Ancient China

By phitchings
  • 2100 BCE

    2100 BCE

    Possible start of Xia Dynasty, China's first dynasty- ending in 1600 BCE.
  • 1766 BCE

    1766 BCE

    Start of Shang Dynasty, during which a system of writing emerged and large cities were built- ending in 1122 BCE.
  • 1122 BCE

    1122 BCE

    Start of Zhou Dynasty, China's longest-ruling dynasty- ending in 221 BCE
  • 563 BCE

    563 BCE

    Siddhartha Guatama (later known as Buddha) is born: his teachings will form the basis of Buddhism.
  • 551 BCE

    551 BCE

    Chinese philosopher teacher and author is born.
  • 220 BCE

    220 BCE

    Qin Shi Huang begins work to join up and extend a number of separate mud-brick defences built by lords during the Zhou Dynasty. This will become one of the strongest defences ever built- the Great wall of China
  • 100 BCE

    100 BCE

    The manufacture of steel begins in China
  • 220

    220 CE

    The Han Dynasty ends and the empire is divided into the three kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu, which fight each other for control of China for 60 years.
  • 690

    690 CE

    Wu Zhao becomes the only woman in the history of China to rule as Empress Regent, she forms her own dynasty, the Zhou, interrupting the Tang Dynasty for 15 years.

  • 1644 CE

    Start of Qing Dynasty the last imperial dynasty in China, and a period of rule by an ethnic minority in China known as the Machu-ending in 1912