Chronology of Chinese History

Ancient Period

Around 500,000 years ago, there was human existence in Beijing area and they were named”Peking Man.”

Around 20,000 years ago, in the area where Peking Man existed, lived “Mountain-top Cave Man”who were much more similar to the modern men.

Around 5,000 years ago, the Yellow Emperor united the tribes in China and was honored as the ancestor of the Chinese people.

Around 4,000 years ago, was the period of the alliance of tribes of Yao, hun, and Yu in the legends.

Xia Dynasty(c.2070-c.1600BC)

Around 2070 BC, Qiestablished the Xia Dynasty. This was the first dynasty in Chinese history.

Shang Dynasty(c.1600-c.1046BC)

Around 1600 BC, Tang of Shang destroyed Xia and established Shang.

In the 14th century BC, Pangeng of Shang moved the capital to Yin, so the Shang Dynasty is also called Yin or Yin-Shang.

Western Zhou Dynasty(c.1046-771 BC)

Around 1046 BC, Emperor Wuof Zhou destroyed Shang and established Zhou. It is called Western Zhou by historians.

In 841 BC, Emperor Li of Zhou was driven away by the uprising people. Emperor Zhou and Empero Zhao held the government together which was called the “republic administration.”

This year was called”the first year of the republic”and was regarded as the beginning of Chi-nese calendar.

Spring and Autumn Period(770-476BC)

In 770 BC, Emperor Ping of Zhou moved the capital to Luoyiand marked the beginning of the Eastern Zhou. The Spring and Autumn Period begins.

In 551 BC, Confucius was born.

Warring States Period(475-221BC)

In 356 BC, Shang Yang began to execute political reform in Qin. China gradually entered into feudal society.

In 316 BC, Ba and Shu were destroyed by Qin. The civilization of Ba-Shu began to blend into the Chinese civilization.

In 260 BC, Qin achieved the victory in the Changping Battle. General Bai Qi of Qin buried 400,000 Zhao soldiers alive. This battle established the foundation of Qin’s unification of the six states.

Qin Dynasty(221-206 BC)

In 221 BC, Qin unified the six states and established the first unified empire in Chinese history.

In 209 BC, the uprise of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang broke out.

In 207 BC, in the battle of Julu, Xiang Yu defeated the Qin troops.

In 206 BC, Liu Bang led his troops into Xianyang. The Qin Dynasty was overthrown.

Western Han Dynasty(202 BC-8AD)

In 202 BC, Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu and established the Han Dynasty. It is called West-ern Han by historians.

In 200 BC, Liu Bang was surrounded by the Huns at Mount Baideng. He was forced to exe-cute the peace policy through marriage.

In 127 BC, Emperor Wudi of Han appointed Wei Qing to attack the Huns and seized the Hetao area.

In 121BC, Emperor Wudi appointed Huo Qubing to attack the Huns and got through the Western Regions passage.

In 33 BC, Wang Zhaojun married Chief Huhanye of the Huns.

Eastern Han Dynasty(25-220 AD)

In 25AD, Liu xiu of the royal family of West Han re-established the Han Dynasty and set the capital in Luo Yang. It is called the Eastern Han by historians.

In 105AD, CaiLun improved the skill of paper making. Letter recording in China gradually broke away from the bamboo slip period.

In 184AD, the uprise of the Yellow Turban Army broke out. The Eastern Han existedin name only.

In 200 AD, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao warred against each other in Guandu. Cao Cao won and gradually controlled the North.

In 208 AD, Cao Cao’s troops went for a decisive battle with the alliance of Sun and Liuin the Red Cliffs. Cao Cao was defeated and withdrew to the North.

Period of the Three Kingdoms(220-280 AD)

In 220AD, Cao Pioverthrew Emperor Xian of Han and established Wei.

In 221AD, Liu Bei established Shu.

In 222AD, Sun Quan established Wu.

In 263 AD, the Wei troops made a breakthrough in Chengdu and destroyed Shu.

In 265AD, Sima Yan usurped the Wei throne and established Jin. It is called Western Jin by historians.

Western Jin (265-316AD)

In 280 AD, Jin overthrew Wu. There was a short unified period in China.

In 316AD, the Huns captured Chang’ an and Western Jin was destroyed.

Eastern Jin(317-420AD)

In 317 AD, Sima Yiof the royal family of Western Jin established Jin again. It is called East-ern Jin by historians.

In 353AD, Wang Xizhi wrote the famous Preface for the Orchid Pavilion Poems.

In 383 AD, Eastern Jin went for a decisive battle in Fei River with Early Qin in North. East-ern Jin won and started the situation of lasting break-up of the North and the South.

Period of North and South Dynasties(420-589 AD)

In 420AD, Liu Yu overthrew Eastern Jin and established Song. The South Dynasties began.

In 439AD, Northern Wei unified the north.

In 524AD, the Yungang Grottoes were finished.

Sui Dynasty(581-618AD)

In 581, Yang Jian overthrew Northern Zhou and established Sui.

In 589, Sui destroyed Chen in the South and unified China again.

In 605, Emperor Yang of Sui ordered to excavate the Grand Canal. In 610, the Grand Canal was finished from Zhuojun in the North to Yuhang in the South.

In 618, Emperor Yangdi of Sui was killed by a general in Jiangdu and Suiended.

Tang Dynasty(618-907 AD)

In 618, Li Yuan established the Tang Dynasty.

