| ~BC 2850 – ~BC 2600 |
This period encompasses the reigns of the Three
Sovereigns, Fu Xi, Shen
Nong, and Huang Di. Their reigns and those of their named successors
are thought to be periods of unsurpassed well-being for the people and
governments of China. (szj) Fu Xi, is the name of the semi-mythical first emperor. He is credited with discovering/inventing the basic trigrams used in divination when using the Yi Jing, the Book of Changes. He is also supposed to have contributed to the invention of the Chinese writing system, the concept of yin and yang as well as their relationships to the five elements, and many of common acts of everyday Chinese life: weaving, cooking, fishing, hunting, and ritual sacrifices. His successor was Shen Nong, who introduced the practice of agriculture and the six grains to the Chinese people. He is considered a father of Chinese medicine, having devoted much effort to finding and classifying the medicinal uses of herbs. Huang Di (the Yellow Emperor) is considered to be the progenitor of the Han Chinese people (the overwhelmingly predominant ethnicity in modern China). He and Shen Nong are jointly called the fathers of Chinese medicine. He also is believed to have created the styles of official garments and procedures for ceremonial rites. He later came to be considered one of the chief deities of the Daoist religion. |
| ~BC 2600 – ~BC 2360 |
A series of rulers, many of them related to Huang Di, hold the throne. There followed the reigns of the Two Emperors (szj), Tang Yao and Yu Shun. Because of their wisdom and their moral qualities, their reigns are said to have been a Golden Age in China’s history. |
| BC 2357 | Tang Yao’s reign begins. The prosperity experienced under the Three Sovereigns continues during this time. Being a wise ruler, he realized that his son is unfit to succeed him as ruler and thus Tang Yao consulted the wise men of the country. They proposed Yu Shun as being worthy of the throne and Tang Yao abdicated in Yu Shun’s favor. In addition, Tang Yao offered two of his own daughters to be wives of Yu Shun. |
| BC 2258 | Tang Yao abdicates in favor of Yu Shun and dies soon after. The good fortune and prosperity of the country continue. Raised to be the ruler from humble beginnings, Yu Shun is noted for his modesty and filial piety. |
| BC 2205 | Emulating his predecessor, Yu Shun abdicates in favor
of
Xia Yu, who
becomes the first king of the Xia Dynasty, the first named dynasty.
Previously, imperial succession was determined by merit; Xia Yu
instituted the practice of familial accession to the throne. Before Xia
Yu, the mandate of heaven (heavenly approval of a ruler) was thought to
be allocated to one man; after Xia Yu, it was allocated to families
(dynasties).(szj) During his reign, one of Xia Yu’s actions was to have cast nine bronze tripods, each designating one of the regions of the country. During the fractured times too come, a measure of the strength of a ruler was (at least metaphorically) calculated by the number of these tripods that he possessed. Xia Yu therefore founded the first dynasty and the first three dynasties’ (Xia, Shang and Zhou) founders (Xiang Yu, Shang Tong, and Wu are referred to as the Three Kings. They are accorded the special titles because their reigns were no less successful than that of the Three Sovereigns and the Two Emperors. |
| BC 2198 | Xia Yu dies and his son accedes to the throne.
Prosperity and peace continue. However, as time passes, conditions worsen, and the final emperor of the dynasty, (Jie) was considered to be a tyrant and unworthy of his post. |
| BC 1766 | Shang Tang leads a revolution (said to be the first in China’s history), deposes Jie and establishes the Shang Dynasty. |
| BC 1754 | Shang Tang dies. The Shang dynasty continues for about six hundred years, culminating with the unworthy emperor Zhou, under whose rule social disruption and lack of morality abound. (Although names of the emperor and the dynasty are identical in English, in Chinese they are written with different characters.) |
| BC 1122 | King Wu, of the state of Zhou, the son of King Wen,
overthrows Zhou
and establishes the Zhou Dynasty. Wen and Wu are considered to count as
one ruler in the San Zi Jing, and indeed, more generally, in making up
one third of the Three Kings. They are said to have had complementary
skills and virtues; Wen is renowned for his scholarly qualities and Wu
for his military prowess. The beginning of this dynasty
reintroduced a
period of prosperity and well-bA_Chronology_of_China.html#eing in China. In fact, although the
dynasty saw periods of extreme hardship and wars, it can be considered
a “golden age” in Chinese history, as many of the outstanding figures
