Chinese Dynasties and their Time Period

The below information gives the Chinese dynasties and their time period

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Ancient Times

Xia Dynasty (夏朝) – [2100 BC – 1600 BC]

Shang Dynasty (商朝) – [1600 BC – 1066 BC]

Zhou Dynasty (周朝)
|-->Western Zhou (西周)–[1066 BC – 771 BC]
|-->Eastern Zhou (东周) – [770 BC – 256 BC]
1.Period of Spring and Autumn (春秋时代)– [722 BC – 481 BC]
2.Warring States Period (战过时代) * – [403 BC – 221 BC]

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Imperial Age

Qin Dynasty (秦朝) – [221 BC – 206 BC]

Han Dynasty (汉朝)
|-->Western Han (西汉) ** - [206 BC – 23 AD]
|-->Eastern Han (东汉) – [25 AD – 220 AD]

3 kingdoms Period (三国时代)
|-->Wei (魏) - [220 AD – 265 AD]
|--> Shu (蜀) – [221 AD – 263 AD]
|--> Wu (吴) – [222 AD – 280 AD]

Western Jin Dynasty (西晋) - [265 AD – 316 AD]

Eastern Jin Dynasty and 16 Kingdoms (东晋十六国)
|-->Eastern Jin (东晋)– [317 AD – 420 AD]
|-->16 Kingdoms (十六国) *** – [304 AD – 439 AD]

Northern and Southern Dynasties (南北朝)
|-->Southern Dynasty (南朝)
1. Song (宋) – [420 AD – 479 AD]
2. Qi (齐) – [479 AD – 502 AD]
3. Liang (梁)– [502 AD – 557 AD]
4. Chen (陈)– [557 AD – 589 AD]
|->Northern Dynasty (北朝)
1.Northern Wei (北魏)– [386 AD – 534 AD]
2a. Eastern Wei (东魏) – [534 AD – 550 AD]
2b. Northern Qi (北齐) – [550 AD – 577 AD]
3a. Western Wei (西魏) – [535 AD – 557 AD]
3b. Northern Zhou (北周) – [557 AD – 581 AD]

Sui Dynasty (隋朝) – [581 AD -618 AD]

Tang Dynasty (唐朝) – [618 AD – 907 AD]

5 Dynasties and 10 Kingdoms (五代十国)
|-->Late Liang (后梁) – [907 AD – 923 AD]
|-->Late Tang (后唐) – [923 AD – 936 AD]
|-->Late Jin (后晋) – [936 AD – 946 AD]
|-->Late Han (后汉) – [947 AD – 950 AD]
|-->Late Zhou (后周) – [951 AD – 960 AD]
|-->10 Kingdoms (十国) ****– [902 AD – 979 AD]

Song Dynasty (宋朝)
|-->Northern Song (北宋) – [960 AD – 1127 AD]
|-->Southern Song (南宋) – [1127 AD – 1279 AD]

Liao Dynasty (辽朝) - [907 AD – 1125 AD]

Western Xia Dynasty (西夏) - [1032 AD – 1227 AD]

Jin Dynasty (金朝) – [1115 AD – 1234 AD]

Yuan Dynasty (元朝) – [1279 AD – 1368 AD]

Ming Dynasty (明朝) – [1368 AD – 1644 AD]

Qing Dynasty (清朝) – [1644 AD – 1911 AD]

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Modern Age

Republic of China (中华民国) ***** - [1912 AD – 1949 AD]

People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国)– [1949 AD – today]

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Notes

*- The Warring States Period consists of mainly 7 states:
Qin (秦)
Wei (魏)
Han (韩)
Zhao (赵)
Chu (楚)
Yan (燕)
Qi (齐)


** - The Western Han dynasty include a Xin dynasty (新朝) [9 AD – 23 AD] founded by Wang Mang. During Wang Mang’s period, peasant revolts occurred and a peasant regime was established. In 23 AD, Xin dynasty collapsed and in 25 AD, Eastern Han Dynasty was established.


***- During this period, except for eastern Jin, there existed a few feudal states.

These feudal states include:

Han (汉) or Early Zhao (前赵)
Cheng (成) or Cheng Han(成汉)
Early Liang (前凉)
Late Zhao (后赵) or Wei (魏)
Early Yan (前燕)
Early Qin (前秦)
Late Yan (后燕)
Late Qin (后秦)
Western Qin (西秦)
Late Liang (后凉)
Southern Liang (南凉)
Northern Liang (北凉)
Southern Yan (南燕)
Western Liang (西凉)
Northern Yan (北燕)
Xia (夏)

Historically, this were known as the “16 kingdoms”


****- During this period, except for Late Liang, Late Tang, Late Jin, Late Han and Late Zhou dynasties, there existed other feudal states.

These feudal states include:
Wu (吴)
Early Shu (前蜀)
Wu Yue (吴越)
Chu (楚)
Min (闽)
Southern Han (南汉)
Jing Nan(荆南) or Nan Ping (南平)
Late Shu (后蜀)
Southern Tang (南唐)
Northern Han (北汉)

Historically, these were known as the “10 kingdoms”



***** - Although Republic of China ceased to rule China from 1949 AD onwards, the nationalists regime in Taiwan still held the regime name of “Republic of China”.

Nice chart .. GZ..well-done! :D

What were the states during Chunqiu?

There were hundreds of small states before Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn) during the Zhou dynasty. I can't possibly name all of them there. They include Jin, Qi, Chu, Qin, Lu, Yan, Yue, Wu etc.

What happened was that during the Zhou dynasty, the Tianzi (the Zhou king) granted his relatives (princes) fiefdom to rule a certain territory with a small army. But when it comes to Chunqiu period (6th century BC), the Zhou kingdom lost the power to be the overlord for all these states. These states fought among themselves to vive for dominance..eventually 100 of states were reduced to 15 states towards end of Chunqiu through annexation and conquest. By warring states period, only 7 were left. By 221 BC, Qin conquered every state and unified China into the 1st empire.

Chun Qiu Zhan Guo (Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Era) are one of the most vibrant and violent periods of Chinese history. Almost all the famed philosophers and battle scholars came from that period. If you want to read a romance on it, I recommend Dong Zhou Lie Guo Zhi by Feng Meng Long. I am planning a translation project, in fact, but I just need more time...sorry guys...

I really have to say thank you to the creator of this website. :lol: I, being an Estonian and having nearly zero real information on Chinese history am really grateful for this page.

I will surely read and learn alot from here as a young history lover. Again thank you!!!!!!!!! ;)

Hi Kaleviopeg, welcome :lol: I'm Kutlug Kagan in AE btw B)

Well i am Kalevipoeg in AE!!!!!!!!! :)

Good luck in your doings and... Jõudu tööle! :lol: