4300-2500 BCE:During the middle and late Dawenkou Culture period, it was in the patriarchal clan commune stage.
About 4,000 years ago:The legendary period of Huangdi, Yao, Shun, and Yu.
Emperor Yao Period:Yao ordered Xi and He to observe celestial phenomena and establish a calendar, using 366 days as a year.
Around the 21st century BC:Yu passed the tribal alliance leader position to his son Qi, establishing the Xia Dynasty.
Approximately 21st-17th Century BCEThe Erlitou culture flourished during a period that largely coincides with the Xia Dynasty recorded in Chinese history.
2000 BC:Around this time, China already had well-drilling technology.
Around 1600 BCE:Tang defeated Xia Jie at Mingtiao, ending the Xia Dynasty.
Approximately 16th century BCShang Tang established criminal law, later known as the "Tang Punishments."
Approximately 14th century BCEPan Geng ascended the throne, moved the capital to Yin, and the Shang Dynasty was revived.
Around the 13th century BCEKing Wu Ding of Shang appointed Fu Yue as prime minister, greatly improving the political situation of the Shang dynasty.
Approximately 12th century BCE:The Shang Dynasty entered the golden age of bronze.
12th century BCE:The Zhou leader Gugong Danfu moved the Zhou people to Mount Qi, beginning the Zhou dynasty's royal enterprise.
1046 BCKing Wu of Zhou led an army to attack Shang, defeating the Shang forces at the Battle of Muye and overthrowing the Shang dynasty.
10th century BCThe Western Tour of King Mu of Zhou and His Meeting with the Queen Mother of the West is recorded in the Biography of King Mu.
9th century BC:King Li of Zhou implemented "monopoly," causing discontent among the people.
841 BCThe people revolted, King Li fled, and the Dukes of Shao and Zhou governed, called the "Gonghe" regency; from then on, Chinese history had accurate dating.
828 BCKing Li died in Zhi; Duke Shao and Duke Zhou established Prince Jing as king, known as King Xuan of Zhou.
771 BCMarquis of Shen, along with Zeng and the Quanrong barbarians, attacked King You of Zhou, killed him at Mount Li, and the Western Zhou fell.
770 BCKing Ping of Zhou moved the capital east from Haojing to Luoyi, marking the beginning of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.
750 BC: Duke Wen of Qin attacked the Rong, the Rong were defeated, and Duke Wen took in their people.
722 BCThe historical record Spring and Autumn Annals begins its accounts from this year.
685 BCAfter Duke Huan of Qi ascended the throne, he appointed Guan Zhong as prime minister, greatly strengthening Qi's power and making it a hegemon.
684 BCThe Battle of Changshao in Qi and Lu: The Qi army was defeated.
632 BCThe state of Jin, allied with Qi, Song, and Qin, defeated Chu at Chengpu, and Duke Wen of Jin formed an alliance with the feudal lords at Jiantu.
594 BCThe state of Lu implemented the "initial tax on private fields," marking the beginning of the well-field system's collapse.
536 BCZheng Guo's Zichan cast the penal code.
514 BCKing Helü of Wu summoned Wu Yuan as a diplomat to discuss state affairs together.
479 BC:Confucius died. Confucius was a famous ancient Chinese thinker, educator, and founder of Confucianism.
473 BC:King Goujian of Yue destroyed Wu, then met with the lords of Qi and Jin at Xuzhou, becoming the hegemon of the lords.
453 BC:The Zhao, Han, and Wei families of Jin jointly destroyed the Zhi clan and divided its territory into three.
445 BCAfter Wei Wenhou ascended the throne, he appointed Li Kui to implement reforms in the state of Wei.
403 BCKing Weilie of Zhou enfeoffed Zhao, Han, and Wei as feudal lords.
391 BCTian He of the Qi State moved Duke Kang of Qi to the coast, and the Tian clan thus possessed the Qi State.
381 BCKing Daodao of Chu died. During his reign, he appointed Wu Qi to implement reforms in the state of Chu.
356 BCDuke Xiao of Qin appointed Shang Yang to implement reforms.
221 BCThe Warring States period ended, and King Ying Zheng of Qin established the first unified dynasty in Chinese feudal history—the Qin Dynasty.
202 BCLiu Bang became emperor, known as Emperor Gaozu of Han, established the Han Dynasty, and made Chang'an the capital.
