A historical chronology is a chronological record of historical events, which details the beginning and end times of each historical period, as well as important historical figures and events. In China, historical chronology is usually arranged in dynastic units, and each dynasty is divided into several periods, such as the establishment, prosperity, decay, and demise of a certain dynasty. Beginning with the earliest written histories, the chronology of Chinese history is roughly as follows:
Xia Dynasty: about the 21st century BC to the 16th century BC, it was the first dynasty in Chinese legends, founded by Dayu, marking China's transition from a primitive society to a slave society.
Shang Dynasty: c. 16th to 11th century BC, it was the first dynasty in Chinese history with accurate documentation, known for its oracle bone inscriptions and Jin inscriptions.
Zhou Dynasty: It is divided into two periods, the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, the Western Zhou Dynasty from about 1046 BC to 771 BC and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty from about 770 BC to 256 BC. The Zhou Dynasty was the heyday of the slave society, and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty was divided into two phases: the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
Qin Dynasty: From 221 BC to 206 BC, Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms and established a centralized feudal state.
Han Dynasty: It is divided into the Western Han Dynasty and the Eastern Han Dynasty, with the Western Han Dynasty from 206 to 9 BC and the Eastern Han Dynasty from 25 to 220 BC. The Han Dynasty was the initial period of development of Chinese feudal society.
Three Kingdoms: From 220 to 280, the three kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu were established.
Jin Dynasty: It is divided into the Western Jin Dynasty and the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the Western Jin Dynasty 265-316 years, and the Eastern Jin Dynasty 317-420 years. During the Jin Dynasty, a large number of northern ethnic groups moved into the Central Plains, which promoted ethnic integration.
Northern and Southern Dynasties: From 420 to 589, the Southern Dynasties included the Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen, and the Northern Dynasties included the Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, and Northern Zhou. During this period, Buddhism spread widely in China.
Sui Dynasty: From 581 to 618, Emperor Wen of Sui unified China, and the opening of the Grand Canal was an important achievement in this period.
Tang Dynasty: 618-907 was the heyday of China's feudal society, which reached a very high level in terms of economy, culture, and art.
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms: 907-979, which was the ** period after the Tang Dynasty. This period marked the end of the Tang Dynasty and the rise of the Song Dynasty. The Five Dynasties refer to the five short-lived dynasties that emerged successively in the Central Plains during this period, namely the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han and Later Zhou. The founders of these dynasties were the leaders of local military separatist forces, and they seized power by military means, but due to various internal and external factors, these regimes did not last long, resulting in frequent regime changes. The Ten Kingdoms refer to the ten or so secessionist regimes that existed during this period, in addition to the five dynasties mentioned above. These regimes included the Former Shu, Later Shu, Wu, Southern Tang, Wu Yue, Min, Chu, Southern Han, Nanping (Jingnan), and Northern Han. Each of these regimes controlled a certain territory and had its own military and political systems, but most of them were eventually annexed by more powerful forces over the course of the history of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.
Song Dynasty: divided into the Northern Song Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty, the Northern Song Dynasty 960-1127, and the Southern Song Dynasty 1127-1279. During the Song Dynasty, China's economy and culture continued to develop, and science and technology made significant progress.
Yuan Dynasty: Founded by the Mongols from 1260 to 1368, Genghis Khan's grandson Kublai Khan completed the unification of China.
Ming Dynasty: 1368-1644, the last dynasty of Chinese feudal society, in the last years of the Ming Dynasty, the feudal system gradually declined.
Qing Dynasty: Founded by the Manchus from 1644 to 1911, it was the last feudal dynasty in China.
The above is a rough chronology of Chinese history, and each dynasty also contains historical events from different periods, which together form a picture of China's long history.