| 2700 - 2200 BC | begin of Chinese history | Huang-ti (b. c. 2704); Hsia Dynasty |
| 2200 - 1100 BC | Bronze Age | Shang (Yin) Dynasty |
| 1100 - 771 BC | slaveholder society | Western Chou Dynasty |
| 771 - 476 BC | Spring and Autumn Period; first land tax system (594 BC); Lao-tzu, Confucius |
Eastern Chou Dynasty |
| 475 - 256 BC | Warring States Period; transition to Iron Age; Mencius, Hsün-tzu |
Eastern Chou Dynasty |
| 256 - 206 BC | Unification of China; Great Wall |
Ch'in Dynasty |
| 206 BC - 220 AD | transition to feudalism; introduction of state examinations (134 BC) |
Han Dynasties (Western Han; Eastern Han) |
| 220 - 589 AD | Six Dynasties Period many peasant revolts |
various Chinese and "barbarian" states |
| 589 - 618 | re-unification of China; more peasant revolts |
Sui Dynasty |
| 618 - 907 | Leading empire of Asia; introduction of Buddhism; eventual decay; peasant revolts |
Tang Dynasty |
| 907 - 960 | Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period | political upheaval |
| 960 - 1279 | Sung Period; printing technology; eventual decay through feudal excesses |
Sung Dynasty |
| 1271 - 1368 | Yüan (Mongol) Period; Marco Polo in China (1272 - 1292) |
Yüan (Mongol) Dynasty |
| 1368 - 1644 | Ming Period | Ming Dynasty |