141 BCEmperor Jing of Han died, Crown Prince Che succeeded to the throne, becoming Emperor Wu of Han
119 BCWei Qing and Huo Qubing attacked the Xiongnu from separate routes, after which the Xiongnu fled far away, leaving no royal court south of the Gobi Desert.
51 BCEmperor Xuan of Han convened the Stone Canal Pavilion Conference to discuss the differences and similarities of the Five Classics.
8 AD:Wang Mang ascended as true Son of Heaven, established the dynasty name "Xin," and the Western Han fell.
25 ADLiu Xiu proclaimed himself emperor, established the Jianwu era, and became Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
92 AD:Emperor He of Han conspired with eunuch Zheng Zhong to kill General Dou Xian; Zheng Zhong was made a marquis for his merit, marking the beginning of eunuch power in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
166 ADThe First Party Imprisonment Disaster: Colonel Li Ying and over 200 others were called party members, arrested, and imprisoned.
184 ADZhang Jiao led a mass uprising; because the rebels all wore yellow headscarves, it was called the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
265 AD:Sima Yan deposed the Wei ruler, declared himself emperor as Emperor Wu of Jin, and established the capital at Luoyang.
357 AD:Former Qin's Fu Jian ascended the throne, titled Grand Qin Heavenly King, with Han Chinese Wang Meng assisting in governance.
383 ADThe Battle of Feishui: Former Qin's crushing defeat led to internal collapse.
399–412 ADThe eminent monk Faxian traveled to India to seek Buddhism and authored "Records of Buddhist Kingdoms."
420 AD:Liu Yu deposed Emperor Gong of Jin, declared himself emperor, named the dynasty Song, historically known as Liu Song, and became Emperor Wu of Song. The Southern Dynasties began.
500 ADZu Chongzhi died; during his lifetime, he was the first to calculate pi accurately to seven decimal places.
581 ADYang Jian proclaimed himself emperor, established the Sui Dynasty as Emperor Wen of Sui, and made Chang'an the capital.
618 AD:Li Yuan declared himself emperor, named the dynasty Tang, known as Emperor Gaozu of Tang, and the Sui Dynasty fell.
645 ADXuanzang returned from his pilgrimage to obtain scriptures, arrived in Chang'an, and completed the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions.
690 ADWu Zetian deposed Emperor Ruizong, proclaimed herself emperor, and changed the dynasty's name to Zhou.
705 ADZhang Jianzhi and others staged a coup, forcing Wu Zetian to abdicate, restoring Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian, and reinstating the Tang Dynasty.
713 ADThe Tang Dynasty appointed Mohe chief Da Zuorong as Governor and King of Bohai.
738 AD"Tang Liudian" completed.
745 ADEmperor Xuanzong of Tang decreed the renaming of the Persian (Nestorian) temple to the Daqin Temple.
755 ADThe Tang Dynasty's An Lushan Rebellion marked its decline from prosperity.
813 ADIn the eighth year of Yuanhe of Emperor Xianzong of Tang, Li Jifu completed the "Yuanhe Maps and Records of Prefectures and Counties."
907 ADZhu Wen forced Emperor Ai of Tang to abdicate, took the throne, changed his name to Zhu Huang, became Emperor Taizu of Later Liang, historically known as Later Liang, and the Tang Dynasty fell.
916 ADThe Khitan leader Yelü Abaoji proclaimed himself emperor, becoming Emperor Taizu of Liao, and established the Khitan state.
960 ADChenqiao Mutiny: Zhao Kuangyin ascends the throne as Emperor Taizu of Song, founding the Song Dynasty; the Later Zhou falls.
993 ADWang Xiaobo and Li Shun Uprising.
1038 AD:Tangut leader Yuanhao proclaimed himself emperor, named his state Great Xia, historically known as Western Xia, as Emperor Jingzong of Western Xia, with its capital at Xingqing Prefecture.
1127 AD:The Jin army captured Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong of Song, taking them north, leading to the fall of the Northern Song. Prince Kang Zhao Gou ascended the throne at Yingtian Prefecture in Nanjing, becoming Emperor Gaozong of Song and establishing the Southern Song.
1141 AD:The Song-Jin peace negotiation is historically known as the Shaoxing Peace Accord.
1164 ADLongxing Peace Treaty: Song and Jin Reaffirm Accord.
1279The Yuan army breached Yashan, the Song emperor drowned, and the Song dynasty fell.
