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The Han dynasty ended in the year 220. The Han dynasty lasted for more than 400 years.
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During the time China split in to several rival kingdoms each ruled by military leaders. Historians sometimes call the time of disorder that followed the collapse of the Han the Period of Disunion.
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Porcelain was invented in the 600s during the Tang dynasty. Porcelain is a thin, beautiful type of pottery.
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Married to a sickly emperor, Empress Wu became the virtual ruler of China in 655. She ruled with an iron fist. Those who threatened her power risked death.
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A form of printing in which an entire page is carved into a block of wood. The printer puts ink on the block of wood and then presses it to paper. Woodblock printing was invented around 700s.
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Around 1000 the dragon backbone pump was invented. It allowed one person to do the work of others. The pump is used by farmer to scoop up water and dump it in the irrigation canals.
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To meet the increasing demand for silk fabric, the Chinese developed the spinning wheel in 1035. It helped make slik much faster and easier.
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The movable type was invent in 1045. It made printing faster and easier. It allowed people to move letters and words to make a page.
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The term neo means "new". Neo-Confucism was similar to the older philosphy, but also emphasized spiritual matters. It began in 1100.
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The nomadic people who attacked the Chinese were the Mongols. In 1206, Timujin united them. When he was leader he was given a new title "Universal Ruler" or Genghis Khan.
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Genghis Khan led his armies to northern China in 1211. They fought their way south, wrecking whole towns and ruining farmland.
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Genghis Khan died in 1227. By the time he died all of northern China was under Mongol control.
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In 1260 Genghis Khan's grandson became ruler of the Mongol Empire. Kublai completed the conquest of China.
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A Mongol army sailed to Japan in 1274. Violent storms and fierce defenders destroyed most of the Mongol force.
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Kublai Khan became a ruler of the Mongol Empire. He comepleted the conquest of China and declared himself emperor and he began the Yuan dynasty.
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Mongol army sailed to Japan again in 1281. The voyage was tuff just like the first.
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In the 1300s many Chinese groups rebelled against the Yuan dynasty. In 1368 a former mok named Zhu Yuanzhang took charge of a rebel army and led his army in a final victory over the Mogols.
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Ming China proved to be one of the most stable and prosperous times in Chinese history. The Ming expanded China's overseas and did incredible building projects across China.
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The Forbidden City was built in Beijing. In the building there was 9,000 rooms! Durring the 1400s the emperors were building the Forbidden City.
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The Great Wall was built in the 600s BC (or BCE) to block out intruders. It was restored in the Ming dynasty in 1410.
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Paper money was invented by the Song in the 900s. It lasted for about 700 years.
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A mixture of powders used by guns and explosives. It was first made for fireworks then over time used for small bombs and rockets.
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The world's first printed book was printed in 868. It was printed with woodblock printing.
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The Sui dynasty was a very short dynasty. It began after the Period of Disunsion ended.
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The Tang dynasty arose in China in 618 when a former Sui offical overthrew the old government. The Tang dynasty ruled for nearly 300 years.
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The Song dynasty reuinified China in 962. The Song dynasty was a time of great achievements.
