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.

DynastyDynasty (sub classification)Period
Neolithic8500 – 2070 B.C.
Xia2070 – 1600 B.C.
Shang1600 – 1046 B.C.
Zhou1046 – 256 B.C.
Western Zhou
Eastern Zhou
Spring and Autumn
– Warring States
Ancient dynasty: chronological table
DynastyDynasty (sub classification)Period
Qin221 – 207 B.C.
Han202 B.C. – 220 A.D.
Western Han
Xin
Eastern Han
Three Kingdoms
(Wei, Shu and Wu)
220 – 280 A.D.
Jin266 – 420 A.D.
Western Jin
Eastern Jin – Sixteen Kingdoms
Northern and Southern dynasties420 – 589 A.D.
Sui581 – 618 A.D.
Tang(Wu Zhou 690-705)618 – 907 A.D.
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms907 – 979 A.D.
Liao916 – 1125 A.D.
Song960 – 1279 A.D.
Northern Song
Southern Song
Yuan1271 – 1368 A.D.
Ming1368 – 1644 A.D.
Qing1636- 1912 A.D.
Imperial dynasty: chronological table

DynastyDynasty (sub classification)Period
Republic of China1912 – 1949
People’s Republic of China1949 – to present
Republic of Chin (in Taiwan)a1949 – to present
Modern age: chronological table

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.