World History > Chinese History

Xia Dynasty (no historical evidence)

Shang Dynasty (c1700 BC-1045 BC)
西周 Western Zhou Dynasty (1045 BC-771 BC)
東周 Eastern Zhou Dynasty (771 BC-256 BC)
Qin Dynasty (221 BC-206 BC)
  • 221 BC - King Ying Zheng of Qin completes his conquest of central China and names himself Qin Shihuangdi or "First Emperor of Qin."
  • 220 BC - Construction begins on the Great Wall of China.
  • 213 BC - In a megalomaniacal attempt to destroy all history prior to himself, Qin Shihuangdi orders all all writings burned, other than official Qin state documents, texts on agriculture and medicine, and a few writings on divination, in The Great Book Burning.
  • 212 BC - Continuing his assault on scholarly learning, Qin Shihuangdi orders 460 scholars buried alive. He also institutes a uniform system of weights, measures, and most importantly for trade, wagon axle widths, throughout China.
  • 211 BC - Qin forces invade northern Vietnam.
  • 210 BC - Qin Shihuangdi dies of mercury poisoning, the result of a mercury-laced elixir he believed would grant him eternal life. His advisor Li Si murders his legitimate heir and gives the throne to his weak and controlable second son.
  • 208 BC - Li Si is executed by other schemers.
  • 207 BC - As peasant revolts wrack the country, the puppet second Qin emperor is poisoned.
  • 206 BC - The last remnants of the Qin government surrender to rebels led by Chu nobleman Xiang Yu and low-born peasant Liu Bang.
Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD)
三國 Three Kingdoms Period (220-265)
Jin Dynasty (265-420)
南北朝 Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-581)
Sui Dynasty (581-618)
Tang Dynasty (618-907)
五朝 Five Dynasties Period (907-960)
Song Dynasty (960-1279)
Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368)
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)
中華民國 Republic of China (1911-1949)
中華人民共和國 People's Republic of China (1949-present)

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