-
206
Western Han Dynasty begins
-
207
Qin Dynasty ends
-
210
Burial of the Terracotta Warriors
-
213
Start of the Burning of books and burying of scholars policy
-
221
First Emporer of Qin
The Qin state unifies China under the Qin Dynasty with a powerful central government, marking the end of the Warring States Period. Ying Zheng proclaims himself Qin Shi Huang -
221
Invention - The Great Wall
The building of the Great Wall of China in 221 B.C. in an effort to keep Mongol invaders. In the 600's AD, the Sui Emperor Yang Di began a huge project of repairing the ancient wall. The costs of rebuilding the wall were enormous. The construction involved the forced labor of hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom died from the harsh working conditions and were buried in the wall itself. 15,000 defense towers and forts were built along the wall -
250
Invention - Repeating Crossbow
The repeating crossbow is featured in drawings from the records of the Chu state. -
305
Birth of Zou Yan
Birth of Zou Yan, who will later find the school of thought which for the first time systematically combine the two premodern theories of Yin and yang and the Five Elements. -
342
Crossbow is used in China
-
360
Eastern Zhou Dynasty ends
-
361
Qin Dynasty begins
-
400
Catalouging Stars
Astronomers Gan De and Shi Shen start a compilation of catalougued stars -
500
Invention - Magnetic Compass
The magnets were placed on bronze plates marked with directional bearings. Compasses were first used in Feng Shui. By 1000 AD, navigational compasses were widely used on Chinese ships, enabling them to navigate without stars in view. -
543
Code of Law
Guided by the aristocratic statesman Zi Chan, the Zheng state creates a formal code of law. -
551
Confucius
Confucius according to Chinese tradition, was a thinker, political figure, and educator -
Apr 8, 606
Chinas first hydraulic engineer
Sunshu Ao becomes chinas first known hydraulic engineer -
Nov 24, 632
The Battle of Chengpu
During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a conflict between the states of Jin against Chu and its allies in China in 632B.C., which is called the Battle of Chengpu. The Jin victory confirmed the hegemony of Duke Wen of Jin and checked Chu ambitions in the north for at least a generation. The Battle of Chengpu is probably the largest and most detailedand Autumn Period and definitely the most detailed in the Zuo Zhuan -
Jan 28, 707
Campaign against Duke Zhuang of Zheng
King Huan led a campaign against Duke Zhuang of Zheng after the latter refused to appear in the capital, angered that Huan had dismissed him from his old post as Left Advisor at court -
Jan 1, 770
Eastern Zhou Dynasty Begins
-
Dec 31, 771
Western Zhou Dynasty Ends
-
Jan 1, 1000
King Kang
Earliest possible date for the compilation for the Book of Songs -
Jan 1, 1034
Western Zhou Dynasty Starts
-
King Zhao
King Zhao replaces King Kang -
Zhou Forces
During the 12th year of King Mu's reign, zhou forces attack some branches of the Rong People -
Territorial Expansion
After defeating the Rong people King Mu is able to expand his territory -
Uprising - Zhou capital
The nomadic Rong people of Taiyuan staged an attack on the Zhou capital at Haojing (present day Xian) -
Victory for the Zhou People
Under the command of Guo Gong, the Zhou were able to defeat the Rong people in a significant battle, reportedly capturing 1,000 horses -
Gonghe Regency
First year of concise, consecutive court dating at the beginning of the regency of Gonghe. -
Battle of Bi
The Battle of Bi was fought during the Spring and Autumn Period in 595, between the major states of Chu and Jin. Occurring three and a half decades after the Battle of Chengpu, where Jin decisively defeated Chu, the battle was a major victory for Chu, cementing the position of its ruler King Zhuang as a hegemon among the states of the Zhou Dynasty.
