China Timeline

China 43

2070 BC – 1600 BC Xia Dynasty China's legendary first dynasty — c.2070–1600 BC The Xia is traditionally regarded as China's first dynasty, founded by Yu the Great who tamed the great floods by building canals. Archaeological evidence at Erlitou suggests a complex society existed in this period, though the Xia remains partly legendary. The dynasty established the principle of hereditary succession that would define Chinese governance for millennia.
2070 BC Yu the Great founds the Xia Dynasty Tamer of floods, father of Chinese civilisation Yu the Great gained legendary status by spending 13 years controlling the catastrophic Yellow River floods, reportedly not returning home even when passing his own door. His success led to him being named successor to Emperor Shun. When he died, his son Qi inherited the throne — establishing hereditary monarchy in China for the first time.
1600 BC – 1046 BC Shang Dynasty First historically verified dynasty — oracle bones and bronze The Shang dynasty is the earliest Chinese dynasty confirmed by archaeological evidence. Its kings communicated with ancestors through oracle bone inscriptions — the earliest form of Chinese writing. The Shang excelled in bronze casting, producing ritual vessels of extraordinary craftsmanship. Their capital at Yin (modern Anyang) was excavated in the 20th century, revealing a sophisticated urban civilisation.
1200 BC Oracle bone script — earliest Chinese writing Divination records become the oldest Chinese texts Shang dynasty diviners inscribed questions to royal ancestors on ox bones and turtle shells, then applied heat to crack them and read the omens. These oracle bones, discovered at Anyang in 1899, contain the earliest confirmed Chinese writing — over 4,500 distinct characters. They record royal hunts, harvests, wars, and astronomical observations, giving us a vivid window into Shang court life.
1046 BC – 256 BC Zhou Dynasty Longest dynasty — Confucius, Taoism and the Hundred Schools of Thought The Zhou dynasty lasted nearly 800 years — the longest in Chinese history. It introduced the Mandate of Heaven (Tianming), the doctrine that rulers govern by divine sanction and lose it through misrule. The later Eastern Zhou period, despite political fragmentation, was China's greatest intellectual age — producing Confucius, Laozi, Sun Tzu and dozens of competing philosophical schools.
551 BC – 479 BC Confucius 551–479 BC — founder of Confucianism Kong Qiu (Confucius) was born in the state of Lu in 551 BC. His teachings on social harmony, filial piety, ritual propriety and benevolent government became the foundation of Chinese civilisation for 2,500 years. His conversations were recorded by disciples in the Analects. Confucianism shaped Chinese government, education, family structure and ethics more profoundly than any other single thinker.
544 BC – 496 BC Sun Tzu writes The Art of War The most influential military treatise in history Sun Tzu (Sun Wu) was a military strategist from the state of Wu during the Spring and Autumn period. His Art of War — 13 chapters on strategy, deception, terrain and leadership — is the oldest and most widely read military manual ever written. It has influenced military commanders, business strategists and political leaders worldwide for 2,500 years.
500 BC Laozi and the founding of Taoism The Tao Te Ching — the way of nature and non-action Laozi (meaning "Old Master") is the legendary founder of Taoism, traditionally credited with writing the Tao Te Ching — 81 short chapters on the nature of the Tao (the Way). His philosophy of wu wei (non-action, going with the natural flow) stands in elegant contrast to Confucius's emphasis on ritual and duty. Taoism became one of China's three great philosophical traditions alongside Confucianism and Buddhism.
246 BC – 208 BC Construction of the Great Wall begins Linking earlier walls into a unified northern defence Qin Shi Huang ordered the linking and extension of existing northern walls into a continuous defensive barrier against Xiongnu nomads. Hundreds of thousands of workers — soldiers, peasants and convicts — built the wall under brutal conditions. This early wall was largely of earth and wood; the iconic stone wall seen today was built by the Ming dynasty. The wall represents the most ambitious construction project of the ancient world.
221 BC – 206 BC Qin Dynasty — First unified China Qin Shi Huang unifies the warring states In 221 BC, Ying Zheng of the state of Qin conquered the last of the warring states and proclaimed himself Qin Shi Huang — First Emperor of China. He standardised weights, measures, currency, axle widths and writing across the empire, creating the template for Chinese civilisation. His dynasty lasted only 15 years but its legacy shaped China for two millennia. The name "China" derives from "Qin".
221 BC – 210 BC Qin Shi Huang — First Emperor of China 221–210 BC — unifier, tyrant, visionary Ying Zheng became king of Qin at age 13 and conquered all rival states by 221 BC, aged 38. As First Emperor he standardised writing, currency, weights and measures across China, built the first Great Wall, and connected the empire with roads and canals. He also burned books and buried scholars alive to suppress dissent. He spent his final years obsessively seeking immortality. His terracotta army of 8,000 warriors was discovered in 1974.