in Chinese arts and philosophy flourished then. Although the Zhou dynasty is the longest lived of the Chinese dynasties, extending over a period of more than 800 years, its history is complex. Initially, the capital was the city of Xi’an in present-day Shanxi province. This part of the Zhou Dynasty is called the Western Zhou. Poor leadership led to military defeat and the removal of the capital to Luoyang in Henan province, giving rising to the appellation Eastern Zhou. During the Eastern Zhou, the emperor was more or less a figurehead, with real power being in the hands of a multitude of local nobles. These leaders contended increasingly among themselves. This period, roughly the first half of the Eastern Zhou, is called the Spring and Autumn Period, named for the official chronicle of the events of these times, The Annals of Spring and Autumn, whose authorship is attributed to Confucius. At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period these minor states had consolidated into seven, and the contention among these gave rise to the period’s name: the Warring States Period. Although it is true that during the last 35 years of the Warring States Period, there was no Zhou emperor, these years are considered to be part of the Zhou dynasty. |
| BC 1115 | King Wu of Zhou dies and the Duke of Zhou serves as the regent. The Duke of Zhou is the author of the Rites of Zhou one of the traditional classics of Confucianism. He is also attributed with completion of the Book of Changes, the Yi Jing, another classic text. |
| BC 771 | The last ruler of the Western Zhou, King You is killed. The deposed emperor is known for his manifest inability to rule, for attention to pleasures of the flesh, and cupidity. |
| BC 770 | King Ping, son of King You, moves the capital from Xi’an to Luoyang. This move marks the beginning of the Eastern Zhou and also the Spring and Autumn period. |
| BC 722 | The Annals of Spring and Autumn, containing the pertinent historical records of the Eastern Zhou, is begun. |
| BC 720 | King Ping dies. |
| BC 604 | Lao Zi, one of the most important and influential figures in Chinese history, is born. He was a philosopher and is considered to be the author of the Dao De Jing, The Classic of Morality, a foundational work not only of philosophy, but also the Daoist religion. He is one of the five philosophers the San Zi Jing recommends to study. |
| BC 551 | Kong Fu Zi, Confucius (szj), is born. He is perhaps the most influential character in the development of the Chinese people and influenced as well, the cultures of Japan, Korea, and several Southeast Asian countries. He is reputed to be the author of several works of great significance in Chinese history. |
| BC 531 | Lao Zi dies. |
| BC 515 | About this time, Confucius meets the young boy Xiang Tuo and becomes his student. |
| BC 481 | The Annals of Spring and Autumn are concluded and thus ends the period. |
| BC 479 | Confucius dies. His disciples subsequently gathered together various of his quotes and actions and compiled them into a book, the Lun Yu, known in English as the Analects of Confucius. |
| BC 480 | The Warring States period begins. As during the Spring and Autumn period, the Zhou emperor was a figurehead, with power widely distributed among many lands and lords. During this time, the number of contending states was reduced to seven; their leaders are referred to as the Seven Heroes. By the end of this period, there was only one victor, the state of Qin. |
| Su Qin, who pricked himself with an awl to keep awake during his studies, is born. | |
| BC 372 | Meng Zi, Mencius, is born. A philosopher who is said to have studied with Confucius’ grandson, Mencius is perhaps second only to Confucius himself as an exponent and developer of Confucianism. |
| BC 314 | The last emperor of Zhou, King Nan, begins his rule. |
| BC 313 | The philosophers Zhuang Zi and Xun Zi are born. Zhuang Zi expanded and extended the theories of Daoism and Xun Zi was a Confucian philosopher, although he expressed some views in stark contrast with those of, for example, Mencius. The San Zi Jing, for instance, takes Mencius’ position that men are innately good, while Xun Zi held the opposite viewpoint. Xun Zi’s ideas were the foundation of a later school of philosophy, called Legalism, founded by Han Fei Zi. |
| BC 289 | Mencius dies. |
| BC 284 | Su Qin dies. |
BC 280 |
Han Fei Zi is born. He is noted for founding the Legalist school of Chinese philosophy adopted by the first Qin emperor, Qin Shi Huang Di, born in 259 BC. |
| BC 259 | Ying Zheng, who is to become the first Qin emperor, is born. |
| BC 256 | The Eastern Zhou dynasty comes to an end at then hands of the Qin. |
