Dynasties in Chinese history
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Below is a table of the dynasties in Chinese history.
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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 huᮧ wǔ d즬t;/td> | (H - E) | before 2070 BC |
| Xia | 夏 | xiবt;/td> | (H - E) | 2070 BC - 1600 BC |
| Shang | 商 | shāng | (H - E) | 1600 BC - 1046 BC |
| Western Zhou | 西周 | xī zhōu | (H - E) | 1046 BC - 770 BC |
| Eastern Zhou traditionally divided into |
東周
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dōng zhōu
| (H - E) (H - E) |
770 BC - 256 BC 475 BC - 221 BC |
| Qin | 秦 | q�lt;/td> | (H - E) | 221 BC - 206 BC |
| Western Han | 西漢 | xī hlt;/td> | (H - E) | 206 BC - 9 AD |
| Xin | 新 | xīn | (H - E) | 9 - 25 |
| Eastern Han | 東漢 | dōng hlt;/td> | (H - E) | 25 - 220 |
| Three Kingdoms | 三國 | sān gu;/td> | (H - E) | 220 - 265 |
| Western Jin | 西晉 | xī j쮦lt;/td> | (H - E) | 265 - 317 |
| Eastern Jin | 東晉 | dōng j쮦lt;/td> | (H - E) | 317 - 420 |
| Northern and Southern Dynasties | 南北朝 | nᮠběi ch᯦lt;/td> | (H - E) | 420 - 581 |
| Sui | 隋 | su�t;/td> | (H - E) | 581 - 618 |
| Tang | 唐 | tᮧ | (H - E) | 618 - 907 |
| Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms | 五代十國 | wǔ dsh�u;/td> | (H - E) | 907 - 960 |
| Northern Song | 北宋 | běi slt;/td> | (H - E) | 960 - 1127 |
| Southern Song | 南宋 | nᮠslt;/td> | (H - E) | 1127 - 1279 |
| Liao | 遼 | li᯦lt;/td> | (H - E) | 916 - 1125 |
| Jin | 金 | jīn | (H - E) | 1115 - 1234 |
| Yuan | 元 | yuᮦlt;/td> | (H - E) | 1271 - 1368 |
| Ming | 明 | m� | (H - E) | 1368 - 1644 |
| Qing | 清 | qīng | (H - E) | 1644 - 1912 |
Mnemonics
One version
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三皇五帝夏商周 |
sān huáng wǔ dì xià shāng zhōu |
Another version
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唐尧虞舜夏商周，春秋战国乱悠悠。 |
tᮧ yᯠy?n xi࠳hāng zhōu, chūn qiū zhguyōu yōu. |
(Compare with British monarchs mnemonics.)