BC/BCE
2200-600 Bronze Age
2200-1700 Xia [she-'ah] (Hsia) Dynasty
2200 Yu [you] The Great
Early Dynasties
1700-1050 Shang [Shahng] Dynasty
1300-1050 Anyang Period of Shang
1050-770 Zhou ["joe"] (Chou) Dynasty
841 beginning of accurate historical dates in China
770-221 Eastern Zhou Dynasty
722-481 Spring & Autumn Period; beginning of Classical Age, which extends to the end of Han
604-531 Laozi ['loud-zih] (Lao Tzu); Nature mystic; tought the Dao ["Dow"] (Tao); wrote the Dao
De Jing (Tao Te Ching)
550-480 K'ung Fu Zi [k~ung-food-zih] (K'ung-fu Tzu, Confucius); teacher of proper conduct
513 Cast Iron
470-391 Mozi [moed-zih] (Mo Tzu); tought the Golden Rule
403-221 Warring States Period
400?-330 Lord Shang; founded Legalism and the Qin state
372-289 Meng Zi [mungd-zih] (Meng Tzu, Mencius); advocated compassionate gvt
307 cavalry, trousers
233 d. Han Fei Zi [hahn-feyd-zih]; codified Legalism: government should rule by Law, not by Compassion
221-206 Qin [chin] (Ch'in) Dynasty
221-210 Qin Shi Huang [chin-shih-'wahng], First Emperor.
202-8AD Former Han [Hahn] Dynasty
202-195 Gao Zu [gaod-zoo]; bandit chief, general, emperor
201-166 Huns invade, but are bought off by Gao Zu
200 steel manufacture
145-85 Sima Qian [sih-ma chee-'en]; wrote important history of China
141-87 r. Wu Di; "Martial Emperor"; b. 156. Expanded empire, restored Confucianism, castrated Sima Qian)
138-115 General Chang Quian [chwee-'en] opens silk route to the West
52 Huns submit to China
28 sunspot records
AD/CE
1BC-23 r. Wang Mang; Regent; frustrated reformer
2 Chinese and Roman populations about 60 million each
23 Red Eyebrows rebellion, sparked by widespread flooding, topples Wang Mang
25-220 Later Han Dynasty; capitol at Loyang
25-57 r. Guang Wu Di geomancer; suppressed Red Eyebrows, inaugurated Later Han;
succeeded by son Ming Di
39 Pliny The Elder mentions high quality of Chinese iron
97 Ban Chao [bahn chow] leads expedition to Caspian Sea, sends envoy to Parthia
105 paper, wheelbarrow
166 Greek traders visit China
184-189 Yellow Turban revolt sparked by agrarian crisis;
suppressed by generals; civil war in China
200 Cao Cao (Ts'ao Ts'ao) wins Battle of Guandu but fails to revive
Han dynasty; rules kingdom of Wei
220-581? Six Dynasties (ephemeral) in South China
220-280? Three Kingdoms in North China; Chinese era of chivalry
300 (c.) "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove" promote Daoist individualism in a time
of disorder
399-414 Faxian's pilgrimage to India
502-549 r. Liang Wu Di; promotes commerce, Buddhism
581-618 Sui [swee] Dynasty
600 (c.) block printing
607-838 Japanese embassies to China
618-906 Tang [tahng] Dynasty
618-626 r. Gao Zu (fam. Li Yuan); nominal founder of Tang
626-649 r. Tai Zong [tied-z~ung] (fam. Li Shimin); real founder of Tang
629-645 Xuanzang [shoe-ahn-zahng] (Hsuanzang) makes pilgrimage to India,
brings back Buddhist manuscripts
638 Imperial edict tolerates Nestorian Christianity
649-683 r. Gao Zong [gao-dz~ung] (fam. Li Chi)
668 Chinese forces occupy Pyongyang in Korea
680 woodblock printing, civil service; final development of civil service
examination system
683-705 r. Empress Wu Zetian [woo-dzuh-tee-'en];
concubine of Li Shimin, wife of Li Chi from 674; declared emperor 690;
ancestor of all later Tang rulers
701-762 Li Bo [lee boe] (Li Po); poet
712-756 r. Xuan Zong [shoe-ahn-z~ung] (Hsuan Tsung, fam. Li Longji); a.k.a. Ming Huang;
zenith and decline of Tang; invents Chinese opera
755-763 Rebellion of An Lushan; death of Yang Guifei,
favorite of Xuan Zong; rebellion
suppressed in 763; Tibetans plunder Xi'an
845 Buddhism persecuted; monastaries dissolved
868 Diamond Sutra printed; first complete printed book
875-884 peasant rebellion inspired by famine; Huang Zhao sacks capital; beheaded in 884
but Tang dynasty does not survive.
