History of China | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ANCIENT | |||||||
3 Sovereigns and 5 Emperors | |||||||
Xia Dynasty 2100–1600 BC | |||||||
Shang Dynasty 1600–1046 BC | |||||||
Zhou Dynasty 1045–256 BC | |||||||
Western Zhou | |||||||
Eastern Zhou | |||||||
Spring and Autumn Period | |||||||
Warring States Period | |||||||
IMPERIAL | |||||||
Qin Dynasty 221 BC–206 BC | |||||||
Han Dynasty 206 BC–220 AD | |||||||
Western Han | |||||||
Xin Dynasty | |||||||
Eastern Han | |||||||
Three Kingdoms 220–280 | |||||||
Wei, Shu and Wu | |||||||
Jin Dynasty 265–420 | |||||||
Western Jin | 16 Kingdoms 304–439 |
||||||
Eastern Jin | |||||||
Southern and Northern Dynasties 420–589 |
|||||||
Sui Dynasty 581–618 | |||||||
Tang Dynasty 618–907 | |||||||
(Second Zhou 690–705) | |||||||
5 Dynasties and 10 Kingdoms 907–960 |
Liao Dynasty 907–1125 |
||||||
Song Dynasty 960–1279 |
|||||||
Northern Song | W. Xia | ||||||
Southern Song | Jin | ||||||
Yuan Dynasty 1271–1368 | |||||||
Ming Dynasty 1368–1644 | |||||||
Qing Dynasty 1644–1911 | |||||||
MODERN | |||||||
Republic of China 1912–1949 | |||||||
People's Republic of China 1949–present |
Republic of China (Taiwan) 1949–present |
||||||
Related articles
|
|||||||
The following is a chronology of the dynasties in Chinese history.
Contents |
Chinese history is not as tidy[clarification needed] as is often described and it was rare for one dynasty to change peacefully into the next. Dynasties were often established before the overthrow of an existing regime, or continued for a time after they had been defeated. For example, the conventional date 1644 marks the year in which the Manchu Qing dynasty armies occupied Beijing and brought Qing rule to China proper, succeeding the Ming dynasty. However, the Qing dynasty itself was established in 1636 (or even 1616, albeit under a different name), while the last Ming dynasty pretender was not deposed until 1662. This change of ruling houses was a messy and prolonged affair, and the Qing took almost twenty years to extend their control over the whole of China. It is therefore inaccurate to assume China changed suddenly and all at once in the year 1644.
In addition, China was divided for long periods of its history, with different regions being ruled by different groups. At times like these, there was not any single dynasty ruling a unified China. As a case in point, there is much dispute about times in and after the Western Zhou period.
Dynasty | Rulers | Ruling House or Clan | Years | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors | 三皇五帝 | Sān Huáng Wǔ Dì | As English | (list) | various | 2500-2070 BC | 430 |
Xia Dynasty | 夏 | Xià | Unknown, Possibly Toponym | (list) | Sì (姒) | 2070–1600 BC | 470 |
Shang Dynasty | 商 | Shāng | Toponym | (list) | Zǐ (子) | 1600–1029 BC | 571 |
Western Zhou Dynasty | 西周 | Xī Zhōu | Toponym | (list) | Jī (姬) | 1029–771 BC | 275 |
Eastern Zhou Dynasty Traditionally divided into |
東周 / 东周
|
Dōng Zhōu Chūnqiū |
Toponym
|
(list) |
Jī (姬)
|
770–256 BC
|
514
|
Qin Dynasty | 秦 | Qín | Unknown, Possibly Toponym | (list) | Yíng (嬴) | 221–206 BC | 15 |
Western Han Dynasty | 西漢 / 西汉 | Xī Hàn | Toponym | (list) | Liú (劉 / 刘) | 206 or 202 BC–9 AD, 23-25 AD | 215 |
Xin Dynasty | 新 | Xīn | "New" | (list) | Wáng (王) | 9–23 AD | 14 |
Eastern Han Dynasty | 東漢 / 东汉 | Dōng Hàn | Toponym | (list) | Liú (劉 / 刘) | 25–220 | 195 |
Three Kingdoms | 三國 / 三国 | Sān Guó | As English | (list) | Cáo (曹) Liú (劉 / 刘) Sūn (孫 / 孙) |
220–265 or 280 | 45 |
Western Jin Dynasty | 西晉 / 西晋 | Xī Jìn | Ducal title | (list) | Sīmǎ (司馬 / 司马) | 265–317 | 52 |
Eastern Jin Dynasty | 東晉 / 东晋 | Dōng Jìn | Ducal title | (list) | Sīmǎ (司馬 / 司马) | 317–420 | 103 |
Southern and Northern Dynasties | 南北朝 | Nán Běi Cháo | As English | (list) | various | 386 or 420–589 | 169 |
Sui Dynasty | 隋 | Suí | Ducal title (随 homophone) |
(list) | Yáng (楊 / 杨) | 581–618 | 37 |
Tang Dynasty | 唐 | Táng | Ducal title | (list) | Lǐ (李) | 618–907 | 289 |
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms | 五代十國 / 五代十国 | Wǔ Dài Shí Guó | As English | (list) | various | 907–960 | 53 |
Northern Song Dynasty | 北宋 | Běi Sòng | Toponym | (list) | Zhào (趙 / 赵) | 960–1127 | 167 |
Southern Song Dynasty | 南宋 | Nán Sòng | Toponym | (list) | Zhào (趙 / 赵) | 1127–1279 | 152 |
Liao Dynasty | 遼 / 辽 | Liáo | "Vast" or "Iron" (Khitan homophone) |
(list) | Yelü (![]() |
907 or 916–1125 | 209 |
Jin Dynasty | 金 | Jīn | "Gold" | (list) | Wanggiyan ( ![]() |
1115–1234 | 119 |
Western Xia | 西夏 | Xī Xià | Toponym | (list) | Lie (![]() |
1038–1227 | 189 |
Yuan Dynasty | 元 | Yuán | "Great" or "Primacy" | (list) | Borjigin (ᠪᠣᠷᠵᠢᠭᠢᠨ; 孛兒只斤 / 孛儿只斤) |
1271–1368 | 97 |
Ming Dynasty | 明 | Míng | "Bright" | (list) | Zhū (朱) | 1368–1644 or 1662 | 276 |
Qing Dynasty | 清 | Qīng | "Pure" or "Gold" (Manchu homophone) |
(list) | Aisin Gioro (ᠠᡳᠰᡳᠨ ᡤᡳᠣᡵᠣ; 愛新覺羅 / 爱新觉罗) |
1636 or 1644–1911 | 268 |