Chinese NotesChinese-English dictionary

中国朝代 Chinese Dynasties

Legendary Emperors

Chinese Pinyin English
伏羲 Fú Xī The creator of fishing, trapping and writing
神农 (神農) Fú Xī The creator of agriculture and medicine
黄帝 (黃帝) Huáng Dì The Yellow Emperor
唐帝尧 (唐帝堯) Táng Dì Yáo Emperor Tang Di Yao
虞帝尧 (虞帝虞) Yú Dì Yáo Emperor Yu Di Yao

San Dai

Chinese Pinyin English
Xià Before 2400 BCE
The sage founder
Jié The last emperor
Shāng Before 1700—1045 BCE
成汤 (成湯) Chéng Tāng Before 1700 BCE
纣 (紂) Zhòu (1087—1045 BC) The last ruler of the Shang Dynasty, a notorious tyrant
Zhōu 1045—221 BCE
 西周 Xī Zhōu Western Zhou (1045—771 BCE)
武王 Wǔ Wáng 1045—1043 BCE
成王 Chéng Wáng 1042—1006 BCE
周公 Zhōu Gōng Prince Zhou (Wu Wang's brother)
召公 Shào Gōng Prince Shao
 东周 (東周) Dōng Zhōu Eastern Zhou (770—221 BCE)
春秋 Chūn Qiū Spring and Autumn Period (770—403 BCE)
战国 (戰國) Zhàn Guó Warring States Period (403—221 BCE)

Early Imperial China

Chinese Pinyin English
Qín 221—206 BCE
汉 (漢) Hàn 221 BCE—220 CE
西汉 (西漢) Xī Hàn Western Han (206 BCE — 8 CE)
东汉 (東漢) Dōng Hàn Eastern Han (25—220 CE)
Wèi Wei Dynasty (220—265 CE)
三国 (三國) Sān Guó Three Kingdoms period (魏 Wei, 蜀汉 Shǔ Hàn, and 吴 Wú)
晋 (晉) Jìn Jin 265—420 CE
西晋 (西晉) Xī Jìn Western Jin 265—316 CE
东晋 (東晉) Dōng Jìn Eastern Jin 317—420 CE

Northern and Southern Dynasties

Chinese Pinyin English
Sòng (420—479 CE), also called 刘宋 Liu Song
齐 (齊) (479—502 CE), also called 南齐 Southern Qi
Liáng 502—557 CE
陈 (陳) Chén 557—589 CE

Imperial China

Chinese Pinyin English
Suí 589—618
Táng 618—907
五代 Wǔ Dài The Five Dynasties (907—960 CE)
Sòng 960—1279
北宋 Běi Sòng Northern Song (960—1127)
南宋 Nán Sòng Southern Song (1127—1280)
Jīn 1115—1234
Yuán (1279—1368), sometimes called the Mongol Dynasty
Míng 1368—1644
Qīng 1644—1911