the Nanjing Treaty which gave Hong Kong to Great Britain. -
Period: to
Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion was a peasant uprising in which a Christian convert called himself the Son of Heaven, identified himself as the younger brother of Christ, collected a huge following, and attempted to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. -
Sino-French War occurred.
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Sino-Japanese War occurred.
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Empress Dowager Cixi
Guangxu emperor had attempted needed reforms which the Empress Dowager Cixi suppressed. -
Boxer Rebellion
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End of Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty was overthrown by revolutionaries.
