China is one of the world's oldest civilized nation, which dates back to more than 10,000 years. The 5,000 years period is commonly used as the date when China became unified under a large empire. China alternated between periods of political unity and disunity at intervals, and was occasionally conquered by external groups of people, some eventually being assimilated into the Chinese population.
Ancient China
|
Ruling entity |
Date |
Events |
Founder |
Capital |
Neolithic China |
5000BC-2000BC |
the last period of a long prehistory; Yangshao culture; longshan culture |
／ |
／ |
Xia Dynasty |
2100BC-1600BC |
the first slavery dynasty |
Qi |
Anyang |
Shang Dynasty |
1600BC-1046BC |
first records of Chinese characters |
Tang |
Yin |
Zhou Dynasty |
1046BC-256BC |
Mandate of Heaven; Spring and Autumn Period; Warring States Period |
King Wu |
Haojing |
Early Imperial China |
Qin Dynasty |
221BC-207BC |
the first unified, multi-national, autocratic and power-centralized state in Chinese history; banished or put to death many dissenting Confucian scholars and confiscated and burned their books; the building of Great Wall |
Yin Zheng |
Xianyang |
Han Dynasty |
202BC-220AD |
the adoption of Confucian ideals; the formation of the Silk Road ; the invention of paper; the Yellow Turbans |
Liu Bang |
Chang'an |
The Three Kingdoms |
220AD-280AD |
introduction of Buddhism; development of tea and porcelain; the battle of the Red Cliff |
／ |
／ |
Jin Dynasty |
265AD-420AD |
War of the Eight Princes; sixteen kingdoms |
Sima Yan |
Luoyang |
Southern and Northern Dynasties |
317AD-588AD |
invention of gunpowder ; Buddhism f lourished; Bodhidharma arrives in China |
／ |
／ |
Classical Imperial China |
Sui Dynasty |
581AD-618AD |
the foundation of Three Departments and Six Ministries; the adoption of imperial examination system; the land equalization; the excavation of the Grand Canal ; |
Emperor Wen |
Chang'an |
Tang Dynasty |
618AD-907AD |
first Christian missionaries arrive in China ; the birth of Islam in China ; mass persecution of Buddhism ; |
Liyuan |
Chang'an |
Song Dynasty |
960AD-1279AD |
the battle of Chenqiao; the adoption of hereditary monarchy |
Zhao Kuangyin |
Kaifeng |
Later Imperial China
|
Yuan Dynasty |
1271AD-1368AD |
unify the whole of China for the first time under a non-Chinese regime; the development of drama and the novel; voyages of Marco Polo |
Hu Bilie |
Dadu |
Ming Dynasty |
1368AD-1644AD |
the last native Chinese dynasty to rule the empire; Construction of the Forbidden City begins; Voyages of Zhen He; the creation of self-supporting agricultural communities; the final and lasting construction of the Great Wall; a rebel army led by Li Zicheng |
Zhu
Yuanzhang |
Nanjing |
Qing Dynasty |
1636AD-1912AD |
the Dynasty founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro ; literary inquisition; eight-part essay; the Eight Banners system; Publication of the Kangxi Dictionary ; First Opium War; Taiping Rebellion; Hundred Days' Reform |
Nurhaci |
Beijing |
Modern China |
Republic of China |
1912AD-1949AD |
Xinhai Revolution; Nanchang Uprising; the foundation of Chinese Soviet Republic ; Long March; being one of the founding members of the UN |
Sun
Yat Sen |
Wuchang |
People's Republic of China |
1949AD-nowadays |
Hundred Flowers campaign; Three Years of Natural Disasters; Cultural Revolution; Start of Chinese economic reforms; One-child policy; Hong kong handover, becomes a Special Administrative Region; Macau handover; Accession to World Trade Organization; SARS outbreak |
Mao Zedong |
Bejing |
