Dynasties in Chinese history

Approximate territories occupied by the various dynasties and states throughout the history of China
History of China
History of China
ANCIENT
Neolithic c. 8500 – c. 2070 BCE
Xia dynasty c. 2070 – c. 1600 BCE
Shang dynasty c. 1600 – c. 1046 BCE
Zhou dynasty c. 1046 – 256 BCE
 Western Zhou
 Eastern Zhou
   Spring and Autumn
   Warring States
IMPERIAL
Qin dynasty 221–206 BCE
Han dynasty 206 BCE – 220 CE
  Western Han
  Xin dynasty
  Eastern Han
Three Kingdoms 220–280
  Wei, Shu and Wu
Jin dynasty 265–420
  Western Jin
  Eastern Jin Sixteen Kingdoms
Northern and Southern dynasties
420–589
Sui dynasty 581–618
Tang dynasty 618–907
  (Second Zhou dynasty 690–705)
Five Dynasties and
Ten Kingdoms
907–960		 Liao dynasty
907–1125
Song dynasty
960–1279
  Northern Song Western Xia
  Southern Song Jin
Yuan dynasty 1271–1368
Ming dynasty 1368–1644
Qing dynasty 1644–1912
MODERN
Republic of China 1912–1949
People's Republic of China 1949–present
Related articles

The following is a chronology of the dynasties in Chinese History since 2000 years before Common Era.

Background

One might incorrectly infer from viewing historical timelines that transitions between dynasties occur abruptly and smoothly. Rather, dynasties were often established before the complete overthrow of an existing reign, or continued for a time after they had been effectively defeated. For example, the conventional date 1645 marks the year in which the Qing dynasty armies overthrew the preceding Ming dynasty, according to the dynastic cycle of China. However, the Qing dynasty was established in 1636 (or even 1616, albeit under a different name), while the last Ming dynasty pretender was not deposed until 1663. 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 1645.

In addition, China was divided for short periods of its history, with different regions being ruled by different groups. During such periods, 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. In the Chinese historiographical tradition, each new dynasty would write the history of the dynasty which preceded it. This cycle was disrupted, however, when the Xinhai Revolution overthrew the Qing dynasty in favor of a republic. Even an attempt by Republicans to draft the history of the Qing was disrupted by the Chinese Civil War, which resulted in the division of China into the People's Republic of China on mainland China and the Republic of China on Taiwan.[1]

Dynasties of China

Dynasty Rulers Ruling house or clan of houses From To Term
Name Chinese

(Traditional

/Simplified)

 Pinyin Meaning
Feudal dynasties
Xia dynasty 夏 Xià Tribe name (list) Sì (姒) 2070 BCE 1600 BCE 470 years
Shang dynasty 商 Shāng Toponym (list) Zǐ (子) 1600 BCE 1046 BCE 554 years
Western Zhou dynasty 西周 Xī Zhōu Toponym (list) Jī (姬) 1046 BCE 771 BCE 275 years
Eastern Zhou dynasty 東周 / 东周 Dōng Zhōu Toponym (list) Jī (姬) 770 BCE 256 BCE 514 years
Spring and Autumn period 春秋 Chūn Qiū As English 770 BCE 476 BCE 294 years
Warring States period 戰國 / 战国 Zhàn Guó As English 476 BCE 221 BCE 255 years
Imperial dynasties
Qin dynasty 秦 Qín Toponym (list) Yíng (嬴) 221 BCE 207 BCE 14 years
Western Han dynasty 西漢 / 西汉 Xī Hàn Toponym (list) Liú (劉) 202 BCE CE 8 209 years
Xin dynasty 新 Xīn "New" (list) Wáng (王) CE 9 CE 23 14 years
Eastern Han dynasty 東漢 / 东汉 Dōng Hàn Toponym (list) Liú (劉) CE 25 CE 220 195 years
Three Kingdoms 三國 / 三国 Sān Guó As English (list) Cáo (曹)
Liú (劉 / 刘)
Sūn (孫 / 孙)		 CE 220 CE 280 60 years
Western Jin dynasty 西晉 / 西晋 Xī Jìn Toponym (list) Sīmǎ (司馬) CE 266 CE 316 50 years
Eastern Jin dynasty 東晉 / 东晋 Dōng Jìn Toponym (list) Sīmǎ (司馬) CE 317 CE 420 103 years
Southern and Northern dynasties 南北朝 Nán Běi Cháo As English (list) various CE 420 CE 589 169 years
Sui dynasty 隋 Suí Ducal title
(随 homophone)		 (list) Yáng (楊) CE 581 CE 618 37 years
Tang dynasty 唐 Táng Ducal title (list) Lǐ (李) CE 618 CE 907 289 years
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 五代十國

/ 五代十国

 Wǔ Dài Shí Guó As English (list) various CE 907 CE 960 53 years
Northern Song dynasty 北宋 Běi Sòng Toponym (list) Zhào (趙) CE 960 CE 1127 167 years
Southern Song dynasty 南宋 Nán Sòng Toponym (list) Zhào (趙) CE 1127 CE 1279 152 years
Liao dynasty 遼 / 辽 Liáo "Vast" or "Iron"
(Khitan homophone)		 (list) Yelü (; 耶律) CE 907 CE 1125 218 years
Jin dynasty 金 Jīn "Gold" (list) Wanggiya
(; 完顏)		 CE 1115 CE 1234 119 years
Western Xia 西夏 Xī Xià Toponym (list) Li (𘝾; 李) CE 1038 CE 1227 189 years
Western Liao 西遼 / 西辽 Xī Liáo "Vast" or "Iron"
(Khitan homophone)		 (list) Yelü (; 耶律) CE 1124 CE 1218 94 years
Yuan dynasty 元 Yuán "Great" or "Primacy" (list) Borjigin
(ᠪᠣᠷᠵᠢᠭᠢᠨ; 孛兒只斤)		 CE 1271 CE 1368 97 years
Ming dynasty 明 Míng "Bright" (list) Zhū (朱) CE 1368 CE 1644 276 years
Qing dynasty 清 Qīng "Pure" (list) Aisin Gioro
(ᠠᡳᠰᡳᠨ ᡤᡳᠣᡵᠣ; 愛新覺羅)		 CE 1636 CE 1912 276 years
Modern China
Republic of China 中華民國

/ 中华民国

 Zhōnghuá Mínguó "Chinese Republic" (list) various CE 1912 until CE 1949 controlled Chinese mainland, after CE 1949 de facto only controls Taiwan controlled Chinese mainland for 37 years, de facto only controls Taiwan for 69 years
People's Republic of China 中華人民共和國 /

中华人民共和国

 Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó "Chinese People's Republic" (list) various CE 1949 present 69 years
Timeline graph

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Chiang Kai-shek and retrocession". Taiwan: China Post. November 5, 2012. p. 2. Retrieved December 2, 2012.

Sources

  • 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.
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