Dynasties in Chinese history

Encyclopedia : D : DY : DYN : Dynasties in Chinese history

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Below is a table of the dynasties in Chinese history.

Overview

In most cases the dates given in the table are the commonly used conventional dates marking the generally agreed point at which power in China changed hands.

There is, however, still much dispute about dates in the Western Zhou period and earlier. It should also be noted that history is rarely as neat as it is portrayed and it was rare indeed for one dynasty to end calmly and give way quickly and smoothly to a new one. Dynasties were often established before the overthrow of an existing regime, or continued for a time after they had been defeated. In addition, China was divided for long periods of its history, with different regions being ruled over by different groups. At times like these there was no dynasty ruling a unified China.

One example of the potential for confusion will suffice. The conventional date 1644 marks the year in which the Manchu Qing dynasty armies occupied Beijing and brought Qing rule to China proper, succeeding the Ming dynasty. However, the Qing dynasty itself was established in 1636 (or even 1616, albeit under a different name), while the last Ming dynasty pretender was not disposed of until 1662. The 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. To pretend that everything changed all at once all over China in the year 1644 would make a nonsense of what actually happened.

For more details on the dynasties listed here and their emperors, follow the relevant links in the table. Click on H for the history of the dynasty, and E for a table of its emperors (or other rulers).

Table of dynasties

Dynasty			Links	Years
The Three August Ones and the Five Emperors	三皇五帝	sān huáng wǔ dì	(H - E)	before 2070 BC	628+
Xia	夏	xià	(H - E)	2070 BC - 1600 BC	470
Shang	商	shāng	(H - E)	1600 BC - 1046 BC	554
Western Zhou	西周	xī zhōu	(H - E)	1046 BC - 771 BC	275
Eastern Zhou traditionally divided into Spring and Autumn Period Warring States Period	東周 春秋 戰國	dōng zhōu chūn qiū zhàn guó	(H - E) (H - E) (H - E)	770 BC - 256 BC 722 BC - 476 BC 475 BC - 221 BC	514 246 254
Qin	秦	qín	(H - E)	221 BC - 206 BC	15
Western Han	西漢	xī hàn	(H - E)	206 BC - 9 AD	215
Xin	新	xīn	(H - E)	9 - 25	16
Eastern Han	東漢	dōng hàn	(H - E)	25 - 220	195
Three Kingdoms	三國	sān guó	(H - E)	220 - 265	45
Western Jin	西晉	xī jìn	(H - E)	265 - 317	52
Eastern Jin	東晉	dōng jìn	(H - E)	317 - 420	103
Northern and Southern Dynasties	南北朝	nán běi cháo	(H - E)	420 - 581	161
Sui	隋	suí	(H - E)	581 - 618	37
Tang	唐	táng	(H - E)	618 - 907	289
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms	五代十國	wǔ dài shí guó	(H - E)	907 - 960	53
Northern Song	北宋	běi sòng	(H - E)	960 - 1127	167
Southern Song	南宋	nán sòng	(H - E)	1127 - 1279	152
Liao	遼	liáo	(H - E)	916 - 1125	209
Jin	金	jīn	(H - E)	1115 - 1234	119
Yuan	元	yuán	(H - E)	1271 - 1368	97
Ming	明	míng	(H - E)	1368 - 1644	276
Qing	清	qīng	(H - E)	1644 - 1911	267

Mnemonics

One version

三皇五帝夏商周 春秋戰國秦漢流 三國魏晉南北隋 唐宋元明清民收

sān huáng wǔ dì xià shāng zhōu chūn qiū zhàn guó qín hàn liú sān guó wèi jìn nán běi suí táng sòng yuán míng qīng mín shōu

Another version

唐堯虞舜夏商周，春秋戰國亂悠悠。 秦漢三國晉統一，南朝北朝是對頭。 隋唐五代又十國，宋元明清帝王休。

táng yáo yú shùn xià shāng zhōu, chūn qiū zhàn guó luàn yōu yōu. qín hàn sān guó jìn tǒng yī, nán cháo běi cháo shì duì tóu. suí táng wǔ dài yòu shí guó, sòng yuán míng qīng dì wáng xiū.

See also

• History of China
• Timeline of Chinese history
• Table of Chinese monarchs

 

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