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The start of the Xia Dynasty, the Xia Dynasty was the first dynasty in traditional Chinese history. The Xia Dynasty was the first government to emerge in ancient China and became the first to stick to the policy of dynastic succession.
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The Shang Dynasty was the second dynasty of China with succeeded the Xia Dynasty. Since many historians question whether the Xia Dynasty really existed, the Shang Dynasty may have actually been the first in China and the origin of what has come to be recognized as Chinese culture.
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The Zhou Dynasty was the longest lasting dynasty in China. It came after the Shang Dynasty and was ended when Qin captured the city of Chengzhou in 256 BCE. The long history of the Zhou Dynasty is normally divided into two different periods, Western Zhou (1046-771 BCE) and Eastern Zhou (770-256 BCE).
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Taoism (Daoism) is a Chinese philosophy attributed to Lao Tzu (c. 500 BCE) which contributed to the folk religion of the people primarily in the rural areas of China and became the official religion of the country under the Tang Dynasty.
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Confucius was an influential Chinese philosopher, teacher and political figure known for his popular observations and for his models of social interaction.
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Legalism was a philosophy of administration in ancient China. Upon first acquaintance with this system, it seems no more than an attempt by political administrators for their having total political control of their societies.
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China was at this time divided and in disarray, after the collapse of the Han dynasty. In the chaos of the times, Chinese people were attracted to Buddhism partly because it addressed questions of suffering and death in a way that China's own traditions did not.
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