907-960 Five Dynasties (N. China) and Ten Kingdoms (S. China)
960-1126 Northern Song [s~ung] (Sung) Dynasty
960-976 r. Tai Zu (fam. Zhao Kuangyin); Imperial commander; 1st emperor of Song
976-997 r. Tai Zong
997-1022 r. Zhen Zong
1000 (c.) floating compass; gunpowder; large, sea-going junks
1021-1086 minister Wang Anshi; attempted agro-financial reforms but failed
1022-1063 r. Ren Zong
1024 paper currency first used in Sichuan
1030 movable type; woodblock continued more important due to
large number of characters in Chinese language
1044 (c.) flame-thrower
1063-1066 r. Ying Zong
1066-1085 r. Shen Zong [shun-z~ung] (fam. Zhao Xu); supported Wang's policies
1085-1093 r. Dowager Empress (regency) during minority of Zhao Xi; suppresses Wang's policies
1085-1101 r. Zhe Zong (fam. Zhao Xi); revived Wang's policies
1090 (c.) Astronomical clock installed at Kaifeng
1101-1125 r. Hui Zong [hweed-z~ung] (fam. Zhao Ji) paints birds and flowers, vacillates on Wang's policies
1120 (c.) Spring Festival On The Bian River: Chang Zeduan's scroll painting
depicts general prosperity of the times
1126-1234 Jin Dynasty (N. China); Manchurians remove Zhao Ji, ending
N. Song; Jin capital at Peking
1127-1279 Southern Sung Dynasty (S. China) founded by Zhao Gou [jao-go] who
flees South and pays tribute to Jin; Sung renaissance based on printing
1127-1162 r. Song Gao Zong [s~ung-aod-z~ung] (fam. Zhao Gou)
1130-1200 Zhu Xi ["jew she"]; Inventor of Neo-Confucianism, which combines
Buddhist metaphysics, Confucian ethics, and
Li/Qi (form/substance) polarity
1141 d. general Yue Fei; betrayed by prime minister
Qin Gui in aid of settlement with the Jin
1161 grenade-launching catapult
1167-1227 Genghis Khan; established Mongol Empire
1185-1241 Ogedai Khan; conquered China and Korea
1206 Genghis unifies Mongol tribes
1215-1294 Kublai Khan; founder of the Yuan dynasty
1227 Genghis' empire partitioned: Russia (Golden Horde), Persia, Central-West Asia, China
1229-1241 r. Ogedai Khan
1260 Kublai declares himself Great Khan
1260 Kublai meets Niccolo Polo, the father of Marco Polo, at Kublai's
summer palace in Shang-tu (Xanadu)
1271 Kublai begins reunification of China
1274 Mongols invade Japan but are turned back by "divine wind" (kami-kaze)
1275-1292 Marco and Niccolo Polo in China, serve Kublai Khan
1280-1368 Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty
1280-1294 r. Kublai Khan
1281 Mongols invade Japan again but are foiled again by kami-kaze typhoon
1300 (c.) cotton and sorghum; Frustrated literati invent Yuan drama, start golden age of
Chinese theater
1336-1368 r. Tamerlane; ruler of Russia, Mongolia,
India, Persia, Mesopotamia, and China
1351-1368 Yellow River flooding causes rebellions which ultimately end Yuan Dynasty
1368-1644 Ming Dynasty
1368-1398 r. Hong Wu [h~ung-woo] (fam. Zhu Yuanzhong [jew-you-ahn-j~ung]);
Beggar, rebel leader, 1st Ming emperor; expels Tamerlane from China
1398-1403 r. Jian Wen [jee-ahn-one]; grandson of Hong Wu
1403-1424 r. Yong Le [y~ung-luh]; uncle and usurper of Jian Wen. Military
expansionist. Defeated the Tatars, moved capital from Nanjing to Peking.
