There is no clear study about the true origin of Chinese civilization. Yet, it is considered that the earliest group of Chinese where written records were found was the Shang. These records are usually an oracle written in the bones of the animals. It is also the first dynasty established in China.
Chinese believed that a new dynasty must be established according to the mandate of heaven or the right to rule. This belief was used by the Chou dynasty when it was about to replace the existing Shang dynasty. The existence of Chinese dynasties is following a cycle. These dynastic cycle starts when a new dynasty is established by a powerful leader. It is then followed by a period of prosperity, wherein the empire is able to gain much power, able restore peace and is able to give prosperous life to its people. After that, there comes a time when that certain dynasty will loose the capacity to provide its people their needs. The leader starts corrupting its people, imposing high taxes, treating them unfairly and may not be able to protect them properly. This is the indicator of the people that such dynasty had already lost the mandate of heaven and therefore, it has to fall.
Chinese believed that a new dynasty must be established according to the mandate of heaven or the right to rule. This belief was used by the Chou dynasty when it was about to replace the existing Shang dynasty. The existence of Chinese dynasties is following a cycle. These dynastic cycle starts when a new dynasty is established by a powerful leader. It is then followed by a period of prosperity, wherein the empire is able to gain much power, able restore peace and is able to give prosperous life to its people. After that, there comes a time when that certain dynasty will loose the capacity to provide its people their needs. The leader starts corrupting its people, imposing high taxes, treating them unfairly and may not be able to protect them properly. This is the indicator of the people that such dynasty had already lost the mandate of heaven and therefore, it has to fall.
Here is a timeline of Chinese Dynasties:
Ancient | Neolithic ca. 12000 - 2000 B.C. | |
| Xia ca. 2100-1800 B.C. | ||
| Shang 1700-1027 B.C. | ||
| Western Zhou 1027-771 B.C. | ||
| Eastern Zhou 770-221 B.C. | 770-476 B.C. -- Spring and Autumn period 475-221 B.C. -- Warring States period | |
Early Imperial | ||
| Qin 221-207 B.C. | ||
| Western Han 206 B.C.- 9 A.D. | ||
| Hsing (Wang Mang interregnum) 9-25 A.D. | ||
| Eastern Han 25-220 A.D. | ||
| Three Kingdoms220-265 A.D. | ||
| Western Chin 265-316 A.D. | ||
| Eastern Chin 317-420 A.D. | ||
Southern and Northern Dynasties 420-588 A.D. | Southern Dynasties 420-478 -- Song 479-501 -- Qi 502-556 -- Liang557-588 -- Chen | |
Northern Dynasties 386-533 -- Northern Wei 534-549 -- Eastern Wei 535-557 -- Western Wei550-577 -- Northern Qi 557-588 -- Northern Zhou | ||
Classical Imperial China | ||
| Sui 580-618 A.D. | ||
| T'ang 618-907 A.D. | ||
| Five Dynasties 907-960 A.D. | 907-923 -- Later Liang 923-936 -- Later Tang 936-946 -- Later Jin947-950 -- Later Han 951-960 -- Later Zhou | |
| Ten Kingdoms A.D. 907-979 | ||
| Song A.D. 960-1279 | 960-1125 -- Northern Song 1127-1279 -- Southern Song | |
| Liao A.D. 916-1125 | ||
| Western Xia A.D. 1038-1227 | ||
| Jin A.D. 1115-1234 | ||
| Yuan A.D. 1279-1368 | ||
| Ming A.D. 1368-1644 | ||
| Qing A.D. 1644-1911 | ||
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