1. Steve Balaski Kathy Boran Renee Crow Sendjaja Tjajadi
The Dynasties of China
Steve Balaski
Kathy Boran
Renee Crow
Sendjaja Tjajadi

2. Overview Time span of the dynasties Over 30 different dynasties
21st century B.C. thru
1911 A.D.
Almost 4000 years
Over 30 different dynasties
We will present 13 of the most important one.

3. Xia Dynasty (21st until 16th B.C.)
First prehistoric dynasty
Excavations made at Anyang, Henan in 1928
Evolutionary stage between:
Late Neolithic culture
Hunter gatherers
Stone tools
Chinese civilization
Agricultural communities
Silk and pottery

4. Shang Dynasty (17st until 11th B.C.)
Cradle of Chinese civilization
Based on agriculture
Developed a writing system
High level of civilization: bronze workmanship
Ruled by kings
Cities were centers of glittering court life
Court rituals honoring ancestors
Slaves buried alive in royal tombs

5. Zhou Dynasty 10th until 2nd century B.C.
Capital at Hao (near Xi’an) in Wei Valley
Ruled much of China north of Yangtze river
Extended Shang culture
Early rule: Feudal
Decentralized; control based on family ties
Later: City States
Central control over local governments
Impersonal political and economic institutions
Culture: philosophy, poetry and prose

6. Qin (221 until 207 B.C.) Achievements: Leader: Shi Huangdi
Standardized language & Writing
Standardized currency
Standardized measurements
Public Works
Great Wall
Roads & Irrigation canals
Leader: Shi Huangdi

7. Western Han (206 B.C.- 9 A.D.) Eastern Han (25-225 A.D.)
Achievements:
Silk Road
Better Tools—Iron
Agriculture
Crop Rotation
Education
Paper and Porcelain

8. Xin (9 - 24 A.D.) Brief Interlude One Family Member had too much power
Introduced Imperial Seal

9. Three Kingdoms Western & Eastern Jin Southern & Northern
( A.D.)
Western & Eastern Jin
( A.D.)
Southern & Northern
( A.D.)

10. Sui Dynasty (581-617) Reunified China in 589
High Taxes and Compulsory Labor
Completion of the Grand Canal (connect Yellow and Yangtze/ Beijing to Hangzhou)
Campaign against Korea in the early 7th century
A lot of revolts and assassinations

11. Tang Dynasty ( )
High point of Chinese civilization (comparable to Han Dynasty)
Golden age of literature and art
India and Middle-East relations stimulated creativity
Buddhism (from India) was widely promoted (Confucius era)
Block printing was invented

12. Tang Dynasty (618-907) Cont’d
Better government system
Civil service examination and other competitive entrance procedures (why?)
Independent from aristocracy and warlords (why? How?)
“Scholar-officials” (who? duty and privileges?)
Fragmentation of China (5 north dynasties, 10 south kingdoms)
Economic, politic, societal reasons + Arab wars
North invaders

13. Song Dynasty (960-1279) 2 Phases: Northern (960-1127) and
Southern Song ( )
Centralized bureaucracy (more power on emperor)
(regional governors  centrally appointed officials)
City developments (admin., trade, industry, maritime commerce)
Mercantile class
Printing and education spread
Private trade grew
Market network grew
The Neo Confucius Philosophy (by Zhu Xi)  inhibited pre modern societal development

14. Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) Mongolian Rule
Kublai Khan
Established the Yuan dynasty (
Moves Capital to Bejing
Marco Polo visits Bejing
Drama and novels are developed

15. Ming Dynasty (1368 -1644) Construction of the Forbidden City
Completion of the Great Wall
Ocean voyages as far as Africa by Zheng He

16. Expansion and unification
Ch’ing Dynasty (1644 – 1911)
Expansion and unification
Opium Wars
Boxer Rebellion
Henry Pu Yi as a child (“The Last Emperor”)