Dynasties in Chinese history
From prehistoric times to the coming to power of the Chinese Communist Party: a chronological table of the millennial history of China. Divided into three fundamental parts, ancient age, imperial age and, finally, the modern age, it allows the reader to orient himself in the succession of historical events.
In fact, unlike Western history and history in general, when one approaches it to the I-Ching, or more generally to ancient Chinese philosophy, the texts always refer to a Dynasty to locate the historical period.
| Dynasty | Dynasty (sub classification) | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Neolithic | 8500 – 2070 B.C. | |
| Xia | 2070 – 1600 B.C. | |
| Shang | 1600 – 1046 B.C. | |
| Zhou | 1046 – 256 B.C. | |
| Western Zhou | ||
| Eastern Zhou – Spring and Autumn – Warring States |
| Dynasty | Dynasty (sub classification) | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Qin | 221 – 207 B.C. | |
| Han | 202 B.C. – 220 A.D. | |
| Western Han | ||
| Xin | ||
| Eastern Han | ||
| Three Kingdoms (Wei, Shu and Wu) | 220 – 280 A.D. | |
| Jin | 266 – 420 A.D. | |
| Western Jin | ||
| Eastern Jin – Sixteen Kingdoms | ||
| Northern and Southern dynasties | 420 – 589 A.D. | |
| Sui | 581 – 618 A.D. | |
| Tang | (Wu Zhou 690-705) | 618 – 907 A.D. |
| Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms | 907 – 979 A.D. | |
| Liao | 916 – 1125 A.D. | |
| Song | 960 – 1279 A.D. | |
| Northern Song | ||
| Southern Song | ||
| Yuan | 1271 – 1368 A.D. | |
| Ming | 1368 – 1644 A.D. | |
| Qing | 1636- 1912 A.D. |
| Dynasty | Dynasty (sub classification) | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Republic of China | 1912 – 1949 | |
| People’s Republic of China | 1949 – to present | |
| Republic of Chin (in Taiwan)a | 1949 – to present |
It should be specified that the history of the town is not divided as clearly as the classical periodization, shown in the three chronological tables, is meant to be believed.
In fact, it is rare for a particular dynasty to quietly end and give way quickly and smoothly to a new one. Dynasties were often founded before the overthrow of an existing regime, or continued for a period even after the decline had begun.
From 163 BC a new system was introduced in the denomination of the years called nianhao that is, the emperors begin to give a particular name to the following years just as a celebratory or symbolic event.
From 1368 each emperor adopted a single nianhao , so that it has come into the custom, in Europe and partially also in China, to call the Chinese emperors of the last dynasties with that of the years of reign.