1405 Tamerlane dies on eve of planned re-invasion of China
1405-1433 Expeditions of Admiral Zheng He
1406-1427 Vietnam occupied by the Chinese
1421 construction begins on the Forbidden City (imperial palace) in Peking
1424-1425 r. Hong Xi
1425-1435 r. Xuan De [shoe-ahn-duh]; superior artist, strong emperor
1435-1449 r. Zheng Dong; weak emperor begins Ming decline
1472-1528 Wang Yangming; proposed philosophical idealism,
agrarian communes; many features of these, eg mutual
criticism sessions, adopted by PRC; Lu-Wang school
1592-1598 war with Japan in Korea; China fights Hideyoshi to a draw
1600 (c.) tobacco, maize, sweet potato, peanut introduced from the New World;
population of China about 150 million
1601-1610 Jesuit Matteo Ricci in Peking; Confucian literatus, Bodhisattva of Clocks
1628-1644 famine breeds banditry and rebellion, leading eventually to Ming overthrow
1644 fall of Ming; bandit Li Zicheng captures Peking; last Ming hangs
himself, but Li fails to become emperor
1644-1911 Qing [ching] (Manchu) Dynasty; "trade" porcelain
1644-1795 Four Benevolent Despots; general peace and prosperity amid
sporadic repression;
Manchu rulers impose the queue hairstyle upon all native Chinese
1644-1661 r. Shun Zhi [sh~un-jih] (Fulin) explores Buddhism, Christianity
1662-1722 r. Kang Xi [kahng-she]; model emperor; accession at age 8
1699 British arrive; British East India Company establishes post in Canton
1723-1735 r. Yongzheng [y~ung-juhng]; expands secret police
1724-1764 Cao Xueqin [tsao-shee-uh-chin]; wrote The Dream Of The Red Chamber
1736-1795 r. Qian Long [chee-ehn-l~ung]; China at greatest extent
1835-1908 Cixi [tsih-she]; dowager empress
1839-1842 First Opium War vs. Great Britain
1842 Treaty of Nanking grants trade concessions to Britain
1850-1864 Taiping rebellion; led by Hong Xiuchuan [h~ung-she-oo-chwahn],
who considered himself to be the Younger Brother of Jesus Christ.
Taiping means "Heavenly Kingdom" in Chinese.
The rebellion ended when Hong took poison in 1864.
1856-1860 Second Opium War (Anglo-French) extracts additional concessions from China.
1860 British and French troops loot and burn the Summer Palace
1860 c. "Tong Zhi Restoration" re-establishes stability, Confucian values
after suppression of rebellion. Named after the reigning emperor,
a figurehead for Cixi.
1862 Major Charles "Chinese" George Gordon successfully defends
Shanghai against Taiping forces
1862-1908 r. Cixi, Dowager Empress and effective ruler of China through a series of
figurehead child emperors.
1866-1925 Sun Yat-sen; "Father of the Republic"
1875-1908 r. Guang Xu [gwahng-shoo], nephew of Cixi; accession at age 4; figurehead emperor
1883-1885 Sino-French War; fought over Vietnam
1888-1975 Chiang Kai-shek [English "chang-kai-sheck"];
pinyin Jiang Jie-Shi [jee-ang-jee-ey-she]
1893-1976 Mao Zedong [maod-zuh-d~ung] (Mao Tse-tung)
1894-1895 First Sino-Japanese War; Fought over Korea; China lost.
The Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895
removed Korea from Chinese control
1898-1976 Jou Enlai (Chou Enlai) [joe-en-lie]
1898-1900 Boxer Rebellion
1904-? Deng Xiaoping [dung-shao-ping]
1906-1967 Henry Pu Yi [poo-yee], the Last Emperor of China
1908-1912 r. Henry Pu Yi
1912 army revolt leads to resignation of Pu Yi, formation of
Republic and Kuo Min Tang (KMT) party.
1912-1949 Chinese Republic
1913-1916 r. Yuan Shih-k'ai (President)
1915 (c.) Chinese Bible inspires literary reform, colloquial replaces
classical scholarly language
1916-1926 warlord period
1919 May Fourth Movement; students protest Treaty Of Versailles
at mass rally by Tiananmen Gate
1919-1921 John Dewey in China
1921 Chinese Communist Party founded
1922 Nine-Power treaty embodies U.S. principle of Open Door
1926-1937 Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek and the KMT
1926-1949 r. Chiang Kai-shek
1927 Chiang Kai-shek purges KMT, drives out the Communists
1932 Japan rules Manchuria, establishes puppet state of Manchukuo
1934 Long March; Mao eludes the Nationalists
1934-1945 Henry Pu Yi nominally rules Manchukuo as (puppet) Emperor
1937 Japan invades China; "Rape of Nanking"
1937-1945 Japanese occupation; Japanese occupy parts of China during WW II,
the rest remaining under Nationalist control
1945-1949 civil war
1949 Nationalists flee to Taiwan (Formosa)
1949-? People's Republic Of China (PRC; Communist)
1949-1976 r. Mao Zedong
1950-1975 r. Chiang Kai-shek; Taiwan; succeeded by his son
1949-1976 Jou Enlai premier of PRC
1950 China aids N. Korea, annexes Tibet
1950-1953 terror; thought reform, land reform; millions killed
1953-1954 floods and crop failures
1957 Hundred Flowers campaign briefly allows criticism of Party
1958 Great Leap Forward fails to achieve its goals
1966-1970 Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution leads to suffering
and near-anarchy; universities closed
1971 U.N. expels Taiwan, seats mainland China
1972 Nixon visits China
1977-1997 r. Deng Xiaoping
1979 U.S. recognizes China and ends diplomatic relations with Taiwan
1989 Tiananmen Square protests
1997-? r. Jiang Zemin
Copyright © 1997 Michael D. Gunther