210 BC Terracotta Army buried with Qin Shi Huang 8,000 warriors guard the emperor in death Qin Shi Huang was buried in a vast mausoleum near Xi'an, guarded by an army of 8,000 life-size terracotta soldiers, horses and chariots — each with individual facial features. The tomb complex also reportedly contained rivers of mercury representing the empire's waterways. The terracotta warriors were accidentally discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974 and are now considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in history.
202 BC – 220 Han Dynasty The golden age that defined what it means to be Chinese The Han dynasty ruled for over 400 years and is considered China's first golden age. It consolidated Confucianism as state ideology, expanded the empire into Central Asia, and opened the Silk Road. Paper was invented during the Han period. The ethnic majority of China still call themselves "Han people" after this dynasty. It fell to internal rebellion and warlordism — giving rise to the Three Kingdoms period immortalised in Chinese literature.
130 BC Silk Road opens under Emperor Wu Zhang Qian's mission links China to Central Asia and Rome Emperor Wu of Han sent diplomat Zhang Qian on a mission to forge alliances in Central Asia around 130 BC. Though the military alliance failed, Zhang Qian returned with knowledge of previously unknown kingdoms and trade routes. This opened the Silk Road — the network of overland and maritime routes connecting China to Rome via Central Asia, Persia and the Middle East, carrying silk, spices, glass, and ideas for the next 1,500 years.
105 BC Paper invented in China Cai Lun develops papermaking — the most transformative invention in history Although early forms of paper existed earlier, court official Cai Lun standardised and improved papermaking around 105 AD using bark, hemp, rags and fishing nets. Paper replaced heavy bamboo and silk as the writing medium of choice. It spread along the Silk Road to the Islamic world by the 8th century and to Europe by the 12th century, eventually enabling the printing press and the information revolution of the Renaissance.
220 – 589 Three Kingdoms, Jin & Northern/Southern Dynasties Fragmentation, war and cultural richness — 220–589 AD After the Han collapse, China split into the Three Kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu — immortalised in the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Brief reunification under Jin was followed by further fragmentation as nomadic peoples established kingdoms in the north while Chinese dynasties continued in the south. Despite political chaos, the period saw rich artistic, literary and philosophical development.
581 – 618 Sui Dynasty — reunification and the Grand Canal Brief but transformative — laying the ground for the Tang golden age The Sui dynasty reunified China after nearly four centuries of division. Emperor Yang ordered the construction of the Grand Canal — at 1,794 km the world's longest canal — linking the Yellow River and Yangtze River systems and enabling efficient grain transport across the empire. The dynasty overextended itself in failed invasions of Korea and collapsed after only 38 years, but its infrastructure legacy lasted for centuries.
618 – 907 Tang Dynasty — China's cosmopolitan golden age Poetry, silk, Buddhism and the world's largest empire The Tang dynasty is widely considered China's cultural peak. Its capital Chang'an (modern Xi'an) was the world's largest city with over a million inhabitants, cosmopolitan with merchants, monks and diplomats from across Asia. The Tang produced China's greatest poets — Li Bai and Du Fu — and saw Buddhism flourish. Woodblock printing was invented. China's civil service examination system was refined into the model used for 1,300 years.
618 – 907 Woodblock printing invented in China Reproducing text at scale — precursor to Gutenberg During the Tang dynasty, Chinese craftsmen developed woodblock printing — carving an entire page of text and images into a wooden block, inking it and pressing paper against it. The world's oldest dated printed book, the Diamond Sutra (868 AD), was produced using this technique. It was brought to Europe via the Silk Road, where it inspired Gutenberg's movable type press six centuries later.
690 – 705 Wu Zetian — China's only female emperor 690–705 AD — sole empress regnant in Chinese history Wu Zetian rose from concubine to become the only woman in Chinese history to assume the title of Empress Regnant, ruling in her own name from 690 to 705 AD. She expanded the civil service examination, promoted officials based on merit rather than birth, extended the empire, and commissioned major Buddhist works. She ruled effectively for 15 years before being forced to abdicate aged 80.
907 – 1279 Five Dynasties & Song Dynasty Gunpowder, printing, compass — China leads the world in technology The Song dynasty oversaw an economic and technological revolution. Gunpowder weapons, movable type printing (Bi Sheng, 1040), and the magnetic compass were all developed or perfected during this period. China's population reached 100 million. Despite never matching the Tang's military power and eventually losing northern China to the Jurchen Jin dynasty, the Song's commercial economy and urban culture were the most sophisticated in the world.