1286"The Essentials of Agriculture and Sericulture" was promulgated, making it the oldest extant officially compiled agricultural book in China.
1345:The Yuan Dynasty completed the *History of Liao*, *History of Jin*, and *History of Song*.
1355Liu Futong welcomed Han Shantong's son Han Lin'er as emperor, established the Song dynasty, changed the era name to Longfeng, and Han Lin'er was titled Little King Ming.
1368:Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne in Yingtian, established the Ming Dynasty, and became Emperor Taizu of Ming.
1399–1402Yan King Zhu Di launched the Jingnan Campaign, captured Nanjing, and ascended the throne as Emperor Chengzu of Ming.
1405:Emperor Chengzu of Ming sent eunuch Zheng He and Wang Jinghong to the South Seas, beginning Zheng He's voyages.
1407:In the fifth year of Yongle, Emperor Chengzu of Ming, the Yongle Encyclopedia was completed.
1421Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, leaving Nanjing as the secondary capital.
1429During the Ming Dynasty, customs offices were established to tax ships based on their size, known as "ship tonnage fees."
1449The Oirat leader Esen attacked Datong; Emperor Yingzong led a personal expedition but was defeated at Tumu Fortress and captured, known as the "Tumu Crisis."
1457:Eunuch Cao Jixiang and his associate Shi Heng, taking advantage of Emperor Jing's critical illness, welcomed the Senior Emperor Yingzong back to the throne, historically known as the "Coup at the Gate."
1521-1524The Great Rites Controversy: Over 100 officials imprisoned after vehement opposition.
1542Palace maid Yang Jinying and others attempted to murder Emperor Shizong but failed, historically known as the Jiajing "Palace Maid Incident."
1563Governor Tan Lun led generals Qi Jiguang, Yu Dayou, and Liu Xian to defeat the Japanese pirates, recapture Xinghua, and gradually pacify the pirates in Zhejiang and Fujian.
1571:The Ming Dynasty granted Anda the title of Shunyi King and opened border markets.
1581:Zhang Juzheng reformed the tax and corvée system, fully implementing the Single Whip Method.
1587:Hai Rui died in office as Right Censor-in-Chief in Nanjing, and the people closed their markets to mourn him.
1588Nurhaci unifies the Jianzhou Jurchens.
1594:Gu Xiancheng was dismissed from office, returned to Wuxi to restore the Donglin Academy and lecture, criticizing court politics and evaluating figures—the Donglin faction debates began here.
1599:Emperor Shenzong of Ming sent eunuchs to tax and mine in various regions, sparking popular uprisings in Linqing, Shashi, Wuchang, and Hanyang.
1600 ADJesuit missionary Matteo Ricci arrived in Beijing; Emperor Wanli allowed the construction of a church in the capital for missionary work.
1615Nurhaci formally established the Eight Banners system.
1616Nurhaci proclaimed himself Khan at Hetu Ala, establishing the Jin dynasty, historically known as the Later Jin.
1618Later Jin Khan Nurhaci swore to attack Ming with the "Seven Grievances".
1619Battle of Sarhu: Ming Army Suffers Major Defeat.
1621After the Later Jin captured Shenyang, they also took Liaoyang and moved their capital to Liaoyang.
1625: The Later Jin moved its capital to Shenyang and renamed it Shengjing.
1633Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng, and Zhang Xianzhong led rebel forces across the Yellow River southward into western Henan.
1636Huang Taiji ascended the throne and changed the dynasty name to Qing.
1637Song Yingxing's Tiangong Kaiwu was published.
1641Li Zicheng's rebel army captured Luoyang and killed Ming Prince Zhu Changxun.
1644Li Zicheng led the Dashun army to capture Beijing; Ming Chongzhen Emperor hanged himself, and the Ming Dynasty fell.
1655:Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty erected an iron tablet in the Thirteen Inner Offices, strictly forbidding eunuchs from interfering in politics.
1661Zheng Chenggong led his army to expel the Dutch colonizers and recover Taiwan.
1729Due to military campaigns in the northwest, the Military Planning Office was established, later renamed the Grand Council.
1735Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty died, his son Hongli succeeded as Emperor Qianlong.
