Chinese Dynasties (All of the dynasties listed are in chronological order) Shang ● Earliest known Chinese writing ­ inscribed on oracle bones. ● Lost the “Mandate of Heaven” to the Zhou. ● Founded by Emperor Cheng Tang. ● Began to decline after their loss at the decisive Battle of Muye. ● Last capital at Yin (near present day Anyang). Zhou ● Had a Eastern and Western period. ○ Spring and Autumn period took place during Eastern Zhou. ● Introduced iron as a replacement for bronze, and also used chariots in their military. ● The death of King You led the dynasty to move the capital from Hao to Luoyang. ○ King You disposed his queen and replaced her with a concubine called Bao Si. ● The Warring States period followed this dynasty. Qin ● Conquered the Seven Warring States to end the Warring States period. ● Began construction of the Great Wall of China. ● Shang Yang’s reforms built the foundation for this dynasty. ● Adopted Han Fei’s doctrine of Legalism. ● Most notable leader Qin Shi Huangdi. ○ First Emperor of a unified China. ○ Terracotta Army depicts the armies of him. ○ Blinded Gao Jianli, who tried to assassinate him using a lead­filled lute. ○ Died after consuming mercury pills that were supposed to make him immortal. ○ “Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars” ended the Hundred Schools of Thought. Han ● Founded by Liu Bang (also known as Gaozo), who rebelled against the Qin. ○ His wife was Empress Lu. ● Rebellions against them include: ○ Yellow Turban Rebellion ○ Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion ○ Rebellion of the Seven States ● Succeeded by the “Period of Disunity”, which included the Three Kingdoms Period. ● Emperor Wu Di expanded its borders to south. ● Interrupted by the Xin dynasty of Wang Ming. ● Trung Sisters of Vietnam revolted against them. ● “Records of the Grand Historian”, by Sima Qian, was written during this dynasty. Tang ● Notable for poetry (Famous poets include Li Po and Du Fu) ● An Lushan Rebellion ○ The namesake of the rebellion proclaimed himself head of the Yan dynasty. ○ Fall of Chang’an ○ Battle of Yongqiu ● Ruled by Emperor Xuanzong. ● Empress Wu Zetian interrupted this dynasty with her Second Zhou dynasty. ● Allied with the Silla to end Korea’s Three Kingdoms Period. ● Fought the Abbasids at the Battle of Talas. Song ● First to use paper money, also invented the compass and gunpowder. ● Founded by Emperor Taizu. ● Jingkang Incident ○ Their capital Bianjing was besieged by the Jin dynasty. ● Defeated at the Battle of Yamen. Yuan ● Founded by Kublai Khan. ● Failing military campaigns against Japan and Java. ○ Typhoons that stopped them from invading Japan were later called kamikaze. ● Adopted the Yassa law code. ● Faced the Red Turban Rebellion. ○ The rebellion was influenced by the members of White Lotus. ○ Zhu Yuanzhang captured the Yuan capital at Dadu, which brought an end to the dynasty. ● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afnJbdT4t5g Ming ● Established by the Hongwu Emperor (also known as Zhu Yuanzhang) ● The Yongle Emperor moved its capital to Beijing and restored the Grand Canal. ● Constructed the Forbidden City. ● Sponsored the voyages of Admiral Zheng He. ● Fought in the Imjin War against Japan with Joseon Korea. ● Tumu Crisis ○ Capture of the Zhengtong Emperor by the Oirat Mongols. ● Battle of Lake Poyang ○ Naval battle in China’s largest lake that helped usher in the Ming dynasty. ● Known for porcelain vases. Qing ●
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Rebel leader Li Zicheng overthrew the Ming and captured Beijing. Fought the Panthay Rebellion and the Dungan Revolt. Military organized under Nurhaci’s Eight Banner system. Suppressed the Hundred Days Reform ○ The reforms were led by Emperor Guangxu. The Tonsure Decree was imposed on its citizens. Faced the Taiping Rebellion. ○ A man named Hong Xiuquan proclaimed to be the half brother of Jesus. ○ Brutal civil war with somewhere between 20­30 million casualties. Lost the Opium Wars. Fought the Boxer Rebellion. Lengthy rule of Empress Dowager Cixi. The Siku Quanshu dictionary was completed during this dynasty. Xinhai Revolution overthrew this dynasty.