| BC 247 | Liu Bang, who is to become the first emperor of the Han dynasty, is born. |
| BC 238 | Xun Zi dies. His works are complied into the book known as the Xunzi. |
| BC 233 | Han Fei Zi dies. |
| BC 230 | Zhuang Zi dies and Hu Hai, the son of Ying Zheng and who is to become the second Qin emperor, is born. |
| BC 221 | The state of Qin, ruled by Ying Zheng absorbs all other states, thereby unifying China. Ying Zheng titles himself Shi Huang Di, the first emperor. After the Qin Dynasty falls, he is known as Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of the Qin. His reign is noted for many things: the construction of a national road system and an elaborately huge mausoleum guarded by a the Terra Cotta Warriors, and the standardization of weights and measures and the writing system. |
| BC 214 | Qin Shi Huang begins the construction of the Great Wall. |
| BC 213 | Qin Shi Huang orders all books burned, except those on medicine, agriculture and divination. |
| BC 212 | Qin Shi Huang orders killed 460 Confucian scholars as part of his campaign against Confucianism. Another aspect of this struggle is his ordering the destruction of all non-useful books, the useful ones being those concerning medicine, astronomy, and agriculture. |
| BC 210 | Qin Shi Huang dies and is succeeded by a son, but his dynasty lasts only four more years. |
| BC 206 | Liu Bang occupies the Qin
capital, thus ending the Qin Dynasty and resolving the chaos that
ensued the death of the last Qin emperor. Liu Bang’s primary adversary
was one Xiang Yu of the state of Chu. Xiang Yu’s defeat frees
Liu Bang to claim the throne. Liu Bang founds the Han Dynasty as the emperor known in death as Gao Zu (High Grandfather). The Han Dynasty lasted more than 400 years and is considered one of the greatest periods in Chinese history. Ethnic Chinese today identify themselves as "Han" Chinese to distinguish themselves from people of other ethnicities within China’s borders. During the Han Dynasty, Confucianism became the official ideology and China expanded its influence to many surrounding countries. It was at this time that the tributary system was developed, whereby non-Chinese states affirmed theoretical allegiance to China while remaining essentially autonomous. The Han Dynasty is also noted for the high degree of it culture and arts, as well as for its technical advancement and military prowess. It also suffered from periods of unrest and there was even a brief interruption by the intrusion of a Han-based usurper who founded the short-lived Xin Dynasty that serves as the boundary between the Western (or Former) and the Eastern (or Later) Han Dynasties. The paragon of Filial Piety Xiang (szj) lived during this dynasty. |
| BC 200 | Gong Sunhong, who started his studies late in poverty, is born. |
| Lu Wen Shu, another scholar who rose against all odds due to his diligence and application, is born. | |
| BC 195 | Han Gao Zu dies. |
| BC 145 | Sima Qian is born. In the Chinese scholarly world Sima Qian is of unrivaled importance. He is counted as the Father of Chinese Historiography, occupying the same status in that discipline as Herodotus does in the West. Further enhancing his reputation is the fact of his suffering castration as the result of his upholding before the emperor the reputation of an unsuccessful general. |
| BC 135 | Lu Wen Shu, another scholar who rose against all odds due to his diligence and application flourished around this time. |
| BC 121 | Gong Sunhong dies. |
| BC 115 | Zhu Maichen, who propped up his study books on the wood bundles he was carrying, dies. |
| BC 104 | Sima Qian is punished by Han Wu Di (the fifth Han emperor), and thus becomes a eunuch. |
| BC 86 | Sima Qian dies, having written Shi Ji or Historical Records. This work encompasses roughly the first three thousand years of Chinese history; many of the details related above are first related in this work. |
| BC 53 | Yangzi (szj), a philosopher whose works the classic cites as essential, is born. |
| BC 45 | Wang Mang is born. It is he who founds the above mentioned short-lived Xin Dynasty. |
| AD 1 | Han Ping Di, the last of the Former Han emperors, ascends the throne. |
| AD 5 | Han Ping Di is killed by Wang Mang. |
| AD 8 | Wang Mang establishes the Xin Dynasty and the Western Han Dynasty comes to an end. |
| AD 13 | Yangzi dies. |
| AD 23 | Liu Xiu (Han Guang Wu Di) defeats Wang Mang who dies. |
| AD 25 | Han Guang Wu Di establishes the Eastern Han Dynasty. |
| AD 153 | Kong Rong, one of the exemplars of filial piety mentioned in the first section of the San Zi Jing is born (szj). He is a twentieth generation descendant of Confucius. |