1747The chieftain of Greater Jinchuan, Shaluoben, raised troops in rebellion; the Qing court sent heavy forces to suppress it, quelling the revolt two years later.
1762The Qing court established the Ili General to oversee affairs in both northern and southern Xinjiang.
1771The Torgut tribe, led by their chief Ubashi, traveled a long distance to return to their homeland from Tsarist Russia.
1776:Sonam of Greater Jinchuan surrenders, the Battle of Greater and Lesser Jinchuan ends.
1782The first Complete Library of the Four Treasuries was completed.
1784The American merchant ship "Empress of China" departed from New York, rounded the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, and arrived in Guangzhou.
1785Emperor Qianlong hosted the "Thousand Elders Banquet" in the Qianqing Palace, with 3,000 attendees aged 60 and above.
1793Emperor Qianlong received the British Macartney Mission at the Chengde Mountain Resort.
1795Emperor Qianlong appointed his fifteenth son, Yongyan, as crown prince, decreeing he would inherit the throne the following year under the reign title Jiaqing.
1813:The rebel army led by Lin Qing breached the Forbidden City but was quickly defeated.
1814Compilation of "Complete Tang Prose" completed, 1000 volumes, over 3000 authors, more than 18000 works.
1814Historian Zhao Yi dies, author of "Notes on the Twenty-Two Histories" and "Records of Imperial Military Achievements."
1821The Qing court reaffirmed the opium ban, strictly prohibiting the storage and sale of opium in Macau and Huangpu.
1822The Qing court established a rule prohibiting the export of silver.
1823Medical scholar Chen Nianzu passed away, leaving many works, with "Three-Character Classic of Medicine" widely circulated.
1824Lin Zexu's comprehensive management of water conservancy in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
1825"Xixia Shushi" was published, compiled by Wu Guangcheng from historical records, anthologies, and unofficial histories since the Tang Dynasty, presented in annalistic form.
1826He Changling, Wei Yuan, et al. compiled "Collected Essays on Statecraft of the Qing Dynasty" in 120 volumes, collecting important historical materials.
1829Foreign coins and opium increasingly harmful, Emperor Daoguang orders strict prohibition.
1830Novelist Li Ruzhen died around this year, author of the novel Flowers in the Mirror.
1833The Qing court establishes regulations for the use of foreign silver and sycee silver.
1839Lin Zexu destroyed confiscated opium at Humen Beach.
1840The Opium War broke out. The Qing court appointed Qishan as Imperial Commissioner to negotiate with the British in Guangzhou, and Lin Zexu was dismissed from office.
1842The Qing court was forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing with Britain.
1844The Qing court was forced to sign the Sino-American Treaty of Wangxia and the Sino-French Treaty of Whampoa.
1845The British Consul in Shanghai and the Shanghai Daotai concluded the "Shanghai Land Regulations," marking the beginning of foreign powers establishing concessions in China.
1851The Taiping Rebellion erupted.
1853The Taiping Army advanced east along the Yangtze River, captured Nanjing, made it their capital, and renamed it Tianjing.
1853:The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom issued the "Land System of the Heavenly Dynasty."
1855The Taiping Northern Expedition failed, with commanders Lin Fengxiang and Li Kaifang killed.
1856The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom experienced the Tianjing Incident.
1856Britain used the "Arrow Incident" as a pretext to provoke the Second Opium War.
1857Shi Dakai, suspected by Hong Xiuquan, led his followers out of Tianjing.
1858Russia, the United States, Britain, and France forced the Qing court to successively sign the Treaty of Tianjin.
1859:Taiping Heavenly Kingdom issued the "New Treatise on Administration."
1860American Ward formed the "Foreign Arms Corps" to assist the Qing court in suppressing the Taiping Army.
1860The British and French forces captured Beijing, and Prince Gong signed the Treaty of Beijing with Britain, France, and Russia respectively.
1861Xianfeng died; Cixi launched a coup, and Empresses Dowager Cixi and Ci'an ruled behind the curtain, known as the "Xinyou Coup."
1864Tianjing fell to Qing forces, marking the failure of the Taiping Rebellion.
1872Li Hongzhang founded the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company in Shanghai, while overseas Chinese merchant Chen Qiyuan established the Jichanglong Silk Reeling Factory in Nanhai, Guangdong, marking the beginning of modern national capitalist industry in China.
