Chinese Dynasties[]
Prehistoric China
Paleolithic China
Neolithic China
Chalcolithic China
Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors before 2070 BC
Ancient China - Chinese Mythology, the invention of writing
Xia 2070–1600 BC - Bronze Age
Shang 1600–1046 BC
Western Zhou 1046–771 BC
Eastern Zhou Spring and Autumn Period 722–476 BC - Laozi, Confucius, invention of weiqi (go), code of law, cast iron, waterworks and hydraulic engineering
Eastern Zhou Warring States 475–221 BC - Earliest maps, star catalogues, crossbows, cavalry
Imperial China
Qin 221–206 BC - Writing system standardized (small seal script), terracotta army
Western Han 206 BC–AD 9 - seed drill, steel, silk road, wheelbarrow, sailing junk, contact with Rome
Xin 9–23
Eastern Han 25–220 - First Buddhist temple founded, paper invented, clocks
Three Kingdoms 220–265
Western Jin 265–317
Eastern Jin 317–420 - stirrups
Southern and Northern Dynasties 420–589 - horse collar, brick pagoda,
Sui 581–618 - invention of toilet paper, Imperial examinations, Japanese embassies
Tang 618–907 - First Christian missionaries, birth of Islam in China,
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 907–960 - Greek fire, gun, grenade
Northern Song 960–1127 - Gunpowder-impregnated fire arrows, cast iron, magnetic compass, movable type, calculus
Southern Song 1127–1279 - Mongol invasions, Kublai Khan, Marco Polo
Liao 916–1125 - Gengis Khan
Jin 1115–1234
Yuan 1271–1368 - Mongol invasions of Japan
Ming 1368–1644 - Forbidden City, first Portugese contact, porcelain export to Europe, Manchus conquer Inner Mongolia, invade Korea,
Qing 1644–1911 - 5th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Opium Wars
Modern China
Historical Closet