In 626, Li shimin succeeded the throne and was named Taizong. He was one the the most successful emperors in Chinese history who realized the flourishing state of “Zhenguan governance.”

In 641, Tai Zong agreed to Princess Wencheng’s marriage with Tibetan Chief Songtsen Gampo. This started a good relationship between the Chinese and the Tibetan.

In 690, the empress of Gaozong, Wu Zetian, succeeded the throne and became the first female emperor in Chinese history.

In 712, LiLongji succeeded the throne and was named Xuanzong. He realized the height of power and splendour of the Tang Dynasty.

In 755, the Chaos of An and Shi broke out. Tang gradually declined.

Five Dynasties(907-960 AD)

In 907, Zhu Wen overthrew the Tang Dynasty and established the Liang Dynasty. Itis called Later Liang by historians. The Five dynasties thus began.

In 916, Yeli Abaojiestablished Kitan. In 947, the title was changed to Liao.

Northern Song Dynasty(960-1127 AD)

In 960, Later Zhou general Zhao Kuangyin launched a mutiny and established the Song Dynasty. The capital was set in Bianjing.

In 979, the Northern Song destroyed the separate regimes in the south and united the whole country.

In 1125, Liao in the North was destroyed by Jin.

In 1127, the Jin troops captured Bianjing and hijacked Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong of Northern Song. Northern Song thus ended.

Southern Song Dynasty(1127-1279AD)

In 1127, the younger brother of Emperor Qinzong, Zhao Gou, resettled the Song Dynasty in Lin’ an. It is called the Southern Song by historians.

In 1142, Yue Fei was killed by Gaozong and Qin Hui.

In 1206, Temujin united the Mongolian tribes and established Mogolia. He was honored Genghis Khan.

Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368AD)

In 1271, Kublai changed the name of his country from Mongolia to Yuan and became the emperor. He settled the capital in Dadu(Beijing) one year later.

In 1275, Marco Polo arrived in Dadu and began his sojourn in Yuan for 17 years.

In 1279, Yuan destroyed the last remaining forces of the Southern Song.

Ming Dynasty(1368-1644AD)

In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty in Nanjing. In the same year, the Ming troops captured Dadu and the Yuan Dynasty ended.

In 1405, Zheng He went on his first voyage on the Western Seas and reached Southeast Asia and India.

In 1420, the construction of the Forbidden City was finished. In the following year, Chengzu of Ming moved the capital to Beijing.

In 1433, Zheng He went on the seventh voyage on the Western Seas and died in India on his returning journey.

In 1561, Qi Jiguang defeated the Japanese invaders in Taizhou, Zhejiang.

In 1616, Nurhachi established the Later Jin regime. In 1625, he moved the capitalto Shenyang and started to construct the Imperial Palace of Shenyang.

In 1630, Emperor Chongzhen of Ming was cheated by Huangtaiji and put General Yuan Chonghuan to death by dismembering his body.

In 1636, Huangtaijiestablished the Qing Dynasty.

In 1644, Li zicheng’s peasant troops attacked Beijing. Emperor Chongzhen committed suicide and the Ming Dynasty ended.

Qing Dynasty(1644-1911 AD)

In 1644, Emperor Shunzhi of Qing moved the capital to Beijing.

In 1662, Zheng Chenggong reoccupied Taiwan, which was occupied by Netherlandish colonists.

In 1683, the Qing Dynasty pacified Taiwan which was controlled by the Zheng regime and set up the Taiwan government the following year. Taiwan was subject to Fujian Province.

In 1840, the British launched the Opium War and forced Qing to sign the Nanjing Treaty in 1842. Hong Kong Island was ceded to the Great Britain.

In 1860, the alliance of British and French troops captured Beijing and burned down Yuanmingyuan Garden.

In 1895, Qing was defeated in the Jiawu War and was forced to sign the Maguan Treaty.

Taiwan and the Penghu Islands were ceded to Japan.

In 1900, the alliance of eight nations invaded China and forced Qing to sign the Xinchou Treaty.

In 1911, Wuchang Uprise broke out and Empeoror Puyi was abdicated. The Qing Dynasty ended.

Republic of China(1911-1949AD)

On Jan.1,1912, Sun Yat-sen acceded the position of temporary president of the Republic of China in Nanjing.

In 1924, Feng Yuxiang drove Puyiout of the Forbidden City and established the Palace Museum in the following year.

In 1931, the Japanese troops fabricated the September Eighteenth Incident in Shenyang and occupied the three northeast provinces.

In 1937, the Japanese troops fabricated the July Seventh Incident in the western suburb of Beijing and started the invasion war on China.

In 1945, China achieved victory in the war against Japan. Taiwan was returned to China.

In 1949, the People’s Liberation Army of PRC captured Nanjing and overthrew the Kuom-intang government.

The People’s Republic of China(1949 AD to today)

On October 1,1949, Mao Zedong announced the founding of the People’s Republic of China on the Tiananmen Gate.

In 1966, the Cultural Revolution broke out and chaos lasted for ten years in China.

In 1978, the 3th Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of CPC was held and the reform and open policy was executed.

In 1997, Hong Kong was returned to China and the special administrative government of Hong Kong was established.

In 1999, Macao was returned to China and the special administrative government of Macao was established.

In 2008, the 29th Olympic Games will be held in Beijing, China.