| AD 177 | Cai Wen Ji is born. She is one of the exemplars of education mentioned in the last section of the San Zi Jing (szj). |
| AD 189 | Han Xian Di, the last of the Han emperors ascends the throne. |
| AD 192 | Cai Wenji is banished to live among a tribe of Mongolian barbarians.. |
| AD 208 | Kong Rong is executed. |
| AD 220 | Han Xian Di is forced to abdicate and thus the Han Dynasty ends, the kingdom known as the Cao Wei is established, and the time of unrest called the Three Kingdoms period begins. The unrest actually begins during the reign of Han Wu Di and is well established at the time of his death. The other two of the three kingdoms are soon established. |
| AD 221 | Liu Bei establishes the Shu Han kingdom (the second of the Three Kingdoms) in Sichuan. |
| AD 222 | Sun Quan establishes the Kingdom of Dong Wu (the third of the Three Kingdoms). |
| AD 223 | Liu Bei dies. |
| AD 250 | Cai Wenji dies. |
| AD 252 | Sun Quan dies. |
| AD 263 | The Shu Han kingdom is conquered by the Cao Wei. |
| AD 265 | Wei Yuan Di, the last king of the
Cao Wei, abdicates to Sima Yan who establishes the Jin Dynasty and
styles himself Jin Wu Di. It is during this dynasty that Sun Jing lived. He is an example of ingenuity in overcoming difficulties in studying. Also this is the dynasty of Che Yin, who ingeniously found alternatives for night-time lighting. |
| AD 280 | The Dong Wu kingdom is conquered by Jin and China is unified again. This unification is expressed metaphorically by the statement that the nine bronze tripods were again in the control of one family, the founders of the Jin Dynasty. Although unified, China does not experience a period of peace; the next 300 years are times of turmoil and upheaval. |
| AD 317 | After a devastating civil war, the Eastern Jin is ended and the court moves to near Nanjing, marking the beginning of the Western Jin Dynasty. |
| AD 340 | Xie Dao Yun, noted woman poet, is born. (approximate) |
| AD 386 | The Northern Wei Dynasty is is established, the first of the Northern Dynasties, all of which were formed by non-Han Chinese peoples. |
| AD 399 | Xie Dao Yun dies. (approximate) |
| AD 420 | The last of the Jin emperors abdicates and this marks the beginning of the Liu Song Dynasty, the first of the Southern Dynasties. |
| AD 541 | Yang Jian, who is to become the founding emperor of the short-lived Sui Dynasty is born. |
| AD 566 | Li Yuan, who is to found the Tang Dynastty, is born. After his death he is known as Emperor Gao Zu. |
| AD 581 | Yang Jian bloodily establishes the Sui Dynasty and rules as Emperor Wen. |
| AD 582 | Li Mi, a child prodigy (szj) is born. |
| AD 589 | The Sui completes its unification of China. |
| AD 618 | The oppressive Sui Dynasty is overthrown and Gao Zu
establishes the Tang
Dynasty is established. Li Mi dies. |
| AD 715 | Liu Yan, another child prodigy destined for greatness, is born. |
| AD 722 | Li Bi, a child prodigy (szj) is born. |
| AD 729 | Li Bi meets and impresses the Tang Emperor Xuan Zong. |
| AD 780 | Liu Yan dies. |
| AD 789 | Li Bi dies. |
| AD 907 | The Later Liang Empire is established, replacing the
Tang. This begins an unsettled period in which the empire deteriorated
into several, sometimes conflicting, regimes. This period is referred
to as the Five
Dynasties. The other four are Later Tang, Later Jin, Later
Han, and Later Zhou dynasties. Dou Yan Shan (szj), who is early cited as an exemplar of raising chidren properly, flourished during this period. |
| AD 920 | The Song dynasty is created, first as the Northern Song, then as the Southern. A new golden age in Chinese history is begun. |
| AD 922 | Zhao Pu, noted for continuing his studies even after becoming an official, is born. |
| AD 970 | The Song conclude the unification of China. A new golden age in Chinese history is begun. |
| AD 992 | Zhao Pu dies. |
| AD 1009 | Su Lao Quan, who made up for a wasted youth, is born. |
| AD 1066 | Su Lao Quan dies. |
| AD 1127 | The Song Dynasty loses control of the Northern part of China to the Jin Dynasty, which arose among a clan that is a predecessor of the Manchu ethnic group. |
| AD 1293 | The author of the San Zi Jing, Wang Ying Lin, is born. |
| AD 1234 | The Mongols, along with Song soldiers, eliminate the Jin empire. |
| AD 1271 | Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, formally declares the Yuan Dynasty, replacing the Song. Though it counts as a dynasty, the Yuan was more of a military occupation. |
| AD 1296 | Wang Ying Lin dies. |
| AD 1368 | The Ming Dynasty supercedes the Yuan. Its first emperor takes the name Hong Wu. It is during this dynasty that contacts with the West greatly increased. |
| AD 1616 | The Qing dynasty is formed in Manchuria. |