1040 Bi Sheng invents movable type Ceramic movable type — 400 years before Gutenberg Around 1040 AD, artisan Bi Sheng developed the world's first movable type system using individually carved ceramic characters that could be arranged, inked and reused. Though less practical than Gutenberg's later metal type for Chinese due to the thousands of characters required, Bi Sheng's invention is the first demonstration of the movable type principle. It later spread to Korea and Japan before reaching Europe.
1271 – 1368 Yuan Dynasty — Mongol rule under Kublai Khan China conquered by the Mongols — Marco Polo arrives Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, completed the Mongol conquest of China and founded the Yuan dynasty in 1271. The Mongols connected China to the largest contiguous land empire in history, facilitating trade and cultural exchange across Eurasia. Venetian merchant Marco Polo visited Kublai Khan's court around 1275 and his account introduced China's wonders to European readers. The Yuan dynasty was overthrown by Chinese peasant rebel Zhu Yuanzhang in 1368.
1275 – 1292 Marco Polo visits China At the court of Kublai Khan — East meets West Venetian merchant Marco Polo traveled to China around 1275 and spent approximately 17 years in the service of Kublai Khan, traveling extensively across the empire. His account, The Travels of Marco Polo (c.1300), described China's cities, technologies and wealth with astonishment — paper money, coal, vast cities, efficient postal systems. Though initially disbelieved, his account inspired Christopher Columbus and shaped European imagination of the East for centuries.
1368 – 1644 Ming Dynasty — the Great Wall and Zheng He's voyages Native Chinese rule restored — isolation and grandeur The Ming dynasty restored native Han Chinese rule and presided over one of China's most prosperous and culturally rich periods. The Forbidden City was built in Beijing (1406–20), the Great Wall was rebuilt in brick and stone to its present form, and Admiral Zheng He led seven enormous naval expeditions across Southeast Asia, India and East Africa (1405–33). China then turned inward, abandoning maritime expansion and eventually falling to the Manchu Qing.
1405 – 1433 Zheng He's great voyages The largest fleet in history sails to Africa — then China turns inward Between 1405 and 1433, Muslim eunuch admiral Zheng He led seven extraordinary naval expeditions commanding fleets of up to 300 ships and 28,000 men — vessels far larger than anything European sailors had. He reached Southeast Asia, India, the Persian Gulf and the East African coast, establishing tributary relationships and collecting exotic animals. After his death, the Ming court banned further voyages, destroying the ships and records — one of history's great "what ifs."
1406 – 1420 Forbidden City built in Beijing 980 buildings, 8,700 rooms — the world's largest palace complex Emperor Yongle ordered the construction of the Forbidden City between 1406 and 1420, employing an estimated million workers and 100,000 craftsmen. The complex of 980 buildings covering 72 hectares served as the Chinese imperial palace for 24 emperors across the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was the political and ceremonial heart of China for nearly 500 years. Today it is the world's most visited museum.
1644 – 1912 Qing Dynasty — China's last imperial dynasty Manchu rule, the Opium Wars and the collapse of empire The Qing dynasty was founded by the Manchu people of northeastern Asia who conquered a weakened Ming China. At its height under Kangxi and Qianlong emperors (1661–1799), the Qing ruled the largest empire in Chinese history. But the 19th century brought catastrophe — the Opium Wars forced humiliating concessions to Britain, the Taiping Rebellion killed 20–30 million people, and the empire failed to modernise in the face of Western imperialism. The last emperor Puyi abdicated in 1912.
1661 – 1722 Emperor Kangxi — longest-reigning Chinese emperor 61 years on the throne — a Qing golden age The Kangxi Emperor ruled from 1661 to 1722 — 61 years, the longest reign of any Chinese emperor. He consolidated Qing control over China and Taiwan, repelled Russian expansion in the north (Treaty of Nerchinsk, 1689 — China's first Western-style treaty), patronised arts and scholarship, and commissioned vast encyclopaedias. Under Kangxi the Qing empire reached its greatest stability and prosperity.
1839 – 1842 First Opium War Britain forces China to open — the century of humiliation begins Britain went to war with China to force it to continue accepting opium imports from British India, which China had banned. The technologically superior British fleet defeated China decisively. The 1842 Treaty of Nanking ceded Hong Kong to Britain, opened five treaty ports, and paid a massive indemnity. It was the first of the "unequal treaties" that humiliated China and began what Chinese call the "century of humiliation" lasting until 1949.
1850 – 1864 Taiping Rebellion The deadliest civil war in history — 20–30 million dead The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, led by Hong Xiuquan who believed himself Jesus's brother, controlled much of southern China from 1850 to 1864. The conflict killed an estimated 20–30 million people — more than World War I — making it the deadliest civil war in history. The Qing dynasty suppressed the rebellion with foreign help but emerged fatally weakened.
