China has a vast and interesting past. Dating back thousands of years, China can trace its roots back further than many other countries. Below is a timeline of Chinese Dynasties from prehistoric times until the final dynasty.
| Period |
Dynasty |
Timeline |
| Ancient China |
Prehistoric Times |
1.7 million years - the 21st century BC |
| Xia Dynasty |
21st - 16th century BC |
| Shang Dynasty |
16th - 11th century BC |
| Zhou Dynasty |
Western Zhou (11th century BC - 771 BC)
Eastern Zhou
Spring/Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC)
Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC) |
Early Imperial
China |
Qin Dynasty |
221 BC - 207 BC |
| Han Dynasty |
Western Han (206 BC - 9 AD)
Xin (9 - 24)
Eastern Han (25 - 220) |
| Three Kingdoms Period |
Wei (220 - 265)
Shu (221 - 263)
Wu (229 - 280) |
| Jin Dynasty |
Western Jin (265 - 316)
Eastern Jin (317 - 420) |
| Southern Dynasty |
Song (420 - 478)
Qi (479 – 501)
Liang (502 - 556)
Chen (557 - 588) |
| Northern Dynasty |
Northern Wei (386 - 533)
Eastern Wei (534 - 549)
Western Wei (535 - 557)
Northern Qi (550 - 577)
Northern Zhou (557 - 588) |
Classic Imperial
China |
Sui Dynasty |
581 - 618 |
| Tang Dynasty |
618 - 907 |
Five Dynasties and
Ten Kingdoms |
Five Dynasties
Later Liang (907 - 923)
Later Tang (923 - 936)
Later Jin (936 - 946)
Later Han (947 - 951)
Later Zhou (951 - 960)
Ten Kingdoms (902 - 979) |
| Song Dynasty |
Northern Song (960 - 1127)
Southern Song (1127 - 1279) |
| Liao Dynasty |
916 - 1125 |
| Western Xia |
1038 - 1227 |
| Jin Dynasty |
1115 - 1234 |
Later Imperial
China |
Yuan Dynasty |
1279 - 1368 |
| Ming Dynasty |
1368 - 1644 |
| Qing Dynasty |
1644 - 1911 |
| |
Republic of China |
1911 - 1949 |
| |
People’s Republic of China |
1949 - Present |
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