1875The Qing court appointed Guo Songtao, Vice Minister of War, as Imperial Envoy to Britain, marking China's official dispatch of diplomatic envoys abroad.
1885The Qing army won the Battle of Lang Son, after which Li Hongzhang and French Minister Patenotre signed the Sino-French Treaty in Tianjin, ending the Sino-French War.
1888The Beiyang Navy was established, with Ding Ruchang as Admiral and Lin Taizeng and Liu Buchan as Left and Right Wing Commanders.
1894The First Sino-Japanese War broke out.
1898Emperor Guangxu issued the "Clarifying National Affairs" edict, marking the beginning of the Hundred Days' Reform. On the sixth day of the eighth lunar month (September 21), Empress Dowager Cixi confined Emperor Guangxu to Yingtai, and the Hundred Days' Reform failed.
1900:An allied force of eight nations, led by British Admiral Seymour, advanced on Beijing.
1901The Qing court signed the Boxer Protocol with eleven countries including Russia, Britain, the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands.
1905The Qing court abolished the imperial examination system.
1911Sichuan Railway Protection Movement erupts.
1911:Xinhai Revolution.
1912:The Nanjing Provisional Government was established, Sun Yat-sen assumed office as Provisional President, and the country was named the Republic of China.
1913"The Second Revolution" broke out and ended in failure.
1914:Yuan Shikai abolished the Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China and promulgated the Constitution of the Republic of China.
1915:Japan proposed the "Twenty-One Demands" to destroy China.
1917Zhang Xun's restoration, quickly failed.
1919The May Fourth Movement erupted.
1919The Chinese Revolutionary Party was reorganized into the Chinese Nationalist Party.
1921The founding of the Chinese Communist Party.
1922The First Zhili-Fengtian War broke out.
1923Beijing-Hankou Railway Workers' General Strike.
1924Establishment of the Whampoa Military Academy.
1925On March 12, Sun Yat-sen passed away in Beijing.
1927:Modern Review was founded in Beijing, forming the Modern Review School.
1927The Hankou and Jiujiang masses recover the British concessions.
1928Zhang Zuolin died in the Huanggutun Incident.
1930: The Jiang-Yan-Feng Central Plains War.
1931The Japanese imperialists engineered the "September 18th Incident" in Shenyang.
1935Nie Er composed the theme song "March of the Volunteers" for the film "Children of Troubled Times."
1935Zeng Pu died this year, author of the novel "A Flower in a Sinful Sea."
1935The December 9th Movement erupted.
1936On December 12, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng launched the Xi'an Incident.
1937The Marco Polo Bridge Incident occurred, marking the start of the full-scale War of Resistance Against Japan.
1937In December, Nanjing fell, and Japanese troops entered the city, committing mass slaughter.
1940The Eighth Route Army launched the Hundred Regiments Offensive.
1941Chennault's Flying Tigers came to China to assist in the War of Resistance.
1945The United States, China, and Britain issued the Potsdam Proclamation, urging Japan's unconditional surrender.
1945The China-India Highway was fully opened.
1945:Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan.
1945Sun Li wrote the short story "Lotus Lake."
1946Ba Jin completed the novella "Cold Night."
1947The land reform movement was fully launched in the liberated areas.
1949: October 1, the People's Republic of China was founded.
1953:Begin implementing the first five-year plan for developing the national economy.
1955:Chengdu-Aba Highway fully opened to traffic, total length 507 km.
1957The First China Export Commodities Fair was held in Guangzhou (abbreviated as "Canton Fair").
1965:China's artificial synthesis of crystalline bovine insulin was the world's first artificial synthesis of a protein.
1980China's first carrier rocket launched into the predetermined Pacific Ocean area achieved complete success.
1984The Chinese sports delegation won 15 gold medals at the 23rd Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, USA, achieving China's first-ever gold medals on the Olympic medal tally.
1987:The governments of China and Portugal signed a joint declaration in Beijing regarding the Macau issue, confirming that the Chinese government would resume the exercise of sovereignty over Macau on December 20, 1999.
1988The Beijing Electron-Positron Collider achieved its first successful collision.
1990The 11th Asian Games were held in Beijing, marking China's first time hosting a comprehensive international sports event.
1997On July 1, the Chinese government resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong.
1999On December 20, the Chinese government resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macau.
2008In August, Beijing successfully hosted the 29th Olympic Games.
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