Dynasties

Xia Dynasty (4000 years ago):
There have been found two palaces but no written records that tell it had really existed.





Shang Dynasty (1766-1022 b.C.):
It was the first historical dynasty. In that period the writting system was developed. They managed an agricultural economy.

Zhou Dynasty (1122-221b.C.):

It is divided in two periods:

1. The king governed through local leaders in each place picked out by him.The coin was developed.

2. The king lost control of the little "states", and they joined creating big states. Because these states were in constant battle, this period is called "Warring States".




Confucius (551-479b.C.)

He is the Chineses' first moral leader. He lived in Zhou period. He thought that you have to obey your superior for the society to improve; and that you are better not for being noble, but for your own merits. The bases of his thinking are obedience, respect, lowliness, simplicity and working for the wellfare of all people. In the cultural revolution, comunists tried to delete Confucius' influence.

Qin Dynasty (221-206 b.C.)

The emperor unified the measure system, the language, and the coin. This period was so bad, that chinese people recuperated their love of tradition. In this dynasty the great wall was built, and also the Grand Canal. These two proyects cause almost the same damage. Because Qin king thought that confucian thinking would led people to oppose to his government, he ordered to burn all the books. But scholars didn't want to give up their books, so the king buried them and other philosophers alive and burned all the books above them. For his tomb, he ordered to build the terracota army, composed by 8000 terracota soldiers.

Han Dynasty (206 b.C-220 A.D.)

Liu Bang stablishet Han dynasty. There were improvements in agriculture, industry and trade. The silk Road was created, a road that led to the Mediterranean Sea and promoved trade. The paper was invented and that improved education. But then, the "usurper" Wang Mang, established his own dynasty, Xin, that was based in confucian thinking.

Period of the three kingdoms (220-280 A.D)

Is the period in which China divided after the end of the Han Dynasty. The three kingdoms were Wei, Shu-Han and Wu.








Jin Dynasty (265-420 A.d.)

Wei conquered Shu-Han. Sima Yan overthrew Wei king and conquered Wu, unifying China. Nomads conquered north Jin, making people move to south. jin dynasty keeped power until 420 a.D.




Sixteen kingdoms (304-439 A.D.)

In this period China passes through political inestability and chaos. This sixteen kingdoms were created by non-china people.







Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589 A.D.)

China divided in two parts: north and south. In the north, there were 5 northern dynasties: Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, Western Wei,Northern Qi and Northern Zhou;in the south there were 3 southern dynasties: Southern Qi, Liang and Cheng.

Sui Dynasty (581-618 A.D.)

Northern Zhou got the power and established the Sui dynasty. Sui improved and finished the Grand Canal. Buhddism expanded.

Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.)

Li Yuan establishes Tang Dynasty in the year 618 a.D. Empress Wu overthrew his son stablishing a new Zhou Dynasty, But in the year 705 a.D. his son overthrew her etablishing Tang Dynasty another time. This period was the glorious age of China. Finally, Zu Wen ordered to kill the last tang emperor, establishing the Liang Dynasty.




Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960 A.D.)

This was another period of inestability. The five dynasties were: Later Liang Dynasty (907-923 A.D.); Later Tang Dynasty (923-936 A.D.); Later Jin Dynasty (936-947 A.D.); Later Han Dynasty (947-951 A.D.) and Later Zhou Dynasty (951-960 A.D.).The ten kingdoms were: Wu, Wuyue, Min, Chu, Southern Han, Former Shu, Later Shu, JIngnan, Southern Tang and Northern Han.

Liao Dynasty (907-1125 A.D.)

Invaders conquered Yu (Beijing).They were very powerful and continued their conquers toward south.

Song Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.)

Song Dynasty is the continuation of the five previous Dynasties. The trade, navigation, technology and inner communication improved in that period. A barn system was developed, like the state's storeroom. At the same time, three states were established: Liao Dynasty by khitan people; Western Xia by tangut people and the most important, the Jin Dynasty(1115-1234 A.D.), by jurchen people. Song Dynasty could be divided in two periods: Northern Song, were Song Dynasty controlled all China and Southern Song, Were the Jin people conquered the north part and the city of Pian (today Kaifeng) and Song people moved toward south, transfering the capital city to Linan (today Hangzhou).Song dynasty finished with the mongol invasion and the beginning of Yuan Dynasty.

Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 A.D.)

The Mongols established one of the greatest empires in the history. They conquered eastern Europe, Iran and China. The Mongol empire was divided in four parts. The Great Khanate, one of them, occupied Mongolia and most China. In the year 1271 A.D. Kublai Kan established Yuan dynasty. It was a Chinese-style dynasty.
Then, Kubai Kan defeated Song Dynasty in the year 1279 A.D. In this period there was social inestability, and it got worst because of the Yellow river flood, that caused famine and the plauge epidemic.

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.)

Because the social inestability and the orevious rebelion in Yuan Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhangestablished Ming Dynasty in the year 1368 A.D. and establishing the capital in Nankin. Then the capital was transfered to Beijing. They were the first maritime potency.






Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 A.D.)

In the year 1644 Manchurians conquered Beijing and established the Qing Dinasty. This was considered a period of oppression. Despite the militar power of the Qing, some people rebelled against Qing. Then the United kingdom declared war to china and obtained Hong Kong and the trading and navigation rights for the western potencies.At the last years of Qing Dynasty, Japan declared war to China because of the possession of Korea. Japon won the war and got Korea and also Taiwan. Then, because of that, people made rebellions asking for a Republic.