I have used Chinese and Western sources to compile the following table of Chinese dynasties and governments, covering the legendary Xia to the end of the Manchu period (Qing) in 1911. More information in English may be sought in
Jacques Gernet's
History of Chinese Civilization.
Note that I have grouped dynasties and governments in the large into six large periods. Dynasties appearing in boldface are of particular importance in literature.
The "Pre-Han" (Chinese: "Pre-Qin") or "Three Dynasties"
State of Song
State of Yue
State of Wu
State of Lu
State of Zheng
State of Cao
State of Chen
State of Cai
First Empire
- 221 - 206 B.C.E. Qin
capital: Xianyang (near Xi'an)
- B.C.E. 206 - 221 C.E. Han
- Western Han B.C.E. 206 - 8 C.E.
capital: Chang'an (modern Xi'an)
- Xin (interregnum of Wang Mang) 8 - 25 C.E.
capital: Chang'an
- Eastern Han 25 - 221
capital: Luoyang
(Disunion) The "Six Dynasties period"
- 221 - 265 Three Kingdoms period
- 265 - 420 Jin period
North China: 16 Kingdoms of the 5 Barbarians
420 - 581 Northern and Southern Dynasties period
Northern Dynasties
Second Empire
- 581 - 618 Sui
capital: Chang'an, later Luoyang, later jointly Yangzhou
- 618 - 907 Tang
capital: Chang'an, later Luoyang
(Disunion)
South China
North-Western China
Third Empire
- 1279 - 1368 Yuan (Mongol)
capital: modern Beijing
- 1368 - 1644 Ming
capital: modern Nanjing, later Beijing
- 1644 - 1911 Qing (Manchu)
capital: Beijing
Modern Times