Chinese dynasty timeline

By Brayden Baxter
  • Period: 1766 BCE to 1111 BCE

    Shang dynasty

  • Period: 1644 BCE to 1912 BCE

    Qing Dynasty

    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
    1645 Chinese men required to wear Manchu hairstyle.
    1840-1842 Opium War occurred ending with the Nanjing Treaty which gave
    Hong Kong to Great Britain.
  • Period: 1368 BCE to 1644 BCE

    Ming Dynaasty

    Emperors
    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
    1720 Qing army enter Lhasa; Tibet made a Qing protectorate.
    1344 Taizu became a monk at the age of 16 and was sent from his monastery
    to beg, wandering throughout east-central China.
  • Period: 1276 BCE to 1368 BCE

    Yuan Dynasty

    Emperors
    Kublai (r. 1260-1294) known posthumously as Shizu
    Toghun Temur (r.1333-1368) reigned as Shundi
    1275-1295 The Venetian merchant Marco Polo traveled throughout Kublai’s
    realm.
    1315 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.
  • Period: 1111 BCE to 221 BCE

    Chou Dynasty

  • Period: 960 BCE to 1279 BCE

    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 Northern Song dynasty was overrun by nomadic groups such as the
    Jurchen from Manchuria calling themselves the Jin dynasty.
    1210 Mongols under Genghis Khan begin to attack northern frontiers.
    1215 Mongols capture Beijing.
    1232 Southern Song allied with Mongols to destroy Jin.
    1235-1279 Song dynasty resisted Mongol invaders.
  • Period: 618 BCE to 907 BCE

    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
  • Period: 581 BCE to 618 BCE

    Sui dynasty

    two emperors were yang jian, yang guang.
    584-589 The Grand Canal was built from Chang’an eastward to the Tong
    Pass.
    607 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.
  • Period: 221 BCE to 206 BCE

    Ch'in Dynasty

  • Period: 217 BCE to 580 BCE

    Era of division

    northern dynasties:
    Northern wei: 386-532
    Western Wei: 535-554
    Southern Dynasty
    Western chin: 219-316
    Eastern Chin: 217-419
  • Period: 206 BCE to 221 BCE

    Han Dynasty