Chronology
| Xia? | c. 2000-1600 BCE | ||
| Shang/Yin | c. 1500-1045 BCE | ||
| Zhou | c. 1045-256 BCE | ||
| Western Zhou | c. 1045-771 BCE | ||
| Eastern Zhou | 770-256 BCE | ||
| Spring and Autumn (Chunqiu) | 770-481 BCE | ||
| Warring States (Zhanguo) | 480-222 BCE | ||
| Qin | 221-207 BCE | ||
| Han | 206 BCE-220 | ||
| Western Han | 206 BCE-8CE | ||
| Xin (Wang Mang Period) | 9-23 | ||
| Eastern Han | 25-220 | ||
| Three Kingdoms (Sanguo) | 220-265 | ||
| Jin | 265-420 | ||
| Western Jin | 265-316 | ||
| Eastern Jin | 317-420 | ||
| Southern and Northern Dynasties (Nan Bei Chao) | 420-581 (589) | ||
| Sui | 581 (589)-618 | ||
| Tang | 618-907 | ||
| Five Dynasties (Wu Dai) | 907-960 | ||
| Song | 960-1279 | ||
| Northern Song | 960-1127 | ||
| Southern Song | 1127-1279 | ||
| Liao (Qitan) | 947-1125 | ||
| Xi Xia (Tangut) | 1038-1227 | ||
| Jin (Jurchen) | 1115-1234 | ||
| Yuan (Mongol) | (1271) | ||
| 1279-1368 | |||
| Ming | 1368-1644 | ||
| Hongwu | 1368-1398 | ||
| Jianwen | 1399-1402 | ||
| Yongle | 1402-1424 | ||
| Hongxi | 1425 | ||
| Xuande | 1426-1435 | ||
| Zhengtong | 1436-1449 | ||
| Jingtai | 1450-1456 | ||
| Tianshun | 1457-1464 | ||
| Chenghua | 1465-1487 | ||
| Hongzhi | 1488-1505 | ||
| Zhengde | 1506-1521 | ||
| Jiajing | 1521-1567 | ||
| Longqing | 1567-1572 | ||
| Wanli | 1573-1620 | ||
| Taichang | 1620 | ||
| Tianqi | 1621-1627 | ||
| Chongzhen | 1628-1644 | ||
| Qing (Manchu) | 1644-1911 | ||
| Shunzhi | 1644-1661 | ||
| Kangxi | 1661-1722 | ||
| Yongzheng | 1722-1735 | ||
| Qianlong | 1736-1796 | ||
| Jiaqing | 1796-1820 | ||
| Daoguang | 1821-1850 | ||
| Xianfeng | 1851-1861 | ||
| Tongzhi | 1862-1874 | ||
| Guangxu | 1875-1908 | ||
| Xuantong | 1909-1911 | ||
| Republic | 1912-1949 | ||
| People's Republic of China (PRC) | since 1949 |
Daniel Leese