Cultural Landmarks before 1200

Life of Confucius

6th-5th Centuries BCE

Lives of Laozi and Zhuangzi

6th-3rd centuries BCE

Han Dynasty establishes Confucianism as official state ideology

206 BCE- 220 CE

Confucianism takes root in Vietnam under Chinese rule

111 BCE- 939 CE

Confucianism takes root in Korea

4th-11th Centuries CE

Shotoku establishes Confucianism in Japan

7th Century CE

Neo-Confucianism flourishes in Song Dynasy China

960-1279 CE

Hindu Upanishads Compiled

800-400 BCE

Life of Buddha

566-486 BCE

Mahayana Buddhism Emerges

100-300 CE

Buddhism established in China

100-800 CE

Bhagavad Gita compiled in final form

300 CE

Buddhism and Hinduism take root in Southeast Asia

600-1200 CE

Bhakti Movement takes shape in India

600-1300 CE

Buddhism largely disappears within India

1000 CE

Emergence of Zen Buddhism in Japan

12th Century CE

Jewish Prophets (Isaiah, Amos, Jeremiah)

9th-6th Centuries BCE

Life of Jesus

4 BCE-29 CE

Life of Saint Paul

6-67 CE

Christianity established as state religion in Roman Empire, Armenia, and Axum

4th Century CE

Life of Muhammad

570-632 CE

Emergence of Shia/ Sunni split in Islam

7th century CE

Islam established in Persia

750-900 CE

Beginnings of Sufi Islam

800-1000 CE

Deepening divide between Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity

1054 CE