- Dynasties in Chinese history
-
Territories occupied by different dynasties as well as modern political states throughout the history of China
The following is a chronology of the dynasties in Chinese history.
Chinese history is not as neat 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 Years Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors 三皇五帝 sān huáng wǔ dì (list) 3500-2070 BCE ??? Xia Dynasty 夏 xià (list) 2070–1600 BCE 470 Shang Dynasty 商 shāng (list) 1600–1029 BCE 554 Western Zhou Dynasty 西周 xī zhōu (list) 1029–771 BCE 275 Eastern Zhou Dynasty
Traditionally divided into
Spring and Autumn Period
Warring States Period東周 / 东周
春秋
戰國 / 战国dōng zhōu
chūn qiū
zhàn guó(list)
770–256 BCE
722–476 BCE
475–221 BCE514
246
254Qin Dynasty 秦 qín (list) 221–206 BCE 15 Western Han Dynasty 西漢 / 西汉 xī hàn (list) 206 BCE–9 CE 215 Xin Dynasty 新 xīn (list) 9–23 14 Eastern Han Dynasty 東漢 / 东汉 dōng hàn (list) 25–220 195 Three Kingdoms 三國 / 三国 sān guó (list) 220–265 45 Western Jin Dynasty 西晉 / 西晋 xī jìn (list) 265–317 52 Eastern Jin Dynasty 東晉 / 东晋 dōng jìn (list) 317–420 103 Southern and Northern Dynasties 南北朝 nán běi cháo (list) 420–589 169 Sui Dynasty 隋 suí (list) 581–618 37 Tang Dynasty 唐 táng (list) 618–907 289 Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 五代十國 / 五代十国 wǔ dài shí guó (list) 907–960 53 Northern Song Dynasty 北宋 běi sòng (list) 960–1127 167 Southern Song Dynasty 南宋 nán sòng (list) 1127–1279 152 Liao Dynasty 遼 / 辽 liáo (list) 916–1125 209 Jin Dynasty 金 jīn (list) 1115–1234 119 Yuan Dynasty 元 yuán (list) 1271–1368 97 Ming Dynasty 明 míng (list) 1368–1644 276 Qing Dynasty 清 qīng (list) 1644–1911 268 
Timeline graph
See also
- History of China
- Conquest Dynasties
- Timeline of Chinese history
- List of Chinese monarchs
- List of recipients of tribute from China
- List of tributaries of Imperial China
- Xia Shang Zhou Chronology Project
- Dynastic cycle
References
- China Handbook Editorial Committee, China Handbook Series: History (trans., Dun J. Li), Beijing, 1982, 188-89; and Shao Chang Lee, "China Cultural Development" (wall chart), East Lansing, 1984.
Categories:- Imperial Chinese dynasties
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