(Source: Encarta, http://www.artsmia.org etc.)

Ancient China


Earliest Age of China


Shang dynasty (16th-11th century BC)


Western Zhou dynasty


Eastern Zhou dynasty


Spring Autumn Period


Warring states Period (Early period)


Warring states Period (Later period)

Imperial China


1st Empire: Qin dynasty (221BC- 206BC)


2nd Empire: Han dynasty (206BC - 220AD)


Period of Disunion: 3 kingdoms Period (220 AD - 280AD)


Period of Disunion: Jin, 16 kingdoms, North-south dynasties.


Reunification under Sui dynasty (581 - 618AD)


Period of great strength and prosperity: Tang dynasty (618-907AD)


Period of Disunion: 5 dynasties (908-960AD)

Unification under Northern Sung, Liao and Hsi Hsia (960- 1126AD)


Partition of China into southern Sung, Jin , Hsi Hsia (1126- 1279 AD)


Mongols conquer China: Unification under Yuan dynasty (1279 - 1368 AD)


Period of Autocracy: Ming dynasty (1368- 1644 AD) -last native chinese dynasty


Manchu ruled China: Qing dynasty (1644-1911AD) - last imperial dynasty in China

Modern China

Republic of China


Republic of China (1911 - 1949 AD) - (source: Taiwan ROC): ROC claimed sovereignty to Xinjiang, Taiwan, Mongolia, Tibet, although within this period, Taiwan was ruled by Japan while Xinjiang, Mongolia, Tibet became independent or autonomous from China.


Republic of China in Taiwan (1949 - today) - Republic of China today consists of The Islands of Taiwan, Matsu, Kinmen and Penghu according to the ammendment to the Constitution of the R O C .

Today's China


People's Republic of China (1949-today) - PRC occupied Tibet in 1958 and continue to claim sovereignty of Taiwan, although from 1949 onwards, it did not rule Taiwan. PRC however recognises the independence of Mongolia.