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China was first united under a single imperial state by Qin Shi Huang in 221 BCE. Orthography , weights, measures, and law were all standardized. Shortly thereafter, China entered its classical era with the Han dynasty (206 BCE – CE 220), marking a critical period.
- History of The Republic of China
The history of the Republic of China began in 1912 with the...
- History of The Yuan Dynasty
A sancai-glazed Chinese ceramic incense burner, Yuan...
- Xia Dynasty
The Xia dynasty (Chinese: 夏朝; pinyin: Xiàcháo; Wade–Giles:...
- History of Taiwan
The history of the island of Taiwan dates back tens of...
- Timeline of Chinese History
Timeline of Chinese history. This is a timeline of Chinese...
- Liao Civilization
The Liao Civilization or Liao River Civilization (Chinese:...
- Mandate of Heaven
The scholar-official Xue Juzheng compiled the Old History of...
- Northern Qi
Qi, known as the Northern Qi (simplified Chinese: 北齐;...
- Northern Zhou
History. The Northern Zhou's basis of power was established...
- History of The Republic of China
- Background
- Qin Dynasty
- Han Dynasty
- Period of Disunity
- Sui Dynasty
- Tang Dynasty
- Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
- Song Dynasty
- Yuan Dynasty
- Ming Dynasty
In premodern times, the theory of foreign relations of China held that the Chinese Empire was the Celestial Dynasty, the center of world civilization, with the Emperor of China being the leader of the civilized world. This view saw China as equivalent to "all under heaven". All other states were considered to be tributaries, under the suzerain rule...
Although many kings of the Shang and Zhou dynasties ruled beforehand, in 221 BC, the ruler of the Qin state, Ying Zheng (Qin Shi Huang), was the first to conquer the different vassal states under the Zhou dynasty, as well as other non-sinicized states. He was able to transform these different states into a relatively unified and uniform empire, the...
The time of the Han dynasty (202 BC–AD 220) was a groundbreaking era in the history of Imperial China's foreign relations, during the long reign of Emperor Wu of Han (r. 141–87 BC), the travels of the diplomat Zhang Qian opened up China's relations with many different Asian territories for the first time. While traveling to the Western Regions in o...
Although introduced during the Han dynasty, the chaotic, divisionary Period of Disunity (220-589) saw a flourishing of Buddhism and travels to foreign regions inspired by Buddhist missionaries. There were Indian monks such as Kumarajiva (344-413) from Kucha who traveled to China in order to translate Sanskrit texts into Chinese. There were also man...
Yang Jian (Emperor Wen) ruled in northern China from 581, and conquered the Chen dynasty in the south by 589, hence reunifying China under the Sui dynasty (581–618). He and his successor Emperor Yanginitiated several military campaigns. Northern Vietnam was retaken by conquest, while there was a temporary occupation of the Champa kingdom in souther...
The Tang dynasty(618-907) represents another high point for China in terms of its military might, conquest and establishment of vassals and tributaries, foreign trade, and its central political position and preeminent cultural status in East Asia. One of the most ambitious rulers of the dynasty was Emperor Taizong (r. 626–649). He initiated several...
The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960) period was an age of division and Chinese civil war between the unified Tang and Song dynasties. It is notable for the introduction of Greek Fire (or a formula similar to the original) from Chinese contacts in Arabia. Greek Fire was then applied to the new Chinese invention of the double-piston pump fla...
The Chinese political theory of China being the center of world diplomacy was largely accepted in East Asia, except in periods of Chinese weakness such as the Song dynasty(960-1279). During the Northern Song dynasty (960-1279), the Chinese emperors were forced to accept the emperors of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty, as their equals. After the Jurchen...
The Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) of China was the easternmost part of the vast Mongol Empire (stretching from East Asia to Eastern Europe), which became politically separated into four khanates beginning with the succession war in 1260. The Mongol leaders Genghis Khan, Ögedei Khan, Möngke Khan, and Hulagu Khan were able to conquer the Tangut-led Wester...
The Ming dynasty (1368–1644), after the Han and Tang dynasties, was another high point in Chinese power. The first Ming emperor, the Hongwu Emperor (r. 1368–1398), was the head of the Red Turban Rebellion when he routed the rival rebel Chinese leaders and then forced the Mongols of the Yuan dynasty to flee north, back into the Mongolian steppe. The...
People also ask
What is imperial China?
Who ruled the Chinese dynasty?
Which dynasty was part of the first Chinese Empire?
Where did the Chinese dynasty start?
12 February 1912 (112 years ago) Throughout Chinese history, "Emperor" ( Chinese: 皇帝; pinyin: Huángdì) was the superlative title held by the monarchs who ruled various imperial dynasties. In traditional Chinese political theory, the emperor was the "Son of Heaven", an autocrat with the divine mandate right to rule all under Heaven.
- 221 BC, 2243–2244 years ago
Imperial China is a period of Chinese history. It lasted over 2,000 years. It began with Qin Shi Huang's uniting of China under the Qin dynasty in 221 BC. It ended with the overthrow of the Qing dynasty in 1911. Throughout this period, many features of Chinese civilization spread throughout all of China.
皇朝 (huángcháo; 'imperial dynasty') History Start of dynastic rule A depiction of Yu, the initiator of dynastic rule in China, by the Southern Song court painter Ma Lin. As the founder of China's first orthodox dynasty, the Xia dynasty, Yu the Great is conventionally regarded as the inaugurator of dynastic rule in China.
The Qing dynasty (/ tʃ ɪ ŋ / ching), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last imperial dynasty in Chinese history. The dynasty, proclaimed in Shenyang in 1636, seized control of Beijing in 1644, which is considered the start of the dynasty's rule.
