See Ancient China in and around Sichuan.

The history of Ancient China goes back over 4000 years.

The Chinese are proud of their history. They are taught at school about it and are happy to discuss it.

Ancient China - Emperors, Kings and Chinese Dynasties

A Chinese Dynasty ruled as long as it could. Usually after several generations, they were overthrown by someone else who started a new dynasty.

The term King described the rulers in ancient times.

Ancient China was very divided consisting of a number of clans.

Qin Shi Huang was the first Chinese Emperor (221 BC - 206 BC). He had the title Emperor because it was regarded as more godly, and he ruled over ancient China which was united for the first time.

The following is a brief summary of Chinese history

• Pre Dynasty era (more than 4000 years ago)
  • There were two large and many small clans more than 4000 years ago. Each clan had an animal as an emblem. Leaders of the large clans were Yan and Huang. Huang unified the two large clans.
  • Huang became the first King of ancient China.
  • The majority group in China today, the Han Chinese, call themselves the Descendants of Yan Huang.
  • The Dragon became the emblem for the unified clan
  • Han Chinese also call themselves the Descendants of the Dragon
  • The Dragon is an important symbol for the Chinese
  
  
  You will see in Sichuan (and China) many dragons.
  
  They could be statues or carvings on a building.
  
  Or people may dress up as a dragon as in the picture.
  
  Whatever form the dragon takes, it is a much loved and powerful symbol in Chinese society.
  
  
• Xia Dynasty (2070 BC - 1600 BC)
  • Feudal system of the privileged and slaves established
  • Chinese calendar invented
  
  
• Shang Dynasty (1600 BC - 1046 BC)
  • Had many kings
  
  
• Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256 BC)
  • Established capital near Xian
  • Confucianism and Taoism were established
  • Disintegrated into numerous warring states towards the end
  • Sun Wu - famous militarist wrote "Sunzi strategics - thirty six stratagems"
  • construction of the Great Canal from Beijing to Hangzhou began 5th century BC
  
  
• Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC)
  • First Emperor of China - Qin Shi Huang. Buried near Xian. Guarded by the famous Terracotta Warriors
  • Building of the Great Wall of China started
  
  
• Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD)
  • Silk Road trading route established
  • Paper invented
  
  
• Three Kingdoms (220 AD - 280 AD)
  • Was a period of fragmentation when there were three areas each ruled by an Emperor who claimed to be descended from the Han Dynasty
  
  
• Jin Dynasty (265 AD - 420 AD)



• Southern and Northern Dynasties (420 AD - 589 AD)
  • Country divided into two parts
  • Buddhism flourished in the north
  • Conflict between Buddhism and Taoism
  
  
• Sufi Dynasty (589 AD - 619 AD)
  • Divided China reunified
  • Construction of the Great Canal completed
  
  
• Tang Dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD)
  • Capital is Xian, largest city in the world
  • China's golden period
  • Produced 3/4's of the world's commerce
  • Gunpowder, Cannon invented, books pressed for the first time
  • Great trade in tea and silk
  • China greatly influences Japanese and Korean culture
  • Many great poets and musicians from this period
  • China's only female Emperor Wu Zetian (690 AD - 705 AD)
  
  
• 5 Dynasties and 10 Kingdoms period (907 AD - 960 AD)
  • China disintegrated into 10 smaller areas for just over 50 years
  
  
• Song Dynasty (960 AD -1279 AD)
  • Bank notes issued
  • Navy established
  • Rockets, bombs invented
  • Printing technology enhanced
  
  
• Jin Dynasty (1115 AD - 1234 AD) and Western Xia Dynasty (1038 AD - 1237 AD)
  • Small states in the north of China - both were conquered by Genghis Khan
  
  
• Yuan Dynasty (1271 AD -1368 AD)
  • Established by Kublai Khan - grandson of Genghis Khan
  • first non Han dynasty to rule China
  • Marco Polo came to China
  • Beijing established as the capital of China
  
  
• Ming Dynasty (1368 AD -1644 AD)
  
  • Replaced the Mongolian invaders
  • International trade eg with Japan increased
  • Army and Navy grew rapidly
  • Grand Canal expanded
  • Forbidden city in Beijing expanded
  • Great Wall of China renovated
  • Last Han Chinese dynasty
  
  
• Qing Dynasty (1644 AD -1911 AD)
  • Manchus - last dynasty of China
  • Consolidated large areas of China
  • Much foreign interference in the 19th century
    • Opium wars 1840 - China versus Britain and others
    • Hong Kong given to the British in 1842. Returned in 1997.
    • Many rebellions eg Boxer Rebellion
    
    

There were many hardships for the Chinese people during the 19th century. People like Marco Polo had described the wealth and riches of China. Now foreign countries wanted a share of the spoils.

The British and others exported opium to China in order to balance trade. This and wars between China and these countries weakened China so much that life was very difficult for most Chinese.

After thousands of years of Kings and Emperors and Dynasties, the Last Emperor (Puyi) was forced from his position in 1912.

He was the 12th Emperor of the Qing dynasty and was just 6 years old when he was ousted.

The Emporer's Palace has been restored in Beijing - it is known as the Forbidden City.

If you can drag yourself away from Sichuan - it is well worth visiting it in Beijing.

A new ruling society was established in the 20th century. It was very different to the Chinese dynasties that began in Ancient China.