1912 Republic of China proclaimed Sun Yat-sen ends 2,000 years of imperial rule On 1 January 1912, Sun Yat-sen was inaugurated as the first president of the Republic of China, ending 2,133 years of imperial rule. The last Qing emperor, six-year-old Puyi, abdicated on 12 February 1912. The republic was almost immediately undermined by warlordism and the struggle between the Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), eventually leading to civil war.
1934 – 1935 The Long March Mao Zedong leads the Communist Party on a 9,000 km retreat Surrounded by Nationalist forces, the Chinese Communist Party's Red Army undertook the Long March — a 9,000 km tactical retreat from Jiangxi to Yan'an in Shaanxi province (1934–35). Of the 86,000 who set out, fewer than 8,000 completed the journey. The march became a founding myth of Communist China and established Mao Zedong as the undisputed party leader.
1937 – 1945 Second Sino-Japanese War Japan invades China — the Nanjing Massacre and 15 million dead Japan launched a full-scale invasion of China in July 1937. The Nanjing Massacre (December 1937) saw Japanese forces kill an estimated 200,000–300,000 civilians and prisoners of war. The war merged with World War II in 1941 and ended with Japan's surrender in 1945. An estimated 15 million Chinese died. The war accelerated the Chinese Communist Party's rise to power.
1949 People's Republic of China founded Mao Zedong proclaims the PRC — 1 October 1949 On 1 October 1949, Mao Zedong stood at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing and proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China. The Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek retreated to Taiwan. The Communist victory ended decades of civil war and foreign invasion, beginning a new era of Chinese history under single-party rule that continues to the present day.
1958 – 1962 Great Leap Forward — the worst man-made famine in history Mao's industrialisation campaign kills 15–55 million Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward (1958–62) aimed to rapidly transform China from an agrarian into a socialist industrial society through forced collectivisation and backyard steel production. The catastrophic mismanagement of agriculture, combined with officials falsifying harvest figures, caused a famine that killed between 15 and 55 million people — the deadliest famine in human history.
1966 – 1976 Cultural Revolution Mao unleashes radical youth to destroy "old China" — 1–2 million dead Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution in 1966, mobilising student Red Guards to attack the "Four Olds" — customs, culture, habits and ideas. Intellectuals, teachers and party officials were persecuted, temples destroyed, books burned. An estimated 1–2 million died directly; millions more suffered persecution, imprisonment and forced labour. The revolution paralysed China for a decade until Mao's death in 1976.
1978 Deng Xiaoping's reforms — China opens to the world "To get rich is glorious" — the greatest economic transformation in history After Mao's death, Deng Xiaoping gradually took power and launched sweeping economic reforms from 1978 — introducing market mechanisms, opening special economic zones, and welcoming foreign investment. China's economy grew at an average of nearly 10% per year for the next four decades, lifting 800 million people out of poverty — the largest poverty reduction in human history.
1989 Tiananmen Square massacre 4 June 1989 — pro-democracy protesters crushed by the military Following weeks of pro-democracy protests centred on Beijing's Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government declared martial law and sent in the army on the night of 3–4 June 1989. Tanks and soldiers killed an estimated hundreds to thousands of protesters. The iconic image of a lone man blocking a column of tanks became one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century. The crackdown ended China's brief period of political liberalisation.
1997 Hong Kong returned to China End of 156 years of British rule — "one country, two systems" At midnight on 1 July 1997, sovereignty over Hong Kong was transferred from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, ending 156 years of British colonial rule. The handover was governed by the Sino-British Joint Declaration (1984), which guaranteed Hong Kong's capitalist system and civil liberties under "one country, two systems" for 50 years. In 2020, Beijing imposed a national security law that critics said effectively ended this arrangement.
2001 China joins the World Trade Organization The world's factory enters global trade — reshaping the world economy China's accession to the World Trade Organization on 11 December 2001 was the most consequential event in global trade since World War II. It accelerated China's integration into the global economy, making it the world's manufacturing hub. Within a decade China became the world's second largest economy, overtaking Japan in 2010. Its export-driven growth transformed supply chains, prices and manufacturing employment worldwide.
2008 Beijing Olympic Games China announces itself to the world The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics opened on 8 August 2008 with a spectacular ceremony watched by an estimated 1 billion people. China topped the gold medal table with 51 golds. The games were China's symbolic coming-out party as a global superpower — a showcase of its economic achievement, organisational capability and national pride. The Bird's Nest stadium and Water Cube became global architectural icons.
2013 – 2025 Belt and Road Initiative China's trillion-dollar infrastructure plan spans 140 countries President Xi Jinping launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013 — an ambitious programme of infrastructure investment across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America, reviving the ancient Silk Road. By 2025, over 140 countries had signed BRI agreements, making it the largest infrastructure programme in history. Critics warn of "debt-trap diplomacy"; supporters see it as China's Marshall Plan.