India and China Timeline

By Qiqi Zhou
  • Period: 2300 BCE to 1750 BCE

    Indus River Civilization

    Development of urban grain-growing civilization on the Indus River;
    Two main cities: Harappa and Mohenjo-daro;
    Undeciphered proto-Dravidian script;
    Destroyed by climate, invasion of non-Indus peoples
  • Period: 2100 BCE to 2600 BCE

    Xia (Hsia) Dynasty

  • Period: 1750 BCE to 1000 BCE

    Aryan Migration

    Migration into northwest India of nomadic herding tribes from Iranian plateau;
    Indo-European language;
    Oral religious traditions preserved in Vedas, oldest of which, the Rig Veda, predates migration
  • Period: 1600 BCE to 1050 BCE

    Shang Dynasty

    Capitals: near present-day Zhengzhou and Anyang
  • Period: 1046 BCE to 256 BCE

    Zhou (Chou) Dynasty

    Capitals: Hao (near present-day Xi'an) and Luoyang
  • Period: 1046 BCE to 771 BCE

    Western Zhou

  • Period: 900 BCE to 900 BCE

    Brahmanism

    Early Hinduism characterized by rituals belief in reincarnation, dharma, karma and division of society into four classes (varnas)
  • Period: 771 BCE to 256 BCE

    Eastern Zhou

  • Period: 770 BCE to 475 BCE

    Spring and Autumn Period

  • Period: 551 BCE to 479 BCE

    Confucius

  • Period: 500 BCE to 500 BCE

    Buddhism; Jainism

  • Period: 475 BCE to 221 BCE

    Warring States Period

  • Period: 326 BCE to 326 BCE

    Invasion of Alexander the Great

  • Period: 324 BCE to 200 BCE

    Mauryan Empire

    Domination of North India by Chandragupta, extended to south by grandson, Ashoka.
  • Period: 320 BCE to 500

    Gupta Empire

    Guptas dominate North India at beginning of 'classical' period.
  • Period: 250 BCE to 250 BCE

    Development/Diffusion of Sanskritic culture

    Major texts of Hindu tradition take shape: Mahabharata, Ramayana, codification of laws, grammar, science, arts;
    Gods Shiva, Vishnu major figures;
    Spread of Sanskritic culture to South India
  • Period: 221 BCE to 206 BCE

    Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty

    Capital: Chang'an, present-day Xi'an
    Qin Shihuangdi dies, 210 BCE
  • Period: 206 BCE to 220

    Han Dynasty

    206 BCE-220 CE
  • Period: 206 BCE to 9

    Western/Former Han

    Capital: Chang'an
  • Period: 200 BCE to 200 BCE

    Invasions of North India

    Invasions by Central Asian tribes: Bactrian Greeks; Sakas; Kushans, who establish a dynasty, ca.78 BCE-200 CE
  • Period: 141 BCE to 86 BCE

    Confucianism officially established as basis for Chinese state by Han Wudi

  • Period: 25 BCE to 220

    Eastern/Later Han

    Capital: Luoyang
  • Period: 220 to 589

    Six Dynasties Period

    Period of disunity and instability following the fall of the Han; Buddhism introduced to China
  • Period: 220 to 265

    Three Kingdoms

    Cao Wei, Shu Han, Dong Wu
  • Period: 265 to 420

    Jin Dynasty

  • Period: 386 to 589

    Period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties

  • Period: 455 to 528

    Invasion of Huns

    Successive invasions of Huns and other Central Asian tribes destroy Gupta empire.
  • Period: 581 to Jan 1, 618

    Sui Dynasty

    Capital: Chang'an
  • Period: Apr 11, 618 to Apr 12, 906

    Tang (T'ang) Dynasty

    Capitals: Chang'an and Luoyang
  • Period: Apr 11, 650 to Apr 12, 1335

    Rajput Dynasties (North India); Regional Dynasties (South India)

    Warlike clans appear in Rajasthan
  • Period: Apr 11, 711 to Apr 12, 711

    Arabs take Sind

    Pallava dynasty dominates south; continuing conflict with Cholas, with Cheras, Pandyas
  • Period: Apr 11, 906 to Apr 12, 1279

    Song (Sung) Dynasty

  • Period: Apr 11, 907 to Apr 12, 960

    Five Dynasties Period

  • Period: Apr 11, 960 to Apr 12, 1127

    Northern Song

    Capital: Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng)
  • Period: Apr 11, 997 to Apr 12, 1027

    Raids of Mahmud of Ghazni

  • Period: Apr 11, 1127 to Apr 12, 1279

    Southern Song

    Capital: Lin'an (present-day Hangzhou)
  • Period: Apr 11, 1192 to Apr 12, 1526

    Delhi Sultanate

    Delhi Sultanate
  • Period: Apr 11, 1279 to Apr 12, 1368

    Yuan Dynasty

    The reign of the Mongol empire; Capital: Dadu (present-day Beijing)
  • Period: Apr 11, 1336 to

    Vijayanagar Empire

    Vijayanagar Empire
  • Period: Apr 11, 1368 to

    Ming Dynasty

    Re-establishment of rule by Han ruling house; Capitals: Nanjing and Beijing
  • Period: Apr 11, 1498 to Apr 12, 1498

    Portuguese traders in India

  • Period: Apr 11, 1526 to

    Mughal Empire

    Mughal empire unifies North and parts of South India under its rule;
    Amalgam of Persian and Indian culture created in its courts and territories.
  • Period: to

    Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty

    Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty
  • Period: to

    European traders in India

    European traders in India
  • Period: to

    British India

    Political dominance of British introduces Western culture, language, methods of government, technology into urban administrative centers.
  • Period: to

    Battle of Plassey

    Victory over Nawab of Bengal gives East India company control of Bengal and begins expansion of British power in India.
  • Period: to

    Republic Period

    Capitals: Beijing, Wuhan, and Nanjing
  • Period: to

    Bangladesh

    War between East and West Pakistan results in separation of Pakistan into two states: Pakistan and Bangladesh
  • Period: to

    Partition: India and Pakistan

    Independence from British rule and Partition of British India into modern countries of India and Pakistan (East and West)
  • Period: to

    People's Republic of China

    Capital: Beijing