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Possible start of Xia Dynasty, China's first dynasty- ending in 1600 BCE.
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Start of Shang Dynasty, during which a system of writing emerged and large cities were built- ending in 1122 BCE.
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Start of Zhou Dynasty, China's longest-ruling dynasty- ending in 221 BCE
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Siddhartha Guatama (later known as Buddha) is born: his teachings will form the basis of Buddhism.
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Chinese philosopher teacher and author is born.
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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
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The manufacture of steel begins in China
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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.
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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.
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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