APWH Chinese Dynasties

from shang to qing

Shang

1750-1027 BC

Shang

First to produce bronze

Shang

Built extensive tombs for emperors

Shang

Practiced ancestor worship

Zhou

Began Mandate of Heaven

Zhou

"Book of Songs" preserved its early literature

Zhou

Adopted Shang customs and culture

Zhou

Allied with Shang, only to overthrow Shang king

Qin

221-207 BC

Qin

Used Legalist philosophy in restoring order

Qin

Ended the Warring States period

Qin

Short-lived due to strict laws and harsh punishments

Qin

Standardized weights and measures

Qin

Started construction of the Great Wall

Han

206 BC-220 CE

Han

Longest lasting Chinese dynasty

Han

Emperors ruled from Chang'an

Han

Demand for Chinese silk led to development of the silk roads

Han

Eventually moved capital from Chang'an (east) to Luoyang

Han

Yellow Turban Rebellion weakens government

Sui

581-617 CE

Sui

Public work projects (granaries, palaces, repair of defensive walls)

Sui

Build Grand Canal connecting Hangzhou to Chang'an

Tang

618-907 CE

Tang

Emperor "(name of dynasty) Taizong" builds impressive capital at Chang'an

Tang

Military conquests of Manchuria, Tibet, Korea, northern Vietnam

Tang

Maintains empire with system of roads with horses, human runners, inns, postal stations, and stables

Tang

Foot binding begins

Tang

Height of Buddhist influence until repression in 845

Song

960-1279 CE

Song

Large bureaucracy caused financial problems

Song

Limited military experience (of scholar-bureaucrats) caused military experience

Song

Northern Capital at Bianjing, Southern Capital at Lin'an

Song

Scholars combine studies of Confucian beliefs with writings of Buddhism

Song

Foot binding spreads to upper class

Yuan

1279-1368 CE

Yuan

Mongols rule empire

Yuan

Capital at Dadu (present-day Beijing)

Ming

1368-1644 CE

Ming

Emperor Hongwu attempts to remove all signs of Mongol rule

Ming

Economic recovery included rebuilding irrigation systems, promoting production of manufactured goods like porcelain, silk, and cotton

Ming

Revival of civil service exams encouraged creation of extensive scholar-bureaucrat class which governed much of the empire

Ming

Economic recovery led to a rise in wealth and power of the merchant class

Ming

Finished the Great Wall

Ming

Implemented single whip tax system: pay a single national tax with silver

Qing

1644-1911 CE

Qing

Manchus invade China and claim Mandate of Heaven

Qing

Followed Qing system of ruling through a highly centralized system of scholar-bureaucrats

Qing

Expanded Chinese empire to roughly its current size