Beyond the Mediterranean: Ancient Libraries in China and India By raitalin Period: 1600 BCE to 1046 BCE Shang Dynasty 1401 BCE Earliest Chinese Libraries Discovered in the 19th century, there is extensive evidence that the collection of information by the Chinese began as early as the 15th century BCE. These collections consisted of etched "oracle bones" and tortoise shells. Period: 1046 BCE to 256 BCE Zhou Dynasty Period: 770 BCE to 221 BCE Spring and Autumn Period, Warring States Period Period: 221 BCE to 206 BCE Qin Dynasty Period: 206 BCE to 220 Han Dynasty Period: 220 to 280 Three Kingdoms Period: 265 to 420 Jin Dynasty Period: 420 to 589 Southern and Northern Dynasties Period: 581 to Feb 11, 618 Sui Dynasty
