# Timeline of Chinese Dynasties Xia dynasty (ca. 2100–ca. 1600 BCE) Shang dynasty (ca. 16000–ca. 1046 BCE) Zhou dynasty (ca. 1046–256 BCE) Qin dynasty (221–206 BCE) Han dynasties (202 BCE–220 CE) Three Kingdoms Period (220–280) Western Jin dynasty (266–316) Northern dynasties (386–581) Southern dynasties (420–589) Sui dynasty (581–618) Tang dynasty (618–907) Five dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907–979) Song dynasties (960–1279) Yuan dynasty (1260–1368) Ming dynasty (1368–1644) Qing dynasty (1644–1912) Republic Era (1912–1949) People’s Republic of China (1949–present)[^1] --- | when | dynasty | capitals | | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **c. 2100-1600 BCE** | Xia dynasty | | | **c. 1600-1050 BCE** | Shang dynasty | Capitals: near present-day Zhengzhou and Anyang | | **1046-256 BCE** | Zhou dynasty | Capitals: Hao (near present-day Xi’an) and Luoyang<br> | | | Western Zhou (ca. 1046-771 BCE) | | | | Eastern Zhou (ca. 771-256 BCE)<br> | Spring and Autumn Period (770-c.475 BCE) <br>Confucius (c.551-479 BCE) <br><br>Warring States Period (c. 475-221 BCE) | | **221-206 BCE** | Qin dynasty | Capital: Chang’an, present-day Xian <br>Qin Shihuangdi dies, 210 BCE | | **206 BCE-220 CE** | Han dynasty | | | | Western/Former Han (206 BCE-9 CE) | Capital: Chang’an (present-day Xian) <br>Confucianism officially established as basis for Chinese state by Han Wudi (r. 141-86 BCE) | | | Eastern/Later Han (25-220 CE) | Capital: Luoyang | | **220-589 CE** | Three Kingdoms period (220-265 CE) <br><br>Jin Dynasty (265-420 CE) <br>Period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-589 CE) | Period of disunity and instability following the fall of the Han; Buddhism introduced to China <br>Cao Wei, Shu Han, Dong Wu | | **581-618 CE** | Sui dynasty | Capital: Chang’an (present-day Xian) | | **618-906 CE** | Tang dynasty | Capitals: Chang’an (present-day Xian) and Luoyang | | **907-960 CE** | Five Dynasties Period | | | **960-1279** | Song dynasty | | | | Northern Song (960-1127) | Capital: Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng) | | | Southern Song (1127-1279) | Capital: (present-day Hangzhou) | | **1279-1368** | Yuan dynasty | The reign of the Mongol empire; Capital: Dadu (present-day Beijing) | | **1368-1644** | Ming dynasty | Re-establishment of rule by Han ruling house; Capitals: Nanjing and Beijing | | **1644-1912** | Qing dynasty | Reign of the Manchus; Capital: Beijing | | **1912-1949** | Republic of China | Capitals: Beijing, Wuhan, and Nanjing | | **1949-present** | People’s Republic of China | Capital: Beijing | [^2] [^1]: Ping Yao, *[[Yao. 'Women, Gender, and Sexuality in China', 2022.|Women, Gender, and Sexuality in China: A Brief History]]* (Routledge, 2022), p. i. [^2]: Amy Vladeck Heinrich, ‘CHINA—Timeline of Historical Periods’, *Asia for Educators*, retrieved 15 April 2024, http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/timelines/china_timeline.htm.